Field & Stream Magazine Names Brian Maguire Of Portland, Oregon Conservation Hero Of The Year

Former Oregon Wild board member wins conservation prize for his work expanding Mt. Hood Wilderness proposal.

Field & Stream, the world's leading outdoor magazine, recognized six grassroots conservationists at the second annual Heroes of Conservation Awards, sponsored by Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., on Sept. 20 in New York City. Each of the six Heroes were flown to New York for the ceremony and presented with $1,000; Brian Maguire of Portland, Ore., was named the 2007 Field & Stream Conservation Hero of the Year and presented with a new 2007 Toyota Tundra SR5 V8 Doublecab.

Tucker Carlson of MSNBC, known for his appearance in the third season of Dancing with the Stars, was on-hand to host the event, along with special guests Dirk Kempthorne, U.S. Secretary of the Interior and H. Dale Hall, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The six Heroes are also profiled in the October issue of Field & Stream, on newsstands now.

"Sportsmen don't just care about conservation, they act on it," says Sid Evans, Editor-In-Chief of Field & Stream. "When we see a threat to the natural world, we get to work. These six heroes are everyday people doing work that benefits us all. We're proud to honor them, but the real prize is the habitat they restored and the benefits they've brought to sportsmen."

"This is an award that highlights the true outdoorsman," said Brian Smith, Corporate Marketing Manager, Truck/SUV for Toyota. "Toyota would like to congratulate each individual being recognized for their hard work, dedication and for getting their hands dirty to improve our natural environment."

Brian Maguire a computer engineer in Portland, Ore., was named the 2007 Field & Stream Conservation Hero of the year and presented with a new 2007 Toyota Tundra SR5 V8 Doublecab. Maguire cofounded the group Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA) after losing some of his favorite hunting grounds to clear cutting. After ten years of work and testifying before Congress, Maguire and BHA recently got 16,496 acres of mule deer winter habitat added to the 2007 Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness Act. With nearly 1,000 active members Maguire and BHA continue to fight for the preservation of wildlife habitat.