Awards

Chief Sealth Award

Each year, the Native American Fish & Wildlife Society recognize individuals working in the tribal natural resource management. These individuals are also performing exceptional work. So to acknowledge their work, the NAFWS each year puts out a call for nominations to tribes so that tribal natural resource managers could be recognized and honored for their exceptional work which is viewed as a contribution to the betterment of tribal natural resources management. Their impact in Indian Country also creates the road for better tribal natural resources management for the future.

The Chief Sealth Award each year is presented during the NAFWS National Conference. The award is named after Chief Sealth, a leader in his tribe, the Suquamish, and was known for his strong oratory stance on behalf of his people, the land, and for cultural and religious protection.

The Native American Fish & Wildlife Society has recognized these stewards of the environment and natural resources:

2021-2022 Awardees

2023 – Arthur “Butch” Blazer, Mescalero Apache Tribe

2022 – Shaun Grassel, PhD, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe

2021 – Robert Sanders, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Department of Natural Resources

2020-2000 AWARDEES

2018 – Mark Dixon –  Pueblo of Isleta, Department of Natural Resources, Isleta, NM
2017 – Joseph Oatman –  Nez Perce Tribe Department of Fisheries Resource Management, Lapwai,ID
2016 – Michael J. Isham –  Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Hayward, WI
2015 – Patty Schwalenberg – Chugach Regional Resources Commission, Anchorage, AK
2014 – Norman Jojola –  BIA Northern Pueblos Agency, Espanola, NM
2013 – Jarrod Daniel – Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission, Portland, OR
2012 –  Five Natural Resource Managers were Awarded:

2011 – Dewey Schwalenberg – Awarded Post-Humous, Anchorage, AK
2010 – Trudy Ecoffey – Oglala Sioux Parks and Recreation Department, Kyle, SD

2009-2000 AWARDEES

2008 – Rick Wadleigh – Tribal Liaison, USDA-APHIS, Denver, CO
–  Alvah Quinn – Sisseton-Wapeton Oyate Game & Fish, Agency Village, SD
2007 – Mike Montoya – Southwest Tribal Fisheries Commission, Mescalero, NM
2005 – Daniel Parker –  U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Arizona Fisheries Resources
2004 – David Close –  Confederated Tribes Umatilla Indian Reservation (now Dr. David Close)
2003 – Gary Rankel –  Bureau of Indian Affairs Branch of Fish, Wildlife, and Recreation,  Washington, D.C.
2002 – Dave Conner  – Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians Department of Natural Resources, Red Lake, MN
2001- Dwight Koch –  Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Department of Game and Fish, Ft. Yates, ND
2000- David Wolf –  Confederated Tribes of Umatilla Indian Reservation, Department of Fisheries, Pendleton, OR

1999-1997 AWARDEES

1999  – Adrian “Dusty”Miller –   Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin

1998  – John E. Antonio – U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Region 2

1997 – Jaime Pinkham – Nez Perce Tribe Department of Fisheries Resource Management

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In Recognition of Their Support

The Native American Fish and Wildlife Society would like to thank those organizations that provided us with support over the years. With them we grew an effective national communications network for the exchange of information and management techniques related to self-determined tribal fish and wildlife management.
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