Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy

2020 Cynthia Pratt Laughlin Medal

In appreciation for the dedication, creativity and leadership demonstrated through land preservation and environmental stewardship in the Southern Appalachian Mountains for present and future generations.

Proposed by: The French Broad River Garden Club Foundation, Zone VII

The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC), founded in 1974 and the oldest land trust in the Southeastern United States, is working to save the “spine” of the Southern Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina and Tennessee. Totalling 75,000 acres, the SAHC protects water quality, wildlife and rare plant habitat, farmland, scenic viewsheds, and spaces for outdoor recreation. Its Farmland Preservation Program teaches aspiring farmers to create resilient rural communities, and local residents and tourists learn to appreciate the beauty and importance of the land through numerous SAHC programs. The SAHC connects people with the land through community engagement, farmer education, and volunteerism, thereby preserving the natural heritage and quality of life.

The Cynthia Pratt Laughlin Medal is awarded for outstanding achievement in environmental protection and the maintenance of the quality of life.

Designed by sculptor Charles Parks, the medal was endowed in 1979 by Mrs. William K. Laughlin of the Southampton Garden Club, New York. Previous winners include former Nature Conservancy President Patrick Noonan (1984), the Outdoor Circle of Hawaii (1985), writer/philosopher/farmer Wendell Berry (2008), and the United State Green Building Council (2009).

See other winners of this medal