Blue Ridge Conservancy Recognized with Regional Director’s Honor Award for Conservation Partners by the US Fish & Wildlife Service

Atlanta, Ga.- Blue Ridge Conservancy was honored as a winner of the US Fish & Wildlife Service’s Regional Director’s Honor Award for Conservation Partners for 2021-22. Eric Hiegl, BRC’s Director of Land Protection, attended the awards ceremony at the regional office in Atlanta, GA, on June 1.

“Blue Ridge Conservancy is honored to receive the prestigious US Fish & Wildlife Service’s Director’s Award for protecting critical mountain bog habitat,” says BRC Executive Director Charlie Brady. Because of the leadership and skill of Eric Hiegl, BRC acquired and transferred the first fee simple property to the Mountain Bog National Wildlife Refuge.”

The award and the program for the presentation

BRC was recognized for this award thanks to successfully procuring an ecologically important bog in Alleghany County. This bog became the first property owned by the US Fish and Wildlife Service within the Mountain Bogs National Wildlife Refuge, a federally protected wildlife refuge located within multiple western North Carolina counties.The Refuge, managed by USFWS, has a total area of over 7,000 acres consisting of conservation easements on privately owned property in the Southern Appalachian mountains.

Leila JacksonJune 20, 2023