(L-R) Gerry Hurley, Jim Smith, Rex Coupland, Heinz Plontke, Minister Nixon and Premier Kenney. (Photo courtesy the Government of Alberta - Admire Studios - www.admirestudios.com)

By Justin Goulet

Lethbridge man named recipient of province’s Order of the Bighorn Award

Dec 3, 2021 | 10:45 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – A past president, director and life member of the Lethbridge Fish & Game Association has been honoured by the province.

Heinz Plontke is one of five recipients of the province’s 2021 Order of the Bighorn Award. The award recognizes the efforts of Albertans in volunteer efforts toward fish, wildlife and habitat conservation. Since its launch, 114 individuals and organizations have received the prestigious award.

Minister of Environment and Parks Jason Nixon said, “the Order of the Big Horn Awards celebrates the critical role in strengthening conservation in Alberta and protecting Alberta’s environment for current and future generations.”

“Bringing back these awards builds on conservation initiatives such as the grizzly bear recovery, Moose Lake management plan and investments in our parks while also improving outdoor recreation experiences for all Albertans.”

The full list of 2021 winners is as follows:

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• Heinz Plontke: In addition to experience with the Lethbridge Fish & Game Association, Plontke has ties to the Alberta Fish & Game Association (AAFGA) and was previously awarded the Fulton Award for his dedication to conservation and continued volunteering efforts. His volunteer work includes transplanting bighorn sheep, planting trees and raising and releasing pheasants and wild turkeys. He has worked closely on projects in southern Alberta with the Alberta Conservation Association, Fish & Wildlife, and Ducks Unlimited.
• Jim Smith: Smith is a retired agrologist with more than four decades of experience in environmental management, land valuation and land stewardship. He’s conducted research and shared his expertise on sustainability, land stewardship tools and other related areas. In 2019, he and his wife donated a conservation easement on 140 acres to the Legacy Land Trust Society.
• Dr. Rex Coupland: A retired veterinarian with experience working with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Coupland graduated with a doctorate of veterinary medicine and worked as a wildlife veterinarian for many years with the Canadian Wildlife Service. Additionally, for years he has played an important role in assisting with the management and treatment of injured birds of prey in northwestern Alberta.
• Calvin Rakach: Rakach has over 30 years of experience in representing trail users and assisting in provincial land use exercises. He has provided volunteer work for the Integrated Land Management Program, Land Use Framework and Alberta’s Plan for Parks working groups. Rakach is the founding president of the Alberta Outdoors Coalition, a group of provincial outdoors organizations promoting responsible and sustainable access to Alberta’s public lands. Nationally, he helped establish the Motorcyclist Confederation of Canada, the ATV/Quad Council of Canada and the National Trails Coalition.
• Gerry Hurley: Hurley is an active volunteer in numerous community groups including Alberta Parks, Fish and Wildlife, and the WildSmart program. He’s been recognized with the Canmore Mayor’s Award for his volunteer contributions. Among his volunteer accomplishments, Hurley has spent more than 15 years helping with the Kananaskis Country grizzly bear monitoring and aversive conditioning program.

More on the winners is available here.