Chuck Traxler Presents the Silver Eagle Award to Ed Collins 
Pictured:  Ed Collins, Chuck Traxler, Cassie Skaggs, Cathy Nigg

Recognizing a conservation hero for Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge

(USFWS Press Release, by Cassandra Skaggs)

Building a national wildlife refuge into the fabric of an existing community is an artform. We at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would like to recognize the tireless efforts of Ed Collins as he has rallied his community to create and grow Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge in Illinois and Wisconsin for more than the past 20 years. Take a moment to learn about his contributions and the special recognition he received.

On June 11, 2024, Deputy Regional Director Chuck Traxler was honored to join the annual Friends of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge Summer Gathering in Richmond, Illinois to present Collins with the Silver Eagle Award. This is our most prestigious external award and recognizes individuals from outside the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service who have made exceptional conservation achievements in the Midwest Region.

As director of land preservation and natural resources for the McHenry County Conservation District, Ed Collins has been devoted to growing a connection for people to their natural world. With a career that spans 38 years with the McHenry County Conservation District, Collins is responsible for restoration and land preservation efforts on 26,000 acres. He has led several remarkable projects including the re-meandering of Nippersink Creek in Glacial Park, the first mapping of oak loss in the region that helped to establish Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge and now, his significant role as part of the team that secured the 985-acre Tamarack Farms that is slated to become part of the refuge. Additionally, Collins teaches classes in Forensic Ecology and Ecological Spirituality, and currently serves as vice-chair of the Friends of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge.

Leaders from a wide array of partner organizations were also on hand to recognize Collins, including folks from The Conservation Fund, Openlands, Illinois Audubon Society, McHenry County Community Foundation, Nippersink Watershed Association, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, McHenry County Conservation District, Ducks Unlimited, as well as U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service retirees Cathy Nigg and John Rogner. Everyone shared words of thanks for all that Collins has done, and continues to do in and around the refuge.

“Ed did all of this with an eye to the future. He had a vision of community engagement and tourism that would bring new opportunities to this densely populated area,” noted Deputy Regional Director Chuck Traxler.

Recognized in 2012 by the U.S. Department of Interior as a recipient of the Partners in Conservation Award for his role in helping establish the refuge, Collins has been focused on this endeavor for a long time.

Noting that Collins would rather shine a light on the true midwestern landscape that’s been shaped by ‘fire and ice’ that is rapidly disappearing than to focus the attention on himself, Refuge Manager Cassie Skaggs said, “This award is but a moment in time to recognize a person who listened to the land and in turn, hopes that we all continue to do so into the future. Ed is truly a remarkable person and is most deserved of this achievement.”

Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge was established on November 6, 2012, with the donation of a 12-acre conservation easement. The easement was purchased for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by Openlands through a donation from the Friends of Hackmatack and the McHenry County Conservation Foundation.

Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge staff have been working to connect the dots of conserved land in southeast Wisconsin and northeast Illinois. We are working to connect refuge lands and conservation easements with lands conserved by local county and state agencies, as well as private organizations. Working with our partners, the refuge will ultimately improve or restore more than 11,000 acres of drained wetland basins, historic prairie and oak forest habitats. Habitat is restored by purchasing lands and easements from willing sellers, helping landowners restore their land and working with partners.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information, visit www.fws.gov and connect with us on social media: Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter), LinkedIn, Flickr, and YouTube.