We are proud to recognize and support conservation leaders in the Intermountain West. On an annual basis, we invite nominations for the Conservation Partner Awards and the John E. Nagel Award. In 2017, we established four categories for the Conservation Partner Award: Private Landowner Conservation Champion, Conservation Science, Conservation Partnership/Partner, and Conservation Policy Champion. Then, in 2020, we announced a fifth category: Conservation Youth Award. These categories allow for broader recognition of conservation activities that closely match the diversity of the IWJV partnership.

***Thank you for your interest in the IWJV Conservation Leadership Awards! The IWJV is working to make some changes to our awards process. The recipients of awards for 2024 were selected internally and will be recognized in 2025. We will update this page with regard to the new process later in 2025.***

John E. Nagel Award

The John E. Nagel Award was established in 2000 and named in honor of the IWJV’s first Management Board Chair. This award recognizes and honors an individual who exemplifies the spirit of the IWJV and efforts to conserve habitat through building public and private partnerships.

Conservation Partner Awards (five categories)

Conservation Partnership/Partner Award

This award recognizes and honors an individual, a group of partners, or a collaborative effort that has made outstanding contributions to a project or initiative and has played an instrumental role in advancing strategic, landscape-scale habitat conservation. It recognizes exemplary achievements in building and strengthening conservation partnerships in the Intermountain West in alignment with the goals, objectives, and priorities of the IWJV.

Conservation Science Award

This award recognizes and honors an individual, agency, organization, corporation, or a collaborative effort that has made outstanding contributions to the advancement of bird or landscape-scale habitat conservation in the Intermountain West through science, research, or technical advancements in alignment with the goals, objectives, and priorities of the IWJV.

Conservation Youth Award

This award recognizes and honors an exceptional young* individual that has made outstanding contributions to natural resource conservation in the Intermountain West in alignment with the goals, objectives, and priorities of the IWJV. Further, the individual is a community-based conservation leader and helps to inspire other young people to address conservation challenges in their communities. *Note: Individual must be no older than 24 years as of the nomination deadline.

Private Landowner Conservation Champion Award

This award recognizes and honors private landowners for their contributions to natural resource conservation and management in the Intermountain West in alignment with the goals, objectives, and priorities of the IWJV. Further, the individual or entity is a community-based conservation leader and helps to promote this conservation model at multiple scales.

Conservation Policy Champion Award*

This award recognizes and honors elected/appointed members of federal, state, or local government for their contributions to natural resource conservation in the Intermountain West in alignment with the goals, objectives, and priorities of the IWJV. *Note: This award is given at the discretion of/upon a joint decision by the IWJV Government Relations and Awards Committees.