WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM) has received the National Wildlife Federation’s annual Affiliate of the Year Award, in honor of its strong record of conservation achievements and contributions to the federation’s broader goals.

CFM has found significant success in its legislative advocacy in recent years. The group has successfully passed a conservation-focused bill in each of the previous four legislative sessions and secured key support in Congress for the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act. They’ve been champions of habitat restoration, having established over 30 acres of monarch and pollinator-friendly habitat in Missouri’s Ozark Highlands over the past two years, while supporting communities in need through its Share the Harvest program. CFM has also demonstrated a steadfast commitment to values of equity and justice through data-gathering initiatives, learning sessions, adjustments to its strategic plan and a boots-on-the-ground grant program.

“CFM’s recent track record has been truly spectacular,” said Collin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “Thanks to relentless advocacy and coalition building, they’ve played a leading role in several major statewide successes. And they haven’t stopped there — by championing the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, CFM has gotten us closer to securing a generational victory for wildlife on a federal level.”

“Over the past year and beyond, our team has worked tremendously hard to deliver victories for wildlife and people across Missouri,” said Tyler Schwartze, executive director of the Conservation Federation of Missouri. “This honorable recognition is a testament to the incredible group of individuals working together in our Federation family. But our work is far from done, and we look forward to continuing and advancing these strong efforts even further in the coming years.”

The National Wildlife Federation Conservation Achievement Awards began in 1966. Since then, the National Wildlife Federation has celebrated individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to protecting wildlife through education, advocacy, communication and on-the-ground conservation. Previous honorees have included former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, First Ladies Lady Bird Johnson and Michelle Obama, and other national leaders, including U.S. Senator John McCain and filmmaker Robert Redford.