Western National Parks Now Accepting Nominations for 2026–2027 Awards Honoring National Parks and Public Lands Champions
Recognizing Those Who Protect, Understand and Rally Support for America’s National Parks and Public Lands
TUCSON, Ariz. October 7, 2026—Western National Parks (WNP) is now accepting nominations and applications for the 2026–2027 awards cycle. Nominations will be accepted through December 11, 2026. Review full guidelines and submit nominations here.
“Every year, Western National Parks recognizes those who make a meaningful difference for our national parks and public lands,” said WNP President and CEO Marie Buck. “These awards honor those who advance our understanding of these landscapes, inspire others to connect with them, and help ensure parks are increasingly accessible to all.”
Additional details about each award can be found below.
Emil W. Haury
The Emil W. Haury Lifetime Achievement Award
The Emil W. Haury Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates those whose scholarly research has significantly contributed to national parks over the course of their career or lifetime. Named in honor of Emil W. Haury, one of the founding members of the Southwest Monument Association and the precursor to WNP, this award recognizes a longstanding commitment to research and public lands.
Edward B. Danson
The Edward B. Danson Award
The Edward B. Danson Award honors those who have demonstrated outstanding support for WNP, national parks, or both, with a particular commitment to preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of these special places.
Stewart L. Udall
The Stewart L. Udall Award
The Stewart L. Udall Award recognizes those who have rallied support for public lands, boosted park interpretation programs or brought the message of national parks to a public audience. The award honors Udall, whose leadership as Secretary of the Interior Department helped shape the nation’s approach to public lands and conservation.
Past honorees
For more than three decades, WNP has recognized outstanding individuals who have made exceptional contributions to conservation, stewardship and our national parks.
Past honorees include
- Emil W. Haury Lifetime Achievement Award: William Gibson Parker, Ph.D., chief of resource management at Petrified Forest National Park, and Robert J. Steidl, Ph.D., researcher, wildlife biologist and professor in the University of Arizona’s School of Natural Resources and the Environment.
- Edward B. Danson Award: Gretchen Baker, ecologist and cave specialist at Great Basin National Park, and Tom Medema, former National Park Service associate director for interpretation, education and volunteers.
- Stewart L. Udall Award: Alfred Runte, Ph.D., author, professor and researcher, was honored in 2021 for his long-standing work studying the National Park Service and his significant contributions to public understanding of national parks. Runte is the author of National Parks: The American Experience, a widely recognized study of the national parks concept, and was featured in the Ken Burns PBS series The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. More recent, honorees include Natalie Teboul, educator and creator of Traveling Miss T.’s Math Maps©, and Maddie Pellman, creator of the “Who Runs This Park?” podcast, which highlights the people and stories behind national parks. Natalie Teboul, educator and creator of Traveling Miss T.’s Math Maps©, and Maddie Pellman, creator of the “Who Runs This Park?” podcast.
Explore past honorees on WNP's website.
About WNP
Since 1938, WNP has worked to connect new generations to parks in meaningful ways, all with one simple goal: create advocates who want to preserve and protect these special places for everyone, for all time. Learn more about the organization and career opportunities at www.wnp.org.
Media Contact
Western National Parks, Julie Thompson, julie.thompson@wnp.org
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