May 5, 2026 - Friends of Nevada Wilderness was presented with the 2026 Brian O'Donnell Excellence in Conservation Award from the Conservation Lands Foundation. 

This award was given to Friends for showing outstanding leadership to advance the protection of the National Conservation Lands through visionary, innovative, and strategic projects. Friends has worked with the Conservation Lands Foundation for nearly two decades to protect and care for lands managed by the BLM in Nevada, including Gold Butte National Monument and Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area.

From 2007 to 2017, Brian O'Donnell served as Executive Director of the Conservation Lands Foundation, and led the foundation’s efforts to protect, restore, and expand the Bureau of Land Management’s National Conservation Lands. His long commitment to grassroots advocacy, keen strategic sense, and vision for the future of the National Conservation Lands helped the Conservation Lands Foundation and the Friends Grassroots Network enjoy a first decade of enormous consequence protecting millions of acres of national monuments.