County Executive's Outstanding Environmental Volunteer Award
Nominations are now being accepted for the County Executive's Outstanding Environmental Volunteer Award. Please use this link to submit a nomination: Nomination Form.
Deadline for submissions is Friday, August 28th.
In 1998 Rockland County established the County Executive Outstanding Environmental Volunteer Award to recognize individuals for their contributions & achievements in preserving the County’s natural resources.
The County Executive's Outstanding Environmental Volunteer Award recognizes environmental volunteers who care for our parks, champion our watershed programs, encourage waste reduction, and enhance the beauty of Rockland's natural environment.
To be eligible to receive the award an individual must be at least 18 years of age and a Rockland County resident. Individuals who have been nominated in the past, but not chosen, are eligible to be re-nominated.
The nomination period for 2026 is now open. County Executive Day will honor this year's winner during a tree dedication ceremony at Kennedy Dells Park on Thursday, October 8th, 2026 at 11 am. Nominations may be submitted using this link: Nomination Form.
The 2025 recipient was Joanne Louis-Paul for her work with Sustainable Hudson Valley as an Environmental Justice Fellow and her work with numerous environmental volunteer boards including the Environmental Management Council and Climate Smart Communities Task Force. To learn more about the Joanne's work and recognition ceremony, click on the following link: Joanne Louis-Paul Named 2025 County Executive’s Outstanding Environmental Volunteer.
Examples of Activities Performed by Previous Winners
- Monitoring local wildlife
- Creating place-based art and science programming
- Keeping roadways and parks free of litter and trash
- Creating and expanding parks and preserves
- Protecting environmentally sensitive wetlands and woods
- Researching and advocating for water quality
- Bridging diverse points of view on environmental issues
- Promoting sustainability
- Advancing reduction, reuse, and recycling
- Founding and leading environmental action committees and coalitions
- Reducing school bus idling to protect young lungs
- Developing an integrated pest management program
- Serving on the County’s Environmental Management Council
Previous Winners
- 2025 - Joanne Louis-Paul
- 2024 - Carolyn Hill
- 2023 - Jacob Tanenbaum
- 2022 - Harriet D. Cornell
- 2021 - Gale Pisha
- 2020 - Tim Sanders
- 2019 - Margie Turrin
- 2018 - Laurie Seeman
- 2017 - John LaPlaca
- 2016 - Martus Granire
- 2015 - Grace Meyer
- 2014 - Deborah Munitz
- 2013 - Peggy Kurtz
- 2012 - George Potanovic, Jr.
- 2011 - Bill Baker
- 2010 - Patsy Wooters
- 2009 - Alberto Baruffi
- 2008 - Catherine Dodge
- 2007 - Jean and Robert Nelson
- 2006 - S.Hazard Gillespie
- 2005 - Dr. Constantine Gletsos
- 2004 - Charles Schwep
- 2003 - Betty Hedges
- 2002 - Zipporah Fleisher
- 2001 - Colleen and Harold Leidy
- 2000 - George Zoebelein
- 1999 - Geoffrey Welch
- 1998 - Diane Gruskin