Joseph H. Maroon, Director of the Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation, is the recipient of the 2009 Gerald P. McCarthy Award for Leadership in Environmental Conflict Resolution.
The University of Virginia’s Institute for Environmental Negotiation presents the award annually on behalf of the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute, a partnership between the Virginia Department of Forestry, Virginia Cooperative Extension and the institute.
Maroon, who has been director of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation since 2002, was recognized for his leadership and vision in leading non-governmental organizations and state agencies with exemplary skills in consensus-building.
Maroon received the award at the graduation dinner for the 2009 class of the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute, held Thursday in Charlottesville.
“I am pleased that the selection committee sought to honor an individual for following what is often a difficult path. It is too easy to see interests outside of an agency as the ‘them,’ either to be avoided or defeated,” institute director Frank Dukes said.
“I have seen firsthand Mr. Maroon’s commitment to the hard work of consensus-building. This award honors the individual but also the actions of working across differences to find meaningful solutions to Virginia’s many environmental challenges.”