The Upper Peninsula Sportsmen’s Alliance has honored Stu Boren of Spread Eagle, Wisconsin as the group’s 2019 “Outstanding Conservationist.”

The award was presented today at a quarterly UPSA meeting at the William Anderson Sportsman’s Club in Hermansville in Menominee County.

“Stu Boren is certainly deserving of our ‘Outstanding Conservationist,’ award,” said Tony Demboski, UPSA president. “He joins a growing list of worthy recipients who have provided great contributions to conservation efforts. In Stu’s case this involves work in Michigan and Wisconsin.”

Boren was born in Marinette, Wisconsin and attended the University of Wisconsin, Stephens Point, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in forest management.

After college, Boren began work in Spooner, Wisconsin as a limited term employee with the Washburn County Forest, which encompasses 148,000 acres of public land in the northwestern portion of Wisconsin.

A year later, he went to work for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources where he attended a recruit school for six months before being assigned to Florence. Boren soon became supervisor of the Florence and Crandon DNR stations.

He retired in April 2013 after more than 33 years with the Wisconsin DNR. He is currently a private land manager and owner of BorFor Land Management Services in Florence, Wisconsin.

Boren also serves as chairman of the forestry committee for UPSA and is president of the United Sportsmen Inc. of Iron Mountain, a member organization within the alliance.

“Stu does extensive volunteer work with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources regarding lands purchased with proceeds from hunter license sales,” Demboski said. “He is also very active with the Upper Peninsula Wildlife Habitat Work Group, which provides advice to private landowners on wildlife habitat improvements, including those focused on white-tailed deer wintering complexes.”

Boren works with representatives from the Safari Club International Foundation and personnel from the Ottawa National Forest in the western U.P. to secure funds to accomplish projects.

Boren received a plaque today inscribed with the following:

“Your passionate efforts in forest management and the Upper Peninsula Wildlife Habitat Work Group will ensure generations of wildlife habitat; without your efforts the Upper Peninsula would not be what it is today.”

Past recipients of the award have included J.R. Richardson (2018) and Al Ettenhoffer (2017).

The Upper Peninsula Sportsmen's Alliance was formed in 1982 to unite sportsmen’s groups in the region for a common cause. Today, the group is composed of 57 clubs and businesses, representing 49,000 members.

The alliance’s mission is to be the voice of U.P. sportsmen and outdoors users to promote, foster and advance the outdoor recreation experience, encouraging conservation of natural resources and the environment to perpetuate the direction of management and use, for the benefit of future generations by educating UPSA’s members, youth and the general public.

The organization cooperates, when appropriate, with local, state and federal resource management agencies, encourages communication with the DNR on policy issues and respects the rights of landowners.

For more information, visit UPSA’s webpage at http://upperpeninsulasportsmensalliancewebsite.com/index.html