Dr. Cary Fowler

2019 Elizabeth Craig Weaver Proctor Medal

For his visionary leadership role in creating Svalbard Global Seed Vault, thus safeguarding world seed crop diversity and providing food security for future generations.

Proposed by: Memphis Garden Club, Zone IX

Cary Fowler, Ph.D., a global advocate for crop diversity and conservation, has dedicated his professional life to protecting seeds, the plant genetic resources of the planet. His work at the United Nations led to the first global assessment of the state of the world’s crop diversity and the Global Plan of Action for Plant Genetic Resources, adopted by 150 countries in 1996. Cary is best known as the Father of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, established in 2008. The Vault serves as the ultimate backup for seed banks around the world, storing over 400,000,000 seeds of one million unique crop varieties and representing 13,000 years of agriculture. In current and future efforts to combat insects, disease, and changing weather patterns, the diversity of genetic material protected in the Seed Vault is essential. Former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon described the Seed Vault “as an inspirational symbol of peace and food security for the entire humanity.”

The Elizabeth Craig Weaver Proctor Medal is awarded, by specific request, to non-members for exemplary service and creative vision in any field related to The Garden Club of America’s special interests.

Elizabeth Craig Weaver Proctor (1918–2014) was a member of The Garden Club of Nashville, Zone IX, a GCA director and GCA Executive Committee vice president. She served on the Nominating, Literary, and Founders Fund committees and chaired the Public Relations and Visiting Gardens committees. She was instrumental in the relocation of the Howe Garden to Cheekwood Estate & Gardens in 1968 and was a two-term mayor of the city of Belle Meade. She received the Zone IX Creative Leadership Award in 1982 and the GCA’s Amy Angell Collier Montague Medal for outstanding civic achievement in 1991. Elizabeth served on the boards of the American Horticultural Society, Mount Vernon, and Historic Kenmore in Virginia. The award was originally known as the Special Citation (1963–2003). It was endowed by the Elizabeth Craig Weaver Proctor Charitable Foundation in June 2003 and first awarded in 2004.

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