Dirksen wins achievement award from Timber Council

By Dean Rhodes

Smoke Signals editor

Tribal Fish and Wildlife Program Manager Kelly Dirksen received the Earle R. Wilcox Individual Achievement Memorial Award for the Northwest Region during the 39^th annual National Indian Timber Symposium held Thursday, June 11, at the Mill Casino in North Bend.

The award, according to the InterTribal Timber Council of Portland, honors individuals who have made significant contributions in the field of Indian forestry and natural resources.

The award is given in honor of Wilcox, who is remembered for his significant achievements on behalf of Native people and their forests.

The InterTribal Timber Council was established in 1976 and is a nonprofit, nationwide consortium of Tribes, Alaska Native corporations and individuals dedicated to improving the management of natural resources important to Native American communities.

Dirksen has worked for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde for more than 19 years.

“I didn’t know I was getting this award,” Dirksen said. “I thought I was invited to the event to have dinner with Reyn (Leno, Tribal Council chairman) and Mike (Wilson, Natural Resource Department manager). I was a bit shocked and don’t remember everything the master of ceremonies said. I just remember thinking, ‘Wow, this guy is describing a lot of the stuff I do.’ I vaguely remember hearing about help on the ceremonial hunts, the Tribal Wildlife Management Plan and the NRD Youth Crew, and assorted details about those projects.”

Despite the name of the award, Dirksen said at the Wednesday, June 17, Tribal Council meeting that he did not win it individually.

“I have not done anything individually in years,” he said. “I have a great team that really won the award. This is a great reflection on the Tribe. One of the great joys of working for the Tribe is that the Tribe gives you no excuses. Everything that you need is given to you, so you have no excuse for failure.”

“Kelly has done a lot of fantastic work for this Tribe,” said Tribal Council Vice Chair Jack Giffen Jr. “Not only on our timberlands, but also in fish recovery and eel habitat.”

Giffen also recognized Dirksen for his work to restore lamprey above Fall Creek Reservoir southeast of Eugene. “Fish are in Fall Creek for the first time in 50 years solely because of the Tribe,” Dirksen said.