Tag Archives: Jack Potter Glacier National Park Stewardship Award

Lisa Bate receives Jack Potter Glacier National Park Stewardship Award for work with birds and bats

June 13, 2016Environmental Issues, NewsGlacier National Park, Jack Potter Glacier National Park Stewardship Award, Lisa Batenfpa

Biologist Lisa Bate counts birds during the annual Christmas bird count in Glacier in 2010.

Lisa Bate recently got some well-deserved recognition for her work with Glacier Park’s birds and bats . . .

While Glacier National Park is known for the grizzlies and goats, Lisa Bate has long been more interested in its birds and bats.

“It’s fun to bring attention to something that’s not a large carnivore,” she said last week. Bate has done groundbreaking work in the Park, most notably studying its harlequin ducks and its diverse, though seldom seen, bat population.

While those two species might not grab headlines, they face just as many threats due to climate change and other factors as the mega fauna species.

“I like the underdogs and I try to give them a voice,” she said.

Read more . . .

Brad Blickhan wins Jack Potter Award

February 6, 2015Environmental Issues, NewsBrad Blickhan, Jack Potter Glacier National Park Stewardship Awardnfpa

Here’s a good write-up on Brad Blickhan, winner of this year’s Jack Potter Glacier National Park Stewardship Award . . .

In 1987, a young Brad Blickhan came to Glacier National Park to drive a Red Bus. His uncle had drove the historic tour buses and said it was a good summer job for a college student. Like many others before him, Blickhan fell in love with the place, and never left…

In 1992, Blickhan tried to land a job on the Park’s trail crew. It was tight budget year with no openings so he took a post at the Park’s dispatch center, which got him involved with ranger staff. A few years later, he was a seasonal ranger at Two Medicine. By the early 2000s, he became the permanent Lake McDonald area ranger.

For his conservation efforts over the course of his 20-year Park Service career, the affable Blickhan was awarded the Jack Potter Award by Headwaters Montana, a local conservation group. Potter was the chief of science and management for many years at Glacier Park.

Read more . . .

2013 Jack Potter Award winner announced

February 20, 2014NewsGlacier National Park Volunteer Associates, Headwaters Montana, Jack Potter Glacier National Park Stewardship Awardnfpa

Headwaters Montana just announced the winner of the second annual Jack Potter Glacier National Park Stewardship Award. Here’s the announcement . . .

Headwaters Montana is pleased to announce the 2013 recipient of the second award made for the protection of Glacier Park’s natural resources. The winner, the Glacier National Park Volunteer Associates (GNPVA), is credited with marshaling the volunteer help of hundreds of citizen-volunteers to help with many facets of Glacier Park’s operations and protection of resources.

The park’s Volunteer Associates has functioned for years with the best interests of Glacier at its core mission. In 2013 alone the Association’s volunteers logged over 6,000 of free public service to Glacier. We think that commitment and what it represents to Glacier merits recognition and celebration.

The Associates has been an active partner with Glacier National Park for almost 25 years, and continues to increase its commitment to the park each year.

Headwaters Montana received five strong nominations for the award in 2013. Glacier Park finds itself in the care of many dedicated people who cherish the park for its own sake and who recognize the contribution the park makes to our quality and way of life.

This year’s award citation notes that the Volunteer Associates gathers the collective energy and dedication of many citizens and has provided opportunities for service to the public and the park over decades of time that include but are not limited to backcountry and river patrol, backcountry preservation and internships, operation of the Discovery Cabin learning center, assistance to the Native Plant Greenhouse, Transit Center, and restoration projects like the Mount Brown Lookout and Lower Nyak Cabin.

“This award to the volunteers of the Associates is a real honor. We are a one hundred percent volunteer organization dedicated to stewardship and conservation of Glacier Park,” said Tom Nelesen, volunteer president of the GNPVA. “To my knowledge we have never been recognized like this over the many years of service to Glacier Park,”

The Jack Potter Glacier National Park Stewardship Award is given to an individual, park service employee, or non-governmental organization who demonstrates courageous or above average commitment to the stewardship and protection of the natural resources of Glacier National Park.

The award was established in 2012 to honor the 40-year service of its name-sake, Jack Potter, who retired from public service in Glacier Park as Chief of Science and Resources.

In a very real sense the Volunteer Associates and its many volunteers deserved this award a long time ago. We’re very pleased to provide this recognition at this time.

The award consists of $200 and a hand-blown glass sculpture of a water ouzel by Bigfork artist Lee Proctor. The award presentation will occur at the February board meeting of the Associates.