Durham, N.C. - The Society of Conservation Biology (SCB) has named Stuart Pimm, Doris Duke Professor of Conservation Ecology at the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences at Duke University, as the recipient of the 2006 Edward T. LaRoe III Memorial Award.

The LaRoe Award is given annually to an individual who has made major research contributions to conservation biology and also has been highly effective in working with policymakers on controversial issues.

In selecting Pimm for the honor, the award committee cited his "exceptional" work as a researcher, educator and conservationist, particularly his work on endangered species in Florida and the restoration of the Everglades.

"Your long-standing collaborations with colleagues at Everglades National Park, the (U.S.) Fish and Wildlife Service and the Forest Service (are) excellent examples of how conservation biologists should interact with land managers," award committee chairman J. Michael Scott, senior scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey at the University of Idaho, wrote. Scott also praised Pimm for his "ability to translate complex topics in conservation biology for the lay public," noting that this was "a gift few possess."

The SCB will present Pimm with his award at a June 24 ceremony in San Jose, Calif., during the society's annual meeting. 

SCB is one of the world's largest and most respected professional societies for conservation biology and ecology. It has more than 9,000 members in 128 countries and publishes the peer-reviewed journal Conservation Biology.

Pimm is widely cited for his research on biodiversity, species extinction and habitat loss in Africa, South America and Central America, as well as the Everglades. His work has contributed to new practices and policy for species preservation and habitat restoration in many of the world's most threatened ecosystems.

He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and was awarded a Pew Scholarship for Conservation and the Environment in 1993 and an Aldo Leopold Leadership Fellowship in 1999. The Institute of Scientific Information recognized him in 2002 as one of the world's most highly cited scientists.