This summer Roaring Fork Conservancy will honor Mark Fuller as the 2012 Robert Billingsley River Conservator at the 13th Annual River Rendezvous. Mark’s vested interest in the valley’s ecological health dates back to 1978 when he served as Pitkin County Environmental Coordinator. Additionally, Mark played an integral role in designing and implementing the Pitkin County Open Space and Trails program in the early 1990s.  Mark’s long term dedication to Roaring Fork valley water is apparent in his thirty-year career as Ruedi Water and Power Authority’s (RWAPA) principal staff member, where he acts as a liaison between various government organizations and water agencies to represent local interests in the management of Ruedi Reservoir and to carry out local water planning and management projects.  Mark is also the sole proprietor of Fuller Consulting Services which provides comprehensive planning and management services, specializing in open space and trail acquisition along with management and land planning to a variety of entities such as Crown Mountain Park and Recreation District; Teton County, Wyoming; Pitkin County, Colorado; Vail Associates; and the Independence Pass Foundation. 

Mark added to his legacy of conservation through his invaluable contributions to the Roaring Fork Watershed Collaborative’s watershed planning process and his participation in the Colorado Basin Roundtable established by the Colorado Water for the 21st Century Act. He not only dedicated countless hours of time to the planning process, but also played an integral role in gaining RWAPA’s sponsorship of the project.  His tireless work and dedication were essential to the recent completion and release of the Watershed Plan.  As the legislative representative on the Colorado Basin Roundtable, Mark is there to watch out for our water resources. For these reasons and more, we are thrilled to honor Mark Fuller as the 2012 River Conservator of the Year.