2024 OAK AWARDS RECIPIENTS
Congratulations to the 2024 Oak Awards Recipients! The Mendota Heights Natural Resources Commission created the Oak Awards Program to celebrate leadership, education and outreach, and project efforts that advance natural resources within the city. Recipients are recognized in the following categories:
- Acorn award – recognizes exemplary youth leadership in the advancement of our city’s natural resources. Eligible youth include individuals or groups 18 years of age and younger, or a current student in 12th grade or under.
- Leaf award – recognizes significant contributions of an individual, family, company or organization that has demonstrated substantial leadership for the stewardship of our city’s natural resources.
- Canopy award – recognizes lifetime achievement of an individual, family, company or organization that has demonstrated extraordinary leadership for the stewardship of our city’s natural resources.
Recipients for their achievements in Natural Resources within the City in 2024 for each category include:
Acorn Award – Hannah Trudeau. Hannah led and coordinated a pollinator planting in Valley Park as part of her Eagle Scout project. The project included the planting of a 330 square-foot plot that included planting of 16 different species of native pollinator plants. Hannah designed a sign for the project site that promotes education and awareness of the project. Hannah also co-authored an essay, entitled “Creating Pollinator Pathways in Your Own Backyard”, which appeared in the May 24th, Mendota Heights City Newsletter. She has also served on the Natural Resources Commission as a Student Commissioner since 2023.
Leaf Award – Kirsten Ramirez. Kirsten worked with City Staff to implement the program 'Fresh Air Fridays' which encouraged residents to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions on Fridays throughout the summer. She provided content for social media, newsletters, and fliers educating residents on the benefits of reducing emissions and created incentives throughout the program to encourage participation. Kirsten also helped create and coordinate the planting of an organic vegetable garden at Mendota Elementary.
Canopy Award - Sue Light. Sue is a Dakota County Master gardener and has spent countless hours volunteering and coordinating volunteers to create and maintain native planting and pollinator projects throughout the city. Some of these include the City Hall Pollinator garden and raingarden, the Par 3 Golf Course native planting and raingarden, and the Victoria Road Boulevard restoration. She also volunteers and works with staff to plan and plant the city's curb-cut raingardens. Sue has also led the initiative to create and maintain a raingarden in her own neighborhood to help treat stormwater runoff before it enters Rogers Lake. She co-chairs the Rogers Lake Improvement association and is also a MN Tree Care Advocate.
Awards will be presented at the Natural Resources Commission's regular meeting on March 12th at 6p in the City Council Chambers.