N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission Seeks Conservation Award Nominations

RALEIGH, N.C. (Jan. 29, 2008) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is accepting nominations through March 30 for its third annual Thomas L. Quay Wildlife Diversity Award.

The award recognizes individuals who make outstanding contributions to wildlife diversity in North Carolina and who are considered leaders in wildlife resources conservation. 

The winner of this year’s award will join two respected leaders in the wildlife conservation field. The first recipient was Quay himself, a retired professor of zoology at N.C. State University and self-described “full-time volunteer and unpaid environmental activist.” While at N.C. State, Quay focused much of his work on how birds relate to their environments and studied a wide variety of birds — from songbirds to ringnecked pheasants to colonial waterbirds. 

Dr. James Parnell, professor emeritus of biological sciences at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, received the award in 2007 in recognition of his pioneering research on colonial nesting waterbirds and shorebirds on dredge-material islands. In honor of his lifelong work and dedication towards the conservation of these species, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, with support of the N.C. Coastal Islands Sanctuary program, officially designated waterbird nesting sites along the coast as the James F. Parnell Waterbird Sanctuary System.

The agency’s Nongame Wildlife Advisory Committee will recommend one nominee for consideration by the Wildlife Commissioners at their May meeting. The winner will be announced at the Commissioners’ meeting in July.

All nominations must include a nomination letter, completed nomination form and a list of achievements, such as a curriculum vitae. Electronic submissions are preferred, but hard copies can be mailed to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, Attn:  Wildlife Diversity Award, 1721 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1722. Nomination forms can be downloaded here, or obtained by calling (919) 707-0050.