River Hero Wendy Seesock Wins Award at Alabama Watershed Leadership Conference

River Hero Wendy Seesock Wins Award at Alabama Watershed Leadership Conference

Montgomery – Wendy Seesock, former President and Executive Director of Save Our Saugahatchee, received the 2010 River Hero Award at the Alabama Rivers Alliance's Watershed Leadership Conference last week.

On February 28th, Wendy Seesock, former President and Executive Director of Save Our Saugahatchee, received the 2010 River Hero Award at the Alabama Rivers Alliance's Watershed Leadership Conference in Montgomery, AL.  Annually, the Rivers Alliance honors and celebrates the outstanding work of 3 people who are passionate about their work to protect our rivers, our health, and our environment.  This award is given to individuals in Alabama who exemplify river stewardship and have a rich history of advocating protection of Alabama’s rivers or their local waterway. 

Wendy Seesock has worked for Auburn University Fisheries for 20+ years.  She is an aquatic biologist with expertise in water quality, aquatic algae, fish taxonomy, limnology, aquatic ecology.  She is also a grassroots leader chairing Auburn-based Save Our Saugahatchee for numerous years, serving for three years on the Alabama Rivers Alliance board, and leading a quarry accountability group, Quarry Warriors.  She is an extraordinary environmentalist with the science to back up her convictions, and we are pleased to honor her with this award for her tireless work, protecting Alabama’s environment. 

“I don’t know a more knowledgeable aquatic biologist with the diversity of expertise that she has… And not only is she extremely knowledgeable, she is also passionate about stewardship of Alabama’s precious water resources – a truly wonderful combination of traits!”  - Eric Reutebuch, Research Associate, AU Department of Fisheries

“We are all fortunate, and Alabama is a better place, because she has dedicated much of her analytical skills and personal time to solving real-world problems, protecting rivers, and serving citizen groups.” 

- Dr. William (Bill) G. Deutsch, Research Fellow, Aquatic Ecology and Director of the Alabama Water Watch Program

The Alabama Rivers Alliance annually hosts the Watershed Leadership Conference, a premier educational and networking event for Alabamians interested in clean water.  The conference moves to different regions of the state each year, and since 2010 is an election year, the 2010 Watershed Leadership Conference is in the state's capitol of Montgomery from February 27-March 2, 2010.

The Watershed Leadership Conference is for anyone seeking to learn about clean water, environmental science, legislative policy, and leadership. Each year the conference brings over 100 individual attendees from a variety of backgrounds and over 25 various grassroots and conservation organizations together to share, network, and learn.  At the Conference, participants receive professional development training from experts as well as their own peers on the newest ideas and innovations in their fields.