By Steve Weisman

Joe Ulman, who has been a part of conservation and clean water efforts in the Iowa Great Lakes area since he moved to Spirit Lake in 1980, recently received the Ace Cory Conservation Award at the Okoboji Protective Association’s annual meeting held on Friday, June 19. The award was introduced by form OPA president, John Fieselmann and then presented by John Smeltzer, president of the Spirit Lake Protective Association.
The prestigious award, which has been bestowed since 2006 by the Okoboji Protective Association, goes to an individual whose work in the Iowa Great Lakes area, voluntary or professional, reflects the principles of the late Ace Cory, one of the region’s pioneer environmentalists.

The inscription on the Ace Cory Conservation Award plaque reads…

” Bestowed to Joe Ulman…For his tireless efforts in building partnerships among private individuals, federal and state agencies, and conservation organizations to achieve lasting, sustainable improvements in the water quality of the Iowa Great Lakes.”

Presented by the Okoboji Protective Association – 2026.

Ulman, a longtime educator and administrator for the Area 3 Iowa Area Education Agency, has been a member of the Spirit Lake Protective Association since the early 1980s and a board member for over 10 years. “I am humbled as I look at the names of those who have been chosen before me for the Ace Cory Conservation Award.” Reflecting back, Ulman shares about his love for the outdoors. “I grew up to appreciate the out-of-doors. It’s always been the touchstone of my life.”

Joe Ulman selection

After looking at the 2026 nominations for the Ace Cory Conservation Award, the OPA selection committee chose Ulman for his many conservation efforts in support of water quality in the Iowa Great Lakes watershed. Nomination came from John Smeltzer, president of the Spirit Lake Protective Association. Smeltzer noted, “Joe has served for over a decade as an active board member and officer on the Spirit Lake Protective Association. Joe has been a very significant contributor in the Iowa Great Lakes to precisely the prerequisite claims of upholding, fostering and advancing these values that the Ace Cory Conservation award exemplifies.”

Smeltzer reflected, “His wisdom and advice are always clear, concise and well considered.  His contacts are many and he diligently works to maintain, foster and enhance them both on a truly personal basis as well as in support of the ‘Quality of Water ~ Quality of Life’ motto of SLPA.”

A major accomplishment for the history of the Lakes area was Ulman’s lead in the preservation and restoration of the Mini-Wakan State Park lodge in the early 2000’s, which was targeted for tear-down because of lack of on-going maintenance and years of deterioration. Ulman organized a coalition of supporters and guided fund-raising and renovation on the almost 75-year-old structure, now approaching 100 years. The now renovated lodge is one of the premier landmarks and publicly available hallmarks on Big Spirit Lake and is used by thousands of both locals and visitors annually.

Ulman was a key player working with then President Kirk Huisenga in the acquisition of the Reed’s Run property on the east side of Big Spirit Lake.  He assisted in coordination of the fund raising for the project with Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation working with the SLPA Board, President Huisenga, and then local INHF representative Anita O’Gara to fully fund that acquisition. Reeds Run serves as a significant, maybe primary, filter for water entering that eastern side of Big Spirit Lake.

Ulman’s leadership on probably the largest project to date was the longtime effort to acquire farmland on the north side of Big Spirit, what is now called “Spirit Lake North”. Thanks in large part to Joe’s dogged determination, this land is now a combination upland/wetland that provides conservation protection for all the lakes in the Iowa Great Lakes system.

He also has served and participates in discussions with the Little Sioux Headwaters Coalition, the lead group also focused on similar tasks within the Little Sioux River drainage basin.

Currently, Ulman and other local conservationist, are looking to the north, recognizing that much of the water for the Iowa Great Lakes comes from our “northern neighbor” Minnesota.  He actively works to implement the often spoken of vision of “Looking North” for improvements in our water quality, particularly in immediate drainages for Big Spirit Lake and Little Spirit Lake and, of course, of great benefit (when successful) to the entire Iowa Great Lakes system.

About the Award

Ulman is the most recent recipient of the Ace Cory Conservation Award, which has been bestowed annually since 2006 by the Okoboji Protective Association to an individual whose work in the Iowa Great Lakes area, voluntary or professional, reflects the principles of the late Ace Cory, one of the region’s pioneer environmentalists.  

Ace Cory was a lifelong conservationist, who passed away unexpectedly in 2005. He was one of the leaders in the late 1990’s to seek a steady stream of money to fund clean water projects in Dickinson County. Cory was also instrumental in the formation of the Dickinson County Water Quality Commission, the first and only organization of its kind in Iowa. He was always involved in the grass roots of many conservation projects.

John Smeltzer (R) shares reasons for his nominating Joe Ulman (L) for the Ace Cory Conservation Award.