Trust receives special Conservation Award

The John Muir Association (California) marked the Trust's significant contributions to conservation and advocacy across the UK with the 'Conservation Award to a Non-profit Organisation' at its John Muir Birthday / Earth Day event in April.

The John Muir Association aims to celebrate the lasting legacy of John Muir and is based at the John Muir National Historic Site in Martinez, California.

This April, it named the Trust as winner of its Conservation Award during its annual John Muir Birthday / Earth Day event. Sadly the Trust couldn't join over 2,000 people at the California event, which took place on the grounds of Muir’s fruit ranch where he lived and wrote many of his books and articles.

However, this summer the John Muir Association's Susan Garbarino kindly travelled to Glasgow to present the award - plus signed certificates from two members of Congress and the California State Senator for Martinez - to our John Muir Award Scotland Manager Toby Clark (pictured with Susan above).

The early years of the Trust were heavily influenced by John Muir enthusiasts and scholars in Scotland, with a keen interest in raising Muir's profile to benefit people and places. In the 40 years since being founded, the Trust has developed into an organisation that focusses on caring for and protecting wild places. Of course, by doing so, this perhaps indirectly supports Muir’s life and legacy.

We continue to promote Muir's messages for wild places through work such as: our enviornmetal award scheme the John Muir Award (its four challenges - Discover. Explore, Conserve and Share - reflect Muir's own pathways and experiences of wild places); inclusion in wild places: addressing the past present and future response to the Black Lives Matters conversations; and taking on the management of the John Muir Way (a long distance coast to coast path across central Scotland, connecting Helensburgh and Dunbar ).

Toby said: "I was delighted to accept this Conservation Award on behalf of the John Muir Trust - and it was a useful opportunity to reflect on Muir's continued influence across the organisation."