2010 Arbor Day Awards

Forest Lands Leadership Award

Jim Schmitt of Gering, NE

Jim Schmitt of Gering, Neb., received the Forest Lands Leadership Award for advancing sustainable forestry efforts on public forest land. Schmitt has been providing a hands-on education experience for 1,200 young people each year since 1989 that highlights the importance of planting trees at Fort Robinson State Park in northwest Nebraska. He serves as chairman of the Fort Robinson Tree Plant, a project of the Boy Scouts of America's Long Peaks Council. Each year, scouts gather to plant 15,000 trees at the park, learn about proper planting techniques and learn lessons in soil and water conservation and forestry. The project also worked with the staff at Fort Robinson State Park to create a natural trail and clean debris at the Spring Creek area. Scouts from Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, South Dakota and Minnesota have participated in the Tree Plant project, planting more than 400,000 trees on this important piece of public land.

This year’s winners are:

• Lifetime Stewardship Award

  • David Nowak

• Good Steward Award

  • Education at Big K of Macon, GA

• Public Awareness of Trees Award

  • Mayor John Hickenlooper of Denver, CO
  • Mile High Million Tree Initiative of Denver, CO

• Frederick Law Olmsted Award

  • Dave Mooter of Kennard, NE

• Excellence in Urban Forest Leadership Award

  • David Bragdon of Portland, OR

• Forest Lands Leadership Award

  • Jim Schmitt of Gering, NE

• Award for Excellence in Volunteer Management

  • Casey Trees of Washington, D.C.
  • Green City Partnerships Program of the Seattle area

• Champion of Trees Award

  • Steve Koehn of Annapolis, MD
  • The Kirkwood Junior TreeKeepers of Kirkwood, MO

• Lawrence Enersen Award

  • Robert Sympson of Lynbrook, NY

• Rachel Carson Award

  • Mary Kay Inc. of Dallas, TX

• Education Award

  • The Tree Commission Academy of Columbus, OH

• Excellence in Partnership Award

  • Perkins County Conservation District of Bison, S.D.

• Celebration Award

  • Sheila Flint of Sherwood Park, Alberta
  • Strathcona County Recreation Department of Sherwood Park, Alberta

• Legacy Award

  • Laurence Wiseman of Potomac, MD

• 2010 Promise to the Earth Award

  • The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies
  • T-Mobile USA