Washington,
DC- The
National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA) is pleased to announce the
winners of the 2009 Refuge Photography Contest, a digital photography
contest showcasing the stunning scenery and wildlife of Americas national
wildlife refuges.
More
than 2,000 images taken by photographers in 44 states and territories were
submitted in this fourth annual Refuge Photo Contest, testimony to the
allure of wildlife refuges as amazing places to experience wildlife and
wild places. Images were submitted by upload through the contest website
from May 1st through July 15th, 2009.
"Images
of spectacular wildlife and landscapes tell the Refuge System story: that
these 550 conservation gems are vital to sustaining Americas diverse
wildlife heritage," said Evan Hirsche, President of the NWRA.
"These photos will help us illustrate why its so important to protect
and conserve our wildlife and habitats for the benefit of future
generations."
The top
prize was awarded to Ted Steinke, for an explosive image of dueling
northern harriers taken at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, UT. Mr.
Steinke will be awarded $5,000 in cash, generously provided by ATP Oil and
Gas Corporation. Chairman and CEO of ATP T. Paul Bulmahn stated, "ATP
is proud to be a 2009 Premier Sponsor. All of the images submitted
showcased the beauty of our national wildlife refuges and national
landscape. We congratulate the winners of the photo contest, and applaud
NWRA's mission to conserve Americas wildlife heritage for future
generations"
After
Steinke, the remaining top prize winners are: 2nd place -- Mike McBride of
Afton, WY; 3rd place -- Steve Dimock of Beaverton, OR; 4th place -- Jim
Burns of Scottsdale, AZ; Judy Lyle of Tallahassee, FL; Les Zigurski of
Scales Mound, IL; Jack Rogers of Oviedo, FL; and Timothy Vidrine of Church
Point, LA.
Additional
prizes awarded to contest finalists and runners-up include two round trip
tickets courtesy of Southwest Airlines, and offerings from Barbaras Bakery,
Wild Bird Centers of America and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. The contest was
generously hosted by Zenfolio, a premier photo-hosting site, and images and
entries can be viewed at: http://nwra.zenfolio.com/2009-winners
A full
list of contest winners and honorable mentions can be viewed at:
http://www.refugeassociation.org/contest/2009winners.html