2009 National Arbor Day Awards

Good Steward Award

Blue Valley Ranch of Kremmling, CO

Blue Valley Ranch of Kremmling, CO, will receive a Good Steward Award for tree planting and conservation efforts on private property. The Blue Valley Ranch, owned by Paul Tudor Jones, is a true conservation ranch high in the northern Colorado Rocky Mountains. Jones and his staff protect and enhance the abundance of native trees and wildlife in the area, which includes 6,500 acres of forested property. In 2005, Blue Valley Ranch worked with private consultants and faculty from Colorado State University to restore historical species of native trees. Since 2006, 35,000 conifers have been planted at the ranch, and another 25,000 are scheduled to be planted this year.

This year’s winners are:

• Frederick Law Olmsted Award

  • Robert Thibodeaux of Church Point, LA

• Lawrence Enersen Award

  • Michael Hardy of Philadelphia, PA

• Lady Bird Johnson Award

  • The Streetscape Program of Fort Myers Beach, FL

• Rachel Carson Award

  • World Forum Foundation

• Good Steward Award

  • Blue Valley Ranch of Kremmling, CO

• Project Award

  • The Village of Wilmette, IL
  • Reforest the Bluegrass of Lexington, KY
  • Fayetteville Natural Heritage Association of Fayetteville, AK
  • The Hardwood Forestry Fund of Reston, VA
  • Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana, Inc.

• Education Award

  • Tahoma High School's Outdoor Academy of Kent, WA
  • The Kirkwood Junior TreeKeepers of Kirkwood, MO

• Media Award

  • Louisiana Public Broadcasting's documentary Return to the Forest Where We Live
  • The International Society of Arboriculture's interactive “Planting and Early Care” series
  • The Wild Trees, written by Richard Preston

• Celebration Award

  • The City of Minneapolis, MN
  • City of Olympia, WA

• Promise to the Earth Award

  • Allstate Insurance Company
  • Citi Cards

Award winners are recognized for their leadership in the cause of tree planting, conservation,and environmental stewardship.

Leaders in tree planting, conservation, and environmental stewardship from around the country and world are honored each year at our annual Arbor Day Awards celebration held in Nebraska City, Nebraska. The awards ceremony is part of the annual Arbor Day weekend celebration held at Lied Lodge & Conference Center.