Donna receives her award from Brooke Knapick.
It is with great pleasure that we present the 2015 Citizen Conservation Award to Donna Rothman – a year-round volunteer at The Wetland Institute (TWI) and a true voice for conservation in her community.
For over ten years, Donna has served as a Wetlands Institute Summer Docent and Aquarium Care Volunteer. Every Thursday from May-September, Donna dedicates her time to leading Salt Marsh Safari tours at 10:00am and 12:00pm. She is informative, passionate and committed to educating the public about the diversity or plants and animals in the salt marsh, while instilling in them the need for environmental stewardship and conservation. As summer transitions into fall, Donna shifts her focus from Wetlands Institute Summer Docent to Aquarium Care Volunteer. It is here that she oversees and cares for the animals in our aquariums and provides a much needed area of support to TWI. In just 10 months, she has volunteered more than 125 hours of service to TWI and we see no signs of slowing down!
Donna’s focus on conservation education transcends the boundaries of TWI and extends into her local community. Most recently, Donna spearheaded and oversaw the creation, installation and opening of the Avalon Dune and Beach Trail, while serving as volunteer chair for The Avalon Environmental Commission subcommittee dedicated to the project. This unique interpretive trail is located between 48th and 44th Street along Dune Drive in Avalon and features 10 signs that educate visitors about the importance of this rare maritime forest ecosystem. Her passion and enthusiasm for the project, coupled with her innate ability to attract others towards her work, was a driving force to the completion and success of the trail.
Donna is a wonderful collaborator, mentor and educator and we truly appreciate her commitment and dedication to her community and The Wetlands Institute. We are proud to include her as a Citizen Conservation Award recipient and look forward to all that she will accomplish in the future.