<center><img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/john_bertrand.jpg align=center border=1 vspace=5 hspace=5 alt="John Bertrand - National Volunteer of the Year"><br><font size=3 Face="Arial Narrow" color=#000000>John Bertrand - National Volunteer of the Year</font></center>
Socorro, NM – The Friends of the Bosque and the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge are thrilled and honored to announce that their very own Friend John Bertrand had been chosen to receive the 2008 National Volunteer of the Year Award for the National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA) and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)!
John will receive the award on Saturday, April 5 in Shepherdstown, WV during the “Friends for the Future” National Friends Conference.
“We knew we were lucky to have John donating his time and talents to the Friends of the Bosque and the Refuge, but now the whole nation will know what a wonderful volunteer he is,” said the announcement.
“The National Volunteer of the Year Award is a tremendous honor … John fulfilled and surpassed all the criteria for the award, demonstrating commitment to conservation of our natural resources and refuge management through tremendous personal dedication.
“He has donated tens of thousands of hours helping us here at the Bosque del Apache as well as at several other refuges. His work has benefited each Refuge and benefited the birds and wildlife who rely on them for their survival.”
John, who logged 11,651 volunteers hours with the Bosque alone between 1993 and 2007, was the founder and original board member of the Friends of the Bosque. A constant supporter, John has worked to promote the Bosque and Wildlife Refuges in the west in numerous ways for over 15 years. He has served as “de facto media relations director”, began the tabloid-sized annual news magazine “Habitat” and now is editor of the Friends’ newsletter Bosque Watch.
In one of his latest projects, John developed and in his always friendly, efficient, persuasive style coordinated the successful fund-raising campaign to purchase the Chupadera Mountain Peak.
A member of Ducks Unlimited, John worked with state DU president Jim Wolfe to present a memorial tribute to Bosque biologist John Taylor which raised more than $50,000 toward a rehabilitation project at the Refuge in Taylor’s name.
In addition, New Mexico Tech’s Library thanks to John has available to users a concordance and analysis prepared by Bertrand and presented in the Friends’ name relating plates by John James Audubon in three editions of The Birds of America which are in its holdings. At the library’s invitation in 2006, Bertrand also produced a 27-panel (83 linear feet) photograph and text exhibit which was displayed for three months illustrating Bosque del Apache as A Refuge for all Seasons. Panels from the exhibit now are displayed seasonally as one of the principal interpretive displays in the Refuge visitor center.
John also volunteered at Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge where he designed exhibits and worked as an education specialist, visitor center receptionist, marketing specialists and for one season as a biological assistant in the Aleutian Islands.
In addition to his Wildlife Refuge work, John volunteered his services with the Forest Service working in the Cibola National Forest and Magdalena Ranger District and at the Carson National Forest Ghost Ranch Living Museum.
The list of successful projects, completed publications and promotions attributed to John is vast (a detailed list of his accomplishments is online at (http://www.friendsofthebosque.org/)<a href=http://www.steppinoutnewmexico.com/modules.php?name=Content&op=visit&id=342 target=_blank>www.FriendsOfTheBosque.org</a>)
In her letter of support for the nomination, Leigh Ann Vradenburg, executive director of the Friends of the Bosque del Apache, wrote “John is not just an asset to the Friends and the Refuge, but an essential leader and worker for the ongoing publicity and outreach of the Bosque. With visitation soaring over 160,000 a year, attention to the media and dedication to producing and updating outreach materials is a necessity. In my two and a half years here, John has taken on this role with pride and selfless diligence ...his passion is undeniable, and Refuge and Friends staff alike respect and appreciate the work that he does.”
pengwen note: In adding our own “Congratulations, John” pengwen says: It couldn’t have happened to a nicer, more deserving person!
<center><img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/john_bertrand.jpg align=center border=1 vspace=5 hspace=5 alt="John Bertrand - National Volunteer of the Year"><br><font size=3 Face="Arial Narrow" color=#000000>John Bertrand - National Volunteer of the Year</font></center>
Socorro, NM – The Friends of the Bosque and the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge are thrilled and honored to announce that their very own Friend John Bertrand had been chosen to receive the 2008 National Volunteer of the Year Award for the National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA) and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)!
John will receive the award on Saturday, April 5 in Shepherdstown, WV during the “Friends for the Future” National Friends Conference.
“We knew we were lucky to have John donating his time and talents to the Friends of the Bosque and the Refuge, but now the whole nation will know what a wonderful volunteer he is,” said the announcement.
“The National Volunteer of the Year Award is a tremendous honor … John fulfilled and surpassed all the criteria for the award, demonstrating commitment to conservation of our natural resources and refuge management through tremendous personal dedication.
“He has donated tens of thousands of hours helping us here at the Bosque del Apache as well as at several other refuges. His work has benefited each Refuge and benefited the birds and wildlife who rely on them for their survival.”
John, who logged 11,651 volunteers hours with the Bosque alone between 1993 and 2007, was the founder and original board member of the Friends of the Bosque. A constant supporter, John has worked to promote the Bosque and Wildlife Refuges in the west in numerous ways for over 15 years. He has served as “de facto media relations director”, began the tabloid-sized annual news magazine “Habitat” and now is editor of the Friends’ newsletter Bosque Watch.
In one of his latest projects, John developed and in his always friendly, efficient, persuasive style coordinated the successful fund-raising campaign to purchase the Chupadera Mountain Peak.
A member of Ducks Unlimited, John worked with state DU president Jim Wolfe to present a memorial tribute to Bosque biologist John Taylor which raised more than $50,000 toward a rehabilitation project at the Refuge in Taylor’s name.
In addition, New Mexico Tech’s Library thanks to John has available to users a concordance and analysis prepared by Bertrand and presented in the Friends’ name relating plates by John James Audubon in three editions of The Birds of America which are in its holdings. At the library’s invitation in 2006, Bertrand also produced a 27-panel (83 linear feet) photograph and text exhibit which was displayed for three months illustrating Bosque del Apache as A Refuge for all Seasons. Panels from the exhibit now are displayed seasonally as one of the principal interpretive displays in the Refuge visitor center.
John also volunteered at Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge where he designed exhibits and worked as an education specialist, visitor center receptionist, marketing specialists and for one season as a biological assistant in the Aleutian Islands.
In addition to his Wildlife Refuge work, John volunteered his services with the Forest Service working in the Cibola National Forest and Magdalena Ranger District and at the Carson National Forest Ghost Ranch Living Museum.
The list of successful projects, completed publications and promotions attributed to John is vast (a detailed list of his accomplishments is online at (http://www.friendsofthebosque.org/)<a href=http://www.steppinoutnewmexico.com/modules.php?name=Content&op=visit&id=342 target=_blank>www.FriendsOfTheBosque.org</a>)
In her letter of support for the nomination, Leigh Ann Vradenburg, executive director of the Friends of the Bosque del Apache, wrote “John is not just an asset to the Friends and the Refuge, but an essential leader and worker for the ongoing publicity and outreach of the Bosque. With visitation soaring over 160,000 a year, attention to the media and dedication to producing and updating outreach materials is a necessity. In my two and a half years here, John has taken on this role with pride and selfless diligence ...his passion is undeniable, and Refuge and Friends staff alike respect and appreciate the work that he does.”
pengwen note: In adding our own “Congratulations, John” pengwen says: It couldn’t have happened to a nicer, more deserving person!