Awards and Grants

Douglas H. Pimlott Award
The Douglas H. Pimlott Award—Nature Canada's most prestigious award—recognizes outstanding contributors to Canadian conservation.

World-renowned artist and conservationist Robert Bateman has been keenly interested in both art and nature from his earliest days. A long-time member of Nature Canada, he has been an active member of naturalist clubs and conservation organizations since the early 1960s. His involvement has reached a global scale: he has become a spokesman for many environmental, preservation and political issues, and has used his artwork in fundraising efforts that have provided millions of dollars for these worthy causes.

Bateman strongly believes that nature affects kids in a positive and profound way. He introduced many students to the natural world during his 20 years as a high school art and geography teacher. Furthering this work, he founded the Robert Bateman Get to Know program that has been inspiring relationships between Canadian youth and nature for nearly a decade. The program aims to facilitate young Canadians connecting with nature and spending more time outdoors. Nature Canada has supported the annual Get to Know art contest for several years, and is proud to be the premiere partner in 2009.

Along with his wife Birgit, Bateman lives in a new, geothermal home on Salt Spring Island, B.C. They are ardent environmentalists and eat organically, recycle, compost, and use houseplants for air filtration within the home and studio.

Nature Canada is grateful for Robert Bateman's long-standing support of conservation in Canada, and is proud to count him as a member.