Title: An act relating to wildlife conservation awards.

Brief Description: Creating the wildlife conservationist award program.

Sponsors: Senators Jacobsen, Rockefeller, Oke, Kohl-Welles and Shin.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation: 2/2/06 [DP-WM, DNP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, OCEAN & RECREATION

Majority Report: Do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.Signed by Senators Jacobsen, Chair; Doumit, Vice Chair; Oke, Ranking Minority Member; Fraser, Hargrove and Spanel.

Minority Report: Do not pass.Signed by Senators Morton and Stevens.

Staff: Curt Gavigan (786-7437)

Background: Arthur (Art) Kruckeberg was born in California in 1920 and, after graduate studies and service in the Navy, began teaching at the University of Washington in 1950. He has taught classes in botany, biology, plant evolution, and ornamental plants and carried out research and published in plant ecology and evolution. Mr. Kruckeberg became an emeritus professor of botany in 1989. He was co-founder of the Washington Native Plant Society and has served on the boards of several conservation groups, including The Nature Conservancy.

Hazel Wolf was born in Victoria, B.C., in 1898. Ms. Wolf co-founded the Seattle Audubon Society and was involved in the establishment of more than twenty other Audubon Society chapters. She was a member of numerous environmental groups, including the National Audubon Society, the Sierra Club, Greenpeace, and the Earth Island Institute. Ms. Wolf received many awards for her work, including the State of Washington Department of Game Award for service in the protection of wildlife, the State of Washington Environmental Excellence Award, the National Audubon Society's Conservationist of the Year Award, and the Washington Legislature Award for environmental work. She passed away in 2000.

Summary of Bill: A wildlife conservationist award program is created in the Department of Fish and Wildlife consisting of two annual awards. The Art Kruckeberg award is presented to an individual for contributions to the conservation of the state's plants and plant communities. The Hazel Wolf award is presented to an individual for contributions to the conservation of the state's animals and animal communities. The recipient of each award may select a nonprofit, tax-exempt, wildlife conservation organization to receive up to twenty-five thousand dollars from the state for wildlife conservation activities in Washington. The Department must develop selection criteria for the program. The Department may create an advisory committee.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: Whether or not money is tied in with this award, it is a great opportunity to honor Art Kruckeberg and Hazel Wolf and to recognize individuals whose actions benefit the plants and animals of Washington.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Miguel Perez-Gibson; Bill Robinson, The Nature Conservancy. CON: None.