Every two years, the Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council (CCLC) celebrates individuals who advance conservation landscaping in the Chesapeake Bay region. Their work helps us rethink how we approach the places we live, work, learn, and play. This year, we are delighted to announce that Lauren Wheeler is the recipient of the 2025 Marcy Damon Conservation Landscaping Award.
Lauren will receive the award on December 2, 2025, at the Welcome Dinner for CCLC’s Turning a New Leaf conference. Past honoree David Hirschman will present the award.
Lauren Wheeler has spent her career pushing the field of conservation and ecological design forward in the Washington metropolitan region and beyond. Lauren has played key roles as an educator, practitioner, and mentor. She taught and later directed programs at George Washington University’s Sustainable Landscapes program, played an integral role in developing the Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP) Level 2 training, and built a thriving ecological design/build firm—Natural Resources Design, Inc. Her leadership has shaped many of today’s conservation landscape professionals, including numerous CBLP instructors.
Her commitment to community empowerment, ecological restoration, and inclusive training practices embodies the values that guided Marcy Damon’s work.
About the Marcy Damon Conservation Landscaping Award
The biennial award honors Marcy Damon, a founding CCLC Board member and Chair of the Board of Directors. Marcy was a naturalist, educator, and lifelong advocate for conservation landscaping. Her career included twelve years with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s “Save the Bay” efforts, where she inspired thousands through hands-on education and a contagious enthusiasm for the natural world.
Established in 2013 on CCLC’s 10th anniversary, the award recognizes professionals who demonstrate:
- Leadership within CCLC
- Outstanding contributions to conservation landscaping education or design
- Effective outreach to broad audiences
- Service in conservation-related organizations
Past award recipients include designers, educators, writers, and innovators whose work has meaningfully shaped the profession. Lauren Wheeler now joins this distinguished group. CCLC is pleased to celebrate her impact—and proud to see the legacy of Marcy Damon reflected so clearly in Lauren’s work, values, and vision.
