The coalition created to help Mount Rainier National Park recover from damage done by flooding in November 2006 has been named to receive one of the Department of the Interior’s highest awards.

The partnership between Mount Rainier National Park, the Student Conservation Association, the Washington’s Trails Association, the National Parks Conservation Association, Washington’s National Park Fund, and The Mountaineers has won the 2008 Cooperative Conservation Award

The award is Interior’s highest award presented to private citizens and organizational partners who support the agency’s mission and demonstrate significant contributions to its programs.

Janet Jensen/The News Tribune
Volunteers Megan Thompson, left, and Jean Millian load rocks into a wheel barrow while helping build a new section of the Wonderland Trail between Longmire and Cougar Rock campground, at Mount Rainier National Park, on Sept. 15, 2007.

Secretary of the Interior Kempthorne will present the award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on April 21.

“This award justly recognizes the commitment of our partners, and the
critical role they played in our flood recovery efforts,” said said park superintendent Dave Uberuaga. “It also acknowledges the huge number of deeply committed individuals and community groups who worked through those partnerships to support the park.”

The overall volunteer effort involved 1,724 people who contributed 84,038 hours of service at the park in 2007, an effort valued at almost $1.6 million.