Douglas Jackson and Helen Rubino-Turco accept the Environmental Law Section’s Clyde O. Fisher, Jr. Award from Timothy S. Hollister.
The Connecticut Bar Association’s (CBA) Environmental Law Section honored Westmoor Park with the Clyde O. Fisher, Jr. Award on Thursday, November 8. This award recognizes individuals or entities who have made a significant contribution to the preservation or enhancement of environmental quality through work in the fields of environmental law, environmental protection, and environmental planning. The award was accepted by Westmoor Park Naturalist Douglas Jackson and Town of West Hartford’s Director of Leisure Services and Social Services Helen Rubino-Turco.
“For decades, Westmoor Park has been an amazing source of environmental education to the children of West Hartford and surrounding towns. The park's environmental curriculum has kept pace with the times, concentrating now not only on wildlife preservation and environmentally responsible agriculture, but also climate change and sustainability. It is a thrill to be able to honor the park and its staff," said Timothy S. Hollister of Shipman & Goodwin LLP, who presented the award to Westmoor Park. Those in attendance included UConn School of Law Dean Timothy S. Fisher, son of Clyde O. Fisher, Jr.
Westmoor Park is a 162-acre wildlife sanctuary and demonstration farm in West Hartford that specializes in outdoor education and offers hands-on learning experiences for students of all ages. The park collaborates with the West Hartford Board of Education to produce Eco-venture, a hands-on inquiry-based program that served 174 class programs of 3,598 students during the 2016-2017 school year. Westmoor Park’s special events and programs include Summer Nature Day Camp, Learn to Fish events, Farm Day, Westmoor Park After Dark, Feast on the Farm, and Plant-a-Row for the Hungry.
“I’m so pleased to accept this award on behalf of Westmoor Park. The successes and fine reputation that Westmoor Park enjoys within this community is the result of the efforts and support of so many people — from a supportive town administration and other town departments to dozens of part time staff members and hundreds of volunteers,” said Westmoor Park Naturalist Douglas Jackson. “Thank you to the Connecticut Bar Association for their recognition of our work, by awarding us the Clyde O. Fisher, Jr. Award.”
The award was established in 1997 and in memory of Clyde O. Fisher, Jr., an administrative law judge with the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. Past recipients of the award have contributed to the public’s education and awareness of environmental issues; contributed to the development, enactment, or administration of environmental law or regulation; and developed pollution prevention or environmental remediation.