Milestone: Lynette gains Washington Wild conservation award

Published 1:31 am Wednesday, October 19, 2016

At Washington Wild’s “Wild Night Out” fundraiser on Sept. 22, activist and Sequim resident Bob Lynette was among three recipients of annual conservation awards in support of conservation efforts in Washington to protect wilderness and wild and scenic rivers.

Lynette was awarded with the Karen M. Fant Founders Award, given each year to a local volunteer activist who has distinguished themselves by their efforts to protect wild places in Washington. Lynette is a founding member of the Wild Olympics Campaign and has worked with Washington Wild as a member of the Wild Olympics Campaign over the past eight years to build local support for new wilderness river protections on the Olympic Peninsula, particularly in Clallam County.

“His past efforts supporting clean and renewable energy and his recent efforts supporting the permanent protection of wild lands and waters have distinguished him as an exceptional local advocate,” Washington Wild officials said.

Other honorees included Daniel J. Evans, former governor and U.S. Senator, and Leavenworth Brewery owner Pamela Brulotte.

Evans was presented with the Conservation Voices Award, given each year to an individual who has lent his or her voice as a compelling messenger in support of protecting Washington’s wild lands and waters. Evans has been a lifelong wilderness champion and played a major role in the creation of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, expansion of the Olympic National Park coastline, passage of the 1984 Washington Wilderness Act that protected more than 1 million acres of national forest and the 1988 Washington Park Wilderness Act.

Brulotte took home the Washington Wild Brewshed Award for advocating for “permanent protection of clean water, wild places and a natural legacy,” Washington Wild officials said.

The annual event drew about 150 attendees to Seattle, where they helped raise over $60,000 to support wild places.

Washington Wild is a member-based, nonprofit organization that has played an invaluable role in permanently protecting nearly 3 million acres of wilderness. See www.wawild.org.