Three individuals and one organization received Sustainable Raritan River Awards at the 10th Annual Sustainable Raritan Conference and Awards Ceremony at Rutgers’ Kathleen G. Ludwig Global Village Learning Center on Friday, June 8, 2018.
The annual awards recognize outstanding achievements in efforts to revitalize, restore and protect the Raritan resources and promote the area as a premiere place to live, work and raise a family.
“It has been tremendously gratifying over the course of the last decade to have the opportunity to recognize local individuals and organizations who make a difference every day in the quality of life and the condition of our environment here in the Raritan Watershed. These awards are a chance to acknowledge and thank these quiet heroes as they inspire all of us to do what we can to protect the Queen of Rivers” stated Michael Catania of Duke Farms, one of the judges for these awards.
The Sustainable Raritan Awards, established in 2010, promote innovation and energize local efforts to restore and protect the rivers, streams and habitat of the Raritan River and Bay. The awards highlight extraordinary accomplishments and inspire other groups and individuals across the watershed to achieve comparable levels of excellence.
“It is wonderful to see such an abundant and diverse range of conservation activities throughout the length of the Raritan River being undertaken by so many. On the Lower Raritan both ecosystem and economic progress hinges on forcing polluters to clean contaminated sediments,” said Greg Remaud, Baykeeper and Chief Executive Officer, NY/NJ Baykeeper, also a member of the Awards Committee.
This year’s recipients (pictured at the top of the newsletter) are:
- Leadership Award – Debbie Mans, Deputy Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
- Public Education Award – Jean Marie Hartman, Rutgers University
- Non-Profit Innovation Award – Raritan Headwaters Association
- Citizen Action Award – Captain Paul Eidman
Descriptions of their accomplishments as well as past award recipients can be found on our website at http://raritan.rutgers.edu/events/raritan-awards/
The Awards Committee for this year’s awards included, Michael Catania, Executive Director of the Duke Farms Foundation, William Kibler, Director of Policy for the Raritan Headwaters, and Greg Remaud, Baykeeper and Chief Executive Officer of NY/NJ Baykeeper. All three of the organizations that they represent are members of the Sustainable Raritan River Collaborative, a growing network of over 130 organizations, governmental entities and businesses in the Raritan River region working together to balance social, economic and environmental objectives towards the common goal of restoring the Raritan River, its tributaries and its estuary for current and future generations.
Award nominations are accepted throughout the year. To learn more about the Awards, the Sustainable Raritan River Collaborative, or Rutgers’ Sustainable Raritan River Initiative, visit www.raritan.rutgers.edu.
