Page 24 - March-April25 Vol42 No7

TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT & CONSERVATION
Call for GESA Awards Nominations

Each year, the Governor’s individual or group would be a good Tennesseans for their environmental
Environmental Stewardship Awards candidate for the awards, direct them commitment, efforts, and achievements.
honor outstanding accomplishments that to the nomination forms and other Thank you for supporting this
support the protection and enhancement pertinent information on our website. important statewide program.
of Tennessee’s natural resources. The Tennessee Department of
Nominating an individual, group, or Environment and Conservation is Kathy Glapa
organization for their achievements is a encouraged that so many citizens and Office of Sustainable
meaningful way to promote conservation organizations take action to ensure Practices
and recognize effective environmental Tennessee communities are healthy 615-253-8780
leadership in Tennessee. places to live, work, and play. I hope you Kathy.Glapa@tn.gov
Nominations are currently being will make time to nominate deserving
accepted for the 2025 Governor’s
Environmental Stewardship Awards,
and I am asking you to draw on your GOVERNOR’S ENVIRONMENTAL
knowledge and experience to help us
identify organizations and individuals STEWARDSHIP AWARDS
who are improving the quality of
Tennessee’s land, air, and water. The Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards
The Governor’s Environmental (GESA) are presented annually to recognize outstanding
Stewardship Awards include ten achievements by individuals, local governments, businesses,
categories: organizations, educational institutions, and agencies
1. Agriculture and Forestry for successful environmental projects and conservation
2. Building Green measures. The awards program was instituted in 1986 by Ernie Blankenship of the
3. Clean Air Tennessee Department of Environment and Health, a predecessor of TDEC, and has
4. Energy and Renewable Resources been adopted by the Governor’s office as one of its award programs.
5. Environmental Education and GESA are designed to enhance knowledge and awareness of effective conservation
Outreach and environmental practices and projects making outstanding contributions to the
6. Materials Management preservation and protection of community and state natural resources, and to give
7. Natural Resource proper recognition to those who engage in these outstanding practices.
8. Water Quality The awards also encourage leadership by example through its winners, leading to
9. Sustainable Performance increased protection and conservation of Tennessee’s wildlife, forests, soils, air, water,
10. Lifetime Achievement natural heritage, parks, and recreation.
Any individual, business, organization,
Applications are judged in nine different criteria areas, including such items as
educational institution, or agency is project results and transferability, as well as three eligibility areas: location within the
eligible, provided it is in Tennessee state of Tennessee, completion of a majority of the project in the current calendar
and the project was fully implemented year, and three years of exceptional environmental compliance with TDEC.
and/or finalized in the two years prior
to December 31, 2024, or for long- GESA are the state’s most prestigious environmental and conservation awards.
term projects finalized by the year For over 35 years, the awards have been presented to individuals and organizations
prior to the nomination deadline. making significant contributions to the protection and improvement of our natural
All nominees must have a minimum resources and wildlife. The awards support the Governor’s priorities of Job and
of three consecutive years of overall Economic Development and Health and Welfare, while also supporting TDEC
environmental compliance with TDEC. priorities of Public/Private Partnerships and Positive Environmental Outcomes.
Self-nominations are encouraged. The 2024 Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award recipients were:
A panel of judges representing
agricultural, conservation, forestry, ENTITY COUNTY CATEGORY
environmental, and academic Ethan and McKenzie Foster Maury Agriculture and Forestry
professionals will select award recipients The Garden Club of Nashville Davidson Natural Resources
based on criteria including level of project James Lawson High School Davidson Building Green
or program completion, innovation, Knoxville Utilities Board Knox Energy and Renewable Resources
and public education. The deadline for Tennessee Environmental Council Davidson Environmental Educ. and Outreach
nominations is March 14, 2025. Award The University of Memphis Shelby Water Quality
recipients will be announced in the The University of Tennessee Knox Materials Management
summer of 2025.
We need your help. If you feel like an Vanderbilt University Davidson Sustainable Performance
24 TPW March/April 2025