Bob Blaus, of Eagle River, has received the 2022 Educator of the Year Award from the Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin (BRAW). According to BRAW President Steve Sample, “Blaus has combined building nest boxes with workshops to educate the public about how to locate, maintain and monitor them.”
A member of the Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education, Blaus said “as an educator, one of my goals is to transfer my passion to students.” He also formerly served as a director of SCARCE, an environmental nonprofit dedicated to creating sustainable communities through hands-on education programs for schools and organizations.
The Illinois high school chemistry teacher last year donated 200 backpacks loaded with supplies to the Florence Middle/High School. The Rhinelander High School has also received the same donation from Blaus, who is moving to a home he owns in Sugar Camp.
Blaus feels that humankind can help birds in the future by “first protecting their environment, especially the habitat that they depend upon.”
In accepting his award, Blaus said organizations like BRAW “help educate and direct efforts to restore and sustain bird populations.”
Editor’s Note: Established in 1986, BRAW’s 900 members manage and monitor nest boxes statewide which annually produce about 18,000 bluebird fledglings and a like number of other native cavity nesters. More information about bluebirds, starting and monitoring nest box trails, and BRAW is available at: www.braw.org
Contact: Gene Kroupa
Bluebird Restoration Assn. of WI
608.238.3571 phone
gkroupa@tds.net
