Awardee

Thomas R. Biebighauser
Morehead, Kentucky

BiebighauserThomas R. Biebighauser has been dedicated to wetland conservation, restoration, and establishment for over 33 years. He has restored over 300 wetlands since his retirement from the U.S. Forest Service in 2013. As a wildlife biologist, wetland ecologist, and founder of Wetland Restoration and Training LLC (home to the Center for Wetland and Stream Restoration), Biebighauser has taught thousands of individuals how to restore wetlands by instructing hands-on wetland restoration workshops in hundreds of communities. He designs and teaches numerous workshops, training sessions, and college-level courses on wetlands restorations—his restoration techniques have been replicated by over 10,000 students, biologists, land managers, engineers, and private land owners. He has worked to pioneer a multitude of techniques for restoring wetlands, including the use of groundwater dams and aquatic-safe liners. Biebighauser has successfully restored and established over 1,700 wetlands in 21 states, two Canadian Provinces, New Zealand, and Taiwan.