2025 Environmental Champions - Connecticut

For over two decades, Enfield Scuba and Watersports has served as a beacon for environmental education and marine conservation in Connecticut. As the state's largest scuba center, Enfield Scuba has led efforts to promote a clean Connecticut watershed while forming a strong, equity-based community program introducing thousands of individuals to the wonders of the underwater world. Through partnerships with nonprofit organizations, schools, and local agencies, its passionate team of instructors and conservation advocates offers hands-on training in water safety, marine biology, and environmental conservation.

Enfield Scuba and Watersports’ series of community-based, environmentally focused events, such as its "Dive Against Debris" lake cleanups, allows volunteers to develop their diving skills while helping the planet.

This past May, Enfield Scuba co-hosted a World Turtle Day celebration with Riverside Reptiles Conservation Zoo and The Turtle Room, spotlighting Connecticut’s endangered turtle species and raising critical funds for their protection. The event reflected the organization’s ongoing commitment to its “H2O Planet” ethos, which emphasizes that water is our planet’s most vital resource.

With a mission grounded in conservation, education, and inclusion, Enfield Scuba and Watersports continues to shape the next generation of environmental stewards.

New Canaan native Chris Schipper is a standout environmental leader whose vision, dedication, and tireless advocacy over the last 15 years have left a lasting mark on the conservation landscape in his community. 

As the former president of the New Canaan Land Trust (NCLT), Chris led a transformative overhaul of the organization, shifting its focus from traditional preservation to modern conservation. He spearheaded landmark environmental projects, including the creation of public trails on NCLT land and the continued expansion of the Land Trust's network to 400-acres of protected open space. 

Under Chris' leadership, NCLT acquired the New Canaan Audubon Society’s 56-acres of bird sanctuaries and guided the stewardship of the land. He also secured funding to acquire land for the unique and much-heralded New Canaan Firefly Sanctuary.

In his current role as chair of the New Canaan Conservation Commission, Chris launched a water testing program on local rivers, engaging high school students in partnership with Save the Sound, to regularly monitor water quality. He also led a 5-year effort to revitalize the third oldest bird sanctuary in the nation - Bristow Park - and established a Public-Private Partnership with the Land Trust for ongoing stewardship.

Most recently, after a decade-long effort, the New Canaan Land Trust successfully acquired and permanently preserved the Grupes house and surrounding acreage, which borders the NCLT's Browne Preserve. This accomplishment would not have been possible without Chris’ steadfast leadership and determination.

Chris' work is grounded in the belief that connecting people to nature, especially young people, lays the foundation for a healthier, more sustainable future.

A senior at the Marine Science Magnet High School in Groton, Zoe Wu is an inspiring environmental champion whose leadership is already leaving a lasting mark on Connecticut's conservation efforts. Passionate, driven, and deeply committed to empowering her generation, Zoe leads educational efforts aimed at informing young people of the importance of conservation.

As director and secretary of the Alliance for the Mystic River Watershed, she launched a Youth Council to engage her peers in environmental action through hikes, paddleboarding events, and hands-on legislative advocacy. Zoe co-founded her school’s Environmental Club and developed the "Game of Floods," an interactive learning experience that helps students visualize how climate change affects local water systems. She also brings science to life through outdoor marsh education as a leader in the Mystic River Scientist program. 

Zoe co-organized the 2025 Southeastern Connecticut Youth Climate Summit and has shared her vision for a more sustainable future as a panelist at the Groton Earth Day Expo. She plans to study Environmental Psychology and Social Justice at the University of Connecticut, where she hopes to continue blending science, storytelling, and youth leadership to safeguard Connecticut's waters and ecosystems for future generations.