Several individuals, an organization and a business were recognized by the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources (CNR) for supporting the college and conservation practices.
The CNR Outstanding Alumnus Award was given to Kurt VerCauteren, a 1990 wildlife graduate of UW-Stevens Point. A supervisory wildlife research biologist and project leader, he has served the USDA-WS-National Wildlife Research Center for more than 20 years. He has supervised hundreds of research scientists and technicians across the country, has been an affiliate faculty member of 14 universities and served on five Ph.D. and 23 master's degree committees. He also has supervised three post-docs and three APHIS Fellows. In 2016, USDA-WS recognized VerCauteren with the Supervisor of the Year Award. He is active in six professional organizations and is a national leader in the fields of wildlife damage management and wildlife diseases.
John Kotar was named the CNR Conservation Leader (individual). Kotar, an emeritus professor of the Department of Forest Ecology and Management at UW-Madison, owns Terra Silva Forest Ecology and Management. He has spent much of his career specializing in the classification of forest vegetation into habitat types based on relationships between soils, the environment, and groupings of understory plant species. This classification system allows natural resource professionals to make management decisions without resorting to complex, long-term studies. As his process of "habitat typing" is a staple of CNR's Summer Field Experience, he has equipped countless CNR students through the years with this ecologically based tool used in sustainable management.
Don Roppolo received the CNR Outstanding Contributor Award. As the national manager of arboricultural training for Davey Tree Expert Company and a UW-Stevens Point alumnus, Roppolo has been giving back to the college on an annual basis for nearly 20 years. He has assisted the CNR in teaching introductory tree care techniques, advanced rigging and science of tree felling courses, as well as served as a committee member on the college's Forestry Advisory Committee and was integral in an initial red-shoulder hawk capture.
Jerry Lineberger, former associate director of the UW-Stevens Point University Centers and longtime volunteer at Schmeeckle Reserve, received the CNR Field Station Award. Lineberger helped create the Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve and serves as a charter board member and its second president. He continues to volunteer countless hours to expand the organization, coordinate programs and events, raise funds for special projects and serves as an advocate for the reserve in the community.
Wisconsin's Green Fire (WGF) is the 2021 Conservation Leader Award (organization). WGF brings sound science and professional experience to natural resource issues locally and nationwide. Founded in 2017, it is an independent, nonpartisan organization with a membership list of working and retired natural resource professionals and experts in air quality, climate change, environmental regulations, environmental education, fisheries, public lands and forestry, public trusts and wetlands and wildlife. WGF has a core group of student members and those that serve on several statewide conservation advisory boards and work with the U.S. Climate Alliance and the Wisconsin Institute for Climate Change Impacts. Their outreach includes factsheets and webinars on topics such as oil pipeline regulation, protection of lakes and streams and management of wildlife resources and they have made significant direct contributions to maintaining the integrity of Wisconsin ecosystems.
Neenah Inc. received the Paper Industry Leadership Award. Neenah Inc. has a long history in the paper industry and consistently supports student activities by offering information nights, field trips and presentations. They have achieved organic growth with successful business expansion into specialty grades, provides summer internship and permanent employment for UW-Stevens Point students and support the university's pilot paper machine with regular pulp and chemical additive donations.
The CNR also recognized the following faculty and staff members for their work during the 2020-2021 academic year.
- CNR Excellence in Teaching Award (peer-selected), Becca Franzen, associate professor of human dimensions of natural resource management
- CNR Excellence in Teaching Award (student-selected), Justin VanDeHey, associate professor of fisheries and water resources
- CNR Outreach Education Staff Award - Haley Frater, outreach program manager for the Wisconsin Forestry Center,
- CNR Outstanding Contributor, Steve Menzel, development director
- CNR Professional Service Award, Kyle Herrman, professor and coordinator of fisheries and water resources
- CNR Scholarship Award, Richard Hauer, professor of forestry
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