RSS

Pam Troxell Memorial Sculpture dedicated at Northland College

October 21, 2009

The dedication ceremony for the Pam Troxell Memorial Sculpture took place on October 10, outside of the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute. The dedication included stories of Troxell’s life and a slideshow of her four-hundred mile canoe trip down the Horton River in the Northwest Territories of Canada. Troxell passed away in October, 2007.

Originally from Freeport, Illinois, Troxell graduated from Northland College in 1981 with a degree in biology and outdoor recreation. She later joined the SOEI as coordinator of the Timber Wolf Alliance, which would become a key partner in successful restoration of gray wolves to the western Great Lakes Region. For her work with the TWA, Troxell was awarded the Silver Eagle Award, the highest honor given to a citizen by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as the Cooperative Conservation Award by the US Department of the Interior. In addition to her work with the TWA, Troxell was also instrumental in establishing the SOEI’s Northern Native Plants Program, which provides plants for use in restoring northern forest landscapes.

Local artist Sara Balbin designed and constructed the sculpture, which was made possible through the generous contributions of Troxell’s friends and family. Balbin, who donated much of her time as well as the use of her welders for the installation, is a nationally known artist who has operated the Dragonfly Studio in Drummond, Wisconsin since 1976.

To celebrate the completion of the sculpture and to recognize Wolf Awareness Week, which is celebrated during the month of October, hats are being sold featuring a stylized version of the sculpture as well as a howling wolf. The hats are available at Heart Graphics, 616 Main Street, Ashland, Wisconsin.