Awards

The NatureServe Conservation Award

This annual award recognizes recipients who:

• Significantly increase the public profile of the importance of biodiversity conservation
• Pursue innovative and creative approaches to and impacts on biodiversity conservation
• Set an example for others in their use of biodiversity information in making decisions
• Inspire others to take action towards conserving biodiversity

Nominations are drawn from throughout the NatureServe network, and a committee made up of NatureServe staff and board members, network member representatives, and previous winners selects each year's recipient.

Past Recipients

• 2017: Conservationist and author John L. Riley
• 2016: Ecologist and educator Dr. José Sarukhán 
• 2015: Limnologist and conservation scientist David Schindler
• 2014: Marine biologist and NOAA chief Jane Lubchenco
• 2013: Conservation scientist Walt Reid
• 2012: EPA administrator and policymaker William Ruckelshaus
• 2011: Scientist and author E. O. Wilson
• 2010: Robert Jenkins, first chief scientist of The Nature Conservancy and founder of the NatureServe network’s natural heritage methodology

Network Awards

Each year, the NatureServe Network recognizes outstanding achievements by its members during our international Biodiversity Without Boundaries conference. The awards provide an opportunity for the network to celebrate its commitment to science-based conservation through intra- and extra-network collaboration, personal integrity, respect for others, and the production of high-quality data, tools and knowledge. 

2017 Winners

• Ontario Natural Heritage Information Centre (ONHIC)
• NatureServe Canada and Canadian Wildlife Service
• British Columbia Conservation Data Centre (BC CDC)

2016 Winners

• Minnesota Natural Heritage Information System
• Virginia Natural Heritage Program
• Corporation Autonoma Regional del Valle del Cauca (CVC) y Fundacion Panthera Comlombia

2015 Winners

• Pronatura Veracruz
• Montana Natural Heritage Program
• Nevada Natural Heritage Program

2014 Winners

• Colorado Natural Heritage Program
• Michigan Natural Features Inventory
• New York Natural Heritage Program

2013 Winners

• Natural Heritage New Mexico
• Oregon Biodiversity Information Center
• North Carolina Natural Heritage Program

2012 Winners

• Florida Natural Areas Inventory
• SalvaNATURA
• Washington Natural Heritage Program

2011 Winners

• Alaska Natural Heritage Program
• Manitoba Conservation Data Center

Alumni Award

2017 Winner

• Andrew Harcombe,  British Columbia Conservation Data Centre

2016 Winner

• Jorge Brenner, The Nature Conservancy

2015 Winners

• Dennis Albert, Oregon State University
• Chris Pague, The Nature Conservancy

2014 Winner

• Shane Ford, BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations

Lifetime Achievement Award

2017 Winner

• Gary R. Knight, Florida Natural Areas Inventory

2016 Winner 

• Tom Smith, Virginia Natural Heritage