By Howard Whiteman
Murray State University
I’m lucky, because part of my job allows me to interact with some of the best people on the planet, and every once in a while, we get to honor their efforts. That is happening on April 23rd at the Big Apple in Murray, when we will present the 2026 Maggie Morgan Watershed Sustainability Award to Michael Johnson, the former Refuge Manager for the Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge (CRNWR).
The Maggie Morgan Watershed Sustainability Award was created last year to memorialize Maggie Morgan, an environmental advocate and champion, and to honor those who have similarly devoted their careers to environmental management, conservation, restoration, or advocacy. The first Watershed Sustainability Award was accepted for Maggie posthumously last spring by her husband, Ryan. This year’s award is the first to be decided based on nominations from the community. Although we had many excellent nominations, Michael Johnson was tough to beat.
Johnson devoted more than 30 years of distinguished service to conservation through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, including 21 years as Refuge Manager of CRNWR.
His career extended beyond Kentucky to multiple states across the southeastern United States, reflecting both the geographic breadth of his work and the wide reach of his conservation impact. He led the establishment of the Green River National Wildlife Refuge in 2019, marking the creation of only the second National Wildlife Refuge in Kentucky. For more than 20 years, he also served as a collateral duty law enforcement officer, assuming additional responsibility without additional compensation because he believed deeply in protecting both wildlife and the people who enjoy our public lands. In 2022, he was honored with the Paul Kroegel Refuge Manager of the Year Award, one of the highest recognitions within the Refuge System. He was also a founding member of the Riverlands Alliance, a diverse partnership promoting conservation and outdoor heritage across western Kentucky and Tennessee.
Throughout his career, Michael has demonstrated a fundamental truth: conservation begins and ends with people. He took immense pride in cultivating the next generation of conservation professionals by hiring, mentoring, and providing meaningful experiences for students, interns, and volunteers. At the conclusion of their time under his supervision, he would tell each of them they were now part of the family and expected to stay in touch. They overwhelmingly have. Michael’s commitment was not symbolic; it was personal. He reaches out on birthdays, holidays, and major life milestones, maintaining relationships that have helped guide young professionals through the early stages of their careers. During his tenure as Refuge Manager at CRNWR he assisted more than 25 student volunteers in securing employment with federal, state, and nonprofit conservation agencies. When asked about this accomplishment, it is clear he considers this mentorship his greatest legacy.
Michael earned equal respect from seasoned colleagues and community partners. His unassuming demeanor, coupled with deep technical expertise, made him a trusted leader. Elected officials, state agency partners, and local landowners routinely sought his counsel on wildlife and land management issues. His ability to build genuine relationships proved especially vital during the establishment of Green River National Wildlife Refuge. Through steady leadership and proactive community engagement, he guided the refuge’s creation to completion ahead of schedule and without receiving a single negative public comment, a testament to the trust he built and the transparency he championed.
His retirement in 2025 did not diminish Michael’s commitment to conservation. He was instrumental in the creation of the Easley Conservation Stewardship Area, an outdoor learning laboratory generously donated to Murray State by alumnus Ms. Melissa Easley. He remains actively involved with the Friends of Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge, attending meetings, volunteering, and supporting refuge programs. He also continues to encourage and advise the Friends of Green River National Wildlife Refuge, and is an active participant in the Riverland’s Alliance.
As he has said, Friends groups are “in the forever business of conserving lands and water for the benefit of wildlife and people.” That philosophy reflects his own life’s work.
Michael Johnson’s career embodies the spirit of the Maggie Morgan Watershed Sustainability Award. His contributions span landscapes, watersheds, and generations. Through refuge establishment, partnership building, public service, and mentorship, he has advanced conservation in ways that will endure long beyond his formal career. He is, without question, a champion of the environment.
Johnson will receive the award at this year’s Maggie Morgan Science Café, which will be held on Thursday, April 23, from 6-8 p.m. at the Big Apple in Murray.
After the award presentation at 6:30, Bradly Robbins (USDA/APHIS) will lead a discussion about feral hog management at the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.
The Science Café is open to the public and everyone is invited. I hope to see you there!
Howard Whiteman is Commonwealth Endowed Chair of Environmental Studies and professor of Wildlife and Conservation Biology at Murrary State University. He is a columnist for the NKyTribune who writes about conservation and the environment.