[Birdtalk] Refuge System Photo Contest Results

[Betsy_Beneke at fws.gov]

Utah Birders:

The results of the subject contest were announced, and ONCE AGAIN, Utah
photographers did very well!  Congratulations to James McIntyre and Ted
Steinke, as well as temporary resident, Judd Patterson, who all took 5th
place honors.  You can view the images by following the link within the
announcement text.

Betsy Beneke
Bear River MBR


               Refuge System Photo Contest Results Announced
                      Dragonfly Alights on 1st Place



Washington, DC – The National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA) is pleased
to announce the winners of the 2007 Refuge Photo Contest, a digital photo
contest showcasing America’s national wildlife refuges and the diverse
wildlife that depend on them. With these photos and in celebration of the
104th anniversary of the establishment of the first National Wildlife
Refuge on March 14, 1903, NWRA is adding over 200 images to its searchable
online Refuge Image Library.

More than 2,200 images from 196 refuges from 49 states and territories were
submitted to this second annual Refuge Photo Contest, undeniable evidence
that refuges are outstanding places to view wildlife and experience
America’s diverse heritage. Images were submitted by upload through the
contest website from November 2006 until January 31, 2007.

“The contest results are testimonial both to the wealth of talent possessed
by amateur outdoor photographers across the nation, and to the spectacular
beauty that can be found at our national wildlife refuges,” said Evan
Hirsche, President of the NWRA. “These photos will help us illustrate why
it’s so important to protect and strengthen our more than 547 national
wildlife refuges.”

The top 4 prize winners are Richard Henry of Bemidji, MN (First Place);
Brett Breeding of New Castle, DE (Second Place); Daniel Kaiser of Columbus,
IN (Third Place); and Mark B. Bartosik of Houston, TX (Fourth Place). The
20 Fifth Place winners are: Theresa Baldwin, Mack Barham, Ed Bustya, Wade
Dowdy, Jim Fenton, Jan K. France, Rebecca Hamilton, Deborah C. Lewinson,
James McIntyre, Judd Patterson, Jack Rogers, Michael Rubin, David Schoen,
Colin Smith, Ted Steinke, Matthew Studebaker, John Van de Graaff, Pamela
Wells, Roger Windemuth, and Les Zigurski. The two winners of the special
recognition People Category are David A. Blohm and Judy Wantulok.

To view the winning images and Image Library, visit:
http://www.refugenet.org/contest/2007ContestStatus.html.

The top prize includes a pair of 8x24 Merlin binoculars provided by Refuge
Photo Contest sponsor Steiner Binoculars. Swarovski Optik of North America
(SONA), Trek Technologies, Wild Bird Centers of America, and Houghton
Mifflin also provided prizes.

The NWRA Refuge Image Library, a gallery of high quality images showcasing
the rich and varied wildlife and habitat protected by our country’s
National Wildlife Refuge System, will now feature the more than 220
semi-finalist images from this year’s contest in addition to the 200
semi-finalists from last year’s contest. The collection is searchable by
subject category and state, and provides contact information for each
photographer. All 420 images will be available by the end of the month.

The National Wildlife Refuge Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit,
nationwide membership organization, established in 1975. The NWRA’s mission
is to protect enhance and expand the National Wildlife Refuge System, lands
and water set aside by the American people to protect our country’s diverse
wildlife heritage. Over the years we have worked to make the Refuge System
stronger and better able to address the growing challenges of conserving
wildlife in our country. For more information, visit
http://www.refugenet.org.