Association honours Albertan as North America’s top wildlife officer
A 35-year Alberta fish and wildlife officer was named the North American Wildlife Officer of the Year on Tuesday.
“I was speechless. And I’m rarely at a loss for words,” Shane Ramstead said of receiving the recognition at the North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association’s annual conference in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
Ramstead, a district officer from Grande Cache, was previously awarded the Alberta fish and wildlife officer of the year award and was then chosen by the executive board from all the jurisdiction winners.
Being a fish and wildlife officer runs in Ramstead’s blood. His father, Lew Ramstead, was one of the “founding fathers” of the association back in 1980 and was the first president. He worked as a wildlife officer across Alberta.
His grandfather, Gordon Ramstead, was the first wildlife officer in the Edson area.
Winning the award was a little extra emotional for Shane Ramstead because his father died in February, just days before his son found out about the provincial honour.
“Here’s his son, who followed in his footsteps, is now the wildlife officer of the year for the North American association, the association that he was the founding father of,” Shane Ramstead said. “This is just overwhelming, an incredible feeling.”
The officer, who has been working in Grande Cache for 29 years, was recognized for his work in the community to co-ordinate conservation efforts with several organizations, including the Willmore Wilderness Foundation and the Alberta Trappers’ Association.
Rob Lamont, superintendent of the northwest region fish and wildlife enforcement branch, said Ramstead exhibits the importance of having a strong connection with the community he serves.
He worked with the Aseniwuche Winewak Nation to help them secure hunting rights and they presented him with an award in 2013 for his “invaluable contribution.”
“That was a highly prestigious award for me to receive from a group that I’ve worked closely with and we have a strong mutual respect and admiration for each other,” he said. “It’s been truly a brilliant relationship.”
It is a tremendous accomplishment for Ramstead to be recognized out of the 8,000 officers across North America, Lamont added, and said the branch “couldn’t be prouder.”