The Trustees of Reservations

2017 Elizabeth Craig Weaver Proctor Medal

In recognition of 125 years of preservation, stewardship, and conservation of historic and natural landscapes; and for educational conservation and preservation projects that inspire initiatives worldwide.

Proposed by: North Shore GC of Massachusetts, Zone I

Founded in 1891, The Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees) is the world’s first land preservation non-profit and Massachusetts’ largest conservation and preservation organization. Its influence extends far beyond Massachusetts. The Trustees is the precursor and model for the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the US and the UK, inspiring many notable projects. The Trustees oversees 116 of the Commonwealth’s most treasured natural, scenic, and historic sites for public education and enjoyment. Its mission includes property stewardship: protecting and caring for the scenic, historic, and ecological treasures of each reservation. It has created over 5,000 annual programs which inspire and educate the public on the rich history of these sites. Visited by over a million people annually, The Trustees properties span more than 26,000 acres, from working farmlands, forests and miles of coastlines, to community parks, campgrounds, and National Historic Landmarks.

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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