Weisman Receives National Recognition

Bruce Weisman, Curator at Mount Rushmore.

NPS Photo

News Release Date: March 31, 2011

Contact: Ace Crawford, 605-574-3185

KEYSTONE, SD – Bruce Weisman, Curator at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, received national recognition at the recent George Wright Society Conference on Parks, Protected Areas, and Cultural Sites in New Orleans, LA. Weisman was presented the prestigious Trish Patterson Student Conservation Association Award for Natural Resource Management in a Small Park. The award was presented at the George Wright Society meeting on March 17. In addition to Weisman, six other National Park Service employees were recognized. Each award recipient received a limited edition bronze bison sculpture.

The award was presented by Jon Jarvis, Director of the National Park Service. The award recipients were nominated by other employees from across the National Park Service, who have worked with them and witnessed their efforts and commitment to preserve the landscapes for enjoyment by current and future generations.

Weisman has worked at Mount Rushmore National Memorial since 1997, and for the National Park Service for 22 years. He has spearheaded several different natural resource projects at the park, and has become a respected leader in his field. Most recently, he led all efforts to plan, organize, and implement the successful completion of the 2010 Forest Health and Fire Management projects at Mount Rushmore. These efforts were designed to mitigate the devastating impacts associated with the rampant Mountain Pine Beetle (MPB) epidemic in the Black Hills. Working with various federal and state agencies, and area specialists, Weisman was instrumental in helping develop an aggressive plan to slow and mitigate the movement of the MPB into the park boundaries.

Additionally, as a Senior Curator in the National Park Service, Weisman is a highly respected and recognized expert in the care and preservation of natural history specimens, and is involved in a digitization project that will serve as a model for other park service units to follow with natural history collections.

Weisman’s accomplishments and management strategies have established a standard of excellence in resource management practices. "We are fortunate to have someone of Bruce’s caliber at Mount Rushmore National Memorial," said Superintendent Cheryl A. Schreier. "His dedication and innovative practices in managing the Memorial’s resources are a reflection of his commitment to the National Park Service. Bruce has a genuine respect for our national parks and is committed to preserving these areas for generations to come," added Schreier.