Badger Spirit Awards

The American Badger is a long-time resident of the Paula Lane area.  P.L.A.N.’s research and outreach helps educate and inform agencies, organizations and individuals about this Mustelid mammal.  Badgers are elusive creatures who help create habitat for other species by the very act of burrowing.  Badgers help manage gopher, vole and mouse populations through their daily foraging.  University of Wisconsin has always had the badger (“Bucky Badger”) as its mascot.  In 2010, P.L.A.N. instituted Badger Spirit Awards – to honor individuals, groups and businesses who exemplify the best in community service and whose work or actions are consistent with our mission.

History of Badger Spirit Awardees

2014

Occidental Arts and Ecology Center and WATER Institute in Occidental, CA, for their work to conserve natural resources, support sustainable agriculture, and the WATER Institute’s national outreach to “Bring Back the Beaver” and restoring Coho Salmon to watersheds programs.  More info: oaec.org, oaec.org/water-institute

Worth a Dam, martinezbeavers.org, based in Martinez, CA, for conservation, outreach and educational programs on behalf of Beavers in the United States and stewardship and protection of the Martinez Beavers in Martinez, CA.  More info:  martinezbeavers.org

sfbaywildlife.info, a contemporary and important internet resource for San Francisco Bay Area information about wildlife, places, activities and resources. More info: sfbaywildlife.info

2012

Sheri Cardo (for her sustained work on behalf of animal advocacy and land preservation).

Petaluma Wetlands Alliance (for their daily and long-term habitat restoration and wildlife education at Shollenberger Park and the Petaluma Wetlands)

Fedex-Kinko’s, Washington St., Petaluma (for the excellent customer service and professionalism offered to all Petalumans and to P.L.A.N. for over 10 years).

2011

Pamela Torliatt (Former Petaluma Mayor and long-time advocate for environmental protection and open space preservation)

Pelican Art Gallery (for Linda Postenrieder and Donna Hinshaw, owners, whose innovative combination of business and community, along with long-time support of P.L.A.N., have opened new ways of thinking in Petaluma)

Petaluma Patch (for Editor Karina Ioffee and her factual reporting about the Paula Lane story as well as her comprehensive coverage of important conservation issues)

2010

Joan Vilms (nationally recognized land use consultant who devoted many years to assisting P.L.A.N. with open space advocacy, and one who appreciates badgers)

Teresa Barrett (City Councilwoman of Petaluma whose land use decisions are always based in the highest and best community interest)

2019 Badger Spirit Awards

Keli Hendricks

Naturalist, Wildlife Rehabilitator
Ranching With Wildlife Coodinator, Project Coyote

Lorraine Bazan and Chris Stover

Conservationists

Arthur Slater

Conservationist

Mickles Enterprises

Business with a Conscience

Like the American Badger, (Taxidea taxus) in our coastal and upland grassland ecosystems, our human Badger Spirit Award recipients fulfill a vital role in our society as informed, caring, involved, courageous and dedicated in their action for Nature and our Environment.

We appreciate their longstanding support of PLAN and our mission in American Badger conservation, research and education.

Please join us in congratulating our 2019 Badger Spirit Award Recipients!