The National Parks Conservation Association has had the privilege of presenting awards to decision makers, organizations, and individuals that have made a difference for national parks. The contributions these award-winners have made are vital to the continued excellence of our National Park System.
William Penn Mott Park Leadership and Centennial Leadership Awards
Initially titled the Conservationist of the Year Award, the William Penn Mott Park Leadership Award was the first created by NPCA. The award was renamed in 1993 to honor the late NPS Director and NPCA board member, William Penn Mott. It recognizes the efforts of a member of Congress or other public official who stands as a strong advocate of the National Park System.
The Centennial Leadership Award recognizes a public official or private citizen who has made an outstanding contribution toward ensuring that the national parks are ready and well-prepared for their second century of service to the American people.
Recent recipients:
| 2024 | Senator Debbie Stabenow (Centennial) |
| 2023 | Mo Rocca (Centennial) |
| 2023 | David Vela (Centennial) |
| 2022 | Bob Stanton (Mott) |
| 2022 | Audrey Peterman (Centennial) |
| 2020/2021 | Fran Ulmer (Centennial) |
| 2019 | Gerard Baker, Keith D. Campbell Foundation, Sylvia Cyrus, Deny Galvin (Centennial) |
| 2018 | The Honorable Sally Jewell (Mott) |
| 2016 | Gretchen Long (Centennial) |
| 2015 | Senator Patty Murray & Representative Mike Simpson (Mott) |
| 2013 | Mayor Michael Bloomberg & Secretary Ken Salazar (Mott) |
| 2012 | Senator Rob Portman (Centennial) |
| 2010 | Senator Max Baucus (Mott) Senator Howard Baker, Jr. & Senator J. Bennett Johnston (Centennial) |
| 2009 | Senator Jeff Bingaman (Mott) Secretary Dirk Kempthorne (Centennial) |
| 2008 | Senator Harry Reid (Mott) |
| 2007 | Representative Nick Rahall (Mott) |
| 2006 | Senator Lamar Alexander (Mott) |
| 2005 | Senator Dianne Feinstein (Mott) |
| 2004 | Representative Norm Dicks (Mott) |
| 2003 | Representative Ralph Regula (Mott) |
| 2002 | Laurance S. Rockefeller (Mott) |
| 2001 | Representative John Lewis (Mott) |
| 2000 | Senator John McCain (Mott) |
| 1999 | President Jimmy Carter & Governor Cecil Andrus (Mott) |
| 1998 | Senator Craig Thomas (Mott) |
| 1997 | Honorable Bruce Babbitt (Mott) |
| 1996 | Senator Nancy Kassebaum, Honorable Dan Glickman, Representative Jan Meyers & Senator Pat Roberts (Mott) |
| 1995 | Lowell Thomas, Jr. (Mott) |
| 1994 | Ambassador L.W. “Bill” Lane (Mott) |
| 1993 | Representative Sidney Yates (Mott) |
| 1992 | Representative Chas. Bennett (Mott) |
| 1991 | Association of National Park Rangers (Mott) |
| 1990 | Governor Bob Martinez (Mott) |
| 1989 | Senator Dale Bumpers (Mott) |
| 1988 | Representative Frank Wolf, Representative Robert Mrazek & Representative Michael Andrews (Mott) |
| 1987 | Representative Bruce Vento (Mott) |
| 1986 | Governor Bob Graham (Mott) |
| 1985 | William Penn Mott, Jr. (Mott) |
| 1984 | Senator John Chafee (Mott) |
| 1983 | Representative John Seiberling (Mott) |
| 1982 | Senator Henry Jackson (Mott) |
| 1981 | Dama Rice & Judy Johnson (Mott) |
| 1980 | Representative Morris Udall (Mott) |
National Park Defender Award
This new award was established by NPCA to recognize corporate partners for their considerable contributions to and in support of national park conservation work.
Recipient:
| 2022 | Nature Valley |
| 2021 | Parks Project |
Marjory Stoneman Douglas Citizen Conservationist of the Year
Annual award created in 1985 to recognize outstanding efforts by an individual that resulted in the protection of a unit or proposed unit of the National Park System.
Recent recipients:
| 2022 | Amache Preservation Society |
| 2021 | Dr. Martin “Marty” Arostegui |
| 2020 | Buffalo River Coalition |
| 2019 | All Pueblo Council of Governors |
| 2018 | The Mission Continues |
| 2016 | Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition |
| 2015 | Barbara Takei |
| 2014 | Pullman Partners |
| 2013 | Peter Gove |
| 2012 | Gordon Bennett |
| 2011 | Citizens for a Ft. Monroe National Park |
| 2010 | Luke Hyde |
| 2009 | Friends of Acadia |
| 2008 | Clarence Moriwaki |
| 2007 | “Stop the Casino” |
| 2006 | Lloyd Miller |
| 2005 | Dick Hingson |
| 2004 | Martin Hanson |
| 2003 | Dick Watkins |
| 2002 | Ted Snyder, Ray Payne, Leroy Fox |
| 2001 | Brian & Rosalynn Scherf |
| 1999 | Estes Park League of Women Voters |
| 1998 | Frank & Audrey Peterman |
| 1997 | Jim & Heidi Barrett |
| 1996 | Maxine Johnston |
| 1995 | Pinkie Lemon |
| 1994 | Amy Meyer |
| 1992 | Liane Russell |
| 1991 | Isaac Eastvold |
| 1990 | Frank Masland |
| 1989 | Polly Dyer |
| 1988 | Robert Cahn |
| 1987 | Ed Wayburn |
| 1986 | Mike Frome |
| 1985 | Marjory S. Douglas |
National Park Achievement Award
Originally referred to as the NPCA Honor Award, this award recognizes outstanding efforts by an individual, group, or entity whose singular accomplishments or actions in a specific locality or region, or on the national level on behalf of the National Park System, are worthy of public recognition.
Recent recipients:
| 2024 | Sara Capen and the Alliance of National Heritage Areas |
| 2017 | Chris Calvert |
| 2014 | Rep. (Col.) Paul Cook |
| 2012 | Sec. Ken Salazar |
| 2012 | WY Dept of Transp. |
| 2012 | WA Gov. Gregoire, WA Dept. of Transp. |
| 2008 | Arnold & Porter |
| 2007 | Hogan & Hartson |
| 2005 | Supt. Mary Martin |
| 2004 | Sen. Lamar Alexander, Sen. Robert C. Byrd, Sen. Maria Cantwell, Sen. Kay Hutchison, Sen. Jon Kyl, Sen. John McCain, Sen. Harry Reid, Sen. Arlen Specter, Sen. Craig Thomas |
| 2004 | Rep. Brian Baird, Rep. Doug Bereuter, Rep. Alan Boyd, Rep. Shelley Capito, Rep. Donna Christensen, Rep. Ander Crenshaw, Rep. John Duncan, Rep. Jennifer Dunn, Rep. Jim Gerlach, Rep. Joe Hoeffel, Rep. Nick Rahall, Rep. Rick Renzi, Rep. Mark Souder, Rep. Jim Turner, Rep. Zach Wamp |
| 2003 | Bernadette Laqueur |
| 2002 | Ron Clark |
| 2001 | Richard Ring |
| 2001 | Cashmir Grochowska |
| 2001 | Herman Green |
| 2001 | Miccosukee Tribe |
| 2000 | City of Springdale, UT |
| 1996 | Rep. John Lewis |
| 1995 | Judy Johnson |
| 1995 | Rep. Mike Synar |
| 1995 | Sen. Dianne Feinstein |
| 1990 | Keith Easthouse |
| 1990 | Isaac Eastvold |
| 1990 | Hope Aldrich |
Robin W. Winks Award for Enhancing Public Understanding of National Parks
Annual award created in 1999 to recognize an individual or organization that has effectively communicated the values of the National Park System to the American public.
| 2024 | Juan D. Martinez Pineda |
| 2023 | Molly Hennessey-Fiske |
| 2022 | Jack Gladstone |
| 2020/2021 | QT Luong |
| 2019 | Thomas D. Mangelsen |
| 2018 | Betty Reid Soskin |
| 2017 | Jack Steward and Colton Smith, “Rock the Parks” |
| 2017 | Max Slavkin and Aaron Perry-Zucker, Creative Action Network |
| 2015 | Douglas Brinkley |
| 2014 | Milton Chen |
| 2013 | Terry Tempest Williams |
| 2012 | Shelton Johnson |
| 2011 | Nevada Barr |
| 2010 | Ken Burns & Dayton Duncan |
| 2009 | Maya Lin |
| 2008 | E.O. Wilson, PhD. |
| 2007 | National Geographic |
| 2006 | James MacPherson |
| 2005 | Tom Brokaw |
| 2004 | R. E. “Ted” Turner |
| 2003 | David McCullough |
| 2002 | Tony Hillerman |
| 2001 | Dr. Sylvia Earle |
| 2000 | David Muench |
| 1999 | Robin W. Winks |
Stephen Tyng Mather Award Recipients
This award recognizes annually a federal employee who has risked his/her career for the principles and practices of good stewardship of the national parks during the previous calendar year.
Recent recipients:
| 2023 | Darla Sidles |
| 2022 | Teri Gage and Todd Ravesloot |
| 2021 | Cassius Cash and Christine Lehnertz |
| 2019 | Dr. Patrick Gonzalez |
| 2018 | Antonio Solorio |
| 2017 | Debra Hughson and Frank Hays |
| 2016 | Kate Cannon |
| 2015 | Russ Galipeau and Kate Faulkner |
| 2014 | Dan Wenk |
| 2013 | Valerie Naylor |
| 2012 | Pamela Underhill |
| 2011 | Joan Anzelmo |
| 2010 | Mike Caldwell
Deirdre Gibson |
| 2009 | Don Shephard |
| 2008 | John Latcher |
| 2007 | Donald Campbell |
| 2006 | Vaughn Baker |
| 2005 | J.T. Reynolds |
| 2004 | Gary Candelaria |
| 2003 | David Uberuaga |
| 2002 | Jim Renfro |
| 2001 | Steve Martin |
| 2000 | John Donahue |
| 1999 | Constantine Dillon |
| 1998 | Denis R. Davis |
| 1997 | Ernest Quintana |
| 1996 | Riley Hoggard |
| 1995 | Dan Kimball |
| 1994 | Frank Buono |
| 1993 | Wm. Reilly |
| 1992 | William Wade |
| 1991 | Christine Shaver |
| 1990 | Boyd Evison |
| 1989 | Robert Barbee |
| 1988 | Norman Bishop |
| 1987 | Howard Chapman |
| 1986 | John Morehead |
| 1985 | Robert Haradan |
| 1984 | William Jewell |
Sequoia Award
Occasional award created in 2012 to recognize individuals who have made an extraordinary commitment to NPCA and its work in any or all of the following areas: philanthropy, volunteer service, programmatic or policy impact.
Recent recipients:
| 2019 | Marie Ridder |
| 2016 | Dorothy Cantor |
| 2014 | Tom Secunda |
| 2012 | Fred Stanback |
-
Press Release
Conservation Groups Defend Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni National Monument, Antiquities Act
“The Antiquities Act has been a bedrock conservation law for over a century, protecting cultural and historic treasures and iconic landmarks like Grand Canyon…
-
Press Release
Conservation Groups Welcome the Return of the Grizzly to the North Cascades
"Today marks a triumph for park wildlife with grizzly bears returning home to North Cascades National Park. The decision to restore the grizzly bear is a…
