Petition drive begins to get Bob Anderson a posthumous Presidential Citizens Medal

In this decorahnews.com file photo, Anderson (left) watches as Darwin Melcher of Decorah releases a bald eagle after the eagle successfully went through rehabilitation.

A group of volunteers has started an on-line petition drive to convince the White House to award a posthumous Presidential Citizens Medal to the late Bob Anderson for his work with the Raptor Resource Project and raptor restoration.

The group has started a petition at https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/bob-anderson-deserves-posthumous-presidential-citizens-medal-his-work-american-raptor-restoration.

It notes that since 2008, over 300 million people have "watched the parents of the Decorah Bald Eagle nest nurture and teach the next generation about America's National Bird.  As executive director of the Raptor Resource Center, he brought the Peregrine Falcon back from the brink of extinction in this area, raising chicks himself and releasing them into the wild. He inspired and trained the next generation of conservation scientists.  He was tireless and fearless, working at heights of 80 feet and above to install equipment and check on nests. He was a true American hero, worthy of an award."

The petition needs 100,000 signatures by August 29th in order to get a response from the White House.

A Celebration of Life for Anderson will be held Saturday at the Decorah Trout Hatchery.