ecoBenefête 2020: A virtual celebration of Georgia’s people and environment

Thursday, November 19, 2020 // VIRTUAL GALA

At ecoBenefête 2020, the Georgia Conservancy was honored to recognize the conservation successes of both Dr. Johnny Bembry and Brionté McCorkle and to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Coastal Marshlands Protection Act.

We remain so very thankful for your support of Georgia's people and environment.

the Distinguished Conservationist Award

Dr. Johnny Bembry

Each year, the Georgia Conservancy confers the Distinguished Conservationist Award in recognition of an individual or institution that has left a profound and lasting impact on the conservation and protection of Georgia’s natural resources. The award has been presented each year since 1994 at the Georgia Conservancy’s annual gala, ecoBenefête.

This year, it is our honor to recognize Dr. Johnny Bembry, Hawkinsville-native and Pulaski County forester, as our 2020 Distinguished Conservationist for his efforts to advance both sustainable forestry practices and ecologically-minded use of conservation easements and programs on private working lands. Dr. Bembry will also be recognized for his work to promote the establishment of a National Park and Preserve in Middle Georgia.

Past Distinguished Conservationist Award recipients: Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Rob Williams, Governor Nathan Deal, Lieutenant Governor Pierre Howard, Georgia Tech’s College of Architecture, The City of Columbus, Ben Slade III, Will Harris III, E. Cody Laird, Jr., The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Emory University, Jim Kennedy, Atlantic Station, Ray Weeks, Charles Brewer, Clay Long, Garden Club of Georgia, Laura and Rutherford Seydel, Congressman John Lewis, James Mackay, Governor Zell Miller, Atlanta Journal-Constitution Horizon, Ray C. Anderson, Senator Sam Nunn, Ted Turner, Chuck Leavell, and Eugene Odum.

Georgia PROJECT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Coastal Marshlands Protection Act - 50th Anniversary

On the 50th Anniversary of its creation, the Georgia Conservancy is proud to recognize the Coastal Marshlands Protection Act as a Georgia project of significance. Passed in 1970, the Coastal Marshlands Protection Act was visionary in its approach to protecting Georgia’s salt marsh and surrounding environments for generations to come.

From GreenLaw: “The CMPA was created to protect coastal marshlands as a vital natural resource system in the state of Georgia. Georgia’s Coastal Marshland Protection Act (CMPA) clearly distinguishes between marsh and land. Under the CMPA, marshes cannot be considered ‘land’ and are therefore not eligible for development or active use. Intended to protect marsh and estuarine areas, the CMPA regulates activities and structures to preserve the condition of the marsh while allowing everyone to enjoy all that the salt marsh and tidal areas have to offer.”

From the marshes at Tybee Island’s north end to those bordering Cumberland Island National Seashore, the CMPA remains the cornerstone of coastal environmental policies and laws in Georgia, and it has been critical in the protection of one of our nation’s most conserved coastal areas.

The Georgia Conservancy is proud to recognize the legacy of the Coastal Marshlands Protection Act and to honor the dedication of the late Georgia Assemblyman Reid Harris in seeing this important measure passed.

The Longleaf Award

Brionté McCorkle

Our 2020 Longleaf Award recipient is Brionté McCorkle, Executive Director of Georgia Conservation Voters. The Longleaf Award, presented annually by the Georgia Conservancy’s Generation Green board, recognizes the outstanding work of an emerging environmental or sustainability leader in metro Atlanta.

During Brionté McCorkle’s young career, she has worked to protect Georgia’s natural landscape through organizing communities, especially communities of color, on critical environmental issues that impact them. As Executive Director of Georgia Conservation Voters, McCorkle and her team advocate for environmental and sustainable public policies and candidates that make central a focus on climate and environmental justice.

A Georgia State University graduate, McCorkle began her career at Atlanta Regional Commission working on water issues and later joined Southface Energy Institute to work on green infrastructure. In 2013, she accepted a role to lead the Georgia Sierra Club’s transit expansion work, focusing on expanding transit options in Clayton County. Before joining Georgia Conservation Voters, she worked at EcoDistricts, a nonprofit that advances sustainable neighborhood development. Generation Green, the Georgia Conservancy’s young professional leadership group, selected McCorkle as the recipient of the annual Longleaf Award.

Past Longleaf award winners: Katherine Kennedy of Concrete Jungle, Marian Liou of We Love BuHi, Daniel Jesse of REI, Amanda Rhein of MARTA, Robby Astrove of Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Center, Rebecca Serna of Atlanta Bicycle Coalition, Jennifer Owens formerly of Georgia Organics, Ovie Mughelli formerly of the Atlanta Falcons, Korri Ellis formerly of Atlanta Public Schools, and Mandy Schmitt Mahoney formerly of City of Atlanta.

With your support, the Georgia Conservancy will be here for the long haul to protect and serve Georgia's people and the environment.

Join us at ecoBenefête as a sponsor, host, or patron and support our mission to protect and conserve Georgia’s natural resources.

Thank You 2020 EcoBenefete Sponsors & SupPorters

Mark & Crystal Berry
Rick & Holly Downey
Tim & Alison McKinley
Steve & Stephanie Pohl
Michael & Jenny Stubbs

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

Logo design by Laura Shine Lee of Shine Design, Atlanta

VIP SUPPORTERS

Brian Adams
Patricia Barmeyer
Sandy & Larry Baumwald 
Morgan and William Bembry
Mary Case
Randy Coody 
Georgia Forestry Foundation
HL Strategy
Elizabeth & Sheffield Hale
Abby & John Irby
Leslie  & Mack Mattingly
Katherine Moore & Steven Sheffield
Suzanne & Mac Peden
Kelli & Russ Pennington
Julian Prosser
Jack Norris Sibley
Southern Ionics Minerals, part of The Chemours Company 

Georgia Conservancy Natural Partners

Learn more about our Natural Partners Program

For more information about ecoBenefête, contact Jane Zoellick at jzoellick@gaconservancy.org.