Last updated: July 26, 2024
Article
2023 Director’s Awards for Natural and Cultural Resources
Each year, the National Park Service honors exemplary work conducted in natural and cultural resource stewardship and management. These awards recognize employees who go above and beyond day-to-day duties to solve problems or create new opportunities or projects with creative thinking and action.
Awards for Excellence in Cultural Resource Management & Stewardship
Superintendent
Mark Wimmer
Superintendent, Katahdin Woods and Waters
In 2023, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument signed a formal General Agreement between the park and their Indigenous partners, the Penobscot Indian Nation. This agreement was built upon the principles of co-stewardship and consensus decision making with sovereign Indigenous Nations and is the first of its kind for a National Park Service (NPS) park unit east of the Appalachian Trail. This significant accomplishment could not have been possible without Superintendent Mark Wimmer’s leadership and commitment to developing trust and strong relationships between Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument and the federally recognized Tribes in Maine. One of the defining threads of Superintendent Mark Wimmer’s career has been his commitment to fulling the Department of the Interior’s trust responsibility to protect Tribal interests and to further nation-to-nation relationships with Indigenous partners. When Mark became Superintendent of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in 2022 he immediately prioritized building strong relationships with Tribes. Through enormous investment in time and dedication, Mark and his staff created numerous opportunities for Tribal leadership and resource management to be meaningfully involved in decision making. These efforts resulted in demonstrably enhancing trust and strengthening relationships between the park and their Indigenous partners and, in turn, led to the consensus determination process for resource management at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument to be formalized in the General Agreement. Though newly signed, the principles enacted through the General Agreement are already making a significant difference in cultural resource stewardship through the implementation of programs and activities that honor Indigenous culture and history and foster expanded access to Tribal citizens to come and experience the park’s resources firsthand. Because of Mark’s commitment to forging strong relationships with their Tribal partners and prioritizing meaningful consultation, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument leads the way among NPS units in the Northeast as an example of a park unit fully embracing the principles of co-stewardship, honoring Tribal data sovereignty, and incorporating traditional knowledge into the resource stewardship practices. The standards Superintendent Wimmer set through his leadership and commitment to the principles of co-stewardship stand as a premier example for other national parks to follow, not only in the Northeast but across the NPS as a whole.
Facility Management Specialist
David Goto
Facility Management Specialist, Manzanar National Historic Site
Dave Goto led the restoration efforts for two iconic elements of Manzanar National Historic Site during 2023: Merritt Park and the Wilder Apple Orchard. Merritt Park was once a source of community pride for the Japanese Americans incarcerated at Manzanar during WWII. They embraced their heritage even as they were being persecuted for it. For those still living, their descendants, local Tribal members, and others, restoring the garden has been a top priority. Wilder Apple Orchard, a key component of the national historic site was originally planted in 1910. In subsequent years, the orchard was abandoned as Los Angeles bought up water rights in the valley. Later, the plants were revived and cared for by those incarcerated during WWII. The restoration of Merritt Park and Wilder Orchard required a deep understanding of Manzanar’s history and climate. With his arborist training, Dave was able to design, supervise, and implement the multi-phased restoration. He supervised NPS staff, contractors, and volunteers in recreating original ground contours, installing irrigation systems, defining pathways, planting beds, and establishing vegetation. At Wilder Orchard, Goto selected heirloom apple tree varieties that would evoke the original orchard. In August 2023, Tropical Storm Hilary threw more obstacles Dave’s way, covering the park with debris and sediments. The new plants in Merritt Park were covered in silt and were filled with mud. Erosion gullies threatened the irrigation system of the orchard. Dave immediately supervised emergency repairs. He led work crews and volunteers to remove sediment from the plants. The team used an innovative conveyor belt system to re-excavate the ponds, using the sediment to fill the erosion gullies in the orchard. With his dedication and creativity, Goto inspired volunteers and NPS staff who were broken-hearted by the storm’s devastation. Dave’s success in meeting the many challenges is due not just to his skills, but also his personal commitment to Manzanar, as members of his own family were incarcerated at the site. This sense of purpose, along with his kindness, professionalism, and good humor make people want to work with Dave. Dave’s easy-going and affable nature allows him to meet the demands of his job while caring for over 350 historic orchard trees as well as the unexpected challenges of an environmental disaster.
Learn more about Dave Goto's work on restoring Manzanar's Historic Landscapes after Topical Storm Hilary.
NPS Photo
Cultural Resources Specialist
Erin Davenport
Archeological Compliance Program Manager, Yosemite National Park
Erin "Echo” Davenport contributed to significant gains in Cultural Resource management at Yosemite National Park in 2023. Erin “Echo’s” diligence and expertise facilitated the move of the historic Wilson Cabin residence back to Wahhoga Village, advancing Yosemite’s quest for healing and reconciliation for tribal descendants, the landscape, and the NPS. Wahhoga is the site of thousands of years of Indigenous residence and use, as evidenced in the rich archeological resources within the site. In the 1930s it was established as a 15-cabin settlement for Native American park employees and their families; however, in 1969, NPS evicted the residents and burned the structures, sparing only the Wilson Cabin and relocating it for NPS use. Planning efforts co-led by NPS and tribal leaders began in the 1970s to restore the village as the Indian Cultural Center to foster tribal education programs, cultural events, and ceremonies. In 2018, a cooperative agreement was signed between Yosemite National Park and the American Indian Council of Mariposa County which designated the Wahhoga site for traditional cultural use. While the return of the Wilson Cabin back to Wahhoga had been a goal for many years, progress was long waylaid by planning issues, complex regulations, and multifaceted relationships within the park as well as with tribes. If not for Echo’s steady presence, commitment to the relationships and resources, and command of NPS processes, the Wilson Cabin project would not have happened. Echo emphasizes that the Wilson Cabin move was spearheaded by the Southern Sierra Miwuk/American Indian Council of Mariposa County and characterizes Yosemite’s current role working with the Wahhoga Committee as a co-stewardship effort. The Wilson Cabin is a key element of the long-planned Indian Cultural Center at Wahhoga, and now stands as a tangible symbol of Yosemite National Park’s commitment to this vision. This project's success hinged on Echo's ability to balance the needs of different divisions and serves as a model servicewide. Echo worked closely with staff from Visitor and Resource Protection, Compliance and Project Management, Forestry, Utilities, Buildings and Grounds, Administration, and Wildlife Management to make the cabin move happen. This, in combination with her commitment to accountability to the Wahhoga descendant community, sets the bar for Cultural Resource management in the NPS.
Learn more about Yosemite's Wilson Cabin move.
Awards for Excellence in Natural Resources
Natural Resource Management
Dale Meyerhoeffer
Biological Technician (Forest Health Lead), Shenandoah National Park
After the death of 95 percent of Shenandoah National Park’s eastern hemlock trees from invasive hemlock woolly adelgid, Dale Meyerhoeffer’s undaunted efforts to save the remaining hemlocks preserved an ecologically important resource for the park. Working with researchers from Virginia Tech, he conducted six releases of 2700 host-specific, predatory Laricobius beetles and two releases of 270 host-specific, predatory Leucotaraxis flies in hopes of controlling hemlock wooly adelgid and reducing the park’s reliance on pesticide treatments. Dale identified potential release sites, led aspects of NEPA compliance, worked with Virginia Tech to procure and release beetles and flies, and monitored the populations to evaluate success. In 2023, he identified excellent beetle survival at several sites, marking a major success towards establishment of the biocontrol insect as a primary tool to save park hemlocks. Dale’s contribution to management of invasive hemlock woolly adelgid culminated in a major achievement.
Natural Resource Research
Kathryn (Kate) Miller
Quantitative Ecologist, Northeast Temperate and Mid-Atlantic Inventory and Monitoring Network
Kate Miller has conducted forest monitoring for the Inventory and Monitoring Northeast Temperate and Mid-Atlantic networks since 2007. Her most recent paper addressed the role of white-tailed deer and invasive plant species, sounding the alarm on the future health and resilience of eastern forests, which led to the creation of the Resilient Forest Initiative (RFI) that aims to raise awareness of threats to forest health and foster collaboration across the region. Over the past two years, the Resilient Forest Initiative has been instrumental in bringing resource managers together to develop strategies to protect eastern forests, resulting in millions of dollars in proposals funded through Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act to protect and restore eastern forests. The projects would not have been possible without Kate’s scientific leadership and research skills which has provided foundational work for the Resilient Forest Initiative and demonstrated the value of baseline monitoring and the role that inventory and monitoring staff can play in integrating science into effective resource management.
Professional Excellence in Natural Resource Management
Ashley Rawhouser
Resources Division Chief, North Cascades National Park
Ashley Rawhouser has been the lead negotiator on behalf of the park and the NPS for a proposed 50-year Federal Energy Regulatory Commission relicensing process of the Skagit River Hydropower Project. He had to learn about and coordinate negotiations with multiple Tribes and First Nations, federal, state, and county agencies, and a wide range of non-governmental organizations. Ashley developed and coordinated study plans to identify and quantify resource needs, analyzed the data, and worked with the Federal Caucus to develop protection, mitigation, and enhancement measures (PMEs) and developed and coordinated Settlement Agreements. Ashley was agile in shifting his role from lead resource manager to team member to policy advisor depending on the needs of the park and the team. In 2023, Ashley planned, coordinated, influenced, and engaged with a wide range of stakeholders with varied and sometimes conflicting interests, and used his communication and negotiation skills to bring disparate positions together to meet mutual interests for the best outcome for the resource.
Natural Resource Management in Maintenance
Christopher Loft
Facility Manager, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
In 2023, Christopher Loft worked as a Contracting Officer's Representative at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument to effect contracts for bridge and culvert improvements that are designed to benefit endangered Atlantic salmon. Christopher worked with the Monument's Interdisciplinary team, Tribes, and state partners to develop project descriptions, statements of work, and map materials to inform and complete compliance. This work was proactive and forward thinking, and allowed the park to coordinate efforts for multiple fiscal year implementation and utilize multiple funding sources, including the Inflation Reduction Act. Through this work, Christopher was instrumental in improving Monument infrastructure for fish passage.
Natural Resource Management in a Small Park
Kayla Fermin
Natural Resource Program Manager, Lewis and Clark National Historical Park
In 2023, Kayla Fermin had an extraordinarily outstanding year in the realm of professionalism and partnerships. When the Integrated Resources Program Lead left for a detail, she represented the park with both established and new partners, including attending various partnership meetings on behalf of the park. In addition, she demonstrated unwavering dedication to the park’s relationship with local community colleges and Employee Resource Groups. Kayla consistently provided strong and meaningful mentorship to Northwest Youth Corps interns, seasonals, YCC, visiting interns from network parks, and local high school youth. Kayla assisted the Visitor Services program and co-led a hike and a kayak tour with NPS Director and Regional Director during their visit. At the Director’s suggestion, Kayla encouraged the Integrated Resources Lead to reach out to the Ancestral Lands Corps to begin coordinating a new indigenous-focused internship program at the park. Kayla's professionalism, teamwork, and leadership were exemplary and invaluable to the success of the park.
Natural Resource Superintendent of the Year
Jennifer (Jen) Nersesian
Superintendent, Gateway National Recreation Area
As superintendent of Gateway National Recreation Area (Gateway), Jennifer "Jen" Nersesian is a bold and effective supporter of natural resource protection and climate change preparation. Jen has embraced the setting of Gateway as an opportunity to reach out to urban and under-served populations as potential new park users and partners in conservation. She collaborated with partners on plans to ensure expanded use is sustainable, that climate change preparations include nature-based solutions, and proposed developments consider the needs of Environmental Justice communities by giving those communities a voice. Throughout 2023, Jen clearly demonstrated her consistency as an energetic, forward-thinking, and proactive member of multiple natural resource protection and climate planning efforts. This included wetland banking, collaborating with the US Army Corps of Engineers to consider nature-based solutions for flooding at Jamaica Bay, co-leading the Servicewide work group to develop the coastal investment decision framework, and volunteering Gateway to test both the climate-ready checklist and to be part of the Inflation Reduction Act coastal facilities adaptation planning project. Jen’s leadership and dedication to conserving natural resource has had lasting impact at both Gateway and across the Service.