For Release: Thursday, August 17, 2006
DEC Environmental Conservation Officer Named 2005 Officer of the Year
ECO Mark J. Klein Receives Award from Mid-Hudson Chapter of the Quality Deer Management Association
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan today announced that Environmental Conservation Officer (ECO) Mark Klein of Sullivan County has been named the 2005 Conservation Officer of the Year by the Mid-Hudson Chapter of the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA).
"DEC Environmental Conservation Officers are at the forefront of the efforts to protect our wildlife, natural resources and citizens. ECO Klein has shown himself to be a thorough, effective investigator and a true advocate of the environment," said Commissioner Sheehan. "I extend my congratulations to ECO Klein on behalf of the entire Department, and thank him for his continued dedication and hard work."
ECO Klein is a three year veteran of the Division of Law Enforcement. He is assigned to patrol Sullivan County, and is very well known in his region. He attends and speaks at county federation and other fish and game club meetings throughout his region.
During the November 2005 big game season, ECO Klein was involved with a noteworthy case involving the unlawful taking of three deer. ECO Klein received a phone call at his home late one evening from a person calling to report that he heard an ATV near his home, the sound of a gunshot and then heard the ATV leave the area. ECO Klein responded to the area that night, and after a thorough investigation arrested an individual who later plead guilty to unlawful taking of three deer, paid $1,250 in fines, and had his hunting privileges revoked for three years.
ECO Klein lives with his wife, Melissa, and two children. He is an avid hunter, fisherman and boater, and enjoys outside activities.
The QDMA is a national, not-for-profit conservation organization that deals specifically with the management of white tailed deer and their habitat. The organization was founded in Texas in the late 1960s on four principles: herd management, habitat, hunter management, and herd monitoring. The QDMA helps to determine the appropriate number of deer in an area by keeping detailed records of deer harvested during hunting season or accidentally killed by vehicular accidents. The organization also promotes alternative deer management philosophies to address the decrease in deer habitat and increased urbanization in certain areas.
