Awards

Historical Restoration Award
More about this award
Nomination: Any member of the NMFSH can make a nomination. Then the Museum Awards Committee will work with the nominating person(s) to complete the process by providing their recommendations and supporting evidence for submission to the Museum Board of Directors.
Selection: The Board of Directors will select individuals for this award based upon the nomination information and recommendation of the Awards Committee.
The Award: A plaque will be presented to the recipient at an appropriate event. An attempt will be made to include the National Forest Service Historian or Regional Office Historian in the presentation ceremony. The recipient’s name will also be added to a permanent recognition plaque prominently displayed at the Museum facility listing all the previous winners of this award.

Conservation Legacy Award
More about this award
Nomination: Any member of the NMFSH can make a nomination. Then the Museum Awards Committee will work with the nominating person(s) to promptly complete the process by providing their recommendations and supporting evidence for submission to the Museum Board of Directors.
Selection: The Board of Directors will select winners based upon the nomination information and recommendation of the Museum Awards Committee.
The Award: A bronze bust of America’s first Forest Ranger, William R. Kreutzer, with an engraved plate, will be presented to the recipient at an appropriate event. An attempt will be made to include the Chief or his/her representative in the presentation ceremony. Their name will also be added to a permanent recognition plaque prominently displayed at the Museum facility listing all of the previous award winners.

Curator’s Award
More about this award
Nomination: Upon receipt of a significant artifact donation to the Museum, the Museum Curator will nominate this donor for consideration by the Executive Director.
Selection: The Executive Director will approve or disapprove this selection.
The Award: A plaque will be presented by the Executive Director to the recipient at an appropriate event. The recipient’s name will also be added to a permanent recognition plaque prominently displayed at the Museum facility listing all the previous recipients.

Gary G. Brown Founder’s Award
More about this award
Nomination: Any member of the NMFSH can nominate someone. Then the Museum Awards Committee will work with the nominating person(s) to complete the nomination process by providing their recommendations and supporting evidence to the Museum Board of Directors.
Selection: The Board of Directors will select individuals for this award based upon the nomination information and recommendation of the Award Committee.
The Award: A plaque will be presented to the individual at an appropriate event. Their name will also be added to a permanent recognition plaque prominently displayed at the Museum facility listing previous winners. An attempt will be made to include the Chief or his/her representative in the presentation ceremony.

Leisz Leadership Award
The Leisz Leadership Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated outstanding and distinguished leadership of and for the United States Forest Service as both an employee and a volunteer. In order to be considered for this Award, the selected individual must:
- Have been recognized as an distinguished career leader in the U. S. Forest Service
- Have continued to demonstrate outstanding leadership as a volunteer in the National Association of Forest Service Retirees and the National Museum of Forest Service History
More about this award
Eligibility: Any person who has made exceptional contributions to the United States Forest Service and the National Museum of Forest Service History and the National Association of Forest Service Retirees pertaining to the Purpose described above. There are no specific criteria for the selection of individuals to receive this Award other than the judgement of worthiness as determined by the Board of Directors of the National Museum of Forest Service History and the National Association of Forest Service Retirees.
Nomination: Any past or present member of the Board of Directors of either organization can nominate someone for this Award. After a nomination has been received, the Award Committees from both organizations will process the nomination, develop supporting evidence, and present their recommendation to their individual Board of Directors.
Selection: The Board of Directors have the sole responsibility to select individuals for this Award based upon the nomination information and recommendation of their respective Award Committees. The Boards of Directors must approve the nomination of the individual selected for this Award and share their decision with the other Board. If one Board does not support the person nominated for the Award and the other does, the supporting Board can submit a request for reconsideration and their rationale to the Board who denied the award. The Award will not be given if the Board of Directors of either organization fails to support the nomination.
The Award: The organizations will jointly share in the cost of this Leisz Leadership Award. A bronze bust of Gifford Pinchot or an engraved plaque with an appropriate likeness of Gifford Pinchot will be the Award. The Award will be presented at an National Forest Service Reunion.
Presentation of the First Leisz Leadership Award
The award was presented to Doug at the Eldorado National Forest headquarters in Placerville, CA on August 14 by Tom Thompson, President of the National Museum of Forest Service History, and Al West, representing the National Association of Forest Service Retirees. A group of friends were on hand to help congratulate Doug on this special recognition. Acknowledgement of this presentation and the establishment of this recognition will be made with video at the upcoming National Forest Service Reunion in Asheville, North Carolina in late September.
Doug retired as Associate Chief in 1982 and was a former Regional Forester in the Pacific Southwest Region and also served as the Forest Supervisor on the Eldorado National Forest in the early 1960’s. Doug was the founding Chair of the National Association of Forest Service Retirees and also served on the Board of the National Museum of Forest Service History for many years. Doug’s passion, dedication, and commitment to lead the Forest Service and support it through continuing efforts in both of these organizations over many years inspired the two respective Boards to establish this award in his honor.
Nominate Someone Today
Fill out the form below to nominate someone for one of the above awards. Choose which award you are nominating someone for, then tell us a bit about your nominee and how their conservation efforts deserve special recognition.
Deadline: February 1, 2024
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