Nominations sought for NDOW conservation award

The state’s Board of Wildlife Commissioners is seeking nominations for the 2018 Wayne E. Kirch Nevada Wildlife Conservation Award.

The award is given annually to recipients who have demonstrated significant results towards conservation, management or enhancement of wildlife. An individual, nonprofit organization, outdoor sports club or business can be nominated for the award. Tortoise Group of Las Vegas was the 2017 winner because of a long history of working to help save desert tortoises and their habitat.

Selection of the winner will be made from the official conservation award nomination form by a simple majority of votes from a judging panel that is made up of two wildlife commissioners, Nevada Department of Wildlife staff assigned to the Kirch Award Committee, four judges representing county advisory boards to manage wildlife or outdoor groups, and Marlene Kirch, daughter of former commissioner Wayne E. Kirch.

The conservation award consists of a perpetual bronze and wood plaque, on which that year’s recipient’s name is added. Each winner also receives a smaller version of the award to keep.

This award is named in memory of Wayne E. Kirch, who served on the Fish and Game Commission for more than 25 years, the longest tenure on the board since its inception in 1877. The Kirch Wildlife Management Area in southern Nevada is also named in his honor. Kirch, of Las Vegas, died in 1989.

All required official conservation award nomination forms are available from the Nevada Department of Wildlife regional offices or on the web at www.ndow.org. This year’s award is for projects that occurred in 2018. To be considered, nominations must be received no later than Nov. 15, 2018.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife and promotes fishing, hunting and boating safety. NDOW’s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen’s license and conservation fees and a federal surcharge on hunting and fishing gear.

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