In 2022, the Nationwide Wildlife Refuge Affiliation awarded David the Refuge Advocate of the Yr Award due to his excellent work as an advocate for our nation’s wildlife refuges, particularly his work with the Nationwide Wildlife Refuge System in Alaska. David’s position as co-founder of the Mates of Alaska NWRs group in 2005 has led to years of advocacy, conservation, and preservation work for nationwide wildlife refuges in Alaska. Throughout his tenure as President, numerous relationships have been fashioned between every of the 16 Alaskan nationwide wildlife refuges and the Anchorage Regional Fish and Wildlife workers, together with the growth of the Mates of Alaska NWRs to 315 members. The Mates of Alaska NWRs’ volunteer, advocacy, and education schemes elevated exponentially beneath his management. By way of David’s oral and written feedback, opinion items, Congressional testimony, litigation actions, declarations, volunteer organizing, media communications, and different actions, David has considerably contributed to the quite a few wins skilled over time for a lot of of Alaska’s refuges. These embrace repeatedly staving off Arctic Refuge oil and gasoline drilling for a few years and reaching a 12-million-acre wilderness suggestion for the Arctic Nationwide Wildlife Refuge. David has additionally labored for 15 years defending Izembek Nationwide Wildlife Refuge from a street that might destroy its ecological integrity. The Mates of Alaska NWRs wouldn’t be what it’s in the present day with out his tireless efforts to assist and defend Alaska’s nationwide wildlife refuges.