Jay Maciejowski and Kim Royar Receive Inaugural Mollie Beattie Distinguished Service Award

“What a country chooses to save is what a country chooses to say about itself.”

These words, famously attributed to the late Mollie Beattie, served as a backdrop for a significant moment in Vermont conservation history today. The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) presented the inaugural Mollie Beattie Distinguished Service Award during its annual meeting in Montpelier, according to reports from fpr.vermont.gov and gnat-tv.org.

The first two recipients of the honor are retired FPR employee Jay Maciejowski and retired Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department employee Kim Royar. The award is being presented for the first time since the Vermont Legislature established the honor in 2025 for individuals who embody Beattie’s dedication to stewardship and outdoor access.

A legacy of land connectivity

Royar and Maciejowski spent nearly three decades working in tandem, from the mid-1980s until 2014. Their partnership focused on a philosophy of multiple-use management, a method that balances conservation needs with public recreation and working lands.

Tim Morton, a Stewardship Forester who nominated the pair, noted that they were early adopters of a connectivity and core forest approach. This strategy, which focuses on linking habitats to ensure wildlife survival, was implemented by the duo long before it became a standard industry practice. They also helped transition natural community mapping into a functional regional model.

Their collaborative efforts led to tangible expansions of Vermont’s protected spaces. Through complex negotiations involving landowners, land trusts, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, and local selectboards, they successfully enlarged Okemo State Forest and Mt. Ascutney State Park. Their work was also instrumental in the creation of the Cascade Falls Natural Area and the Terrible Mountain Natural Area.

“For nearly three decades, Jay and Kim brought patience, sound science and a willingness to sit down with every town, landowner and partner in service of that vision, and the result is forests, wildlife corridors and public access that Vermonters will enjoy for generations.” FPR Commissioner Danielle Fitzko

FPR Commissioner Danielle Fitzko emphasized that their ability to integrate recreation and conservation helped define the broader approach of the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR).

The influence of Mollie Beattie

The award is named after a woman whose career bridged the gap between local Vermont forestry and national environmental policy. Beattie served as the FPR Commissioner from 1985 to 1989 before being appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1993 as the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

As the first woman to lead that federal agency, Beattie was a vocal defender of the Endangered Species Act and an advocate for ecosystem-based conservation. One of her most significant national achievements was playing a central role in the effort to return gray wolves to the northern Rocky Mountains. Her impact was so profound that Congress later named an eight-million-acre wilderness within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in her honor.

Peter Anthony, a former Barre City Representative and an advocate for the creation of this award, noted that the honor is meant to celebrate those who carry Beattie’s values into the modern era.

“This award was created not only to honor her remarkable legacy, but also to recognize those who carry her values forward through their leadership, dedication, and service,” Anthony said.

Ongoing stewardship in retirement

While both honorees have officially retired from state service, their involvement in Vermont’s landscape remains active. Maciejowski continues to participate with the Pinnacle Association in Windham County.

Royar remains engaged with the Mount Holly Conservation Trust. This organization is currently tasked with protecting the Awasos Wildlife Management Area and the Mount Holly bear corridor.

To mark the occasion, each recipient was presented with a commemorative gift: a Vermont-made tree ring “cookie” print. These prints were crafted by Katie Babic of Katie Babic Designs using bear-scarred ash wood sourced from the specific regions where the honorees performed their service.