Fort Hays Student Wins Hedges Conservation Award

TOPEKA, Kan., Oct. 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Nature Conservancy, Emporia Community Foundation and Hedges family are delighted to announce that Justin Roemer, a graduate student studying biology at Fort Hays State University, has been given the Lance Hedges Conservation Award. The scholarship, named in memory of the former Director of Conservation for TNC, is available only to interns and student employees of TNC in Kansas.

"Lance was the driving force behind establishing our intern program," says director Rob Manes. "He recognized that growing the next generation of conservation professionals was equal to our on-the-ground conservation work."

Roemer was the first intern at the TNC's Smoky Valley Ranch in 2014. At the time, he was working toward his undergraduate degree in wildlife biology.

"It all began when I was in Boy Scouts," says Roemer. "I was taught the complexities of the natural world and discovered a deep passion for it. I got the opportunity to intern at Smoky Valley Ranch and never looked back."

Roemer now serves double-duty at the Logan County ranch as an academic researcher and conservation practitioner for TNC. This summer, he mentored the latest intern.

"Hopefully, I helped him gain a passion for conservation. Together we completed a large amount and it was a great teaching experience," adds Roemer.

"Knowing that Justin was one of the first interns that Lance hired makes his winning the award even more meaningful," says Stacey Hedges, who established the scholarship in her husband's memory. "Justin represents exactly what Lance wanted to accomplish through the intern program."

The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world's toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable. Working in 72 countries, we use a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit www.nature.org.

Contact
Laura Rose Clawson, (785)233-4400
[email protected]

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SOURCE The Nature Conservancy