Celebrating exceptional leadership and commitment to protecting birds and their habitats
Audubon Connecticut is hosting its annual Environmental Leadership Awards Benefit at the Greenwich Audubon Center on Thursday, June 8, 2023, to honor individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership and commitment to the conservation of birds and their habitats. This year’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Gary Palmer, a long-time advocate for avian conservation in the state.
The event begins with a cocktail reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner and the awards program at 7:30 p.m. In addition to honoring Palmer, the evening will feature a special presentation by Melissa Groo, a former Lifetime Achievement Award winner, renowned bird photographer, and current advisor to Audubon on photography content and ethics.
Gary Palmer has been a tireless advocate for bird conservation throughout his life. A co-founder of the Quaker Ridge Hawk Watch in 1972, he was instrumental in hiring the first official hawk counter in 1985, a position that has since become a career entry point for young conservationists. Palmer has also compiled the Greenwich-Stamford Christmas Bird Count for nearly 50 years and co-founded the Greenwich Audubon Center’s Summer Bird Count in 1976, one of the first of its kind in the United States and the first in Connecticut. Since the early 1960s, he has served on the Advisory Board for the Greenwich Center or his local Audubon chapter.
Featured speaker Melissa Groo (daughter of Greenwich features writer Anne W. Semmes), the 2015 Audubon Photography Awards Grand Prize Winner, uses her photography to promote conservation and is a fellow with the International League of Conservation Photographers. Her work is currently on display in Kiernan Hall at the Greenwich Audubon Center.
The Environmental Leadership Awards Benefit is an opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate the efforts of those who have worked tirelessly to protect birds and their habitats. The event not only honors the awardees but also raises funds to support Audubon Connecticut’s vital bird conservation initiatives.
Stay tuned for more information about the 2023 Environmental Leadership Awards Benefit or to purchase tickets.
