Carlton Ward

2023 J. Sherwood Chalmers Medal

For his inspiring images which effectively advocate for the protection of endangered species, land and water conservation, and the preservation of our environment.

Carlton Ward, Jr. is an enthusiastic conservationist and award-winning National Geographic photographer and filmmaker who tells the stories of endangered species and the need for a sustainable environment. He is a proud eighth-generation Floridian descended from a pioneer ranching family, and honorary member of the GCA.

Carlton played a pivotal role in creating the Florida Wildlife Corridor through legislative advocacy, protecting eighteen million acres of land and water. In 2021, Governor Ron DeSantis signed the Florida Wildlife Corridor bill into law. This project connects all of Florida’s national and state parks with tracts of open land from the Panhandle to the Keys, ensuring the survival of wildlife by protecting habitat and water sources from development. Carlton’s photographs showed how farmers and ranchers are part of the solution, protecting biodiversity and wildlife corridors. Path of the Panther, another project has brought attention to America’s most endangered cat.

Carlton’s work behind the camera on PBS and in National Geographic, Smithsonian, and Nature Conservancy magazines captures the purpose of the GCA, helping to change attitudes and spur people to conserve Florida’s ecosystem.

The J. Sherwood Chalmers Medal is awarded for outstanding achievement in the field of photography and/or photography education as it relates to the purpose of The Garden Club of America.

The J. Sherwood Chalmers Medal is awarded for outstanding achievement in the field of photography and/or photography education as it relates to the purpose of The Garden Club of America. It was first presented in 2020.

The J. Sherwood Chalmers medal is named in honor of donor Jacqueline C. Loomis, a member of Late Bloomers Garden Club, Zone VIII. She was an avid amateur photographer for 35 years before becoming a member of Professional Photographers of America. During her freelance photography career, she published under the pseudonym J. Sherwood Chalmers.

Jacque trained at National Geographic photography workshops, Missouri Photo Workshops taught by acclaimed National Geographic photographers, and the Winona School of Photography. Her distinguished career has taken her to all parts of the world, and her work has been featured in many national publications, including National Geographic and Fortune. She has also exhibited in a one-woman show in Washington, D.C.

The photography medal is designed by Eugene Daub. It features an aperture in the center of a flower, symbolizing nature and photography. Eugene Daub is a recognized American contemporary figure sculptor. He has exhibited extensively and has works in numerous public collections including the Smithsonian Institution and The National Statuary Hall Collection in the US Capitol.

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