Las Vegas, Nevada: Dedication to Nevada’s wildlife and a commitment to conservation will be honored during the June Wildlife Commission meeting in Elko when the late Ron Lurie of Las Vegas will posthumously receive the Commission’s Wayne E. Kirch Conservation Award. The award is given annually by the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners to recipients who have demonstrated significant results towards conservation, management, or enhancement of wildlife.
Lurie spent the majority of his life giving back to his community through service. He served on the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commission as a commissioner and the Fraternity of Desert Bighorn as a board member and vice chairman. Ron also spent time serving Las Vegas Woods and Waters, Wildlife and Habitat Improvement of Nevada, Meadow Valley Wildlife Unlimited, and Nevada Bighorns Unlimited.
Lurie donated countless hours to projects that supported things he loved, including bighorn sheep. He spent time assisting on guzzler builds and sheep translocation projects as well as supporting habitat improvement projects. He was also instrumental in the creation of the Clark County Shooting Complex. In addition to his time, he made significant and consistent financial contributions to several conservation organizations throughout his lifetime.
Ron passed in December of 2020, but his legacy as a wildlife conservation advocate and financial supporter of all wildlife conservation causes will live on.
The Commission’s Kirch Award judging panel chooses a winner from a pool of nominations sent in from around the state. The judging panel is made up of two wildlife commissioners; Marlene Kirch, daughter of former Commissioner Wayne E. Kirch; the Department of Wildlife staff assigned to the Kirch Award Committee; and four County Advisory Board to Manage Wildlife members or members of outdoor groups.
The award is named in memory of Wayne E. Kirch, who served on the Fish and Game Commission for more than 25 years–the longest tenure on the board since its 1877 inception. Kirch passed away in 1989, but his legacy is honored through this annual award.
