Dr. Nancy Foster Award for Habitat Conservation  
Award Winners

1997 Award Winner  --  Dr. Nancy Foster
The first award was given to Dr. Nancy Foster in 1997 for her outstanding contributions and organizational efforts to conserve and restore marine habitats of the United States, and to mark her departure from NOAA Fisheries to become the NOAA Assistant Administrator of the National Ocean Service.  During her tour in NOAA Fisheries, Dr. Foster directed agency programs on protected resources and habitat, rose to hold the position of Deputy Assistant Administrator of NOAA Fisheries, and always maintained a clear focus on NOAA's primary constituents of living marine resources and their habitats.

1998 Award Winner  --  Nathaniel Bingham
The second award was given in 1998 posthumously to Nathaniel Bingham for his years of dedication to Pacific coast resources.  His career as a fisherman and then as an activist with the Pacific Coast Federation of Fisheries Associations earned Mr. Bingham trust and respect from coast to coast, from within the fishing industry to all levels of government. Mr. Bingham, often known as “Nat,” was a true habitat hero, and will always be remembered as the knowledgeable soul who when asked to explain the root of all threats to living marine resources, responded “It’s the habitat, stupid!”

1999 – 2001
The award was not presented between 1999 and 2001.   As of 2002, the award has been coordinated with the American Fisheries Society’s Estuaries Section and presented at the Society’s annual conference.

2002 Award Winner  -- Worrall Reed “Nick” Carter, III  

The third award was presented in 2002 to Worrall Reed "Nick" Carter, III of Maryland. Mr. Carter was recognized for more than 35 years of service to habitat conservation in the Chesapeake watershed.  Through various positions with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and continuing as a volunteer, Mr. Carter sought to advance habitat protection and restoration interests throughout the Bay.  His abundant energies were focused on individual projects that imperiled important habitats, advancing scientific theory that offered promise of improved fishery management, correcting obsolete practices that deserved closer scrutiny, and nurturing curious minds of all ages who shared his interest in environmental issues. For his efforts, Mr. Carter was recognized at his retirement as the "Admiral of the Chesapeake" by former Maryland Governor Parris Glendening.

2003 Award Winner  --  Dr.  Lawrence P. Rozas
In 2003, the fourth award was presented to Dr. Lawrence P. Rozas, an Ecologist with the NOAA Fisheries' Southeast Fisheries Science Center in Lafayette, Louisiana.  Dr. Rozas was recognized for his sustained contributions on coastal habitat restoration research to peer-reviewed journals, his specific contributions related to improved understanding of habitats deemed essential to commercial and recreational species, and his innovative solutions to research problems and management challenges.  His work reflects decades of strong scientific contributions by the Southeast Fisheries Science Center in Galveston, where Dr. Rozas worked prior to relocating to Lafayette.
 
2004 Award Winner  --  Carlos Fetterolf     
The 2004 award was presented to Carlos Fetterolf for decades of service to our nation's habitat, especially in the Great Lakes.  Mr. Fetterolf served as Executive Director of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission for 18 years, and pursued a balanced approach to regional resources that included a full appreciation of the habitat.  Mr. Fetterolf also served on the National Sea Grant Review Panel that forged a partnership with the American Fisheries Society which eventually led to the internship program, symposia, and publication on essential fish habitat at the AFS conference in Hartford, Connecticut in 1998. 

2005 Award Winner  --  Peter Clark                                                     
At the American Fisheries Society's (AFS) 2005 Annual Conference in Anchorage, Alaska, NOAA and the AFS Estuaries Section presented the 2005 award to Peter Clark of Tampa Bay Watch, Inc. Mr. Clark was honored for more than 20 years of successful efforts to address habitat loss and environmental conservation issues through public-private partnerships.  His individual efforts have placed Tampa Bay at the forefront of national efforts to conserve estuarine drainages.

2006 Award Winner  --  Dr. Elliot A. Norse                                                      
The 2006 award was presented to Dr. Elliott A. Norse, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Marine Conservation Biology Institute in Bellevue, Washington. Dr. Norse was honored for decades of dedication to research, public policy, and education related to marine conservation issues. Dr. Norse is reknouned for serveral books on conservation biology, his leading voice on marine habitat issues, visionary leadership on ocean programs, and his infectious energy.

2007 Award Winner  --  Dr. Usha Varanasi
The eighth Dr. Nancy Foster Award was presented in 2007 to Dr. Usha Varanasi, Director of the NOAA Fisheries, Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, Washington. Dr. Varanasi was recognized for decades of work on research, management, laboratory direction, mentoring, and overall leadership.  In the spirit of her friend Nancy Foster, Dr. Varanasi dedicated much of her career to habitat issues.  Her contributions as an individual and with her colleagues at the Science Center in Seattle are recognized worldwide.

2008 Award Winner  --  Peter Wellenberger
In 2008, the ninth Dr. Nancy Foster Award was presented to Peter Wellenberger, manager of the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in coastal New Hampshire. Mr. Wellenberger has been a tireless advocate in his own estuary and on behalf of the national system. Among his significant accomplishments are 30 years of dedicated effort in Great Bay, a successful push to expand the reserve to more than 10,000 acres, and creating the Great Bay Stewards volunteer group.

2009 Award Winner -- Charles Simenstad
The tenth honoree was Charles "Si" Simenstad from the University of Washington in Seattle. Mr. Simenstad has dedicated his entire career to estuarine and near shore marine ecology and conservation, and has been the leading researcher on estuarine processes in Puget Sound and the west coast. Among his research interests has been the role of structure and change in the ability of ecosystems to support fisheries resources. His outstanding publication record coupled with leadership at the university's "Wetland Ecosystem Team” exemplify his efforts to work with scientists, educators, and graduate students on estuarine restoration projects in the region, often partnering with landowners, local agencies, and treaty tribes of Native Americans. At the national level, Simenstad has served as a member of the advisory committees for National Estuarine Reserves and on the National Academy of Sciences National Research Council Committee on Mitigating Wetlands Losses.