Natural Resources Recreation And Tourism Department Celebrates 50 Years With Reception And Awards Ceremony Oct. 3
Thursday, October 2, 1997
FORT COLLINS--Colorado State University's department of
natural resources recreation and tourism will hold a special
homecoming celebration Oct. 3 to commemorate its 50th
anniversary.
The department, recognized by the National Recreation and
Park Association as one of the top two undergraduate recreation
programs nationwide, will honor the achievements of its alumni
and faculty at an awards ceremony, reunion and reception.
The reunion runs from 3-4 p.m. at the Colorado State
University Alumni Center, 645 S. Shields St., followed by the
awards and recognition ceremony at 4:30 p.m. (See list of award
recipients below.)
"While the students, faculty and curricula have changed over
the years, we continue to believe that stewardship of natural
resources and quality of life is closely tied to the recreational
use and enjoyment of our great outdoors," said Mike Manfredo,
interim department chair. "We take this time to honor alumni and
faculty who have made so many contributions in these areas."
The department of recreation and wildlife conservation began
at Colorado State in 1947, under the direction of J.V.K. Wagar.
As public policy surrounding the management of public lands for
recreation changed, the department changed its name as well as
the curriculum to prepare students for careers as wildlife
managers, park superintendents and scientists. In 1966 the
department was renamed recreation and watershed resources, in
1984 it was called recreation resources and landscape
architecture, and in 1994 the change was made to its present
name.
Today the program is recognized nationally for producing
high-caliber employees in wildlife management, the national and
state park systems, tourism and research positions. More than
one-fourth of all Colorado State Park employees are department
graduates and more alumni serve as current National Park Service
superintendents than from any other university nationwide. More
than 340 undergraduates and 50 graduate students are enrolled in
the program and over 700 professionals from around the country
are taking correspondence study courses.
The department includes notable research and learning
programs, including the Human Dimensions in Natural Resources
Unit, which conducts numerous surveys and polls on public values
regarding natural resources; and the Environmental Learning
Center, an outdoor laboratory for K-12 and college students to
learn more about Colorado's natural resources. The department
also operates Pingree Park, where students study ecosystems and
natural resource management techniques.
Award recipients include:
* Distinguished Alumni Awards--Jerry Stokes, assistant director
for wilderness at the Division of Recreation, Heritage and
Wilderness for the U.S. Forest Service; Bob Barbee, former
superintendent of Yellowstone National Park, Redwood National
Park and many others; and Dan Williams, a 38-year veteran of the
U.S. Forest Service.
* Lifetime Achievement Award--Bev Driver, a recently retired
scientist from the U.S. Forest Service, former lecturer at Yale's
School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and the author of
more than 140 scientific publications.
* Lifetime Achievement Award for Managerial Leadership--Bob
Barbee, whose professional career has been dedicated to the
management of national parks, including Yellowstone, Redwood
National Park, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Hawaii Volcanoes
National Park and Cape Lookout National Seashore.
* Lifetime Achievement Award for Academic Leadership--Art Wilcox,
whose academic career at Colorado State began in 1965. Wilcox
served as head of the natural resources recreation and tourism
department from 1966-1982. Wilcox taught most of the courses in
the department and also conducted numerous research projects.
* Environmental Learning Center Award of Recognition--College of
Natural Resources student volunteers who lead guided tours, help
maintain the center's grounds and assist in other projects.
For more information about the department of natural
resources recreation and tourism, please call (970) 491-6591.
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