A Maltby man who led the effort to preserve a rare peat bog next to his property was honored by the state Department of Ecology on Wednesday.
The state recognized Randy Whalen with a Regional Environmental Excellence Award for his success in preserving Hooven Bog.
The developers who owned the bog had planned to build five luxury homes within 100 feet of the shoreline and log the area. Whalen challenged their plans through land-use hearings and court appeals, paying out of his own pocket.
The Daily Herald highlighted the situation in a front-page article Feb. 23, 2014.
The state also recognized Deputy County Executive Mark Ericks with an Environmental Excellence Award for spearheading the county’s purchase of the land for conservation last year.
The county paid $1.6 million for about 40 acres.
The awards presentation coincided with Earth Day.
The bog lies immediately north of the county line, less than a mile from Highway 522.
Similar nutrient-poor, acidic wetlands with floating moss mats and stunted trees are mostly confined to Snohomish and King counties in Washington. They likely formed after glaciers retreated about 10,000 years ago.
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