Over 40 years of celebrating nature and its champions

The Smith Nature Symposium Environmental Leadership Award Winners

2025 – Robin Wall Kimmerer

2024 – Dr. Mona Hanna

2023 – Baratunde Thurston

2022 – Cristina Mittermeier & Paul Nicklen

2021 – Winona LaDuke

2020 – Bill McKibben and Sue Halpern

2019 – Amory Lovins and Judy Hill Lovins

2018 – Robert Redford and Sibylle Szaggars Redford

2017 – Deborah Lahey
Keynote: Florence Williams

2016 – Judith Stockdale
Keynote: Dr. Drew Lanham

2015 – Victoria and George A. Ranney, Jr.
Keynote: William Souder

2014 – Joel Greenberg
Keynote: Beth Shapiro

2013 – Dr. Douglas F. Stotz
Keynote: Kenn Kaufman

2012 – Steven Apfelbaum
Keynote: Wes Jackson

2011 – William D. Sturm
Keynote: Bill Browning

2010 – Stephen Bartram
Keynote: Will Raap

2009 – Barbara Whitney Carr
Keynote: Will Allen

2008 – Cameron Davis
Keynote: Peter Annin

2007 – Gerald W. Adelmann
Keynote: Karsten Heuer

2006 – Chicago Wilderness
Keynote: Joe Duff

2005 – Dr. Debra K. Moskovits
Keynote: Sy Montgomery

2004 – John Rogner
Keynote: Joel Sartore

2003 – Dr. George Rabb
Keynote: David Allen Sibley

2002 – George A. Ranney, Sr.
Keynote: Lincoln Brower

2001 – John McCarter
Keynote: George Archibald

2000 – Adele Simmons
Keynote: Terry Root

1999 – Andrea S. Moore
Keynote:  Lester Fisher

1998 – Dr. William Beecher
Keynote: John Fitzpatrick

1997 – Dr. Melvin Traylor
Keynote: Peter Raven

1996 – Fran Harty
Keynote: Peter Dunne

1995 – Bill Kurtis
Keynote: Donald & Lillian Stokes

1994 – Roy O. Gromme
Keynote: Jack Horner

1993 – Abbott Laboratories
Keynote: William Cronon

1992 – Susan Spears
Keynote: Melvin Tuttle

1991 – Barbara C. Donnelley
Keynote: Senator Gaylord Nelson

1990 – E. Leland Webber
Keynote: Senator Gaylord Nelson

1989 – Maxine Hunter
Keynote: L. David Mech

1988 – Dr. John Fitzpatrick
Keynote: Neil Rettig & Bill Kurtis

1987 – Nancy Ryerson Ranney
Keynote: John Fitzpatrick & Bill Kurtis

1986 – Walter T. Fisher
Keynote: William Burger & Tom Cade

1985 – Dr. George Archibald
Keynote: George Archibald & Kenneth Nebenzahl

1984 – Roger Tory Peterson
Keynote: Joseph Hickey & Roger Tory Peterson