“Imagine Excellence”:
The GWS Awards Program
Posted May 20, 2025: We are now accepting nominations for the 2025 round of “Imagine Excellence.” We will bestow three of our six awards at the GWS ParkForum 2025 workshop October 20–23 at the University of Montana: the Natural Resource, Cultural Resource, and Social Science Achievement Awards. The other three awards will be given out at the ParkForum 2026 workshop (location TBA).
Nominations must come from GWS members in good standing. The nominee does not have to be a GWS member.
The deadline for nominations is July 15.
Read on for more details and the nomination form.
Through Imagine Excellence, our awards program, GWS recognizes outstanding accomplishments in research, administration and management, communications and education, and the promotion of social and environmental justice as they relate to parks, protected/conserved areas, cultural sites, and other forms of place-based conservation.
Here are the six awards:
The George Melendez Wright Award for Excellence, given in recognition of lifetime contributions on behalf of the Society or in furtherance of its purposes. This is the Society's highest award, and it is reserved for exceptional achievements in any of the areas with which the GWS is concerned. It is a top-of-career award. (To be given in 2026)
The GWS Cultural Resource Achievement Award, given in recognition of excellence in research, management, or education related to the cultural resources of parks, cultural and historic sites, reserves, protected/conserved areas, and other forms of place-based conservation.
The GWS Natural Resource Achievement Award, given in recognition of excellence in research, management, or education related to the natural resources of parks, reserves, protected/conserved areas, and other forms of place-based conservation.
The GWS Social Science Achievement Award, given in recognition of excellence in social science research, management, or education related to parks, reserves, protected/conserved areas, cultural and historic sites, and other forms of place-based conservation.
The GWS Communications Award, given in recognition of excellence in communication, interpretation, or related areas pertaining to the purposes of the Society. This award is given specifically to recognize outstanding efforts in communicating highly technical or controversial park-related subjects to the public in a clear and understandable manner. (To be given in 2026)
The GWS Social and Environmental Justice Award, given in recognition of excellence in seeking and advocating for inclusive and impartial alternatives that proactively address socioenvironmental justice as it relates to place-based conservation. (To be given in 2026)
GWS awards consist of a plaque, payment of the winner’s expenses to the presentation event, and a year’s complimentary membership in the Society.
How do I make a nomination?
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Nominations must come from GWS members in good standing. (To check your membership status, send a note to info@georgewright.org.) The person being nominated need not be a member, however.
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The nomination must be of an individual, not a group. However, it is permissible to reference the nominee’s involvement with a team in the nomination.
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Nominations must be made through the webform below.