02/20/2009
Garris Honored for Conserving the Wild Turkey
 Joseph Garris was honored with the prestigious Joe Kurz Excellence in Wildlife Management Award at the NWTF's Convention and Sport Show. Click image for print quality version |
NASHVILE, Tenn. — Joseph Garris, a senior wildlife technician with the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife (NJDFW), was honored with the prestigious Joe Kurz Excellence in Wildlife Management Award at the National Wild Turkey Federation's (NWTF) 33rd annual Convention and Sport Show, held Feb. 19 to Feb. 22 in Nashville, Tenn.
The award is named after Joe Kurz, a former Georgia Department of Natural Resources wildlife chief, for his leadership and the vital role he played in improving wildlife management. Kurz was also a principal figure in the wild turkey trap and transfer program across North America.
The Joe Kurz Excellence in Wildlife Management Award recognizes wildlife managers who have worked untiringly for the wild turkey and its habitat. Wildlife managers, such as Garris, are the unsung heroes who do the on-the-ground work for wild turkeys and other wildlife.
Garris has worked for more than 30 years on a variety of projects to help NJDFW manage and improve habitat for the wild turkey and countless other species of wildlife. He has helped trap and relocate more than 1,500 wild turkeys in his career, providing birds for more than 40 release sites in New Jersey, Delaware, Illinois and Ontario, Canada.
"I've been doing my job for 32 years, but it doesn't seem like that long because I enjoy the work so much," Garris said. "My expectation wasn't to win an award for doing what I've felt I should be doing over the years, but I'm honored and feel privileged to be recognized for doing the job I love."
According to former co-worker, NWTF Biologist Bob Eriksen, Garris is skilled in all aspects of wildlife management from banding waterfowl to trapping furbearing mammals and from planting food plots to rebuilding tractors and trucks. In his spare time, Garris is an avid archer and excellent turkey hunter. One of his notable talents is his ability to recognize, by genus and species, the name of virtually every tree, shrub, vine and wildflower that one can encounter in New Jersey.
"Joseph Garris is a prime example of going beyond the call of duty," said James Earl Kennamer, Ph.D., NWTF's chief conservation officer. "Garris is not only a talented wildlife technician, but also a great NWTF volunteer and a dedicated family man. New Jersey's turkey hunters are lucky to have him working on their behalf."
Garris lives in Stillwater, N.J. He and his wife, Diana, are raising nine children, and all of them, boys and girls, are turkey hunters.
Since 1985,the NWTF's New Jersey chapters have raise more than $420,000 for in-state projects. This includes more than $128,000 on habitat projects and improving more than 5,262 acres.
