Initiative honors ten change-makers,
advocates, and unsung scientists responsible for championing a more
sustainable South
CHARLESTON, S.C., Sept. 17,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Garden & Gun, in
partnership with Explore Asheville, reveals this year's Champions of
Conservation in the October/November
2024 issue, on newsstands Sept.
19. Entering its third year, Garden & Gun's
Champions of Conservation initiative spotlights ten leaders and
innovators in sustainability whose groundbreaking work and
environmental projects to protect Southern ecosystems are making
waves across the globe.
"At G&G, conservation has been at the core of our editorial
mission from the beginning," says David
DiBenedetto, Senior Vice President and Editor-in-Chief. "Our
deep appreciation for the South has always been tied to the land,
and we're proud to support the remarkable efforts of those working
to preserve and protect it. We can only hope this coverage spreads
awareness and inspires others."
The editorial team at Garden & Gun assembled a panel
of five conservation experts who spent months rigorously
researching and offering perspective in the selection of this
year's Champions. The 2024 Champions of Conservation panelists
include JJ Apodaca, Executive director of the Amphibian and Reptile
Conservancy in Asheville, N.C. and
a 2023 Garden & Gun Champion; Benny Blanco, a 2022 Garden & Gun
Champion and advocate for conservation at the policymaking level,
acting as an ambassador for such groups as Captains for Clean Water
and the Everglades Foundation; Hilary
Hutcheson, a Montana-based
outfitter, fly-fishing guide, fly-shop owner, and brand ambassador
for such names as Yeti, Patagonia, and Orvis, advocating for
threatened waterways; Julie Moore, a
2023 Garden & Gun Champion and Carolina botanist
protecting the South's iconic insectivorous plants; and
Bill Palmer, president and CEO of
Tall Timbers in Tallahassee, Fla.,
fostering exemplary land stewardship through research, conservation
and education in the Red Hills region.
To honor the newest class of Champions, Garden & Gun
and Explore Asheville invite guests to Hickory Nut Gap Farm outside
of Asheville, N.C., for a cocktail
reception and thought-provoking conversation hosted by
G&G editor in chief David
DiBenedetto. Cocktails & Conservation will take place on
Wednesday, September 25 at
6:00 p.m.
"We are thrilled to partner with Garden & Gun to bring
Champions of Conservation back to Asheville, as this initiative deeply aligns
with our community's values and rising influence as a hub for
climate science and sustainable business," said Vic Isley, president and CEO of Explore
Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority.
"The event serves as a great lead-in to Land to Market's Covering
Ground conference the next day, where global brands focused on
regenerative farming and sustainable supply chains will share
innovative practices for a sustainable future."
Learn more about the 2024 Champions of Conservation in the
October/November issue of Garden & Gun on newsstands,
and online at www.gardenandgun.com.
2024 CHAMPIONS OF CONSERVATION
- Kyle Lybarger of the Native
Habitat Project (Hartselle,
Ala.): Native plants and grasses go viral in the hands
of a social-media-savvy Alabama
forester.
- Jimmy Bullock of RMS Timber
Company (Birmingham, Ala.): A
Mississippi forester forges a
blueprint for how private timberland owners can save threatened
Southern species.
- Bernie Kuhajda of the
Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute (Chattanooga, Tenn.): From sun-brightened
streams to dark, dank caves, an ichthy-obsessed biologist
tenaciously protects the South's aquatic animals.
- Becky Griffin of the
Southeast Pollinator Census (Perry,
Ga.): One entomologist's buzzy idea inspires an army of
citizen scientists.
- Kelly Holdbrooks of the
Southern Highlands Reserve and Southern Appalachian Spruce
Restoration Initiative (Lake Toxaway,
N.C.): Consider this advocate the Johnny Appleseed of
one of the South's most endangered trees.
- Lauren D. Pharr and Murry
Burgess of Field Inclusive (Raleigh,
N.C. and Starkville,
Miss.): After experiencing unease in the field, two
scientists start a nonprofit to help other historically
marginalized or excluded nature lovers.
- Beatriz Chachamovits (Miami,
Fla.): A ceramist and educator's interactive coral reefs
put the dire straits of Florida's
waters into relief.
- Devon Parfait of the
Environmental Defense Fund and Mississippi River Delta Coalition
(Marrero, La.): A coastal
scientist and the young new chief of the Grand Caillou/Dulac Band of the Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw on a
mission to preserve disappearing tribal lands.
- Tony Friedrich of the
American Saltwater Guides Association (Kent Narrows, Md.):
Harnessing passion for the ocean's fisheries into powerful action
is all in a day's work for this Chesapeake guide.
- Cowper Chadbourn and
Debbie Doss of the Arkansas
Watertrails Partnership (Conway,
Ark.): A married duo help keep Arkansas rivers and
streams flowing free and clear.
About Garden & Gun
Garden & Gun is a multiplatform media company
that celebrates stories of the American South through powerful
journalism, bold photography, exquisite design, and finely curated
retail and experiential journeys. The brand is anchored by its
award-winning national magazine launched in 2007, Garden &
Gun, which reports on the South's sporting culture, food,
music, art, literature, and its people and their ideas. The coveted
audience of 1.6 million is further engaged through numerous
New York Times best-selling books,
Fieldshop by Garden & Gun retail experience, the
Garden & Gun Club restaurants, and 75+ events each year.
Visit gardenandgun.com.
About Explore Asheville
Asheville is where unrivaled
natural beauty and bold creative expression meet. The colorful Blue
Ridge Mountain city is steps away from the world's most biodiverse
forests and the tallest peaks in the East. For generations,
Asheville has nurtured and
inspired a compassionate community that's deeply rooted and ever
evolving – just like the ancient French Broad River that runs
through it. It's an anchor destination for two of the most visited
National Park Service units in the United
States – the Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smoky Mountains
National Park. For the most up-to-date happenings and travel ideas,
visit ExploreAsheville.com.
Media Contact:
Ashley Mills
ashley@goldenword.co
908.803.2604
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