Lee Wulff Conservation Award
Established by Joan Wulff in 2003, the Lee Wulff Conservation Award recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution to the preservation or enhancement of wild game fish species or their environment.
Previous recipients of this award include:
Robert Boyle
Phil Chase
Gardiner Grant
Peter Kolesar
Ted Rogowski
Stephen Sloan
John Waldron
2023 AwardRecipient
President Jimmy Carter
The Executive Committee of The Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum announced in July that President Jimmy Carter has been selected as the 2023 recipient of CFFCM's Lee Wulff Conservation Award.
The stories of Carter's enormous contribution to the museum's initial construction are hard to miss. A larger than life image of him fly fishing The Catskills is prominently displayed in our permanent collection along with letters and supporting memorabilia from his historic visit and fundraising drive in 1984. However, Carter's contributions to the preservation of the Delaware River system are often overlooked. In 1978, Carter established more than 73 miles of river between the towns of Hancock and Sparrow Bush as the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River - a national park. This designation not only helps protect the waterway as a vital component of our local economies, but the park also serves as a backbone for the fundraising initiatives of local conservation agencies throughout the region.
Carter's commitment to conservation and the establishment of irrevocable public spaces make him an ideal recipient for Wulff's namesake award. His legacy has been honored an uncountable number of times, but one of our favorites is the naming of a fish after Carter in 2012. The "Bluegrass Darter" (etheostoma jimmycarter) was named after the 39th president of the United States for his environmental leadership and accomplishments in the areas of national energy policy and wilderness protection, and his lifelong commitment to social justice and basic human rights. He's had a beetle named after him as well, but we're partial to the small colorful darter native to the Green River drainage in Kentucky and Tennessee.
The museum's decision to honor President Carter has prompted some individuals who were a part of his time in The Catskills to share their stories of this remarkable man. The museum will share these and other stories leading up to the formal presentation of the award at the museum’s Hall of Fame Ceremony this fall on October 7th, 2023.