Paul Piszczek’s Acceptance Speech

From my days as a young boy fishing with my family and friends in Chicagoland’s ponds and streams to annual family fishing trips on Wisconsin’s waters of the Mississippi River, never did I think that one day I would be recognized as the Fisheries Conservationist of the Year by the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation. I am honored to receive this award and grateful to Ken Lundberg for taking time to nominate me. Wouldn’t you know that of all the evenings on the calendar, this is the one when I had a previously scheduled family wedding out-of-state that precludes me from meeting you all. Thank you, Ken, for accepting the award on my behalf. The project for which Ken wrote my nomination was in many ways life-changing for me, and it was the largest project I had ever undertaken, well-beyond my graduate thesis on trout in the Great Smoky Mountains nearly 30 years ago. The project was one that reaffirmed my philosophy of staying in the game, persevering, because in the end it would matter, matter to fish and their habitat and matter to people, those local and those far away. The meetings, phone calls, emails, negotiations, and humbling pleas; they were all worth it. And because of it, you recognized me. What a gift, both professionally and personally.

Among the dozens of individuals who made this project possible, I particularly thank Dennis Pratt of the Brule River Sportsmen’s Club, Bob Banks of Brule River Preservation, Inc., and Dave Zentner of the Izaak Walton League who provided input and ignited a unique fundraising campaign that was critical to the project’s future funding. I truly appreciate the willingness of the private property owners to allow the project on their land, as well as the many Wisconsin DNR staff who worked with me on the legal arrangements and guided me through the environmental review process. I thank Myron Olson of the Town of Brule and Jason Jackman of Douglas County. I thank Ted Koehler of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Jeff Tyson of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, and Terry Heatlie of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for their work in procuring and administering essential project funds. Thank you Brad Ray and Brad Eggold of Wisconsin DNR for supporting my effort on the project. I thank Keith Anderson of Beaver River Consulting for developing the design plans and overseeing their implementation and Brook Benes of Wren Works for the construction effort. Their tireless cooperation with me created the site conditions we have today. For any of you in the room who have in any way contributed to the project, I express my gratitude. I thank my wife, Esther, for her interest and support in hearing about the project’s progress or seeing it for herself in the field. This project and this award are professional and personal achievements in which I take great pride. Thank you.