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Falls View’s Ernie Nester named in Field & Stream’s Heroes in Conservation

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A Falls View man recently was recognized in Field & Stream Magazine for his love of the outdoors.

The magazine profiled Ernie Nester in its December/January issue as part of its Heroes in Conservation program.

Each month, Field & Stream honors three grassroots conservationists to recognize sportsmen who go above and beyond in the protection of fish, wildlife and habitat.

As part of the recognition, Nester will receive a $500 conservation grant from Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., and he also is eligible for the Heroes of Conservation grand price – a new Toyota Tundra.

Nester organizes a major trash cleanup along 4 miles of Elkhorn Creak each April with the Kanawha Valley chapter of Trout Unlimited. He also has mobilized an annual volunteer "bucket brigade" to haul 10 tons of limestone sand, to neutralize acid rain runoff, through a vehicle-restricted wilderness area to the Middle Fork of the Williams River.

Nester said in fewer than 10 years, he's begun to see young brookies in what used to be barren waters, which is very satisfying.

"Hunters and fishermen have never been afraid to roll up their sleeves and get to work in the name of protecting America's wildlife and wild places, and Ernie is a great example of that ethos hard at work," Editorial Director of Field & Stream Anthony Licata said in a news release. "Conservation is and will always be an integral part of hunting and fishing, and men and women like Ernie are crucial to keeping our traditions alive for generations to come."

The Heroes of Conservation program is in its 8th year. To be considered for the program, individuals must be involved in a hunting- and/or fishing-related conservation project that is well under way with outstanding results, according to a news release from Field & Stream. The selections are based on a number of factors, including leadership, commitment and project growth.

The magazine selects six finalists each fall to go to Washington, D.C. and attend an awards gala when one of them is selected as the Conservation Hero of the Year.