WASHINGTON, D.C. — Louisiana conservationist Martin Floyd has received the National Wildlife Federation’s prestigious Volunteer of the Year Award. Floyd, who formerly led the Louisiana Wildlife Federation, is recognized for his current work as a member of the organization's board of directors and his ongoing conservation work across Louisiana.

“After a long career supporting wildlife in Louisiana, Marty’s impact only continues to grow,” said Collin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “His ongoing efforts to study bird and butterfly populations has made an enormous contribution to citizen science on the Gulf Coast, and his deep support of the Tunica-Biloxi tribe demonstrates a genuine appreciation of the tribe’s culture and historic relationship with local wildlife. Through this work, Marty embodies the federation’s most cherished values.”

“Since my childhood, I’ve had a deep love for the incredible wildlife found across the South,” said Floyd. “I’ve been fortunate to make this my life’s work, and for the opportunity to educate countless others about Louisiana’s unparalleled biodiversity. I look forward to continuing this work for many years to come.”

Floyd spent the majority of his career with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, where most of his work focused on coastal protection and restoration in southern Louisiana. Outside of work, he’s been active with a broad array of conservation-focused organizations, with a particular focus on bird and butterfly population tracking. A longtime friend and collaborator with Louisiana’s Tunica-Biloxi tribe, he recently co-created a coloring book that features the names of local wildlife in both English and tribal dialects. In April of this year, he was honored with the Louisiana Wildlife Federation’s first lifetime achievement award.

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.