TimesLeader.com

May 21
Stewardship awards announced

The Countryside Conservancy announced the winners of its 2008 Stewardship Awards at a ceremony on May 7 at Keystone College. This year’s ceremony recognized 10 property owners and caretakers in our region as outstanding stewards of their farms, homes, lands and waters.

Above, a view over Mud Pond at Newton Lake, showing a diversity of aquatic plant life. At right, tree planting in Clifford, Nov. 2006

Photos courtesy of Mary Felley

Times Leader Photo Store

Three awards went to working farms: to James and Vivian Cappucci for their farm in Mehoopany, to William and Elaine Wood for Brookwood View Farm on Route 92 in Jackson Township, and to Eleanor Jagger, Cheryl Jagger Williams and Richard Williams for Sheepy Hollow Farm in Hop Bottom, famous for its stock dog trials.

Four homeowners were honored for outstanding stewardship of residential properties: Deb and Jim Nagle for “Meadowwood” in Dimock Township, Frank Pinkowski for his Fieldstone Farm home near Montrose, Mrs. Edmund Thomas for her historic family home in Factoryville, and Sonji Lee and Neil Andre for their “Kickback Farm” outside Montrose.

Three winners were named in the Special Use category: the Newton Lake Watershed Association for their efforts to study and protect this northern Lackawanna County lake; Sally Steele and Ray Biglin for a restored wetland and invasive plant control site on their land near Lake Carey; and the Mountain View Garden Club for their beautification and greening efforts in the greater Clifford area.

There were heartwrenching stories among the winners, like that of Walt Jagger of Sheepy Hollow Farm who passed away just two months before the awards presentation. But there were inspirations as well, like his daughter Cheryl Jagger Williams who said simply, “This farm will go on as long as I’m alive.” Deb Nagle was embarrassed to be honored for “doing what comes naturally,” which for her and Jim involved creating a nature-education and recreation wonderland on their Susquehanna County acreage. Frank Pinkowski noted that sometimes a person trying to care for the land and its heritage can feel like the world is spiraling down around him, but as he looked around the room at the landowners, friends and supporters in attendance, he said, “Coming to an event like this, you realize you’re not alone.”

The Conservancy thanks all the award winners, who care so deeply for their land and have shown it through their work. All award winners received certificates of appreciation and a one-year membership in the Conservancy. Our thanks to Amy Broadbent and Gerald Kenjorski, co-chairs of this year’s Stewardship Award Committee; to committee members Lydia Coulter, Jo-Ellen Greene, Margaret Hull, Ernie Keller, Marta Kovacs Ruiz, Jack and Gayle Muller, Susan Scranton Dawson, Joanne Smith and Ed Zygmunt for their time and effort.

The Stewardship Awards were instituted 12 years ago to express the Conservancy’s appreciation for the efforts of good stewards of the land. The Countryside Conservancy conserves lands and water in and near the Tunkhannock Creek watershed for the public benefit now, and for the future. It is part of its mission to recognize and thank land owners and stewards who maintain their properties with respect for the land’s conservation and cultural values and thereby bring pleasure to the public.