Gary Taylor, Ducks Unlimited’s director of governmental affairs, received the Wildlife Management Institute’s (WMI) 2013 George Bird Grinnell Memorial Award for Distinguished Service to Natural Resource Conservation today. The award was presented during the Conservation Administrators Luncheon at the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Arlington, Va.

“My grandfather introduced me to the wonders of the natural world through hunting and fishing, so wildlife conservation was a natural career choice for me,” Taylor said. “My 40 years working in the field have taught me that good conservation is truly good business. Promoting that message has introduced me to a community full of people I respect, admire and have been lucky to work alongside, including Steve Williams at WMI. I am humbled and honored to be recognized with an award named for one of America’s original wildlife conservationists.”

The George Bird Grinnell Memorial Award is named for the prominent conservationist and founding member, along with president Theodore Roosevelt, of the Boone & Crockett Club. WMI presents the award annually to an individual who characterizes Grinnell’s unassuming and selfless qualities of character, his dedication to the science and principles of wildlife management and his intelligence, diplomacy and leadership in North American conservation.

“Gary Taylor is widely respected as a consummate conservationist. He is ardent in his support for conservation, conciliatory when appropriate, and most effective in his work with agencies, conservation organizations and Congress. Gary has worked behind the scenes for decades to advance wildlife policy and the wildlife profession. I am proud to have had the opportunity to work with him,” said WMI President Steve Williams. 

Taylor began his career in 1973 at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, leaving in 1991 after having served as the director of the wildlife division. He then spent 21 years at the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies as the legislative director, representing the collective perspectives of the 50 state fish and wildlife agencies before Congress and the federal executive branch agencies. He joined Ducks Unlimited in June 2012 to oversee public policy efforts in the Washington, D.C., office.

Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 13 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. For more information on our work, visit www.ducks.org. Connect with us on our Facebook page at facebook.com/DucksUnlimited, follow our tweets at twitter.com/DucksUnlimited and watch DU videos at youtube.com/DucksUnlimitedInc.