The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’s State Parks Division will once again accept nominations for its prestigious Eagle Awards next year, recognizing the notable contributors to the parks, according to a report by Outdoor Alabama.
The 7th Annual Eagle Awards will accept nominations online at www.alapark.com/eagle-awards-2023.
The awards to be presented are divided into five categories, which are Elected Official, Community Partner, Park Partner, Volunteer in Parks (VIP), and Youth (for 12th-grade students and younger). The deadline for the nominations is on December 23, Friday.
“Alabama State Parks appreciate organizations and individuals that contribute their time and talents to help make the parks a better experience for others,” Parks Director Greg Lein said.
“We are excited to once recognize and reward them with again our seventh annual Eagle Awards. Having this awards ceremony at Lake Guntersville State Park during Eagle Awareness Weekend is the ideal setting to honor and acknowledge the invaluable efforts that help make the Alabama State Parks successful.”
The Elected Official Award honors an official who has worked with the parks to complete its mission to preserve natural areas, operate recreational facilities, and teach the public about the state’s natural environment.
The Community Partner Award recognizes groups like other government organizations, chambers of commerce, tourism organizations, and local businesses that have helped the state parks succeed for the community.
The Park Partner Award recognizes organizations that work to help provide or maintain the state parks’ amenities, like hiking and biking trails, which may not exist without the allocated resources for other services. It celebrates the partners who help fill the needs of the parks and fill it with the help of its leadership.
The VIP Award recognizes volunteers who have worked, whether through physical labor, strategic planning, or other means, to make a park or the entire park system.
The Youth Award recognizes 12th graders and younger who have significantly contributed by doing projects that benefit their beloved state parks.
Winners of the awards will be recognized during the Eagle Awareness Weekend on February 3-5, 2023 at the Lake Guntersville State Park.