LANSING, Mich.-The Fort Custer Training Center in Augusta, Mich. was one of three U.S. Army National Guard installations to receive a Secretary of the Army award for their environmental and sustainability program achievements during fiscal year 2009.

Fort Custer, a Michigan Army National Guard installation, was selected as the Natural Resources Conservation - Small Installation recipient. The NRC-SI recognizes installation efforts to promote the conservation of natural resources, including the identification, protection, and restoration of biological resources and habitat, the sound management and use of the land and its resources, and the promotion of conservation ethics.

The Secretary of the Army Environmental Award represents the highest honor in the field of environmental science and sustainability conferred by the Army. "The Army is building green, buying green and going green," said Lt. Col. Dennis Nadrasik, Fort Custer post commander. "Winning environmental programs like this one make the Army sustainable thereby impacting generations to come."

The achievements at Fort Custer include grant-funded endangered species surveys and wetland restoration projects, an updated planning level survey for all resources on the installation demonstrating natural resource improvements, and expansion of prescribed fire usage and prairie restoration.

Fort Custer will represent the Army at the next level during the Department of Defense Environmental Awards competition to be decided later this year.

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For more information please contact Michigan National Guard public affairs representative Angela Simpson at 517-481-8135.

Photo Caption Water: Technician Jim Langerveld adjusts water height during a wetland restoration project. Natural hydrology was restored to a 45-acre wetland site in partnership with Ducks Unlimited, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Potowatomi RC&D, Kellogg Biological Station and Fort Custer Environmental Division.