At the upcoming MN Waterfowl Symposium, there with be a fifth class of inductees for the Minnesota Waterfowl Association Hall of Fame.    The ceremony will take place during the Awards Banquet on Saturday February 1st at the Ramada near the Mall of America.

This year’s inductees include:

Richard “Dick” Anderson, William “Bill” Bryson, Edward “Ed” Crozier, Robert “Bob” Hartkopf, Pell Johnson, James “Jim” Killen, William “Bill” Webster.

Anderson is a retired DNR educator from Underwood, who taught us about steel shot.  Bryson is a farmer who went to court over a new road being built through his wetland and won.  Crozier was the first refuge manager at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge.  Johnson is a waterfowl author who’s specialty is Swan Lake.  Killen is a renowned wildlife artist from Owatonna.  Webster is the founder of Wild Wings art gallery and waterfowl conservationist.   And Hartkopf is the writer/producer of the “Cry of the Marsh” documentary.

The University of Minnesota-Morris features the film on their website here. 

In 2007, the University created “Echos of Cry of the Marsh” in a partnership with Pioneed Public Television.  Here is the website for it.  The original movie, along with “Echos”, are inspiring to watch and educational in tone as they detail the history of wetlands in Minnesota, the evolution of farming and the destruction of valuable habitat for wildlife and the impact that’s had on communities, it’s people and it’s economy.  Finding the right balance is something that rolls off the tongue easily, but watching these films is the first step in finding a way to do that.

You can view it below:

To commemorate Mr Hartkopf and what his original movie captured, be a part of his induction to the Minnesota Waterfowl Hall of Fame, Saturday February 1st.