News Release
Environmentalist to be Awarded Schweitzer PrizeThe award, which includes a $15,000 honorarium, is presented annually by Johns University on behalf of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. Previous honorees include Jimmy Carter and former U.S. surgeon general C. Everett Koop. Dr. Wayburn, of San Francisco, will be recognized for his "dedication to improving both the human condition and the Earth's condition," in the words of a citation to be read at a May 5 awards ceremony. Dr. Wayburn's battle to preserve California's old-growth redwood forests began in the 1950s, when he helped establish Redwood National Park. Ultimately, more than 90,000 acres were spared, and hundreds of acres restored. Later, Dr. Wayburn was a key figure in the establishment of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. As president of the national Sierra Club, Dr. Wayburn testified often before Congress; he was influential in the passage of the Alaska National Interests Lands Act, which established the protection of more than 1 million acres of land. He began his medical career in the United States Air Force in the 1940s, serving as a major and officer in charge of a mass chest X-ray service in Europe. Upon his return, he served as an internist and private practitioner in the San Francisco area; his affiliations include Pacific Presbyterian Medical Center, the San Francisco Department of Public Health and Stanford Medical School. The Schweitzer Prize, named for medical missionary, theologian and musician Albert Schweitzer, was established to honor his service to humanity and to advance humanitarianism in the United States by recognizing similar achievements. The prize was created in 1986 by Alfred Toepfer of Hamburg, Germany. Dr. Toepfer was the founder of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. The prize will be awarded at a 2:30 p.m. ceremony in Olin Hall on the university's Homewood campus.
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