The state's board of wildlife commissioners is currently seeking nominations for the 2006 Wayne E. Kirch Nevada Wildlife Conservation Award.

The award is given annually to recipients who have demonstrated significant results towards conservation, management or enhancement of wildlife.

An individual, non-profit organization, outdoor sports club, or business can be nominated for the award.

Selection of the winning nominee will be made solely from the official conservation award nomination form. It's a simple majority of votes from a judging committee that is made up of two wildlife commissioners, Department staff assigned to the Kirch Award Committee, and Marlene Kirch, daughter of former commissioner Wayne E. Kirch.

In addition, four judges representing county advisory boards to manage wildlife or outdoor groups selected biennially by Department of Wildlife Bureau Chiefs will determine the recipient.

In 2005, The Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn, from southern Nevada won the award for their dedication to Nevada's wildlife, particularly bighorn sheep.

Created in the early 1960's, the Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn has assisted the NDOW, Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and wildlife service with programs to restore habitat and establish water development projects for the Desert bighorn sheep.

In 2005, the Fraternity fully funded or partially funded five water development projects in southern Nevada, spending thousands of dollars. The Fraternity's members expended more than 1,500 hours of labor toward the conservation and welfare of Desert bighorn sheep.

The conservation award consists of a perpetual bronze and wood plaque, on which that year's recipient's name is added. Each winner also receives a smaller version of the award to keep.

This award is named in memory of Wayne E. Kirch, who served on the Fish and Game Commission for over 25 years, the longest tenure on the board since its inception in 1877. The Kirch Wildlife Management Area in southern Nevada is also named in his honor. Kirch, of Las Vegas, passed away in 1989.

All required official conservation award nomination forms are available from the Nevada Department of Wildlife, 1100 Valley Road, Reno, NV 89512, or on the web at www.ndow.org. This year's award is for projects that occurred in 2006. To be considered, nominations must be received no later than Nov. 15, 2006.