National Wetlands Awards

Announcing the 2025 National Wetlands Awards!

Since 1989, the National Wetlands Awards (NWAs) have been presented annually to individuals who have excelled in wetlands protection, restoration, and education. Through coordinated media outreach and educational events, awardees receive national recognition and attention for their outstanding efforts. 

The NWA program brings awareness to the value of wetlands and celebrates the important work being done to protect them. Over the years, we have given awards to 225 individuals, communities, and agency representatives. 

The Environmental Law Institute is thrilled to announce that nominations categories for the 36th Annual National Wetlands Awards!

• Local/Landowner Stewardship
• Promoting Wetland Education/Awareness
• Wetland Leadership in the Public/Private Sector

The deadline for nominations was February 18, 2025. Finalists will be selected in early March and winners will be announced in early May. Don’t miss this opportunity to honor those making a difference for wetlands across the United States!

For more information, see our Nominations or FAQs tab. Questions/comments? Email us at wetlands@eli.org

Here is a collection of our resources and previous features for the 35th anniversary:

Please visit our new StoryMap to learn more! 

Support

• Donate to Help ELI Protect Wetlands

Community

• Join the National Wetlands Awards Network on LinkedIn
• Email wetlands@eli.org to join our Wetlands Listserv

Podcasts

• People Places Planet | Honoring Mud Lake This Earth Day
• People Places Planet | No Wetlands, No Seafood: How Wilmington, NC is Balancing Conservation and Development
• People Places Planet | Shoreline Solutions: Public-Private Partnerships for Florida's Wetlands
• People Places Planet | Science to the People: Engaging Communities in Wetlands Restoration
• People Places Planet | Enchanted and Endangered: Wetlands Restoration in New Mexico

Blogs

• Celebrating 35 Years of the National Wetlands Awards
• New Book Offers an Intergenerational Approach to Understanding Climate Change
• Wetlands Restoration and Cultural Preservation: A Perspective from the Island of Maui
• The Importance of Outreach and Education for Wetlands Conservation
• Ask Not What the Land Can Do for You—Ask What You Can Do for the Land
• Statistics, Machine Learning, and Wetlands?

Webinars

• A Conversation with the 2023 National Wetlands Awards Winners | Environmental Law Institute

Related Resources

• Written and illustrated by former National Wetlands Award Winner Sam Lovall, Mud Lake is a collection of short adventure stories about a group of young friends living in Haslett, Michigan, during the 1960s and 1970s. Available in print and ebook.