Margaret Atwood and the late Graeme Gibson win Nature Canada award for conservation advocacy
Canadian author Margaret Atwood and her late husband, writer Graeme Gibson, have been named the recipients of this year's Douglas H. Pimlott Award from Nature Canada for their contributions to nature conservation.
The award, named after renowned conservationist and wildlife biologist Pimlott, regarded as a founder of the modern environmental movement in Canada, commemorates individuals whose dedication and efforts have helped the Canadian conservation sector.
In addition to their award-winning literary careers, Atwood and Gibson's passion for activism extended into the natural world, particularly through their commitment to birding and bird conservation.
The pair were joint honorary presidents of BirdLife International's Rare Bird Club and champions of Nature Canada's Save Bird Lives campaign, and Gibson helped establish the Pelee Island Bird Observatory. Gibson's book The Bedside Book of Birds: An Avian Miscellany was published in 2005 and an updated edition with a new forward by Atwood was released in 2021.
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"Margaret Atwood and the late Graeme Gibson have inspired people around the world to look to the skies and understand the importance of protecting birds and through them, our world," said Alex Miller, president of Esri Canada, which sponsored the award.
Atwood's latest book, Burning Questions, was released in March of this year. The collection of essays covers topics such as debt, tech and climate change, as Atwood ponders the many mysteries of our universe.
