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Livingston County EMC honors educators, researchers with 2025 Earth Day awards
Summary
The Environmental Management Council presented its 27th annual Earth Day awards to Carl Hannafin and Dr. Eric Randall for long-term contributions to watershed science and environmental education; the council highlighted its 2024 activities and expanded partnership with county public libraries.
The Livingston County Environmental Management Council (EMC) presented its 2025 Earth Day awards to Carl Hannafin and Dr. Eric Randall in a ceremony before the Board of Supervisors, recognizing long-term contributions to watershed science, student education and community stewardship.
Alexander Pierce, chair of the EMC, told the board the council, created by the Board of Supervisors in 1979, works with municipalities and citizens on protection, preservation and use of the county’s natural resources. Pierce summarized the EMC’s 2024 work, including support for the county’s comprehensive climate action plan, participation in the Livingston County Community Cleanup and a new partnership with the county’s eight public libraries to deliver displays and educational activities for youth and seniors.
Pierce introduced the award recipients and highlighted activities that led to the recognition. The EMC cited Hannafin’s engineering work on lake temperature sensor arrays and support for lake science projects and student research, and Dr. Randall’s statewide expertise in botany and invasive species and contributions to school-based curriculum such as maple sugaring and a sugar house at Livonia Central School.
Carl Hannafin, present to accept the award, described his temperature-array project and the local manifestation of broader climate trends: “All you have to do is just measure it,” Hannafin said, describing how sensor data show warming patterns in the lake’s water column. Dr. Randall was out of town; Greg Cason accepted the award on his behalf and read a letter Randall sent expressing appreciation and emphasizing volunteer stewardship.
The board acknowledged the EMC’s 2024 annual report, which is available on the EMC web page on the county website, and thanked EMC volunteers for their service. The award presentations were ceremonial recognitions; no formal board action or budgetary appropriation for the awards was recorded in the meeting minutes.
The EMC encouraged residents to view its annual report online and noted continuing outreach and education activities for 2025.
