The William T. Hornaday Awards are a series of awards presented by the Boy Scouts of America

Boy Scouts of America

The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...

 for service in conservation

Conservation ethic

Conservation is an ethic of resource use, allocation, and protection. Its primary focus is upon maintaining the health of the natural world: its, fisheries, habitats, and biological diversity. Secondary focus is on materials conservation and energy conservation, which are seen as important to...

 and ecology

Ecology

Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...

. The program is designed to encourage learning about natural resource conservation and the environment, teach sound stewardship of the natural resources and the environment, and recognize those who are outstanding in this field.

Awards

Recipients of the Bronze, Silver and Gold Medal may wear the corresponding square knot insignia, with a blue, green and white knot on a tan background, on the BSA uniform. The Hornaday Gold Award has only been awarded 50 times in 100 years.

Recipients of the Badge or Gold Badge may wear the corresponding badge on their uniform.

Program

The awards are presented at several levels:

• The Unit Award is a certificate presented at the council level to a BSA unit that completes a significant conservation service project.

• The William T. Hornaday Badge is a council level award that can be earned by Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts, and Venturers by completing certain advancement requirements and performing at least one substantial project.

• The William T. Hornaday Gold Badge is a council level award presented to adult Scouters who have provided significant leadership in conservation at the council or district level over a period of at least three years.

• The William T. Hornaday Bronze Medal is a national level award that can be earned by Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts, and Venturers by completing certain advancement requirements and performing at least three bronze substantial projects.

• The William T. Hornaday Silver Medal is a national level award that can be earned by Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts, and Venturers by completing certain advancement requirements and performing at least four silver substantial projects.

• The William T. Hornaday Gold Medal is a national level award presented to adult Scouters who have provided significant leadership in conservation on a national or regional basis over a period of at least twenty years.

• The William T. Hornaday Gold Certificate is a national level award presented to corporations or organizations who have provided outstanding contribution to youth conservation education for at least three years.

Origins

This awards program was created to recognize those that have made significant contributions to conservation. It was begun in 1914 by Dr. William T. Hornaday, director of the New York Zoological Park and founder of the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. Dr. Hornaday was an active and outspoken champion of natural resource conservation and a leader in saving the American bison from extinction. He named the award the Wildlife Protection Medal. After his death in 1937, the award was renamed in Dr. Hornaday's honor and became a Boy Scouts of America award.

In the early 1970s, the present awards program was established with funding help from DuPont

DuPont

E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...

. At that time, the late Dr. Hornaday's idea of conservation was broadened to include environmental awareness.

Approximately 1,100 medals have been awarded over the past 80 years. These awards represent a substantial commitment of time and energy by individuals who have learned the meaning of a conservation/environmental ethic. Any Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, or Venturer willing to devote the time and energy to work on a project based on sound scientific principles and guided by a conservation professional or a well-versed layperson can qualify for one of the Hornaday Awards.