Fairbank Award for Youth Environmental Action

The Fairbank Award for Youth Environmental Action

Do you know any young people (12-19 years of age) who impress you with their commitment to the environment and their leadership/community service? We encourage you to nominate them for the Fairbank Award for Youth Environmental Action.

Sarah and Owen Fairbank in their garden in Port Townsend, fall 2023. Photo by Hal Everett.

Jefferson Land Trust established the Fairbank Award in 2023 in honor of longtime Land Trust volunteers and supporters Sarah and Owen Fairbank.

The $1,000 award, provided by anonymous community members, will be given to a young person (12-19 years old) who has, in the last year, shown leadership/service, commitment, and innovation to build a community that’s healthy, happy, sustainable, and deeply connected to nature for generations to come.

The list below provides some examples of the types of actions that eligible nominees may be taking to demonstrate their commitment to environmental action in our community:

• Demonstrating initiative in environmental protection/restoration and/or new projects
• Influencing people’s behavior toward sustainable living
• Building environmental and climate change awareness within our community
• Engaging collaboratively and bringing about positive environmental-related change

2025 Eligibility Requirements:

• Nominees must be between 12-19 years old as of March 6, 2025
• Nominees must live in Jefferson County
• New this year: peer nominations are welcome and encouraged!

Please note that Jefferson Land Trust current or former staff members, board members, or their immediate family members are not eligible to win the award or to nominate anyone for the award. Past winners are not eligible to win again.

2025 Nomination Instructions:

Nominations for the 2025 Fairbank Award opened on January 9, 2025, and close at midnight, February 21, 2025.

The deadline for nominations is February 21, 2025. The winner’s guardian will be notified by email on or before March 1, 2025. The winner will be announced at our 2025 Conservation Breakfast on March 6, 2025.

To nominate a young person, email your answers to the questions below to info[at]saveland.org with the subject line: Fairbank Award Nomination.

You may also drop off a paper version of your nomination at our office by February 21, or mail your nomination postmarked no later than February 21 to: Jefferson Land Trust, Attn: Fairbank Award, 1033 Lawrence Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368.

New as of this year, peer youth nominations are welcome and encouraged!

Nomination Questions:

• Name of nominee:
• Name of nominee’s parent/guardian:
• Parent/guardian email or phone:
• In a few sentences, describe the nominee’s environmental action and leadership over the past year:
• Briefly describe any innovation or collaboration the nominee has used while taking environmental action:
• How have the nominee’s actions impacted the environment?
• How have the nominee’s actions resulted in change within the community?
• Your name:
• Your phone number:
• Are you a family member of a Jefferson Land Trust staff or board member?

Thank you for your  support of youth environmental action in Jefferson County!

Past Winners:

• 2024: Tallulah Sebastian (16)
• 2023: Diego Murray (16)