The Joshua Tree National Park Association announced the selection of 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. Executive director Jacqueline Guevara said the purpose of the 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.
Guevara said, “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, Lamfrom worked on policy, legislation, media, building community, and connecting desert voices to the administration and congress.
Lamfrom 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 three national monuments, totaling 1.8 million acres, including a new national park service unit.
In his current position, Lamfrom 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
