From left to right: Law Enforcement Executive Administrator Kandy Klosterman, Wildlife Officer Supervisor Lee Van Allen, and ODNR Division of Wildlife Chief Kendra Wecker. Wildlife Officer Supervisor Lee Van Allen

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Lee Van Allen was recently named Ohio Wildlife Officer of the Year by Shikar-Safari Club International, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

Officer Van Allen, a Wildlife Officer Supervisor in southeast Ohio, was presented his award during the Ohio Wildlife Council meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 13. Shikar-Safari Club International is a conservation-based organization that presents annual awards to deserving wildlife law enforcement officers in all states, provinces, and territories in the U.S. and Canada. The annual award honors an officer whose efforts show outstanding performance and achievement among commissioned conservation law enforcement personnel.

Officer Van Allen, of Nashport, Ohio, is a dedicated wildlife employee with nearly 30 years of service. A graduate of the 1996 Wildlife Officer Academy, he worked as a wildlife officer assigned to Jackson County for 10 years and was promoted to a supervisor position in 2006. Officer Van Allen started his career with ODNR in 1990 in a seasonal position with the Division of Parks and Watercraft. He worked for the Division of Parks and Watercraft and the Division of Forestry as an officer from 1993 to 1996.

Officer Van Allen is a leader in the Division of Wildlife’s law enforcement section. He regularly attends Soil and Water Conservation Board meetings in Scioto and Jackson counties, instructs at the Ohio State Trappers Association workshop at Cooper Hollow Wildlife Area in Jackson County, and attends countless events and programs throughout his southeast Ohio unit.

The Shikar-Safari Club International was founded in 1952 by an international group of hunters interested in exchanging ideas about the sport. In 1966, the Shikar-Safari Club International Foundation was formed to support various wildlife conservation projects with funds raised by club members.

The mission of the Division of Wildlife is to conserve and improve fish and wildlife resources and their habitats for sustainable use and appreciation by all. Visit wildohio.gov to find out more.

ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.