WASHINGTON D.C. — There have been a lot of pros to the conservation efforts from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes throughout the last five decades, and last week, they received their first Connie.

CSKT was recognized for its achievements and contributions to conservation at the 2012 Conservation Achievement Awards Banquet in Washington D.C. on Thursday, May 17 with a Connie Award.

“We’re a very well-respected tribe in Montana and nationwide for our conservation efforts,” CSKT Natural Resource Director Rich Janssen said. “This is our mission and we’re very honored to be recognized.”

The CSKT were nominated for the award by Alexis Bonogofsky of the state office, for its efforts ranging from the restoration and reintroduction of trumpeter swans to establishing a grizzly bear conservation area, as well as several other endeavors.

“That’s our goal – to preserve, manage and protect our resources,” Janssen said.

An award-winner in the government category, the CSKT were one of 10 recipients of a Connie with others including musician Jack Johnson, animal expert Jim Fowler and the children’s network Nickelodeon. The Connie Awards were organized in 1966 and have recognized individuals and organizations such as Al Gore, Jimmy Carter and Anheuser-Busch, for their commitment to conservation in areas including education, philanthropy and science.

“For the last 50 years, the CSKT of Montana have been one of the great leaders in fish and wildlife conservation in the West,” the National Wildlife Federation said on its web site. “As a sovereign government, they have used their strong cultural ties to the land and wildlife to guide their decisions for conservation, protecting the Flathead Indian Reservation, which spans 1.34 million acres.”