The William T. Hornaday Awards are for distinguished service
in natural resources conservation

The successful attainment of all awards will take at least 18 months to accomplish. The following highlights the requirements.  Complete requirements are listed on the Hornaday Awards application.:

1. Earn Environmental Science merit badge and TWO more merit badges of the primary conservation and quality-of-the-environment merit badge group (Forestry, Soil and Water Conservation, Fish and Wildlife Management, Public Health, or Energy). Environmental Science and TWO other merit badges from this group are required for the Bronze Medal.   ALL badges in the group are required for the Silver Medal.

2. Earn at least THREE of the nature and conservation group: Bird Study, Geology, Insect Study, Reptile and Amphibian Study, Oceanography, Mammal Study, Nature, and Weather.

3. Identify, plan and carry out, under the guidance of the conservation adviser, a local project in FOUR of the following project areas; energy conservation; soil & water conservation; fish & wildlife management; forestry and range management; air and water pollution control; resource recovery.

   NOTE: Projects accomplished for the Hornaday Awards may not be the same as accomplished for earned merit badges or for other advancement.

4. Give leadership to others in undertaking conservation projects and influencing them to understand conservation objectives. These might include the following: letters to editors, news stories published, exhibits and displays, leadership in the accomplishment of unit projects, talks at public meetings, service project with a state fish and game department or local conservation and public interest group.

5. Submit a résumé covering a summary of the local or regional project in the conservation and quality-of-the-environment fields together with a summary of the efforts to influence other people to practice conservation.

6. The complete program of the applicant, as planned and carried out, will be reviewed and approved by the council for the award of the certificate or badge or both and, further, if deemed qualified, will be recommended to the William T. Hornaday Awards Committee for consideration for the Silver or Bronze medals.