Gangemi Joins River Conservation’s ‘Who’s Who’
(Silver Spring, MD) – John Gangemi, Conservation Director for American Whitewater, has been awarded the River Conservationist of the Year Award for 2000, by Perception Kayaks. John joins an illustrious roster of river advocates who have created the momentum and awareness for the need to protect and restore whitewater rivers; John has driven the American Whitewater conservation program to its undisputable preeminence.
The Perception Kayaks 2000 River Conservationist of the Year Award was presented at a meeting of the Cheoah Alliance, hosted by Tapoco and the US Forest Service office in Asheville, NC on February 12, 2001.
“John has brought to American Whitewater the valuable combination of being an experienced field biologist, athlete and outdoor educator,” notes Rich Bowers, American Whitewater Executive Director. “He is the acknowledged authority on whitewater relicensing and has weighed in heavily on other national issues on behalf of whitewater recreation.”
“What I find impressive about the award winners is that all of the names I recognize are of spiritual leaders in the field of river conservation,” notes Jason Robertson, Access Director for American Whitewater. “These are the people that shape the paradigms and beliefs that the rest of us use.”
Robertson added, “John’s particular gift is his ability to develop science-based strategies and philosophical arguments for our coalition partners and affiliates to use. Once John has structured the national debates about hydropower relicensing, we hear echoes of his voice in the media, the halls of Congress, the agencies, and the materials that FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) develops. He’s the ghost in the political machine that has made river conservation a tenable societal objective that can be balanced with dam removal, energy production, recreation, and fisheries protection. Perception could not have chosen a more deserving winner for this year’s award.”
“For years, Perception has recognized those outstanding individuals who work tirelessly and selflessly for the conservation of our valued resources,” states Jim Clark, President of Perception Kayaks. “We are honored to present this year’s River Conservationist of the Year award to John Gangemi because his dedication to the preservation of free-flowing rivers combined with his clear understanding of how the relicensing process works has yielded some of the most significant victories for recreational releases to date.”
For more information about Perception Kayaks and the Conservationist of the Year Award contact: Veronica Griner 864-859-7518
| YEAR | RECIPIENT | RESIDENCE |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Dave Brown | TN |
| 1982 | Tom Easley | CO |
| 1983 | Steve Taylor | Washington, DC |
| 1984 | Dr. Gerald Meral | CA |
| 1985 | Nick Albans | ME |
| 1986 | Frank Fly | TN |
| 1987 | Pope Barrow | MD |
| 1988 | Mark Dubios | CA |
| 1989 | Pete Skinner | NY |
| 1990 | Wendy Wilson | ID |
| 1991 | Scootch Pankonin | Washington, DC |
| 1992 | Ric Careless | BC, Canada |
| 1993 | Anonymous | * |
| 1994 | Mac Thornton | MD |
| 1995 | Sarah Faulkner Leff | CT |
| 1996 | Ron Stork | CA |
| 1997 | Tom Christopher | MA |
| 1998 | Tim Palmer | His Truck |
| 1999 | Ken Kimball | MA |
| 2000 | John Gangemi | MT |