Hagie Award Nominations

Dedicated conservation volunteers and professionals are the keys to protecting Iowa's natural beauty.  This prestigious award, has been given through the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation every year since 1989. 

The recipient is presented with $1,000 and a hand-carved sculpture recognizing his or her achievements. All nominees willl receive notification and a year's free membership to INHF. No matter who receives the award, all nominees are winners. Nominations for the 2012 Hagie Heritage Award are due June 15, 2012.

For help in preparing your nomination, please view our letter writing tips, purpose and history of the award and profiles of past winners.

Eligibility Rules

1. The most important eligibility requirement was defined by the Hagie family: The award should go to an Iowan "who demonstrates an extraordinary personal service and commitment to improving the quality of Iowa's natural environment and who encourages others to do the same."
2. The following groups are NOT eligible: posthumous nominations, self-nominations, political officials or candidates.
3. Most past awards have gone to volunteers. Conservation professionals are eligible to receive the award, but the judges' focus will be on activities that go above and beyond their job duties, so nominators MUST emphasize these in the letters.

Past award recipients range from conservationists to doctors, farmers and retired Iowans. They include people who encourage energy conservation, provide environmental education, initiate and support county conservation projects, protect and restore their own land, or enthusiastically speak for Iowa's natural treasures.

Nomination process

The nomination process is simple and straight-forward. There is no application form. Those wishing to nominate an individual should submit two letters of recommendation from different sources. A nomination by a family member is not encouraged, but is accepted if accompanied by two non-family nominations.

The letters should outline what the nominee has personally done for Iowa's natural heritage and how the nominee has encouraged others to protect natural resources. Conservation professionals are eligible for the award, but the nomination must be based on activities outside their regular job description and duties. Posthumous and self-nominations will not be accepted. The names, addresses and telephone numbers of the nominee and nominators should also be included.

Who to contact

Please send all nominations, correspondence and/or any questions to Ann Robinson, Outreach Coordinator, at 515- 288-1846, ext. 24.

Mailing address:
Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation
ATTN: Ann
505 Fifth Avenue, Suite 444,
Des Moines, IA 50309-2321

NOTE: Many years ago, international scam artists used the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and the Lawrence and Eula Hagie Heritage Award names to announce false winners in a giveaway as a means of obtaining people's personal identification information. If you're offered such an award in suspicious circumstances, please contact us.