Author: WCHF | Page 7 | Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame

Ernie Swift in the News

WCHF Uncategorized February 3, 2021March 31, 2021Conservation Heroes, WCHF Members

Ernie Swift was inducted to the WCHF in 1986. After earning recognition as a fearless northwoods game warden (1926-1935), Swift became deputy director of the old Wisconsin Conservation Department. He rose steadily in the ranks, becoming assistant director in 1943 and director in 1947. He left state service in 1954 and served briefly as assistant director of the US Fish & Wildlife Service before accepting appointment as director of the National Wildlife Federation.

Pat Durkin, a member of the WCHF Board of Directors, wrote a recent article about Ernie Swift entitled Deer: Conservation’s Longtime ‘Problem Child’. In it he describes a book written by Ernest Swift, A History of Wisconsin Deer, that covers the first 30 years of Wisconsin’s effort to manage and …

Celebrate Four Conservation Champions at 2021 Virtual Ceremonies

WCHF Uncategorized January 20, 2021February 3, 2021Conservation, Conservation Heroes, Event

Our Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame Ceremony will “go virtual” on April 24, 2021, as we honor our newest Inductee, Gary Eldred. In addition, our three 2020 Inductees—Stephen Born, Jens Jensen, and Stanley Temple—will be honored since the 2020 Induction Ceremony was cancelled last April during the pandemic. This year’s ceremony marks the induction of our 100^th conservation hero along with three others. Everyone is invited to participate and help us celebrate this milestone.

From left to right: Gary Eldred, Stephen Born, Jens Jensen and Stanley Temple

How It Will Work

On April 24, the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame will hold a series of four free Induction Ceremony events held live on a virtual platform throughout the day. Each event will be 45 …

Updated Nomination Process

WCHF Uncategorized January 13, 2021February 3, 2021Conservation Heroes

The WCHF has a new Nomination Application for nominating individuals for induction to the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame. The new process assists nominators in organizing the needed information for a nomination. It also ensures greater consistency in the nominations received.

Timeline
Nominations are accepted between January 1 – May 31. In June, nominations undergo a technical review. Each August, the five-member Board of Governors (BOG) reviews nominations. The BOG selects five nominations to forward to the Board of Directors (BOD). At the BOD annual meeting in November, the five finalists are discussed and inductees for the next year are selected by representatives from our 30+ Member Organizations.

Standards and Criteria for Nomination
There are Standards and Criteria for Nomination adopted by the WCHF …

Holiday Greetings 2020-2021

WCHF Uncategorized December 31, 2020February 3, 2021Conservation

“…Only when one comes to listen, only when one is aware and still, can things be seen and heard.” — Sigurd Olson Listening Point

Happy holidays and a great New Year!

To see the full article, read the Twin Cities Pioneer Press of Duluth, Minnesota.…

WCHF Announces 2021 Inductee – Gary Eldred

WCHF Uncategorized December 23, 2020February 3, 2021Conservation, Conservation Heroes, WCHF Induction Ceremony

It’s official! The Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc. (WCHF) has announced the selection of the conservation leader for induction in 2021. The inductee will be Gary Eldred — citizen scientist extraordinaire.

“I had been a hunter, fisherman, and trapper since I was twelve. I deeply enjoyed these outdoor activities and spent as much time as I could pursuing them. In the process, I became a skilled amateur naturalist and developed a strong interest in conservation. While in my mid-twenties, I was fortunate enough to read Aldo Leopold’s Sand County Almanac. That new perspective on nature and conservation, especially the chapters on land ethics, began a subtle transformation of my thinking.” – Gary Eldred

Entirely as a volunteer and teaching himself along …