Nominate a Chesapeake Forest Champion by Sept. 2

Do you know an exemplary person or group who is a champion for forests in the Chesapeake Bay region? Nominate them to be a Chesapeake Forest Champion!

To help celebrate International Year of Forests, the U.S. Forest Service and its partners are launching a new annual contest to recognize forest champions throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. With around 100 acres of the region's forests lost to development each day, the need for local forest champions has never been greater!

The Chesapeake Forest Champion awards recognize the outstanding efforts of groups and individuals to conserve, restore and celebrate Chesapeake forests in 2011. The contest is
open to schools and youth organizations, community groups and nonprofits, businesses and forestry professionals. If you know a professional or volunteer who is doing
outstanding work for forests, you can nominate them too!

The award has three categories:

1. Most innovative (i.e., creative strategies to promote trees and forests)
2. Most effective at engaging the public (i.e., connecting people with forests through education and/or service projects)
3. Greatest on-the-ground impact (i.e., number of trees planted, amount of forest land conserved, etc.)

Nominations are due by Friday, September 2. Winners will be recognized at the Chesapeake Watershed Forum in Shepherdstown, W.Va., in September.

Visit the Forestry for the Bay website to learn more about the awards and submit a nomination.