Salado Creek Foundation

Heroes of Conservation

Nov 19, 2008

FROM: Bexar Audubon Society

ATTN: Harry Noyes, Chapter Publicity
Tel. (210) 490-3124 (home) (210) 248-8080 (mobile)
e-mail harrynoyes@satx.rr.com

DATE OF RELEASE: 19 November 2008

NEWS CONTENT:

For many years, a small but dedicated band has fought for the environment of the Earth and the San Antonio region. A handful stand out as true Heroes of Conservation, having dedicated many years, thousands of hours of volunteer efforts and large sums of their own resources to this cause.
Last week, Bexar Audubon Society honored three such paragons -- Ruth Lofgren, Ernie Roney and William R. Sinkin -- with its new Hero of Conservation award.
Lofgren and Roney were recognized for decades of effort to protect and develop the former Mitchell Lake sewage plant into what is now the Mitchell Lake Audubon Center, a world-class bird refuge, birding tourism site and nature-education facility.
Sinkin was honored for a career that included "being green when green wasn't cool." He founded and still directs the Solar San Antonio program, which is increasingly effective at expanding the use of solar energy in our region.
The Hero of Conservation award is the chapter's highest honor and is intended for relatively rare presentation.
"This is a special tribute to the 'bravest of the brave' among our region's environmental strugglers," stated an explanatory document. "It is an award for heart as much as achievement and will go to people who have dedicated many years of their lives to conservation or have made extraordinary personal sacrifices for the cause. In coming years, only a handfull will earn this special honor, but they will be people of whom all others will unhesitatingly affirm, 'Yes, he/she deserves that.'"
Recipients need not be members of Bexar Audubon or any other organization.
The award consists of a hand-carved, hand-painted wooden sculpture of Bexar Audubon's logo bird, the bobwhite quail. The trophies were made especially for this purpose by James Middleton, long-time San Antonio Audubon Society member and well-known local bird sculptor.
The presentations were made at Bexar Audubon's 25th-anniversary banquet Nov. 13, at the Los Patios Restaurant. The event was further highlighted by a talk by John Karger from Last Chance Forever. Karger showed several of his magnificent birds of prey and explained how the ancient art of falconry contributes to the modern goal of conserving birds.
For more on local conservation groups and events, visit http://www.bexaraudubon.org and http://www.sa-naturecenter.org.