Congratulations Brian!

[sskasser]

Not cave, but water nonetheless, and one of our own. Congrats, Brian!

http://rivers-trails.blogspot.com/20...servation.html

TU Names Brian Williams Conservation Educator of the Year for Virginia

Brian Williams of the Dan River Basin Association (DRBA) was recently recognized by Trout Unlimited, a national conservation organization, as their Conservation Educator of the Year Award recipient for Virginia.

Williams worked as a volunteer with the Trout in the Classroom Program for four years helping with the creation of Virginia’s first Trout in the Classroom program in Martinsville & Henry County. In early 2008, he was hired as the Education, Outreach, and Conservation Coordinator for DRBA where he has continued to support Trout in the Classroom in more than 25 schools and in the Virginia Museum of Natural History. Williams currently works out of the organization’s Collinsville office. Since the inception of the program in Henry County by Dr. David Jones he has led the Smith River Chapter of Trout Unlimited in becoming the largest Trout in the Classroom Program in the nation.

Trout Unlimited recognized Williams at their annual meeting in Ruckersville, Virginia with the Mike Barbour Memorial Award for his extensive work in educating the public about the importance of water quality and conservation. His work has directly impacted many thousands of children and adults across Southern Virginia. Over the course of his career he has given more than 100 presentations to youth groups on the imperative need for conservation in the Smith River corridor and related areas, has staffed more than 25 workshops for teachers and other educators, has served as a river guide for youth and adult groups floating the river and has authored a new guide to the Smith River that is being used as a tool to promote tourism of our area.

According our local Trout in the Classroom sponsor, Dr. David Jones, Williams “is a tireless advocate for improving water quality in the Smith River, protecting riparian borders and view shed forested areas. His work and passions provide us with one of our greatest opportunities for creating jobs and tourism leading to economic recovery in the Martinsville-Henry County area.”

[cavediver256]

Congratulations Brian !!!! Great job.

[tj]

Brian taught me a lot about dry caves years ago.. then he moved away... and apparently, doing good there too!

Congratulations Brian!

tj

[Squirrel Girl]

Woo Hoo! Brian is DA MAN! He's so cool! And he likes snakes!

[mwenner]

Good deal Brian! You've worked real hard on this, I know (haven't see you for ages) so it must be nice to get some reward. Your efforts will be around for a long time to come. Good job!

[hfig]

Congrats. Nice work.

[Cindy]

Great Job Brain, we miss ya down here helping protect our caves. I'm glad the River has as good a protector as you though. The best man won.

[bmwcaves]

thank you all, I appreciate it

I still get underground occasionally....just surveyed a new one with a team in Smyth county (dry cave), and we got some sumps to get too
up here as well. WNS stopped alot of caving in VA for the past year.
Trout in the Classroom, Water Quality and rivers and trails issues have been keeping me busy up here.

see you underground...or on the river

Brian