Parks Canada CEO Alan Latourelle was honored by the George Wright Society with its award for Excellence/Kurt Repanshek

Alan Latourelle, chief executive officer of Parks Canada since 2002, has been honored with the George Melendez Wright Award for Excellence.

Mr. Latourelle was recognized Thursday evening during the George Wright Society's biennial conference for expanding Canada's national parks system while leading the agency to international recognition for its innovative conservation practices, work on heritage preservation and presentation, and involvement of indigenous peoples. During his tenure, Parks Canada has expanded the area of protection for sensitive ecosystems by more than 30 percent. Six national parks have been designated during his leadership, two existing parks have been expanded, and two national marine conservation areas have been added to the system.

"I have been truly blessed to be part of Parks Canada's passionate team of professionals," Mr. Latourelle said in remarks prepared for the award ceremony at the conference's Gala Reception in Oakland, California. "Each and every day, they share their passion and leadership with Canadians and inspire me to achieve new heights. Together, we have made significant strides in increasing the amount of land that will be protected forever, ensuring that in a century from now, young Canadians will still have the opportunity to experience these special places unimpaired."

As in the United States with the National Park Service, Parks Canada is working to involve younger generations in its parks and raise the profile of parks in urban areas of the country.

"We've been using every opportunity to raise the profile of parks," Mr. Latourelle said earlier Thursday. "Parks Canada, we are Canada. ... We hold the treasures of our country."

Other awards handed out by the Society included:

* The inaugural George Wright Society Student Chapter, which went to Clemson University. In 2014 the university and the George Wright Society signed a memorandum of understanding to encourage collaboration across a range of projects related to parks, protected areas, and cultural sites. Such student chapters will be mentored by professionals and educators on college campuses. The award to the Clemson chapter -- PARCS, Protected Area Research By Clemson Students -- was accepted by Gina Depper, the chapter president.

* The George Wright Society Communication Award, which was presented to Kurt Repanshek, founder and editor-in-chief of National Parks Traveler, which was launched in August 2005 as the very first website dedicated to exclusive coverage of America's National Park System.

* The George Wright Society Cultural Resource Achievement Award, which went to Mark Michel, founder and president of The Archaeological Conservancy. "In 1980, when Michel established TAC, he single-handledly changed the trajectory of how cultural resources are safeguarded. Michel was instrumental in Congress's passage of the 1979 Archaeological Resources Protection Act, strengthening legal protections against the destruction of archaeology."

* The George Wright Society Natural Resource Achievement Award, which was presented to Karen Trevino, who has led the National Park Service's Natural Sound and Night Sky Division for nearly a decade. "She has overseen this program in a time of incredible growth and under a strong spotlight from congressional leaders and agencies debating such issues as air tour management and planning, changing vehicular infrastructure, and an economic recession."

* The George Wright Society Social Science Achievement Award, which was given to James H. Gramann, who worked as the Park Service's NPS Visiting Chief Social Scientist in Washington, D.C., from 2002-2010. "In this position, Gramann directed numerous applied social science activities, from visitor counting to economic impact assessment, and facilitated cooperative research by university partners. He developed a social science research plan for the NPS's Alaska Region and led the second NPS Comprehensive Survey of the American Public, including a study of racial and ethnic diversity among park visitors and non-visitors."

The Society, founded in 1980, is named after George Melendez Wright, who in 1930 became the first chief of the National Park Service's wildlife division. The Society "strives to be the premier organization connecting people, places, knowledge, and ideas to foster excellence in natural and cultural resource management, research, protection, and interpretation in parks and equivalent reserves.”

In 1930 (Wright) became the first chief of the wildlife division of the U.S. National Park Service, and under his leadership each park started to survey and evaluate the status of wildlife and to identify urgent problems. Recommendations for restoration were generated, and special attention was paid to rare and endangered species, conflicts, and sources of problems. This formative work led to recommendations that were published in 1932 as Fauna of the National Parks of the United States, a Preliminary Survey of Faunal Relations in National Parks, which became the first of the important "Fauna" series--publications detailing the results of surveys and research, and recommending various management procedures to maintain natural conditions in protected areas. Wright associated with the conservation luminaries of his day, and with them worked on conservation projects beyond the national parks. He influenced the nationwide planning for public parks and recreation areas and was named to a commission to work with Mexico in identifying and establishing new areas along the international boundary. In February 1936, while working on the commission, Wright was killed in an automobile accident, his life cut short when he was not quite 32 years of age. Had he lived, he likely would have become one of America's foremost conservationists.