Members of the Adirondack 46ers staff a trailhead steward booth to educate hikers beginning their treks. (Provided photo — Adirondack 46ers, via DEC)

ALBANY — The Adirondack 46ers were one of six organizations honored by the state department of Environmental Conservation this week as the DEC announced the first recipients of the inaugural Stewardship Appreciation Awards.

The new award recognizes outstanding contributions of volunteers and partner organizations in stewardship, promotion, and maintenance of state lands, waters and DEC facilities. The announcement was made Monday during the DEC’s week-long celebration of Earth Day 2021.

The Stewardship Appreciation Awards were launched in 2020 to recognize nonprofit organizations, individuals, educational institutions and municipalities that have formal agreements with DEC. This year’s winners were chosen for their commitment to stewardship, promotion of environmental education and creativity in programming.

The 46ers were cited for the group’s stewardship of natural resources.

“From its 46ers Trail Crew to Outdoor Skills Workshops, the 46ers collaborate with DEC to steward state lands and educate the recreating public,” DEC wrote. “In 2017, the 46ers started a Trailhead Steward Initiative held on summer and fall weekends to help educate hikers heading up Cascade Mountain about Leave No Trace principles, proper gear, waste disposal, and general DEC guidelines. Over the course of a season, the completely volunteer-run Trailhead Steward Initiative interacts with more than 13,000 hikers. Other recent projects include the relocation of the Mt. Van Hoevenberg lean-to and rock and gravel work at the bridge over Santanoni Brook.”

“The 46ers are honored and humbled to receive this award,” said Siobhan Carney-Nesbitt, president of the Adirondack Forty-Sixers Inc. “Our hard-working and dedicated volunteers strive to engage, educate and include everyone in our efforts of stewardship.”

The other awardees were the Stony Kill Foundation for collaborating with San Miguel Academy of Newburgh on farming and environmental education programs; Mike Medvesky for leading lessons at the Five Rivers Environmental Education Center in Delmar; the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development for its Catskills Fire Tower Five Challenge; Rocking the Boat for creating a Bronx River ecology curriculum; and the Grasse River Restoration Partners, which includes the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe and the New York State Museum, for preserving native mussels and their habitat in the Lower Grasse River in Massena.