Jim Sweeney, a leading wetland conservationist from Schererville, Indiana, has won the 2002 National Wetlands Award in Volunteer Leadership. He will be honored at a ceremony on May 16, 2002, at the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, DC., for his exemplary contributions to the conservation and restoration of the Grand Kankakee Marsh and designation of the Grand Kankakee Marsh National Wildlife Refuge.
“Jim Sweeney has established himself as a solution-oriented wetland conservationist with a long track record of success,” said Stanford Adams, national president of the Izaak Walton League of America. “His success is built on partnership, outreach, and education. His work restoring important wetlands ecosystems spans more than a decade. We are excited about what he has accomplished so far, and look forward to building on the partnerships he’s already formed to do even more.”
Sweeney’s interest in wetlands conservation began when he worked as a line walker for Lakehead Pipeline Co. He would often walk the entire pipeline right-of-way between Elgin, IL and Merrillville, Indiana, which consisted of farm fields, forests, wetlands, and other open space. He developed an interest in protecting what he saw and, as a result, grew dedicated to wetlands conservation. Among his achievements, he:
- Helped form Wetland Watch, a community outreach organization that distributes information, reports illegal wetland fills, and educates students
- Led efforts to restore part of the Grand Kankakee Marsh, once 500,000 acres of marshes, hardwood swamps, oxbow lakes, and meadows
- Led volunteer efforts to promote a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposal for a new 30,000-acre Grand Kankakee Marsh National Wildlife Refuge in Indiana and Illinois
- Co-founded the Friends of the Kankakee
Mr. Sweeney is also Conservation Chairman of the Griffith, Indiana, chapter of the Izaak Walton League and is president of Griffith Izaak Walton Conservation Lands, Inc., which acquires valuable wetlands and protects them with permanent conservation easements.
“I want to thank the Environmental Law Institute and its partners for their support of wetland conservation,” Sweeney said. “We are making a lot of progress in the Kankakee River watershed, and I share this recognition with everyone who has an interest in restoring part of the Grand Kankakee Marsh, designating the refuge, and conserving important wetlands across our state.”
Since 1989, the National Wetlands Awards program has honored exceptional individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary effort, innovation, and excellence in wetland conservation, research, or education through programs or projects at the regional, state, or local level. The program is co-sponsored by the Environmental Law Institute, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service, and National Marine Fisheries Service.
“I offer my congratulations to these environmental heroes and applaud their efforts to safeguard our national wetland heritage for current and future generations,” added Ben Grumbles, Deputy Assistant Administrator of Water at the Environmental Protection Agency.
For more information on the National Wetlands Awards winners, or the ceremony, contact Dorigen Fried at wetlandsawards@eli.org, http://www.nationalwetlandsawards.org/index.htm or (202) 939-3250.