In 1993, The Linn Conservancy received the Swank Award from the Northumberland County Conservation District for the Conservancy’s work in the Montandon Wetlands and in 1994, received the Director’s Award from the Union County Conservation District for the Conservancy’s work in Union County.

The Conservancy in turn has recognized the efforts of others in protecting the local environment. Awards are listed chronologically:

1997

Richard Nickelsen: A Lifetime Achievement Award for his efforts to preserve the natural landscape of central Pennsylvania. He was one of the nine founding Board members of Linn Conservancy in 1988. The Walker Farm conservation easement on Dale's Ridge benefited from his expertise and the Dale's Ridge Trail is a reality because of his efforts. Not only did Dick lay out the trail and direct its construction, but he has also served as the first chief steward starting in 1990. Many have been enriched by his insights provided on the numerous educational walks he has led there and in the Montandon Marsh. Dick’s conservation efforts extend well beyond the Conservancy. He served the Union County Conservation District as a board member for over two decades and assisted the Seven Mountains Audubon Society in many ways since the Chapter’s founding in the early 1970s, as a board member, field trip leader and coordinator, program chair, and chair of annual Christmas bird count.

Joseph Priestley Unitarian Fellowship: A Service Award for being the first group to assume total responsibility for a Conservancy site: the Linn Trail. The dependable labors of the Priestley Fellowship, like this secluded trail itself, have not yet received widespread notice. The group's quiet efficiency does have, however, the abiding appreciation of those who walk it and the board of the Conservancy. The need for recognition and protection of the very special features of the Mohn Mill area was noted by ecologists of The Nature Conservancy and by Merrill Linn himself many years ago. The area contains a medley of small glacial ponds and these wetlands hold a spectacular concentration of plants and animals, some of national significance.

Margaret Seebold: A Stewardship Award for support of Linn Conservancy objectives resulting in our first joint stewardship of a site identified on the Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory for Union County. This initiative is to protect the early blooming Wild Lupine.

1998

David C. Johnson: A Lifetime Achievement Award for writing about conservation and the environment for nearly fifty years. Starting in 1950 while a teacher of American history in the Mifflinburg School District, he began writing for The Lewisburg Journal under the name "Vic Hunt" and then in 1975 for The Daily Item. These articles as well as others appearing in the Pennsylvania Angler, Tri-County Outdoors, and Game News, have been derived from a lifelong interest in hunting and fishing and a deep respect for animals and plants and their natural habitat. Johnson exemplifies what it means to be a good sportsman, a conservationist, and a voice/advocate for enlightened stewardship of the Earth.

John G. Clark: A Lifetime Achievement Award for one who is acknowledged as having "caught fire as a botanical naturalist" after enrolling as an older student at Susquehanna University in the 1970s. The Nature Conservancy frequently employed Clark’s botanical expertise to survey natural areas suspected of sheltering rare or unusual plants. He was a member of the Pennsylvania Biological Survey and served on its Vascular Plant and Moss Committee and as a resource for Union County’s Natural Areas Inventory, a crucial work that outlines the localities of rare, threatened, and endangered species as well as highest quality natural areas. The Conservancy project that best characterizes Clark’s tireless volunteerism is our Montandon Marsh effort. The successful purchase and preservation of these swamp woodlands are in large part due to John’s efforts. He repeatedly visited the site to establish its special botanical and zoological features, organized the required appraisals and surveys, helped secure the Key '93 funds from the Commonwealth to partially fund the site’s purchase, and continually encouraged communication among all parties. John mentored the research of several Bucknell students as they described and cataloged the vegetation and soil of the wetlands and uplands and co-authored a publication on the Marsh documents the interaction of water, nutrients, and vegetation within the wetlands.

1999 JPM Company: A Service Award for its leadership on the environment in our business community. For the last decade (and until the Conservancy had its own office at the Dale/Walker House and use of a shared board room there) JPM provided a professional board setting for the Linn Conservancy to conduct its business. JPM was a corporate supporter of the Conservancy and established a model of employee and management chosen philanthropies which were able to plan on consistent support. The Linn Conservancy was one of those four so-chosen non-profits.

The Union County Agricultural Preservation Board: A Service Award for working to save productive farmland from development and succeeding in strengthening a strong local government commitment matched to that provided by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Its initial board of directors established goals and criteria. The volunteer board meets regularly with staff to assess the functions of the program and most importantly to decide which farms meet its strict set of guidelines and are worthy of permanent protection.

Benjamin and Geneva Chambers: A Stewardship Award for support of Linn Conservancy objectives resulting in our second joint stewardship of a site identified on the Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory for Union County. This initiative to protect vernal ponds and a gooseberry plant.

2000

Geoff Goodenow: A Service Award for being an incredibly hard worker who has both a vision and an eye for detail as he works on projects. Geoff has been a board member since 1989 and has been President and member of the site/stewardship, public awareness, nominating, personnel, and executive committees at different times. Geoff, along with Kathy Rowe, another science teacher, wrote the Rural Routes brochures for the Linn Conservancy as well as a brochure for the Dales’ Ridge Trail. Most recently Geoff has also written the text for the Conservancy’s videos: Vision of the Valley and Montandon Marsh: A Wonder in Our Backyard. Goodenow also heads the Adopt-a-Road effort of the Linn Conservancy as well as that of the Seven Mountains Audubon where he has served as President, board member, and newsletter editor. Geoff’s uncommon sense of purpose and dedication to the goals of the Linn Conservancy is unsurpassed.

2001

The Outdoor Education Program of the Mifflinburg Middle School: A Lifetime Achievement Award. This unique program was begun in 1970 with a government grant and its pilot program was conducted with the fifth grade from Laurelton Elementary School. By 1972 the program was an integrated program comprised of all those disciplines included in the fifth grade curriculum. The original team was Val (Edith) Orbison, coordinator; Shirley Bingaman; Jere Motto; and Donald Ulrich. That group was broadened to include all fifth grade classroom teachers and several other teachers from various grade levels with applicable skills. The present core staff consists of Jere Motto, Coordinator; Linda Minium; Joe Southerton; and ten other teachers on staff. The program has received a state award from Exemplary Programs in Outdoor Education and it has been nationally recognized as well. The school district was also invited to send its Outdoor Education staff to an International Middle Schools Conference in Canada to demonstrate the concepts used. The impact of the Mifflinburg Outdoor Education Program is the continuing praise from parents who themselves were participants in the program and express excitement over their children sharing the experience.

Warren Abrahamsen: A Lifetime Achievement Award for being committed to the philosophy and mission of the Conservancy since 1989. Abe promoted the idea that Union County should support a natural areas inventory and he provided his considerable scientific expertise to the. He spearheaded the initiative to educate the community as to the importance of Montandon Marsh and its surroundings by offering numerous written and oral presentations as to the significance of these wetlands and has supervised scientific inquiry by Bucknell students into the nature of the Marsh. Abe has been very instrumental in the creation and development of two of the Conservancy’s nature trails which are open to the public. It was largely his initiative which resulted in the establishment of the Shamokin Mountain Trail, and he and his students have provided much of the information that appears in the trail guides for the Shamokin Mountain Trail and the Dale’s Ridge Trail. A member of Bucknell’s Biology Department since 1973, where he teaches courses in evolutionary ecology and conservation biology. He is very active with efforts on campus to create a greener and more environmentally friendly campus community. Indeed, for Abe, conservation of resources and environmental awareness is not just a professional activity, but is an integral part of his lifestyle.

2002

The Northumberland AgPreservation Achievement Award. The Northumberland AgPreservation program was started in 1991 and since 1994 has protected with purchased agricultural easements 10 farms totaling 1,218 acres. Currently, the county program has a waiting list of 42 farms with a combined acreage of 4,722 acres. Since 1996, he Northumberland County Conservation District handles the day to day administration of the AgLand Preservation and a Board of Directors has, until recently, been meeting nearly monthly and includes two of the original directors: David L. Unger an at-large member and Chairperson and Bill Geise a farmer member and Vice-Chairperson, both since 1991. These dedicated volunteers and the program they administer make steady progress in preserving area farm land and open space.

The Neal Woodruff Service Award. Since retiring to Union County from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Neal Woodruff has made a lasting mark issues on conservation planning. A member of the Linn Conservancy since 1991, Neal began a deeper level of involment with the initiation of the "Making Tracks" column in The Union County Journel. These columns later appeared in the Linn Log to which Neal has been a steady contributor. He was a member of the Conservancy's Public Awareness Committee and contributed to the texts of both Conservancy videos. In 1994, Neal was appointed to the Union County Planning Commission and was subsequently reappointed to a second term. He was appointed to the Planning Commission as a representative of conservation and environmental interests in the County, in particular the Linn Conservancy. His interests are land use and open space; natural areas planning and conservation. Neal also served on the Union County Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee for the development of Vision 21: The Planning Document for the 21st Century which was adopted by the Union County Commissioners in 1997. In addition Neal was an original member of the Open Space Committee for Great Stream Commons from the early conceptual design phase until 2002. Neal's most recent environmental interest has been the establishment of the Buffalo Creek Watershed Alliance, a new initiative within the Conservancy.

2003

The Dersham Family Farm Achievement Award. The Dersham family has been instituting environmental protection practices on the family farm in West Buffalo Township near the headwaters of the Buffalo Creek. Extensive riparian tree planting along a stretch of Buffalo Creek which runs through their property is but one of many practices instituted by three generations of Dershams.

2004

Ed Culver Service Award. was given in recognition for his extensive photographic work in the production of three Conservancy produced videos: Vision of Our Valley; Montandon Marsh: A Special Place in Our Backyard; and the most recent You Are What You Drink: Reasons to Know and Protect the Buffalo Creek Watershed.

June Masters Hoyle Service Award. was cited for her service to the Union County since the 1960s with particular emphasis on her achievements with the Linn Cionservancy. June and members of her family were charter member of the Linn Conservancy in 1988 and she was involved as many learned about what conservancies were and could accomplish. She served as co-founder, its first Vice President for five years and as its sixth President. June has been especially active on the Conservancy¹s Development Committee and has been particularly effective in securing new members and corporate support. For many years she was in charge of this, our annual dinner, and was known for sending on to others her "clippings" on various conservation topics as she learned about the field and its activities nationwide. The Merrill W. Linn Land & Waterways Conservancy honoed June Masters Hoyle for getting immersed in a new interest after serving so well in so many others. We are, as a community, so much better for her gentle but persistent ways

2005

Mary Koons Stewardship Award. Some people are born with a strong sense of place and Mary Koons is one of those people. As a young person, Mary moved often with her family within Mifflinburg, and has resided here for all of her life, building successful businesses in both Lewisburg and her native Mifflinburg. Early in her life, Mary became identified with proactive actions and with taking stands to protect and preserve our area’s historical and natural heritage.

Since the founding of the Linn Conservancy in 1988, she has been an active member. In the early 1990’s, Mary entrusted her small farm along Buffalo Creek and the Hassenplug covered bridge to the Conservancy. By placing it under a conservation easement with Linn, the property is forever protected as open space within the borough of Mifflinburg. It became our second easement. A trail was designed and is maintained by Conservancy members, school children and area neighbors for everyone to enjoy for generations to come.

Mary also has made significant donations to Conservancy fund raising efforts. Her reputation for fine quilts is well known. She has given much time and effort to design and produce several quilts which she then donated to the Conservancy as sale or raffle items to benefit the organization.

Through these and many other acts of generosity, Mary Koons exemplifies the “can and must do” model of citizen involvement. For these things and more, we are deeply indebted to her.

Florence Pyle Service Award. The Merrill W. Linn Land and Waterways Conservancy recognizes that Florence Pyle has made many significant contributions that have improved the quality of life in our community. With this award, we wish to thank her for just some of those contributions. Throughout her life, she has been particularly active in the areas of education and conservation. Some highlights are as follows:
Florence worked for many years in the Office of the Registrar at Bucknell University where she served as secretary, recorder, Assistant Registrar and finally Registrar prior to her retirement in 1976.

She has been active in the Girl Scouts since 1926 when she first became a member. Over the years, she has since served the Scouts in many capacities including leader, program advisor, camp counselor and board member. She was President of the local council from 1958 to 1963 and of the Hemlock Regional Council from 1979 to 1982. As a volunteer, she has served as director of public relations, historian and archivist for the Hemlock Council. Some of the honors that she has received for her service to the Girl Scouts include the Golden Eaglet, Thanks Badges I and II and the Hemlock Award.

Florence has been a long-time member of our local Seven Mountains Audubon Society. She served as a Board member and Secretary for many years in addition to editing the newsletter. An active birder herself, she was a regular participant in the annual Christmas Bird Count. Very significantly, Florence served as the Education Chair and coordinated the Audubon Adventures Program that supplies environmental education materials to our local elementary schools.

2006

The Markunas Family Stewardship Award No regional natural area has received as much attention as the Montandon Wetlands Complex.  Long cherished by local biologists and naturalists, this site was recently identified as a top priority natural area in Northumberland County by the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program. Yet when Tony Markunas, President and Chairman of the Board of Central Builders Supply Company bought a large tract near Montandon for its sand and gravel content, he was unaware that that he had also acquired irreplaceable wetlands unmatched in our four-county region.  “I didn’t know how interesting and valuable wetlands are,” he said.  Central Builders found itself in possession of marsh and swamp habitat containing four plant and four animal species of special concern in Pennsylvania, including the finest population of river bulrush in the state.  In addition, the site features a unique geology, derived from glaciation and its proximity to the Susquehanna River.

The Markunas family proved to be ideal stewards of their prize.  They agreed with the Merrill Linn Land and Waterways Conservancy to a conservation easement on nearly 80 acres of wetlands, thereby preserving this natural area for generations.  Sand extraction proceeds on the remaining acreage, but with every intention of leaving behind ponds and wetlands that will become an asset to the Montandon community and surrounding region.

We honor the Markunas family for their community-minded business practices, for their cooperation with area naturalists, scientists and students, and most importantly for their vital role in protecting this region’s premier ecological site.

The Jeff Bowers Lifetime Service Award presented in memory of Jeff Bowers for his active involvement and contributions to the Linn Conservancy, particularly his efforts in establishing and developing the Buffalo Creek Watershed Alliance. Jeff Bowers was a resident of the Middleburg area of Snyder County and a long-time Linn Conservancy member. He took a passionate interest in the Buffalo Creek watershed and played a major role in the formation of the Alliance.  In the fall of 2002 Jeff helped facilitate a public meeting with breakout sessions where more than 40 residents discussed issues within the watershed. The ideas put forth at this meeting were important to the Conservancy’s decision to move ahead with the formation of the Alliance. Soon thereafter Jeff was elected to the Alliance Board of Directors and accepted the leadership role as its founding chairman.

Under his dedicated and personable leadership the Alliance began to shape and moved forward successfully. In a short time it obtained funding to support operations, promotion of the group and its mission in the community, to conduct research in partnership with Bucknell University, and to develop an educational video about the watershed.  Jeff also worked diligently behind the scenes to convince Union County to create the position of watershed specialist at the Union County Conservation District.  As chairman of the Alliance board Jeff was a hands-on leader. He led by example, rolling up his sleeves and getting his hands dirty right along with everyone else. Under his guidance the first hands-on projects of the Alliance, a number of clean-ups in and along Buffalo Creek were planned and carried out.  While doing all this, Jeff continued his other important volunteer service to the Conservancy, including the creation of an environmental education award and work on Dale’s Ridge trail. 

One of Jeff’s favorite trees was the red oak, one of the strongest and most majestic trees in the eastern hardwood forest. Like his favorite tree, Jeff was an oak to the Alliance and the Conservancy.  He was a strong, quietly majestic member of both organizations. A fine young red oak now stands before the Dale Engle Walker house in his memory.  Every time we pass it, we are reminded of Jeff and what he meant to the Conservancy, the Alliance, his friends, and his family.  It will grow tall and stand for many years as a symbol of all that Jeff was and all that he meant to us.

There were many times along the way when Alliance Board members may have doubted themselves and the new organization, but Jeff always had a positive outlook, steered the group in the right direction, and was able to keep spirits high. The work of the Alliance continues today thanks to his many contributions and sacrifices. Now and in the future the Conservancy and Alliance will continue to work to keep Buffalo Valley that special place that Jeff enjoyed and cared so much about. May his legacy continue to live on through our efforts.

2007

Allan Grundstrom Stewardship Award
An important component of the Merrill W. Linn Land and Waterways Conservancy is a concern for the rivers and streams of its area. This concern, in cooperation with Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection, led to the formation of a study committee to explore the formation of a group to improve and protect the Buffalo Creek watershed. This resulted in the formation of the Buffalo Creek Watershed Alliance of the Merrill W. Linn Land and Waterways Conservancy with a set of bylaws and a memorandum of understanding that was formally approved on April 23, 2002. Allan Grundstrom was an important leader in this process and at the first meeting of the BCWA board of directors he was elected Vice-Chair. He served as an active member of the board and became chair when illness forced the retirement of the first Chair, Jeff Bowers, previously honored by the Conservancy.

Since that time Allan has been a hard working, dynamic, effective leader of the Buffalo Creek Watershed Alliance. He has attended conferences and workshops, recruited board members and stream monitors, managed the preparation and submission of proposals, arranged and made public presentations, created and sold hats and tee shirts, and attended to many other details as well.  Under his leadership the BCWA has submitted proposals and received two Growing Greener Grants to restore the upper reaches of Buffalo Creek, impaired due to acid precipitation. Because of his dynamic leadership, of a highly regarded board, DEP and EPA requested that the BCWA submit a proposal, in cooperation with the Union County Conservation District, to begin the process of restoration of the sections of Buffalo Creek impaired by agriculture. This proposal, concurrent with the second of the acid precipitation proposals, resulted in a very heavy schedule for Allan. He has very skillfully balanced the extensive time and activities devoted to the Alliance with those devoted to his family and other interests. It is entirely fitting that the Merrill W. Linn Land and Waterways Conservancy honor Allan W. Grundstrom at this time.

The Roger Curran Service Award
Roger Curran, recipient of the Linn Conservancy’s 2007 Service Award has contributed, in his unassuming and quiet way, to every aspect of our organization’s endeavors. While he has served in various leadership positions—including the presidency, he is always willing to work as part of the team to help realize the Conservancy’s goals. He takes on many of the Conservancy’s less glamorous tasks—working on cleanup projects, staffing Conservancy information booths, providing fellow Board members with transportation to Board meetings, and even serving bratwurst in a bone-chilling rain to raise money for the Conservancy.

Roger, who received degrees in psychology from Bucknell and George Washington University, worked for 33 years as a Federal personnel administrator with the U.S. Public Health Service.  After retiring, Roger and his wife Nancy returned to Lewisburg, beginning their volunteer work with the Conservancy in 1996.  In 1998 Roger became editor of the Linn Log, contributing many of his own articles. In 1999, he joined the Board of Directors as President-Elect. That year he also represented the Conservancy at the Rally of the Land Trust Alliance in Colorado. From 2000 to 2001 Roger served as President. During his tenure he was instrumental in the formation of the Conservancy’s Heritage Club, he supported opening a Conservancy office at the Dale/Engle/Walker House, and he sought out new members, bringing the Conservancy’s membership to a new high.

Award Applications and Information

"The John G. Clark Environmental Award" and the newer, "Linn Conservancy Environmental Adventure Award," are available to teachers and students in the areas covered by the Milton, Lewisburg, and Mifflinburg school districts. Private school students and home scholars are also eligible. The following PDF files can be viewed and downloaded:

John G. Clark Environmental Award Description

John G. Clark Environmental Award Application

Environmental Adventure Description

Environmental Adventure Application