2020 BCAS/Harold Feinberg Conservation Awards
BCAS has proudly awarded its 11th annual “Bergen County Audubon/Harold Feinberg Conservation Awards.” This recognition is bestowed upon those who have given generously of themselves often with personal sacrifice. Congratulations to this year’s winners!
The Conservation Award is named in honor of the late Harold Feinberg, BCAS Board member and field trip chairman for many years. Harold was a mentor, an enthusiastic supporter of our endeavors and always gave freely of his expertise with a combination of patience and knowledge that few possess.
This year’s awards recognize two women who strongly exemplify the qualities of dedication and service in the field of conservation. Nancy Slowik and Alexa Fantacone each contribute greatly to the welfare of our local habitat and fauna. We are honored to present them with the 2020 Harold Feinberg Award.
Alexa Fantacone
Alexa Fantacone has been the Executive Director of Teaneck Creek Conservancy for five years. Committed to conservation and the protection of our environment, Alexa mentors and enthusiastically teaches students who visit Teaneck Creek.
She enlivens environmental education and captivates students with hands-on programs that engage them in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) learning, water quality testing, invasive species removal and more. Alexa personalizes instruction, inspiring students with a passion for the natural world. Many students express an interest in pursuing careers in conservation, environmental science and STEM. She is particularly inspiring to young girls who come to see science as an exciting career option for women.
Alexa also serves as Chair of the Nature Program Cooperative, where she works to bring together the knowledge and resources of nature centers, parks, and environmental educators in Northern New Jersey. She recently became a board member at EarthShare, a national conservation organization which connects environmental nonprofits with companies in order to increase the impact of donations and volunteer actions. Alexa volunteers at Tenafly Nature Center’s aviary, feeding the raptors.
Nancy Slowik
Nancy Slowik has been teaching natural history programs and leading guided walks in the metropolitan area for 40 years and is the author of two field guides on local flora of the Palisades, including A Naturalist’s Guide to the Southern Palisades (2006). Currently she is an adult education instructor at the New York Botanical Garden where she has been teaching classes on native plants since 2012 and the coordinator for the new Urban Naturalist program.
She joined Restore Native Plants in 2013 where she serves as a team consultant, identifying local flora and fauna in the Ramapo Mountain State Park, providing guidance for their native plant propagation facility and restoration projects. Formerly the director of Greenbrook Sanctuary, a 165 acre nature preserve in the NJ Palisades, she was previously the co-founder of the Greenbelt Native Plant Center – the first native plant propagation program for the New York City Parks Department. She is a graduate of State University College at Oswego with a degree in Biology and has a Masters in Environmental Science from the College of Staten Island, CUNY.
