County Executive's Outstanding Environmental Volunteer Award
In 1998 Rockland County established the County Executive Outstanding Environmental Volunteer Award to recognize individuals for their contributions & achievements in preserving the County’s natural resources.
This year is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day! Rockland County Environmental Resources & County Executive's office is thrilled to announce the call for nominations open now through April 10th, 2020.
The County Executive's Outstanding Environmental Volunteer Award recognizes environmental volunteers who care for our parks, champion our watershed programs, encourage waste reduction, and enhance the beauty of Rockland's natural environment.
To be eligible to receive the award an individual must be at least 18 years of age and a Rockland County resident. Individuals who have been nominated in the past, but not chosen, are eligible to be re-nominated.
County Executive Day will honor this year's winner at a tree planting ceremony at
Kennedy Dells Park at 11 AM on Tuesday, April 21, 2020.
To reduce waste, nominations are no longer submitted by paper document; instead an e-survey nomination form may be submitted via this link: http://rcklnd.us/oeva-2019
2019 Outstanding Environmental Volunteer Award Winner
The Rockland County Division of Environmental Resources, County Executive's office and Award Review Committee are pleased to announce Margie Turrin as the 22nd County Executive's Environmental Volunteer Award recipient.
Ms. Turrin has been a dedicated steward of the environment for decades now. By trade Margie is the Director of Education Field Programs at Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University. Her volunteer work includes serving as a board member on the Sparkill Creek Watershed Alliance since 2010, leading Creekside education initiatives and participating in water quality research.
Margie also serves as the Chairperson for the Conservation Committee of the Rockland County Task Force on Water Resources Management. Her role on the Conservation Committee has been to host quarterly meetings, create water conservation outreach materials and collaborate on conservation projects with the Task Force Chair and Coordinator.
Examples of activities performed by previous winners:
- Creating place-based art and science programming
- Keeping roadways and parks free of litter and trash
- Creating and expanding parks and preserves
- Protecting environmentally sensitive wetlands and woods
- Researching and advocating for water quality
- Bridging diverse points of view on environmental issues
- Promoting sustainability
- Advancing reduction, reuse, and recycling
- Founding and leading environmental action committees and coalitions
- Reducing school bus idling to protect young lungs
- Developing an integrated pest management program
- Serving on the County’s Environmental Management Council
Previous Winners
| 1998 Diane Gruskin |
2007 Jean and Robert Nelson |
2016 Martus Granire |
| 1999 Geoffrey Welch |
2008 Catherine Dodge |
2017 John LaPlaca |
| 2000 George Zoebelein |
2009 Alberto Baruffi |
2018 Laurie Seeman |
| 2001 Colleen and Harold Leidy |
2010 Patsy Wooters |
2019 Margie Turrin |
| 2002 Zipporah Fleisher |
2011 Bill Baker |
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| 2003 Betty Hedges |
2012 George Potanovic, Jr. |
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| 2004 Charles Schwep |
2013 Peggy Kurtz |
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| 2005 Dr. Constantine Gletsos |
2014 Deborah Munitz |
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| 2006 S.Hazard Gillespie |
2015 Grace Meyer |