COLUMBUS, OH - The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife received five national communications awards. The communication efforts were produced over the past year. The awards were received from the Association for Conservation Information (ACI) at the organization’s annual conference last week in Nashville, Tennessee. More than 300 entries were submitted by state, federal, and Canadian wildlife conservation, parks, and natural resource agencies for consideration in 24 different categories.

Ohio’s communication efforts that received awards included the Mammals of Ohio Field Guide, the Native Bird Aviary located at the Ohio State Fairgrounds, the Thanksgiving Wild Turkey Release that occurred in Union County, Wild Ohio for Kids magazine’s pullout Butterfly Poster, and the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s website, wildohio.com.

“Our communication efforts are focused on meeting the needs of Ohio’s hunters, anglers, and wildlife enthusiasts,” said Vicki Mountz, executive administrator for the division’s Information and Education Group. “We are thrilled to receive these national honors and will continue to strive for excellence in all of our information projects.”

Mammals of Ohio Field Guide, one of several Ohio wildlife field guides, earned first place in the education and outreach category. Ohio was awarded two honors in the exhibit and display category. The Native Bird Aviary located at the Ohio State Fairgrounds (also known as Ruthven’s Aviary) was recognized in second place and the cooperative National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) Thanksgiving Wild Turkey Release placed third.

In the category for posters, the Wild Ohio Butterfly Poster received second place honors. The poster is printed as a pullout, a feature of each annual edition of Wild Ohio for Kids magazine, and was a part of the 2007-2008 issue. The Division of Wildlife’s website, www.wildohio.com received third place honors in the agency website category.

ACI is a non-profit association of professionals representing state, federal, and Canadian agencies and private conservation organizations. ACI’s membership consists of the information, education, and public affairs staffs of state, federal, and Canadian wildlife conservation, parks, and natural resource agencies. Many private organizations, corporations and individuals with similar functions also belong and contribute significantly to the organization’s mission.