Shoreline residents receive King Conservation award

Updated 12-20-2011 9:42pm

Dan Thielman and Dr Afia Menke
Photo by Michael Sladek

Every year the King Conservation District recognizes a private landowner who demonstrates leadership and initiative in implementing best management practices.

This year, in the category of “Urban Conservation Landowner,” the award went to Shoreline community activist Dr Afia Menke and her husband, Dan Thielman.

The award was presented at their annual dinner on November 14, 2011.

Afia and Dan's pond, July 2011

With help from the King Conservation District Landowner Incentive Program, Afia and Dan have removed invasive plants in their backyard - including 20 years worth of English Ivy growing on trees and along three sides of their back yard.

They brought in 20 yards of soil, planted almost 200 native plants, built a pond with a gently flowing creek-like waterfall, and turned their property into a Certified Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary.

When considering who best to name as the recipient of this award, the King Conservation District also noted Afia’s simultaneous volunteer work coordinating and overseeing the first two years of Shoreline’s “Where Our Wild Things Are” Backyard Habitat Tour which was attended by nearly 450 people and further demonstrating other local examples of Backyard Wildlife Habitats with educational opportunities provided on topics related to creating wildlife habitat available.

Afia was a featured presenter at the awards dinner where she was recognized. 

Photo: Naturalist Heather Swift (left) and Landscaper Kimberly Leeper (right) with Afia Menke (center) helped out on some of the work on Afia's and Dan's property.

--Jennifer Rotermund