The Minnesota Department of Natura1 Resources Conservation Officer of the Year Award is given every year to a state conservation officer that has shown “exemplary support and contribution to protecting and preserving Minnesota’s natural resources”. The recipient this year is Brian Mies of Kimball, who will also have a couple of other awards to add to his mantle as well – the Willard Munger Wetland Achievement Award and an appreciation award for his work on the DNR Deer Committee. Officer Mies is assigned to the Annandale station, which covers the west side of Wright County and a portion of Stearns County. Mies has been a conservation officer since 1991. Previously, he worked in the Pine City station and the St. Cloud station, until he was assigned to the Annandale station in 1998. Brian’s wife, Linda, and their three boys Alex, Brad and Sawyer, attended the awards ceremony at Camp Ripley recently. The recipient of the awards must exemplify exceptional leadership, skill and ingenuity in their job, and bring the utmost credit to the agency and the field of natural resources law enforcement. “Mies has gone above and beyond throughout his 16-year career. I’m really proud of Officer Mies winning these awards,” said Colonel Mike Hamm, DNR Enforcement chief conservation officer. “He is successful in all aspects of his job, from consistently carrying a high caseload to protecting and preserving our wetlands to helping out people in need to protecting the state’s natural resources. He’s the type of officer we’d all like to be.” Mies said the awards were a great honor. “But it is really all conservation officers for the state of Minnesota that should receive these awards. I enjoy having a job which gives me the opportunity to protect the natural resources of Minnesota,” he said.
Mies named Conservation Officer of the Year
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