For Immediate Release
Twentynine Palms, CA, December 3, 2019 – The Joshua Tree National Park Association is pleased to announce David Lamfrom, the Southeast Regional Director for the National Parks Conservation Association and longtime advocate for the California deserts, as the recipient of the 2019 Minerva Hoyt Conservation Award.
The purpose of this award is to recognize individuals or organizations that have made notable achievements in the areas of leadership, protection, preservation, research, education, and stewardship leading to a significant and lasting contribution on behalf of the deserts of California. The program date and location are as of yet to be determined.
David’s impressive list of efforts make him the perfect awardee. He joined the NPCA Pacific Region staff after spending three years as a regional vice-president for an environmental consulting firm in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Prior to that, David was employed in diverse wildlife and agricultural research biology positions including experiences in the fields of aquaculture, agricultural biology and herpetology. He volunteered time and expertise as a naturalist for the Wildlife Research Team, a non-profit organization who has had tremendous success utilizing non-mechanized mangrove restoration in Biscayne Bay, Florida. As a graduate of New College of Florida, David has had the opportunity to conduct significant study in the fields of ecology, herpetology, foreign languages, Native American studies, and art.
As the director of California Desert and Wildlife Programs for NPCA, he worked on policy, legislation, media, building community, and connecting desert voices to the administration and congress. David has run campaigns to protect tens of thousands of acres of sacred desert lands from inappropriate development. He has been fortunate to work with desert communities for the past decade to designate 3 national monuments, totaling 1.8 million acres, including a new national park service unit.
In his current position, David uses his passion and knowledge of our natural, cultural and historical resources to continue to inspire others to learn about and protect our national parks. Published both as an author and wildlife photographer in several issues of Wild South magazine, David is an avid naturalist, hiker, and photographer who spends his free time exploring wildlife and wilderness.
Previous recipients of Minerva Hoyt California Desert Conservation Award are:
2004 Susan Luckie Reilly
2005 Larry & Donna Charpied
2006 David Myers and The Wildlands Conservancy
2007 John Wohlmuth and the Coachella Valley Association of Governments
2008 Mark Jorgenson, Superintendent of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
2009 United States Senator Dianne Feinstein
2010 Owens Valley Committee
2011 Elden E. Hughes
2012 Steven L. & Ruth Rieman
2013 Dee & Betty Zeller
2014 Terry Weiner and The Desert Protective Council
2015 Nancy Karl
2016 Cindy Zacks
2017 Pat Flanagan
2018 Robin Kobaly
For further press information, call Jacqueline Guevara, Executive Director, Joshua Tree National Park Association – 760-361-9359
