Lafayette Teen Present With 2019 Conservation Achievement Award

Youth Conservationist of the Year for 2019 to Eric Vanbergen

 Louisiana Wildlife Federation recently presented conservation awards to two individuals in recognition of outstanding work in 2019.

The 56th Annual Conservation Achievement Awards program is hosted by Louisiana Wildlife Federation and the awards are presented jointly with National Wildlife Federation.

The following awards were presented to the recipients at an outdoor setting with social distancing protocols in place:

Youth Conservationist of the Year for 2019 to Eric Vanbergen of Lafayette that was presented in Baton Rouge on September 28, 2020 for his leadership in promoting native plant and coastal prairie restoration at his school, Ascension High School in Youngsville. In 2017 he led a volunteer effort to plant a three acre prairie. Vanbergen worked with mentors, teachers and other students in 2019 to establish another smaller, relatable prairie planting within the school building complex that has become a shining example of what can be achieved using native prairie plants in a designated garden. Vanbergen formed the Ascension High School Prairie Club that is still active today. He is currently a freshman at LSU studying landscape architecture. 

Conservation Communicator of the Year for 2019 Emma Reid

Conservation Communicator of the Year for 2019 was presented to Emma Reid that in Baton Rouge on September 28, 2020 for writing and producing the documentary “In the Blind.” The film, which debuted in 2019 on Louisiana Public Broadcasting, explores how duck hunters in Louisiana have undertaken conservation efforts to preserve and restore the state’s coastal and marsh habitats that support critical wintering ground for migratory waterfowl in the Mississippi Flyway. Reid captures the rich traditions of hunting and the important role hunters play in conservation of wildlife and their habitats, as both the popularity of hunting and the condition of Louisiana’s coastal ecosystem declines.

Louisiana Wildlife Federation is a statewide nonprofit organization representing a broad constituency of conservationists including hunters, anglers, campers, birders, boaters, hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts.