ϲʿֱֳ WCPA Recognises Wilderness Champions at the 12th World Wilderness Congress
August 27, 2024 – Rapid City, He Sapa, South Dakota, USA: ϲʿֱֳ and the ϲʿֱֳ World Commission on Protected Areas honoured two longtime Wilderness advocates and researchers with the prestigious Fred Packard Award for Outstanding service to Protected Areas in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to conservation in wilderness areas around the world.
ϲʿֱֳ and ϲʿֱֳ WCPA were pleased to award two Fred Packard Awards for Outstanding service to Protected Areas at the (WILD12) being convened in He Sapa, Black Hills, South Dakota, USA from 25-31 August, 2024. This prestigious award, named after Fred Packard, former Secretary of ϲʿֱֳ WCPA in the 1970s, honours individuals who have shown extraordinary valour and dedication to the preservation and protection of nature.
The first recipient, Vance Martin, serves as co-chair of the ϲʿֱֳ WCPA Wilderness Specialist Group and was celebrated for his lifelong commitment to wilderness conservation. Madhu Rao, ϲʿֱֳ WCPA Chair, praised his tireless efforts: “Wilderness is of extraordinary relevance in the world we live in today. Vance Martin has devoted his entire life advocating for wilderness protected areas in many corners of the world. Through this award, WCPA recognizes Vance’s unique passion and lifelong commitment and work on wilderness protected areas. We are extremely proud to have him as a long-serving co-lead of WCPA’s Wilderness Specialist Group.”
Alan Watson, co-author of the Management Guidelines for ϲʿֱֳ Protected Area Category 1b (Wilderness) and committed wilderness researcher, was the second honouree, recognized for his longstanding service to wilderness and the World Wilderness Congresses. Alan's leadership as Executive Editor of the International Journal of Wilderness has further cemented his legacy as a key figure in wilderness research and conservation.
Trevor Sandwith, Director of the ϲʿֱֳ Centre for Conservation Action, shared: “Both Vance and Alan have made enormous contributions to asserting and understanding the qualities of wilderness, those special places on earth that are revered and experienced by so many seeking solitude and respite from the rest of the world dominated by human activities. While drawing attention to the need to respect and conserve wilderness areas, they have also traced the origins of the stewardship of wilderness by diverse communities of Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and many others, who draw inspiration and life from the deep cultural associations of people and places”.
The 12th World Wilderness Congress provided a fitting platform to honour these two influential figures, whose work continues to inspire and shape the future of wilderness conservation worldwide.