By STAFF REPORTS
Three Florida agencies in December recognized three land managers as the 2024 Jim Stevenson Resource Managers of the Year.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Patricia “Patty” Wilbur, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Charlie Pederson, and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Matthew Koenig received the award, as each reflected the leadership, innovation and public service that position Florida as a national model for natural resource management.
Florida Park Service Patricia “Patty” Wilbur Biological Scientist II, Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park
Patricia “Patty” Wilbur has dedicated more than 20 years of service to Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park, where her work has advanced large-scale habitat restoration, fire management and resource protection efforts in northwest Florida.
In 2018, Wilbur played a leading role in planning and implementing one of the most extensive upland pine restoration projects ever undertaken in the region, restoring 1,005 acres of flatwoods habitat critical to native wildlife. A recognized leader in prescribed fire management, Wilbur has served as burn boss for 63 prescribed burns totaling 5,964 acres since becoming a certified prescribed burn manager in 2011. Over the course of her career, she has participated in 198 prescribed burns covering more than 21,000 acres, as well as seven wildfire responses.
Florida Forest Service Charlie Pedersen Biologist III, Waccasassa Forestry Center
Florida Forest Service
A 28-year veteran of the Florida Forest Service, Charlie Pedersen has worked on more than a dozen state forests, managing diverse plant communities and endangered species.
Since arriving at the Waccasassa Forestry Center in 2004, his leadership has more than doubled the number of breeding pairs of red-cockaded woodpeckers at Goethe State Forest, increasing from approximately 30 to 40 pairs to more than 80. The species was officially downlisted from federally endangered to threatened in fall 2024.
In addition to traditional resource management, Pedersen has embraced new technology to strengthen conservation outcomes. In 2024, he earned his drone pilot license and is one of the Florida Forest Service’s few certified drone pilots, supporting monitoring and planning efforts statewide.
“Charlie Pedersen is exactly the kind of professional the Florida Forest Service is built on,” said Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson. “He delivers results by combining decades of experience in the field with a willingness to use new tools and technology to do the job better.”
FWC Matthew Koenig Fisheries and Wildlife Biologist III, Southwest Wildlife and Habitat Management Section/Division of Habitat and Species Conservation
Matthew Koenig serves as lead area biologist for Chinsegut, Perry Oldenburg and Janet Butterfield Brooks Wildlife and Environmental Areas. He also supports outreach and educational programs at the Chinsegut Conservation Center and assists with resource management across other public lands.
Koenig focuses on maintaining high-quality natural communities that support native species. He and his team manage diverse habitats, including upland pine forest, sandhill and depression marsh. Since 2016, prescribed fire has been his primary management tool, benefiting species such as Bachman’s sparrows, bald eagles and gopher tortoises. Koenig ensures burns achieve the desired habitat conditions while prioritizing safety and minimizing impacts to nearby communities.
“Matt is the perfect choice for winning this honorable award,” said FWC Executive Director Roger Young. “His expertise, dedication, and leadership have all been instrumental to the significant improvements made to wildlife habitat in the WEAs he manages — no small feat considering the challenges of managing three different public lands.”
