Stewardship award given to superintendent of Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Woody Smeck, who serves as Superintendent of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, has been named "Superintendent of the Year for Natural Resource Stewardship" for the Pacific West region of the National Park Service. Smeck was nominated for the award by Ray Sauvajot, wildlife ecologist with the National Park Service.

"Smeck has provided outstanding leadership and support for effective natural resource stewardship by embracing scientific inquiry, linking data and science to management decisionmaking, and promoting resource stewardship broadly among partner agencies and organizations at the recreation area and the Mediterranean Coast Network," said Sauvajot.

"Smeck's accomplishments have been especially noteworthy over the last year, as numerous major park issues and initiatives emerged that were addressed through innovative and cuttingedge use of natural resource science to promote effective resource stewardship," said Sauvajot.

Numbered among Smeck's accomplishments are completion of the recreation area's fire management plan; support of regional conservation efforts linking park stewardship objectives to interagency planning; and network leadership in the implementation of a Vital Signs Monitoring Program and Research Center.

Smeck has offices at the National Park Service Visitor Center for the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area at 401 W. Hillcrest Drive in Thousand Oaks. For general park information, call (805) 370-2301.