Jim McCormac, recipient of the 2014 James Chase Hambleton award, has contributed mightily in our community toward both conservation and education. He has raised awareness of conservation issues over and over again in multiple forums and has brought his fascination with the natural world to literally thousands of people in the central Ohio region. He has authored several books, innumerable articles, and maintains a widely read blog online. Yet even with all these activities, he also finds time not only to explore the natural world, but to help others by leading trips and answering questions.
Jim spent most of his career, up until 2004, as a botanist with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and currently works for the Ohio Division of Wildlife. He was inaugural president of the Ohio Ornithological Society, and was the 2009 recipient of the Ludlow Griscom award, given annually by the American Birding Association to individuals who have made significant regional contributions to ornithology. He is author of Birds of Ohio (Lone Pine 2004); The Great Lakes Nature Guide (Lone Pine 2009); and Wild Ohio: The Best of Our Natural Heritage (Kent State University Press 2009). The latter won the 2010 Ohioana Book award. He also is author of the Lake Erie Birding Trail Guidebook (2014), and is a co-author of the Breeding Bird Atlas II (2014). Jim writes a column, Nature, for the Columbus Dispatch, and has authored or co-authored hundreds of scientific and popular articles in a variety of publications. He is at work on a book about wood-warblers.
Finally, Jim has been a long-time Columbus Audubon member and speaker and leader at multiple events and programs for Columbus Audubon and the Grange Insurance Audubon Center.