The Kerry Rydberg-Jack Tuholske Award is presented each year to a lawyer who exemplifies the best in public interest environmental advocacy. Kerry had just graduated from law school in 1987 and immediately started representing grass-roots groups for little to no pay, challenging practices such as destructive old-growth logging and hunting cougars with radio-collared dogs. Tragically, he died in a car accident just two years later, cutting short what surely would have been a rich legacy protecting the wild things and places we all cherish. Likewise, Jack Tuholske worked tirelessly from his home in Montana to protect the wild lands and their inhabitants that he loved for decades, passing away in 2020, when he was added to this award. The Rydberg-Tuholske award, now in its 34th year (2023), is presented to a person who exemplifies Kerry & Jack’s independent public-interest spirit and work. Each year the award winner is chosen by past recipients and John Bonine, who co-founded the award along with Mike Axline.
2023 Bill Eubanks
2022 Eli Holmes
2021 Dave Becker
2020 Sean Malone
2019 Tim Bechtold
2018 Rebecca Smith
2017 Joe Lovett, Julia Olson, & Lauren Regan
2016 Pat Parentreau
2014 Roger Flynn
2013 Recipients: Eric Glitzenstein and Kathy Meyer
2012 Charlie Tebbutt
2011 Sharon Duggan
2010 Jack Tuholske
2009 Karl Anuta
2008 Bill Carpenter
2007 Raquel Gutierrez Najera
2006 Doug Quirke
2005 Fernando Dougnac
2004 Marianne Dugan
2003 Matt Kenna & Geoff Hickcox
2002 Jen Gleason
2001 Karin Sheldon
2000 Svitlana Kravchenko
1999 Dan Stotter & Dave Bahr
1998 M.C. Mehta
1997 Patrick McGinley
1996 Neil Kagan & Betty Reed
1995 Meena Raman
1994 Ralph Bradley
1993 Ipat Luna
1992 Carol Van Strum & Paul Merrell
1991 Grove Burnett
1990 Charles Levin