DNR Employee Earns National Wild Turkey Federation’s Educator of the Year Award
The Michigan State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) has named Ed Shaw, an employee with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Marketing and Outreach Division, as Educator of the Year for 2013. Shaw works at the DNR’s Carl T. Johnson Hunt and Fish Center, where he coordinates hunting, fishing, trapping and other conservation-focused programming. [Pictured are Michigan NWTF State Board member Jon Gray (left) and the DNR’s Ed Shaw.]
“Ed is extremely passionate about sparking interest in the outdoors through hunting, fishing and other nature-based recreation programs,” said Kristin Phillips, chief of DNR Marketing and Outreach Division. “The kind of introductory programming that Ed and rest of the DNR education staff are doing to develop a new generation of conservation-minded citizens is more critical now than ever.” Through the past year Ed and his staff at the Hunt and Fish Center delivered conservation programming to more than 10,000 participants.
The purpose of this exciting program is to recognize educators who demonstrate the most innovative use of the Wild About Turkeys Education Box and a commitment to teaching conservation education in the classroom. Part of the annual programming offered through the Hunt and Fish Center is an outreach program for school classrooms that utilizes the Wild Turkey Federation’s Wild About Turkeys Education Box to help children understand how the wild turkey fits into Michigan’s ecological landscape and social fabric.
“We believe that Ed Shaw is committed to making a difference. His extraordinary efforts have brought conservation education, including a great turkey program, to many of the classrooms in the Northwest Lower Peninsula,” said Jon Gray, Michigan NWTF State Board member. The National Wild Turkey Federation is involved in this kind of recognition program to highlight notable conservation professionals in natural resources agencies and is dedicated to the conservation of wild turkeys and the preservation of hunting heritage.
“We are proud that Ed was recognized for his contribution by the National Wild Turkey Federation,” Phillips said. “The award reflects our commitment as an agency to using education in concert with other science-driven resource management techniques to ensure Michigan’s natural resources are providing every benefit possible to this and future generations.”
The award was presented to Shaw at the National Wild Turkey Federation Michigan State Chapter Convention meeting on Jan. 18 in Big Rapids.
