News of People

Steve Wendt, Canadian Wildlife Service (retired)

• Steve Wendt receives the 2008 NABCI Award

Steve Wendt, retired Director of Populations and Conservation Management Division, Canadian Wildlife Service, was recently chosen by the U.S. Committee of the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) and the Association of Joint Venture Management Boards as one of three distinguished recipients of the 2008 NABCI Award. Many of our readers know and admire Steve as an extraordinary person, biologist, and advocate for avian conservation in Canada and throughout the Americas, but he is especially dear to the WHSRN community for his 10 years of service as the immediate past-Chair of the WHSRN Hemispheric Council. Our heartiest congratulations to Steve on this most deserved recognition of his outstanding career.

Please read more about Steve and this award.

Professor Castillo Valtierra receives his award from Mexico’s President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa

• Abel Eduardo Castillo Valtierra receives Mexico’s National Ecological Merit Award

At a special event on June 5th hosted by SEMARNAT (Mexico’s Secretariat of the Environment and Natural Resources), Mexico’s President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa awarded Professor Abel Eduardo Castillo Valtierra with the prestigious National Ecological Merit Award for 2008 for his outstanding achievements per the category "Individual.” Professor Castillo Valtierra, who works in the Secretariat of Public Education, has been a constant advocate for the conservation of shorebirds in the State of Nayarit, especially at Marismas Nacionales — a WHSRN Site of International Importance. His tireless efforts have resulted in conservation projects throughout the State, most notably the education-oriented Nauyar’ixu Botanical Garden that opened this year and includes a wetland and bird observatory. ¡Felicitaciones tan sinceros, Profesor!