BARRE, Vt. – Stuart Kinney of Braintree was honored with a Certificate of Appreciation by Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Louis Porter and State Bear Biologist Forrest Hammond at the February 7 Vermont Bear Hound Association annual banquet in Barre.

"Stuart, I want to thank you for your many years of assisting Vermont Fish & Wildlife staff with nuisance bear situations by devoting hundreds of hours of your time to help farmers and beehive owners who have suffered damage by black bears," said Commissioner Porter. "In addition, we appreciate that you also have helped to educate the public about the problems with bears associated with garbage and bird feeding."

Commissioner Porter and Forrest Hammond also thanked Mr. Kinney for serving on the Board of Directors of the Vermont Bear Hound Association to help produce educational pamphlets outlining how bee keepers can avoid bear problems.

"Biologists and game wardens have commented many times on how you are dedicated to improving the management of bears in Vermont," added Porter. "We have called on you many times in the past, and we expect we will in the future. Your knowledge of bear behavior and your passion for conserving the species is an inspiration for us all."

Commissioner Porter also thanked the members of the Vermont Bear Hound Association for annually raising funds to send large numbers of kids each summer to Fish & Wildlife's Green Mountain Conservation Camps.

Media Contacts: Commissioner Louis Porter 802-828-1454
Forrest Hammond, 802-885-8832