The Rockfall Foundation, a Middletown-based organization that supports environmental education, conservation and planning initiatives in the Lower Connecticut River Valley, is seeking nominations for a service award recently renamed in honor of a former active member of the foundation who died in July.

The foundation has renamed its Distinguished Service Award for Tom Odell, who received the award in 2016 to recognize his work as chairman of the foundation's awards committee and its youth scholarship award, as well as his more than 40 years as chairman of the Westbrook Conservation Commission and the Connecticut River Coastal Conservation District. Odell also was responsible for the conservation of nearly 2,000 acres in Westbrook, including the Menunketesuck Greenway and the town's Barrier Islands, which were designated as the Tom Odell Wildlife Conservation Area. He also was a founding member of Connecticut Association of Conservation Commissions and Connecticut Association of Conservation and Inland Wetland Commissions.

The Rockfall Foundation will accept nominations for the 2018 Environmental Awards until Sept. 20. Nominations should recognize individuals, organizations and businesses for ongoing or long-term environmental work that contributes to the quality of life in the Lower Connecticut River Valley, including projects that promote the preservation, conservation, restoration of ecosystems and natural resources, or education about environmental and sustainability issues.

The foundation will recognize winners at its annual meeting and grants celebration on Nov. 1.

People submitting nominees must download forms from the Rockfall Foundation website and submit them by email to amanda@rockfallfoundation.org or by mail to The Rockfall Foundation, deKoven House Community Center, 27 Washington St., Middletown, CT 06457. For more information or to request a copy of the nomination form, call (860) 347-0340 or visit rockfallfoundation.org.