Portland, OR – Ecotrust has suspended the 2008 award cycle for the annual Ecotrust (formerly Buffett) Award for Indigenous Leadership. The award recognizes indigenous leadership that improves social, economic, political or environmental conditions. Ecotrust will conduct program evaluation and planning before re-launching the award in 2009.

Over the past seven years, Ecotrust has honored 34 leaders through the annual award for their drive as catalysts for better conditions in their communities. Each year, an individual awardee receives $25,000, and four finalists receive $5,000 each. The families of Howard and Peter Buffett permanently endowed the program with $500,000 in 2006. Through the renamed Ecotrust Award for Indigenous Leadership, Ecotrust will continue to support and recognize the impressive efforts of tribal leaders within the lands and waters of Salmon Nation.

“The award ceremony is an event many people of the region attend to celebrate durable leadership and appreciate its wisdom,” says Elizabeth Woody, Director of Ecotrust’s Indigenous Leadership Program. “It is our intent to serve the future of the award by examining the program’s past and plan for its future with care from the program’s humble beginnings.”

While there will be no award or public ceremony in 2008, a private gathering of past honorees is scheduled for the fall. Check www.ecotrust.org or email Elizabeth Woody for more information. The announcement of the deadlines and guidelines for the 2009 award cycle will be made March 31, 2009. Please visit www.ecotrust.org/indigenousleaders for updated information at that time.

About Ecotrust and its Indigenous Affairs Program

In addition to the Ecotrust Indigenous Leaderships Award, Ecotrust provides a variety of other projects and services through its Indigenous Affairs Program including land repatriation, native youth leadership, wild salmon marketing, and support of the Elakha Alliance. In collaboration with Renewing America’s Food Traditions Consortium (RAFT), Ecotrust published Renewing Salmon Nation’s Food Traditions, edited by Gary Nabhan. Ecotrust also published Klamath Heartlands: A Guide to the Klamath Reservation Forest Plan in collaboration with the Klamath Tribes. Ecotrust is a nonprofit organization founded in 1991, committed to strengthening communities and the environment from Alaska to California. For more information about Ecotrust and the Ecotrust Award honorees, visit www.ecotrust.org/indigenousleaders. Information on Ecotrust Canada can be found at www.ecotrust.ca.

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