Staff Spotlight, Ernest Cowan
Ernest Cowan is the recipient of the 2022 Distinguished Service Award. The Distinguished Service Award is given to an employee who provided outstanding contributions to the division.
Biologist Ernest Cowan works in the district office overseeing resource management activities for all state parks from Martin County south to Monroe County. Ernie works behind the scenes to ensure the natural resources in each park are protected.
For more than 20 years, he has helped establish the prescribed fire program and has set records for the number of acres where prescribed fire has been applied each year.
Ernie leads efforts for the removal of exotic plants, and he continually works to increase the acres where only native plants thrive.
Ernie leads efforts to secure necessary permits from various local governments. He is a person that always gives credit to others and downplays his immeasurable contributions to preservation of natural resources in Florida’s state parks.
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