Scott Fisher Chosen Sunset Magazine’s “Environmental Hero”

Maui’s Scott Fisher, director of conservation for the Hawaiian Islands Land Trust, is Sunset magazine's Environmental Award “Hero: 40 & Under.” Courtesy of Sunset.

By Sonia Isotov

Scott Fisher, director of conservation for the Hawaiian Islands Land Trust, was amongst the winners of Sunset magazine’s 2012 Environmental Awards in the pages of its March issue.

Only two individuals were honored for their solo efforts in preservation: Audrey Rust of Silicon Valley’s Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) received the “Hero: Lifetime Achievement” award, while Maui’s Scott Fisher was recognized as “Hero: 40 & Under.”

These awards celebrate the achievements of the people and organizations that are fighting to keep the West at its most pristine and beautiful.

“The projects and people we honor this year are outstanding in every way,” said Peter Fish, Sunset editor-at-large, in a written statement. “We received massive amounts of emails nominating candidates and almost all were very good, so it was a difficult choice.”

Sunset editors searched the West for the winners, concentrating on newly protected land. Awards were given in categories such as Best Wild Kingdom, which celebrates one of the nation’s biggest private conservation land purchases, Best Shoreline, and “Capital of Green,” which was awarded to Washington’s Olympic Peninsula for two separate projects that preserve beautiful rivers and forests.

The magazine’s editors and an esteemed pane of judges also honor Education Programs and Visitor Centers helping to promote ongoing interaction with and appreciation of the environment.

“The recession has had a silver lining when it comes to the environment,” continued Fish, who served as one of the award program’s judges. “Land development and competition from real estate developers is down, meaning that land trusts have a better chance of obtaining and protecting land.”

The winners are as follows:

•     BEST SHORELINE: Devil’s Head, WA

•     BEST LOCAL LAND TRUST: McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ

•     BEST VISITOR CENTER: Gateway to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, Scottsdale, AZ

•     BEST WILD KINGDOM:  Montana Legacy Project, MT

•     BEST EDUCATION PROGRAM: Wildlands Conservancy, Southern California

•     BEST LAKE: Independence Lake, near Truckee, CA

•     BEST ADDITION TO A NATIONAL PARK: Rancho Corral de Tierra, San Mateo County, CA

•     BEST RANCHLAND: Sommers-Grindstone Conservation Project, Pinedale, WY

•     BEST CAPITAL OF GREEN: Washington’s Olympic Peninsula

A full profile of the winners can be found on page 72 of the March issue of Sunset magazine and http://www.sunset.com.