BETHLEHEM — Mike Medvesky is among  the first recipients of the inaugural Stewardship Appreciation Awards. Presented by the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation.

The award recognizes outstanding contributions of volunteers and partner organizations in stewardship, promotion, and maintenance of state lands, waters, and DEC facilities.

Medvesky is a volunteer instructor with the Guided School Program at Five Rivers Environmental Education Center in Delmar. GSP volunteer instructors are responsible for guiding outdoor ecology lessons to groups throughout the school year.

These instructors are invested in environmental education and work collaboratively with DEC and Friends of Five Rivers staff to offer instruction on the living environment, as well as seasonally relevant content.

In his 10 years of volunteering, Medvesky has led 264 lessons and reached nearly 4,000 students and chaperones.