51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú

NEW YORK —&²Ô²ú²õ±è;On the heels of the premier of the BBC Series Blue Planet II, the 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú announced that it will honor the show’s host, legendary explorer Sir David Attenborough, as well as environmental justice leader and renowned conservation expert Dave Morine at its annual gala on March 1, 2018.

Legendary naturalist, author and pioneer of the nature documentary, Sir David Attenborough, will be presented with the 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú Medal, one of the highest honors in conservation. The medal recognizes outstanding achievements in conservation and environmental protection and only 53 people have received the medal to date in the 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú’s 112-year history. Attenborough is being recognized for educating a global audience about wildlife, ecology and conservation for more than 60 years. In that time, he set a new standard for nature programming and captured the imagination of an entire generation with his natural-history series Life on Earth.

The recipient of this year’s Dan W. Lufkin Prize for Environmental Leadership will be Dave Morine, a renowned expert on conservation through land acquisition. The Lufkin Prize is awarded to those who have dedicated their lives to the environment and on-the-ground conservation. Morine has spent nearly two decades leading The Nature Conservancy’s efforts to secure land for the long-term health of habitat, ecosystems and biodiversity. During his tenure, he also oversaw the conservation of more than three million acres of forests, wetlands, deserts, islands and rivers across the U.S. As a recipient of this award, Morine will also receive $100,000 to continue this important work.

In addition, the 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú will present its President’s Award to , the Co-founder and Executive Director of and a past member of the 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú New York Board of Directors. WE ACT’s mission is to build healthy communities by ensuring that people of color and/or low-income residents participate meaningfully in the creation of sound and fair environmental health and protection policies and practices. Shepard works with northern Manhattan residents and environmental justice organizations across the country to protect the environment and advance local and federal environmental health policies. She combines grassroots organizing, advocacy, coalition building and community-based participatory research to ensure a clean, healthy and sustainable environment for all.

Who: Sir David Attenborough, David Morine, Peggy Shepard.

What: 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú’s Annual Gala.

When: Thursday, March 1, 2018.

Where: Rainbow Room, Rockefeller Center.

Theme: 2018 Year of the Bird, celebrating the 100^th anniversary of the most important bird conservation law on the books: the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Partners at National Geographic, Cornell Lab of Ornithology and BirdLife International will engage participants in a year of personal actions to benefit birds and the places they need.

Ticket Information: Mike Nuno (212) 979-3030 or mnuno@audubon.org.

To learn more about the event visit: http://www.audubon.org/audubon-2018-gala.

The 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow, throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education and on-the-ground conservation. 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú’s state programs, nature centers, chapters and partners have an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire and unite diverse communities in conservation action. Since 1905, 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú’s vision has been a world in which people and wildlife thrive. 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú is a nonprofit conservation organization. Learn more at www.audubon.org and @audubonsociety.

Contact: Stephanie Morris, Dini von Mueffling Communications, Stephanie@dvmcpr.com, (646) 650-5005.

###