SierraClub
awardenergizes
statepathologist
Storyandphotos
ByDEBORAHA.MILES
WardStonehardlyneedsan
introduction.ThestateDepartmentof
EnvironmentalConservation’s(DEC)70-
year-oldwildlifepathologisthasbeena
staunchinvestigatorandcrusaderto
protecttheenvironmentfor40years.Heis
outspoken,diligentandrecentlycaptured
theattentionofthenationalSierraClub.
KUDOS—WardStone,statewildlifepathologist,pausesat
TheclubhasnamedStonethe2009
hislabatFiveRiversEnvironmentalEducationCenter,in
winnerofitsDistinguishedServiceAward.
Delmar. HeisbeinghonoredforhisworkbytheSierraClub.
ItwillbepresentedtohimSeptember26at
theclub’sannualawardsceremonyinSan
Japan,Taiwan,BelgiumandSwedenhave daughter,Montana,in2007afterthey
Francisco.
implementedhigh-techincineration.They workedtogetheranddiscoveredhighlevels
StonewasnominatedbytheNewYork
evenrecycletheash.” ofleadinchildren’sjewelry.
SierraClubandselectedbytheclub’s
AnotherareaofconcernforStoneisthe Stonetooktheresultstotheofficeof
nationalawardscommittee.
pollutioncomingfromcementplants, NewYorkAttorneyGeneralAndrewCuomo
“WereviewedthenominationsandWard
especiallytheLafargeplantinRavena. whorecommendedanotherroundof
wasjustoutstanding,”saidMaryLinn,a
“It’simportanttoseewhat’soutthere. testing.Itresultedinanationwiderecallof
committeemember.“Hehasdonesomuch
Cementplantsarepoorlystudied.Wedon’t morethan500,000piecesofjewelryas
intermsofprotectingwildlife,doing
knowwhatthepollutantsaredoingto wellasasettlementwith12companies,
detectivework,workingonwasteissues
wildlifeandpeople.Iwon’tbedirectly includingnationalchainstoresthatagreed
andpollution.Hehasdoneatremendous
studyingpeople,butifIlookforthetoxins tostopsellinglead-tainteditems.
amountofwork.”
toprotecttheplantsandwildlife,you OnethingStonewouldliketosee
Stonesaidhewassurprisedandelated
ultimatelyprotectthepeople,”Stonesaid. happenismorecreativefreedomfor
whenhereceivedthenews.
“ThislittlestudyinRavenacouldhave scientists.
“It’sanationalgroupforwhichIhavea
globalimplementations.” “ItwouldbeidealifDECwould
lotofrespect.It’srefreshingtogetbacking
InhislabatFiveRiversEnvironmental recognizescientistsneedthefreedomto
onanationallevelandthatencouragesme
EducationCenter,Stonealsoistestingand producetheirideas.Ahappyscientist
tofighton.”
researchingtheculturetoidentifya wouldbemoreproductiveandbeabetter
FightingonispreciselywhatStoneis
mysteriousdiseasethathasbeenkilling investmentforthepublic’smoney,”Stone
doing.
bats. said.
Anongoingbattleistryingtosavethe
Hiscurrentprojectscouldmake PEFPresidentKenBryniensaidthis
AlbanyPineBushPreserve,whichis
headlines,justasStone’sroledidin PEFmemberstoodhisgroundwhen
threatenedbytheencroachingAlbany
identifyingtheWestNilevirus.Hewasthe formerGovs.MarioCuomoandGeorge
landfillonRappRoad.
onescientistwhooutlinedhowthevirus Patakicuthisfundingandstafftoeither
“PineBushissomuchindecline,”
couldbecontrolled, silenceorpunishhim
Stonesaid.“I’mnotsureitwillsurvive.It
aftercrowsbegan forspeakingout.
isnoplacetoputadump.The
dyingbythedozens “WardStonehas
continuationofthedumpwasapprovedfor
inJuly1999in carvedaremarkable
sevenyears.So,itmustexpand.Now,it
Suffolkand careerforhimself
getswastefrom22othercommunities.Itis
Westchester simplybecausehe
threateningthewildbluelupine,a
counties. investigateswhatever
beautifulwildflowerwhichiscriticaltothe
Healsomade heisaskedtodoby
survivalofthefederallyendangeredKarner
newswithhis publicofficials,
BlueButterfly.
organizationsorprivate
“PineBushalsohasbadodors.Thereis
citizens.PEFsalutes
apotentialforhumanhealthproblems
himonachievingthe
relatedtosmells,”hesaid.
SierraClubAward.”
Stoneisopen-mindedandcanchange
Bryniensaid.
hisviewswhennecessary.Forexample,his
solutiontosavingthePineBushis
SOLVINGTHEBAT
incineration,somethinghewasagainstin
MYSTERY—WardStone
themid-1990s.
testsandresearchesa
“Wastechangesovertime.Weneedto
culturetoidentifya
thinkmoregloballythanweusedto,”
mysteriousdiseasethat
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