The Y2Y folks honored the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes for their conservation efforts . . .
Members of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes received the inaugural Ted Smith award for conservation collaboration at a ceremony Friday.
The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative gave the honor to Dale Becker, head biologist for the CSKT Wildlife Management Department. Becker and the tribal government were instrumental in creating a system of wildlife crossings over and under U.S. Highway 93 as it passes through the Flathead Indian Reservation. The award also highlights CSKT’s efforts to create the nation’s first tribally designated wilderness and its support for reintroducing trumpeter swans to historic range
The award commemorates the legacy of Ted Smith, who helped found the Y2Y network of organizations and interested conservationists.