Duke of Edinburgh Conservation Medal

The Duke of Edinburgh Conservation Medal "is WWF’s premier award. The purpose of the medal is to recognize, once a year, highly meritorious contributions to the conservation of wildlife and natural resources.

"At its inception in 1970 it was known as the WWF Gold Medal, but on Prince Philip’s retirement as WWF International’s president in 1996 it was renamed the Duke of Edinburgh Conservation Medal as a tribute to him.

"The WWF Selection Committee will assess the work of the candidates with the following factors in mind: contribution to conservation; scientific credentials; enhancement of WWF’s international image; the ability to influence further conservation achievements.

"Recipients of the award receive a gold medal in a sustainably-sourced rosewood box donated by the Chamber of Mines of South Africa, a Rolex watch, and a certificate signed by the Duke of Edinburgh and the Director General of WWF."

Recipients of the Duke of Edinburgh Conservation Medal

• 2008 - Marina Silva (Brazil)
• 2007 - Dr. Denzil Miller (South Africa)
• 2006 - Dr. James E. Hansen (USA)
• 2005 - Dr. Tirtha Man Maskey (Nepal)
• 2004 - Prof. Brian Morton (UK)
• 2003 - Dr. Anton Rupert (South Africa)
• 2002 - Hemendra Singh Panwar (India)
• 2001 - Prof Qu Geping (China)
• 2000 - Aleksey Vladimirovich Yablokov (Russia)
• 1999 - Tengku Datuk Zainal Adlin (Malaysia)
• 1998 - Dr. Luc Hoffman (Switzerland)
• 1997 - Prof Paulo Nogueira Neto (Brazil)
• 1996 - Dr Ernst Von Weizsacker (Germany)
• 1995 - South Africa National Parks Board and Richtersveld Community Natal Parks Board (South Africa)
• 1994 - Shoaib Sultan Khan (Pakistan)
• 1993 - Dr. Ivan Voloscuk (Slovak Republic)
• 1992 - Dr. Marcio Ayres (Brazil)
• 1991 - Ms Mary Helena Allegretti (Brazil)
• 1990 - Dr. Edward O. Wilson (USA)
• 1989 - Lester R. Brown (USA)
• 1988 - Prof Vo Quy (Vietnam)
• 1987 - HRH Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands and Prof Paul Ehrlich (USA)
• 1986 - Sir Peter Scott (UK)
• 1985 - Dr. George Archibald (Canada)
• 1984 - Dr. Richard Evans Schultes (USA)
• 1983 - Dr. Norman Myers (UK)
• 1982 - Max Nicholson (UK)
• 1981 - Prof Jean-Jacques Petter (France)
• 1980 - Dr George B. Schaller (USA)
• 1979 - Dr Sydney Holt (USA)
• 1978 - Guy Mountfort (UK)
• 1977 - Prof Dr Rudolf Schenkel (Switzerland)
• 1976 - Arjan Singh (India)
• 1975 - Michel Anna (France)
• 1974 - Dr Anne LaBastille (USA)
• 1970 - Prof. Bernhard Grzimek (Germany), Sir Julian Huxley (UK) and Dr Jacques Verschuren (Belgium)
• 1971 - Ms Phillys Barclay-Smith (UK), John S. Owen (UK) and Dr Jose A. Valverde (Spain)
• 1972 - Prof Andry G. Bannikov (USSR), Major Ian R. Grimwood (UK) and Dr Roger Tory Peterson (USA)
• 1973 - Prof Archie Carr (USA), Dr Jose C. M. Carvalho (Brazil) and Col Jack Vincent (South Africa)