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Jim Wilcox Recognized with Daniel J. Evans Nisqually Stewardship Award

On September 4, the Nisqually River Foundation will honor Jim Wilcox with the Daniel J. Evans Nisqually Stewardship Award at a reception at Wilcox Family Farms in Roy. The Award is presented every five years to an individual who has demonstrated tremendous leadership in the stewardship of the Nisqually Watershed, and is an opportunity to celebrate the watershed’s collaborative commitment to environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Jim is receiving the Award in recognition of his decades of work on behalf of the Nisqually Watershed as a farmer, a landowner, and a leader in the Nisqually River Council and Puget Sound Partnership.

Jim is a third generation family farmer with Wilcox Family Farms, founded on the banks of the Nisqually River in 1909 by his great-grandparents. His career exemplifies the Nisqually Watershed’s unique history of pursuing long-term sustainability by harmonizing business, community, and conservation goals. As a founding participant in the Nisqually River Council in 1987, Jim emerged as a leading advocate for sustainable farming and business practices and collaborative approaches to conservation. With his brother and business partner Barrie, Jim implemented innovative farming practices at Wilcox Farms that contributed to the health of the Nisqually River and made the Farm a national leader in sustainable agriculture. Jim has also fostered a family commitment to giving back and supporting the health of the watershed, with both his son, State Representative JT Wilcox, and later his granddaughter Katie Wilcox, serving on the board of the Nisqually Land Trust. In 2013, Jim was appointed by Governor Inslee to the Puget Sound Partnership’s Leadership Council, where he works to promote the health of Puget Sound and the restoration of salmon runs.

Like prior Evans Award recipients Billy Frank Jr. and Congressman Norm Dicks, Jim has worked tirelessly to build partnerships among the Nisqually Watershed’s diverse members, advancing the shared goal of a watershed that supports healthy salmon runs, clean water, healthy ecosystems, sustainable businesses, and thriving communities. Now in its fourth decade, the Nisqually River Council has enabled collaborations between state, local, federal, and tribal governments and community and private partners to implement this ambitious vision. Projects over the last 10 years have included the creation of the Nisqually Community Forest, ground-breaking plans to recover Chinook salmon and manage for the impacts of rural water use, and major habitat restoration projects on Ohop Creek, the Mashel River, and the Nisqually Estuary at the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. Proceeds from the Evans Award event will benefit the Nisqually River Foundation, the non-profit which administers the Nisqually River Council and supports policy development, conservation projects, and environmental education.

The Nisqually River Foundation (NRF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to foster a healthy Nisqually Watershed through partnerships, volunteer engagement, and environmental education. For information about the NRF, contact info@nisquallyriver.org.

This press release was provided by the Nisqually River Foundation.


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