Dr. Christine B. Feurt, coordinator of the Coastal Training Program at the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR), was presented with the 2012 NERR System and NERR Association Award at the annual NERRS/NERRA meeting held in West Virginia in November. The award is given annually to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the reserve system.

“Chris is most deserving of this national honor,” said Reserve Director Paul Dest. “By designing and developing a highly effective Coastal Training Program, she has made the Wells Reserve relevant to the coastal management community both in the State of Maine and around the nation. She is a highly respected educator and scientist who effectively conveys science to decision-makers, be they elected officials, regulators, land conservationists, or policy-makers. We are proud to have her as part of the Reserve staff.”

In her work, Feurt operates at the intersection of the natural and social sciences. She helps create collaborative knowledge networks involving local, state, and federal government officials, community based conservation groups, non-profit environmental groups, and university students. These networks share expertise, help disseminate scientific information, and identify and prioritize management actions directed at protecting water resources.

Dr. Feurt is also director of the Center for Sustainable Communities at the University of New England.

Chris Feurt is the third Wells Reserve staff member to be recognized with the NERRS/NERRA Award. Reserve Director Paul Dest and the late Dr. Michele Dionne, research director, were honored previously.

The Wells Reserve at Laudholm is a 2,250-acre National Estuarine Research Reserve with its headquarters listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Wells Reserve’s goal is to protect and restore coastal ecosystems around the Gulf of Maine. Staff and volunteers expand knowledge about coasts and estuaries, engage people in environmental learning, and involve communities in conserving natural resources.

The work of the Wells Reserve is made possible by Laudholm Trust, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides vital monetary and in-kind support to the Wells Reserve. This local support enables the Wells Reserve to receive additional funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

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• Download photograph (Laurie McGilvray, chief of the Estuarine Reserves Division at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, congratulates the Wells Reserve’s Dr. Christine Feurt on receiving the 2012 NERRS/NERRA Award. Courtesy photo.)