The Ames Chapter of the Izaak Walton League is seeking nominees for the 2006 Olav Smedal Conservation Award. The award was initiated in 1988 by The Tribune to honor Olav Smedal, who spent 22 years as an outdoor writer and 17 years as the outdoor editor for the paper. The award seeks to honor those who, by their actions or communications, have done the most to accurately present to the public of central Iowa excellence in the conservation of the natural resources (i.e. air, water, woods, wildlife and soil), and outdoor pursuits representing the highest standards of ethics and sportsmanship.

Preference will be given to candidates who, as volunteers, exhibit excellence in providing public information, leadership and/or involvement. Those making the nominations should send a letter indicating: the nominee's background; a description of a successful program, project or event for which the nominee was responsible; describe what measurable results were achieved; and describe what impact did the program or activity have on the general public of central Iowa.

Deadline for nominations is Oct. 21. To submit a nomination, send to Olav Smedal Conservation Award Committee, c/o Mike Meetz 20267 580th St., Nevada, IA 50201.

This award is presented annually to honor those who, by their actions or communications, have done the most to accurately present to the public of central Iowa excellence in the conservation of our natural resources and outdoor pursuits representing the highest standards of ethics and sportsmanship.  Olav was able to participate in some of these presentations until his death on November 27, 1993, at age 88.

Several years after the initiation of the award by The Tribune, the Ames Chapter of the Izaak Walton League assumed sponsorship of the award.  This seemed appropriate, as Olav was a “founding father” and charter member of the local organization.

A committee comprised of members from the Ames Chapter of the Izaak Walton League and the Story County Conservation Board selects the annual recipient.  A permanent plaque, with name plates recognizing all past award winners is displayed at the Story County Conservation Center at McFarland Park north of Ames, and each recipient receives a beautiful, full-size personal plaque.  Funding for the plaques is provided by the Ames Ikes.  Promotion of the award program is primarily by The Tribune, which also provides public recognition and publicity for each winner.  Recipients to date are:

After 39 years of association with the Ames Daily Tribune, 22 years as outdoor writer and columnist and 17 as outdoor editor, Olav Smedal retired on January 28, 1988.  During these years, Smedal brought his life-long interest in the outdoors and the conservation of our natural resources to the citizens of mid-Iowa through the pages of the Daily Tribune.

Smedal has given publicity to the purposes and goals of many associations and organizations throughout the years including the Izaak Walton League of America, Sierra Club, Audubon Society, Wildlife Federation, Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, Coast Guard Auxiliary, U.S. Corps of Engineers, Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Iowa Conservation Commission (Iowa Department of Natural Resources), Tourism Division of the Iowa Development Commission, Story County Conservation Board, and many others.

Because of his many long-term contributions on behalf of conservation on the local, state, and national levels, the Daily Tribune is proud to establish the Olav Smedal Conservation Award.  This award will be presented to a person or persons annually to honor a man who, through the Daily Tribune’s long-running Outdoor Page, kept thousands of people in touch with the outdoors and brought to mid-Iowa an awareness of the need to conserve our natural resources.