WISE Awards

WISE " Leave No Trace" 2009 Community Program Award

WISE works in Partnership with Copper River Native Association to provide environmental science programs that integrate cultural values and skills. WISE was a 2009 Connect Grant recipient for their work in organizing a Youth Environmental Summit with the Native Village of Gakona. During the summit, youth learned about sustainable living practices and the principles of Leave No Trace. WISE represents an excellent community-based program through its partnerships with local land management agencies, cultural organizations and conservation programs.

George Hartzog Group Volunteer of the Year Award

In 2005 Wrangell Institute for Science and Environment received the prestigious National Park Service Alaska Region George Hartzog Group Volunteer of the Year Award.

The George B. Hartzog, Jr. Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service were established in 2002 to recognize the commitment of the Service's most outstanding volunteers. During his nine years as Director of the NPS (1964-1972), George Hartzog created the Volunteers-In-Parks (VIP) Program, which was born of the need for more qualified personnel at a time when national parks were becoming increasingly popular. The National Park Service, an Interior Department agency, manages the National Park System, which comprises 390 areas covering more than 84 million acres. Through a variety of programs, the NPS (www.nps.gov) cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resources, conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.

Janelle Eklund, President of Wrangell Institute for Science and Environment received the prestigious 2006 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Andy Taylor Community Service Award. Janelle is the fourth person to receive this award.

The award was established in 1998 to recognize individuals whose service to the community benefits the park. This award has been presented four times since its inception. The late Bill Ellis of Slana was the first honored in 1998, followed by the late Donna Tollman of Glennallen in 1999, elder Katie John of Mentasta Lake in 2003, and Janelle Eklund in 2006. The honorees are outstanding examples of the Alaskan spirit embodied in the award. Through the Andy Taylor Community Service Award, Wrangell-St. Elias seeks to encourage involvement in the park and to foster a responsive attitude towards community service.

The award is named in honor of Andy Taylor. Taylor lived in the Wrangell Mountains and White River country beginning in the early 1900s. He had mining claims in the Chisana District, ran pack trains over White Pass from Skagway to Dawson, and guided the first expedition to ascend Mt. Logan in 1924. Taylor was a man who sought a close relationship with nature and came to be intimately familiar with this region. His willingness to share his knowledge enriched the lives of many. Those who knew him had tremendous respect for his skill and experience. One individual who benefited from Taylor's experience and knowledge said he was a good friend and a tremendous help. He is a most unusual man� Taylor's dedication and commitment served as an inspiration for the creation of the Park's community service award.

Criteria for the award includes:

• Outstanding community involvement and service that benefits the community and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve
• Excellence of service through initiative, imagination, perseverance, competence, creativity, resourcefulness, dedication, and integrity.

• Dedication to conservation and stewardship of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve natural and cultural resources.