Beth Clawson, 2024 ANREP Distinguished Career Award
Beth Clawson, Michigan State University Extension Natural Resources Educator and former ANREP president, is retiring this Spring after 24 years of Extension service. Below is the award narrative leading to her ANREP 2024 Distinguished Career Leadership Award. Donations honoring her career can be made to the Natrual Resource Extension Education Foundation.
Throughout her illustrious career, Beth has consistently exemplified strong leadership within the field of Extension. With a keen ability to develop, deliver, evaluate, and report on impactful programs at the state, national, and international levels, Beth has now marked 23 years of successful leadership in extension natural resource programs. Her journey began humbly, as she chose extension as her second career, returning to college to start anew. Since then, she has continuously elevated the level and sophistication of her programs and program delivery.
In 2001, Beth’s duties included a three-way split in Resource Recovery, Master Gardener, and Natural Resources. From there she went on to contribute significantly to signature programs like Master Gardener, Master Composter, Community Food Systems, Water Quality, Clean Boats Clean Waters, Conservation Steward, and Master Naturalist. Presently, Beth holds the position of State Coordinator for the Michigan Naturalist Program, and she spearheads the Wild About Conservation summer webinar series. She plays a crucial supporting local role in programs such as Conservation Stewards and other initiatives focused on natural resources and water quality.
Beth's leadership extends beyond program management; during her extension career, she identified critical needs that impacted both her role and the broader extension work supporting natural resources programming. She completed her master's thesis on a real world’s practical need, initiating a local dune restoration project for Van Buren County in South Haven. Beth demonstrated effective coordination among agencies, secured funding, and engaged impacted property owners. She also led the update of the County Recycling plan, involving coordination with multiple government agencies and private interests. Over the past decade, Beth authored and published over 131 articles, recorded, edited, and published 85 video lectures, and revised the Michigan Master Composter manual twice. Her media presence extends to radio and TV interviews, covering various community concerns, including a feature on a Canadian radio station about the Canada goose. In 2018, Beth accepted the task of transforming the Michigan Master Naturalist Program from a county offering to a statewide comprehensive initiative. Collaborating with numerous partners, planners, and developers, she successfully re-branded the program as the Michigan Naturalist Program. In its fifth year, the program has trained over 387 individuals on how to preserve Michigan's natural heritage. The Wild About Conservation Webinar Series, initiated during the COVID lockdown, has witnessed a remarkable surge in popularity, with registered viewers increasing from about 150 in 2022 to almost 600 in 2023, including 14 international participants. Both programs address contemporary interests and critical topics for today's audiences.
Assessing the success of a program and its impact on people, communities, and the environment is vital. The Michigan Naturalist program, with its focus on creating a basic conservation plan for participants' properties, has seen positive follow-up surveys, indicating continued implementation of conservation changes and practices. The Wild About Webinar program's survey tool supports positive reactions, intended behavior changes, and the implementation of lessons learned from the webinars.
In addition to her regular extension educator duties, Beth has consistently demonstrated genuine leadership among her colleagues. Actively engaged in professional organizations, she has served in leadership roles throughout her career. Beth's roles include serving as a state board member of the Michigan Recycling Coalition trustee (MRC), Michigan Organics Council Chair, Michigan Association of Extension Agents (MAEA) representative, and Community and Natural Resources Development Association (CNRDA) representative and treasurer. She is concluding her service as a national leader for ANREP, NREEF, and JCEP boards. Beyond her professional commitments, Beth has contributed as a board member and secretary for the Liberty Hyde Bailey Museum for the last 6 years.
