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Pungowiyi, five others honored with conservation awards

August 10th 3:53 pm | Alaska Newspapers Staff Print this article   Email this article   Create a Shortlink for this article

Caleb Pungowiyi, a prominent Yupik Eskimo known for his many achievements, was among five individuals and one organization named today as winners of the 26th annual Alaska Conservation Foundation conservation achievement awards.

"A Yupik Eskimo from the village of Savoonga on St. Lawrence Island, Caleb Pungowiyi devoted his life to advocating for indigenous people of the north, the Alaska Conservation Foundation said, in its announcement of the awards.

Pungowiyi, who died of cancer on July 25, was the winner of the award for outstanding achievements by an Alaska Native organization or individual.

"He understood that sustaining Arctic cultures requires sustaining the Arctic environment, and he was dedicated to developing relationships between Alaska Natives and conservation groups," the foundation said.

During his lifetime, Pungowiyi held numerous leadership posts, including president of Kawerak, Inc., the Inuit Circumpolar Council and the Robert Aqqaluk Newlin Sr. Memorial Trust. Most recently, he was the rural liaison and senior advisor for Oceana.

Pungowiyi "is recognized for his leadership, intelligence, humility, courage and kindness in protecting Alaska's environment and subsistence ways of life," the foundation said.

Others to be honored in ceremonies Sept. 15 at the Aviation Museum in Anchorage are Dorothy Childers, Anchorage, associate director of the Alaska Marine Conservation Council; Stacy Studebaker, Kodiak, co-founder of the Kodiak chapter of the National Audubon Society; Alaskans for Palmer Hay Flats, Palmer; Maka Monture, Yakutat, of the Yakutat chapter of Alaska Youth for Environmental Action; Daisy Lee Bitter, Homer, who was the first volunteer education director for the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies, and Robert (Bob) H. Armstrong, Juneau, author and also photographer of numerous books and magazine articles featuring his images of Alaska birds, mammals, fish, insects and plants.

The Alaska Conservation Foundation was founded in 1980 by legendary Alaska conservationists Celia Hunter and Denny Wilcher, and is dedicated to connecting philanthropists and foundations worldwide to Alaska's grassroots conservation organizations.

 

Alaska Newspapers Staff can be reached at editor@alaskanewspapers.com, or by phone at 907-348-2449

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