The 2015 Kallemeyn Award recipient, Ken Beaty at right, is pictured with previous recipients, from the left, Darryl McLeod, Nolan Baratono, Larry Kallemeyn, Andrew Paterson, Lee Grim and Tom Mosindy.
The Wilson Award was presented to Phyllis and Dale Callaghan, at left, pictured with Kelli Saunders, of the Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation, the organizer of the forum.
A regular feature of the International Rainy - Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum is the presentation of two awards.
The Kallemeyn Award was presented Wednesday by the Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation to Ken Beaty, Fisheries and Oceans, retired, in recognition of his contributions to research and resource management in the Rainy-Lake of the Woods basin:
- As a hydrologist at the Experimental Lakes Area from 1969 until 2012, in monitoring, recording and analyzing a broad range of hydrological and meteorological parameters in small streams, lakes and their drainage basins, many lying within the greater Lake of the Woods watershed.
- In creating a database of likely unequaled scope and duration on the hydrology of headwater and near headwater Precambrian Shield ecosystems, through detailed, year-round observations and sampling for more than 40 years in the Rawson Lake calibrated watershed—amassing detailed records of precipitation, snow cover and water content, stream flows, lake levels, evaporation, flushing rates, groundwater movement, and other hydro-meteorological parameters that will be valuable to current studies of contaminate loading and future studies of climate change effects on lakes.
The Kallemeyn Award recognizes outstanding professional achievement in scientific research or resource management in the Lake of the Woods and Rainy River basins. This award is named in honor of its first recipient, Larry Kallemeyn, U.S. Geological Survey, retired. Throughout his career, Kallemeyn made significant contributions to scientific understanding and resource management in the basin.
The Wilson Stewardship Award was presented by the Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation to Dale and Phyllis Callaghan in recognition of their contributions and works:
- Leading to the formation of the Rainy Lake Conservancy.
- In establishing conservation reserves for crown islands on Rainy Lake and Land Trust mechanisms for protecting private islands.
- Helping to preserve most of Goose Island as a nature reserve, in partnership with the Nature Conservancies of Canada and the USA.
- In working with the NCC, the government of Canada and other local partners to adopt the NCC Lake of the Woods Rainy Lake Natural Areas Conservation Plan.
- In spearheading the completion of the first comprehensive biological inventory of the Canadian portion of Rainy Lake.
- In establishing cross-border conservation easements and mechanisms to permit Canadians and Americans with Canadian property to protect their properties as conservation easements.
The Wilson Stewardship Award recognizes outstanding achievements of individuals, groups, or projects that are making a significant contribution to environmental stewardship and sustainability of the Rainy-Lake of the Woods watershed ecosystem, through education, outreach, civic engagement and participation in stewardship initiatives or program development and projects or programs focused on protection, restoration, preservation or reduction of environmental impact and development of sustainable practices.
This award is named in honor of its first recipient, Gerry Wilson, in recognition of her contributions to lake stewardship during her 16 years as the former executive director of the Lake of the Woods District Property Owners Association.
