Awards
Volunteer of the Year Award
The Minnesota Land Trust is pleased to announce that Joan Meierotto has been awarded the 2011 John Peck Volunteer of the Year. This award is given to volunteers who have gone the extra mile and demonstrated extraordinary service to the Land Trust. The staff and board of the Land Trust selected Joan from more than 100 volunteers because of the enormous contributions she has made to our conservation easment monitoring program.
The role of a monitor is to visit Land Trust-protected property and complete an inspection to ensure that the terms of the conservation easement have not been violated.
Joan can track her volunteer service with the Minnesota Land Trust all the way back to 1994 when we were still just starting out. In those early days, the Land Trust didn’t have many properties to monitor but Joan was always very active in moving the Land Trust forward. She is a long-time resident of Afton and has logged countless hours as an engaged citizen and volunteer. Her efforts have inspired others to volunteer and the Land Trust is happy to present Joan with this token of its appreciation.
"This is the backbone of any land trust's mission" notes executive director Kris Larson, adding "this is the real work that begins after the initial project work is done and without it , we would be doing a disservice to the landowner, our members, and the public who enjoy the benefits of private land protection."
The John Peck Volunteer of the Year award was named for long-time volunteer John Peck who spent many years working for the Land Trust conducting outreach, education and technical assistance resulting in the permanent protection of several thousand acres. Peck also protected his own land in the Sauk River area where he and wife Linda remain heavily involved in local conservation efforts.
Landowner of the Year Award
The 2011 Landowner of the Year was awarded to Tim and Kathie Cullen of Alexandria, Minnesota.
This award is given to landowners who have gone beyond their original conservation easement project with the Minnesota Land Trust to be a model for land management, education and/or leadership in promoting additional conservation in their area.
Tim and Kathie have worked hard to preserve their family’s land with the Minnesota Land Trust. Beginning with their first land protection project completed in 2003, the Cullens have protected over 600 acres of land and 20,000 feet of shoreline on the Otter Tail River and other water bodies. The Cullens have been dedicated ambassadors for the Minnesota Land Trust and inspired other landowners in Otter Tail County to protect this ecologically rich landscape that is critical for migratory waterfowl and other wildlife. Currently, the Cullens have begun restoration activities on their protected property to enhance its conservation value for wildlife and water quality.
Tim and Kathie’s decision to protect their land has been inspired by their family – three generations of Cullens enjoy spending time at the cabin near Inspiration Peak – and by their faith.
Partner of the Year Award
The Partner of the Year award was created to honor the work of organizations that have partnered with the Minnesota Land Trust in a significant fashion to advance land conservation. This year’s Partner of the Year is the Belwin Conservancy.
The Belwin Conservancy is a non-profit organization located in Washington County and dedicated to the preservation, restoration and appreciation of our natural world. Belwin Conservancy currently owns more than 1,300 acres in Afton and West Lakeland Township, comprising one of the largest privately owned nature preserves in the area.
Belwin has been a major partner with the Minnesota Land Trust to advance land protection in the St. Croix Valley. In addition to permanently protecting their own Conservancy lands with the Land Trust, Belwin has led local outreach efforts with neighboring landowners leading to additional protected properties. In addition, Belwin and the Land Trust are key partners in the Valley Creek Protection Partnership, a multi-agency effort to protect this award-winning and rare high-quality trout stream that meanders through the St. Croix Valley before entering the St. Croix River. This partnership has resulted in the near complete protection of Valley Creek.
Belwin is active in the restoration of their native prairie and woodlands which serves as a model for ecological restoration in the St. Croix Valley. They continue to perform state-of-the-art restoration techniques that are bringing the larger landscape back to ecological health
