The NJSEA’s own Gabrielle Bennett-Meany is one of two 2017 Bergen County Audubon/Harold Feinberg Conservation Award winners.

One of the best things about leading Bergen Audubon as the President has been the opportunity to meet many devoted and hardworking people in many small communities around New Jersey that are committed to conservation and making the environment a better place for their neighbors and the wildlife around them.

These unsung heroes have given of themselves with little recognition and often with personal sacrifice. So it is in their honor that we are proud to announce our 2017 Annual Bergen County Audubon/Harold Feinberg Conservation Award winners.

This award is named in honor of Harold Feinberg, our longtime member and field trip chairman for many years. Harold was a mentor and enthusiastic supporter of our endeavors, and always given freely of his expertise with a combination of patience and knowledge that few possess. It is in his honor we proudly present these awards.

Please Join us on December  20^th at 7:30 pm at the Teaneck Conservancy as we present our awards and celebrate these two wonderful Conservationists

Don Torino -President

Gabrielle Bennett-Meany of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority.

Gabrielle, a resident of Bellville, has worked for the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission and now the NJSEA for 24 years   Gabrielle has been tireless in transforming DeKorte Park to an incredible pollinator and bird friendly habitat. Through her leadership the park projects are now more habitat and wildlife focused, bringing much help to the incredible number of wildlife species that depend on the Meadowlands for their survival.

Gabrielle can be seen almost every day, tools and gloves in hand,  planting more native plants, putting in nest boxes and educating all who visit the park on the wonders of the Meadowlands. Her knowledge, hard work and dedication has now brought in more butterfly species than ever before and the park has now become the most important Monarch habitat in our area.

Thanks to Gabrielle’s knowledge of habitat restoration, migratory birds are also being helped, making DeKorte the wonderful and unique place you see today. All of us at Bergen County Audubon thank her for all she does to make the New Jersey Meadowlands and our world a better place for both people and wildlife.

George Reskakis-Teaneck

George, a resident of Teaneck,  serves on the Parks and Recreation board of Teaneck and is the original Teaneck “Weed Warrior” at Teaneck Creek.

George began at volunteering at Teaneck Creek over 12 years ago when the park was not the wonderful place we all love to visit today. Thanks to his amazing dedication and tireless work Teaneck creek has now become one of the most important migratory bird habitats in Bergen County.

George and his volunteer crew of “Weed Warriors” maintain the trails, remove invasive plants and restore more native plants every year. George has dedicated his life to restoring the wildlife habitat to Teaneck Creek and at the same time giving of himself by  educating the public to the wonders of the creek and all the wonders of nature around us.

All of us at Bergen County Audubon owe a debt of gratitude to George for caring and protecting Teaneck Creek for the generations to come.