Wildland Fire and Aviation Excellence Award Presented to James Sullivan

James Sullivan (center) is presented with the 2019 NPS Interior Region 2 Wildland Fire and Aviation Excellence Award by Secretary of the Interior, David Bernhardt (left) and Everglades National Park Superintendent, Pedro Ramos (right)

NPS

James Sullivan, South Florida National Parks and Preserve Chief of Wildland Fire and Aviation is the recipient of the 2019 National Park Service (NPS) Interior Region 2 (IR2) Wildland Fire and Aviation Excellence Award.

This award is presented annually to an NPS IR2 employee for outstanding achievements in leadership development, operational leadership, and cooperation and collaboration. Sullivan provides excellent career development opportunities for his staff and has a creative and long-term vision for success. He is instrumental in leading the interdisciplinary efforts to resurrect the prescribed fire program for Everglades National Park.

"James has resurrected the wildland fire management program through multiple levels of coordination from the field level to management level as well as including interagency partners," stated Justin Unger, Deputy Superintendent for Everglades National Park.

Over the past 5 years, Sullivan and his staff, along with the entire compliance team, have been able to return this fire dependent ecosystem to a more natural regime by implementing fire management practices on a landscape level scale.

Department of the Interior Secretary, David Bernhardt and Pedro Ramos, Superintendent of Everglades National Park presented the award to Sullivan on June 20,2020.