Christy Foote-Smith, a wetland conservationist from Boston, Massachusetts, has won the 2002 National Wetlands Award for Outstanding Wetlands Program Development. She will be honored at a ceremony on May 16, 2002, at the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, DC.
“After working for over 25 years to protect our remaining wetlands, I knew we needed to do more,” said Foote-Smith, “Bringing together local, state and federal agencies, non-profits, businesses, academics and landowners for the common goal of proactively restoring wetlands has been the greatest pleasure of my career. I am pleased to accept this award on behalf of our entire Massachusetts wetlands restoration team because it is their participation that has made our program a success.”
Foote-Smith’s passion for wetlands began with childhood explorations of the ponds among the dunes that line the southern shores of Lake Michigan. She went on to work for more than 30 years to protect Massachusetts’ wetlands. During her six-year tenure as executive director of the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions, Foote-Smith organized the Coalition to Save Sweeden’s Swamp composed of environmental groups opposing a proposed mall construction. As a result of intense public pressure, EPA issued a landmark decision vetoing the project and setting legal precedent that strengthened federal wetland protection.
As deputy director and then director of the Commonwealth’s Wetlands and Waterways Programs for 10 years, she grew increasingly aware that regulatory programs did not address historic wetland destruction. In 1993, she received a start-up grant to initiate a proactive watershed-based wetland restoration program. Under the GROWetlands Initiative (Groups Restoring Our Wetlands), Ms. Foote-Smith successfully raised funds for local projects. She collaborated with other government and business representatives in 1999 to establish the first Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership, which funneled $1 million in donations to Massachusetts restoration projects.
“Christy’s greatest strength is her ability to galvanize support and engage broad coalitions in direct action,” said Eric Hutchins of the National Marine Fisheries Service, “Her program, which has supported over 150 projects, is well on its way towards its goal of restoring 3,000 acres, winning the support and active involvement of state and federal agencies, non-profit groups, corporate leaders, and local officials.”
Since 1989, the National Wetlands Awards program has honored exceptional individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary effort, innovation, and excellence in wetland conservation, research, or education through programs or projects at the regional, state, or local level. The program is co-sponsored by the Environmental Law Institute, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service, and National Marine Fisheries Service.
“Christy’s programs and exemplary efforts not only benefit crucial fishery resources, but enhance public awareness about the importance of coastal habitats and the need for appropriate stewardship,” adds Patricia Kurkul, Regional Administrator of the National Marine Fisheries Service in Gloucester, MA.
For more information on the National Wetlands Awards winners, or the ceremony, contact Dorigen Fried at wetlandsawards@eli.org, http://www.nationalwetlandsawards.org/index.htm or (202) 939-3250. For more information on Christy Foote-Smith, please contact Eric Hutchins at 978-281-9313 or Eric.Hutchins@noaa.gov.