Gene Duvernoy, Conservancy honored at WFPA Annual Meeting

Three leaders from conservation, timber and tribal communities sat down in the summer of 2008 to talk about the importance of maintaining working forests on our landscape.

The leaders, Gene Duvernoy, President, Cascade Land Conservancy; Mark Douwit, Executive Director of the Washington Forest Protection Association, and Billy Frank Jr., Chairman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, quickly confirmed cooperation as the key to having both great communities and working forests that provide clean water and air, fish and wildlife habitat, jobs in rural communities and naturally grown wood.

At the WFPA’s annual meeting in November, that meeting was again recognized as a ground-breaking event with the award of the WFPA’s Stu Bledsoe Award to Duvernoy.

Each year at this time WFPA honors someone who has exhibited “outstanding leadership and involvement” with the Stu Bledsoe Award. The Award, established in 2004, states:

“Stu Bledsoe, WFPA Executive Director 1978-1988, cared deeply about Washington State. The legacy Stu left by negotiating the Timber-Fish-Wildlife Agreement was to end years of fighting over natural resources – establishing a new model for environmental cooperation. It is in his honor that we recognize individuals who have left their mark for us to follow, to reach a little higher and look a little closer for that common bond and vision – continually striving for “win-win” outcomes.”

Duvernoy was presented the award in recognition of his efforts “to protect working forests, farms, shorelines, parks and natural areas in Washington State. . . . You are making a real difference, and your leadership and vision that a broad coalition can achieve innovative change ensures our region maintain the higher quality of life.”

Duvernoy was one of the founders of The Cascade Agenda, a 100-year vision to conserve 1.3 million acres of working forests, farms and natural areas by linking conservation with the creating great and vibrant cities and towns.

Practicing sustainable forestry provides great benefits to the public including clean water and air, fish and wildlife habitat, recreation, jobs and naturally grown wood products.

The pressures on our private forest land base from increasing population and the importance of working together to maintain working forests on our landscape are keys to the future and the goals of The Agenda.