Eco-Spirit Award
The Eco-Spirit Award is presented annually to persons whose lives are illuminated by their appreciation of the beauty, mystery, and preciousness of the natural world. They are dynamic role models who engage us in debate, and urge us to explore the implications of our behavior during our present global environmental crisis. They lead us to a path of hope for the future of all life and nature on earth.
The Eco-Spirit Award is presented at the Spirit in Nature Annual Meeting each year.
Eco-Spirit Awardees:
2025: Jim Andrews - for his work on behalf of Vermont’s reptiles and amphibians
2024: Bethany Barry, Brett Gillman and Fran Putnam - for creation of the Pollinator Pathways in Addison County
2023: Carolyn Spooner - as a founding board member, for her work in turning the vision of Spirit In Nature Path Sanctuary into an ongoing reality
2022: Ross Conrad - for his work to protect bees and to promote organic beekeeping
2021: No Eco-Spirit Award was given
2020: Leif Taranta - for leading the effort for Middlebury College to divest from fossil fuels, and for their work in Chiapas on environmental and human rights issues
2019: Jon Turner - for creation of a nature-based farming, gardening and healing program for veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress
2018: Rodney Olsen - for involving young people with raptors, including a hands-on banding program
2017: Marc Lapin - for his work in forestry conservation and education, and advice to SpIN on path location and maintenance
2016: Sunday Night Group - for their activism as Middlebury College students, to prode the college to speak out and act on climate change issues
Alexandra Wylie (Eco-Spirit Spirit Award) - for her support of SpIN, including hosting the earliest annual meetings at her home in Salisbury, as well as for her work at the Vermont Land Trust
2015: Betsy Hardy - for her leadership at Vermont Interfaith Power and Light, working with people of faith around issues of global warming
2014: Sam Guarnaccia - for his musical compositions on ecological themes, including A Celtic Mass for Peace: Songs for the Earth
2013: Daniel Shea - for establishing related spiritual pathways in Massachusetts
2012: David Brynn - as the founder of Vermont Family Forests, for involving Vermont landowners in forest protection
2011: Anne Hoover - for her work as a Quaker to highlight human responsibilities toward the world of nature
2010: Corinne Almquist - for founding the Addison County gleaning program, which links farmers, community volunteers and people in need of food
2009: Laura Asermily - for her work to create bicycle paths in Middlebury
2008: Rebecca Gould - as a professor of religion at Middlebury College, involving her students with SpIN
2007: Paul Bortz - for his role in selecting the site for Spirit In Nature, and putting together a group to make it happen
2006: Steve Maier - for advocacy on behalf of recycling and responsible handling of wastes, as the director of the Addison County Solid Waste Management District
2005: Rich Wolfson - as a physics professor, for educating about the potential of solar power
2004: Warren and Barry King - for sharing their knowledge and love of birds, and organizing activities to protect bird habitat
2003: Stephanie Kaza - for pioneering work at the environmental sciences department of the University of Vermont
2002: John Elder - for his writings expressing the significance of the connections between the human, natural and spiritual worlds
2001: Bill McKibben - for his leadership in highlighting the significance of human-driven climate change, and in organizing efforts to reverse this trend