Johnsgard to receive National Wildlife Federation award

Ornithologist and conservationist Paul A. Johnsgard, foundation professor emeritus at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, will receive a 2004 National Conservation Achievement Award from the National Wildlife Federation.

Johnsgard will receive the science award at the federation's annual banquet March 31 in Washington, D.C.

"Paul Johnsgard is one of the world's leading ornithologists and conservationists," according to the NWF. "He is a prolific author and artist and a foremost authority on cranes and waterfowl. His writings, with concise and easily read text, are a model of how to effectively bring conservation science to the public. He is an outspoken advocate for the wildlife he loves, fighting throughout a lifetime to protect Nebraska's natural heritage.

"Few individuals have contributed so much to our understanding and appreciation of the natural world. Professor Paul Johnsgard has changed lives and made the earth a better place by inspiring and mentoring leaders who care about wildlife."

A member of the UNL faculty for more than 40 years and the author of 49 books during that time, Johnsgard became an emeritus professor in 2002, although he has continued to lecture on, research, write about and create artwork of Nebraska wildlife. His latest book is "Prairie Dog Empire: A Saga of the Shortgrass Prairie" (University of Nebraska Press, 2005). Although he has extensively studied a variety of Great Plains wildlife, he is internationally known for his study of birds and in particular, waterfowl and cranes. He was the subject of a 1989 documentary, "A Passion for Birds," and scripted "Cranes of the Grey Wind" (1990), a PBS Nature special. In 2002 he published "The Nature of Nebraska," which National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore described as "the new reference book on Nebraska natural history." He was the first UNL faculty member to collectively win the Distinguished Teaching award, the Outstanding Research and Creative Activity Award, and a University Foundation professorship. Over a 40-year period, he taught more than 5,000 UNL undergraduates and advised 20 graduate students.

Johnsgard has won conservation awards from the Stewards of the Platte, and from both the Lincoln chapter and the Nebraska section of the National Audubon Society, as well as a wide variety of writing awards for his books. He was listed by the Lincoln Journal Star in 1999 as one of "100 people who have helped build Nebraska -- politically, economically, socially or physically, in the past 100 years," and by the Omaha World-Herald in 1999 as one of the 100 outstanding Nebraskans of the 20th century.

The annual NWF awards honor individuals and organizations whose achievements in wildlife and natural resource conservation deserve national recognition. Other honorees March 31 will include Lady Bird Johnson, Conservationist of the Year; the Arkansas Wildlife Federation, Gov. Bill Richardson, Sens. Joseph Lieberman and John McCain for legislation; and several other government, international, philanthropic and education associations.

The NWF also cited Johnsgard's work in conserving Platte River habitat for migratory birds as a special contribution to wildlife conservation.

CONTACT: Paul A. Johnsgard, Foundation Professor Emeritus, (402) 472-2728