Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Staff Honored with Statewide Conservation Awards
Posted by Angela Montana on March 3, 2026
Big congratulations are in order for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, as four of their Natural Resources rockstars just earned major statewide recognition for decades of boots-on-the-ground conservation work. With more than a century of combined service between them, their awards aren’t just personal milestones — they’re a testament to the Tribes’ long-standing commitment to science-driven stewardship and caring for the land and waters that sustain us all.
Check out their press release:
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) are proud to announce that four Natural Resources staff members have received prestigious statewide recognition for their decades of leadership in fisheries and wildlife conservation.
Les Evarts, Barry Hansen, and Cindy Benson were honored with the Montana Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Career Achievement Award, and Art Soukkala received the Montana Chapter of The Wildlife Society Distinguished Service Award.
Career Achievement in Fisheries Conservation
Les Evarts began his career with CSKT in 1989 and served 26 years as Fisheries Program Manager. Over more than three decades, he led major aquatic restoration efforts, advanced bull trout recovery, and managed multimillion-dollar conservation projects with fiscal integrity and vision. His most enduring legacy is the restoration of the Jocko River, screening irrigation diversions, establishing instream flows, reconstructing channel form and function, and securing Tribal ownership of critical riparian lands. Today, the Jocko River stands as one of the healthiest rivers flowing through an agricultural landscape in Montana.
Barry Hansen has dedicated nearly 40 years to aquatic resource conservation, including more than 35 years with CSKT. His work spans instream flow protection, forestry and riparian restoration, shoreline management, and innovative habitat design on Flathead Lake. Barry played a key leadership role in the Flathead Lake and River co-management planning process and helped guide long-term efforts to restore balance between introduced Lake Trout and native fish populations. His perseverance and commitment to science-based management have left a lasting mark on the Flathead Basin.
Cindy Benson joined the Tribal Fisheries Program later in her career and quickly became central to its success. Beginning as a creel clerk on Flathead Lake, she later directed the Mack Days fishing contests beginning in 2002. Under her leadership, the program grew to hundreds of participants and resulted in nearly one million Lake Trout removed from Flathead Lake in support of native fish conservation. Cindy also managed the Native Fish Keepers, Inc. processing facility, maintaining strict production and food safety standards while serving as a public ambassador for fisheries conservation across the region.
Distinguished Service in Wildlife Conservation
Art Soukkala is being recognized for more than 45 years of dedication to habitat restoration and wildlife management. Since joining the CSKT Wildlife Management Program in 1991, Art has helped reintroduce peregrine falcons and northern leopard frogs, addressed carnivore conservation and hydropower mitigation, and led acquisition and restoration of thousands of acres of prairie, shrubland, woodland, and wetland habitats. His innovative wetland restoration work and collaborative approach have strengthened habitat connectivity and biodiversity across the Flathead Reservation.
Together, these four professionals represent more than a century of combined service to the lands, waters, wildlife, and people of the Flathead Reservation. Their recognition reflects not only individual excellence, but also the Tribes’ enduring commitment to science-based stewardship and conservation grounded in Tribal values.
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