Aileen Hughes Award Program
The Aileen Hughes Award Program supports Maryland land trusts by recognizing individuals whose conservation work advances leadership, innovation, and collaboration in the state’s land trust community.
Funder: Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Due Dates: December 1, 2026, 4:00 p.m. EST (Application)
Funding Amounts: One annual award of $5,000 to a Maryland land trust
Summary: Recognizes an individual whose leadership has advanced land conservation through a Maryland land trust.
Key Information: Applicants must be Maryland land trusts with a current Cooperative Agreement with the Maryland Environmental Trust.
Description
The Aileen Hughes Award recognizes an individual representing a Maryland land trust who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in land conservation. The Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) funds the award, which is made to a land trust on the individual’s behalf—not to the individual. It honors Aileen Hughes, a longtime president of the American Chestnut Land Trust and a leader in conservation.
The award is part of Keep Maryland Beautiful, a partnership of MET, the Chesapeake Bay Trust, the Maryland Department of Agriculture, and the Maryland Department of Transportation. It aims to acknowledge leaders in Maryland’s land trust community and encourage excellence, innovation, and collaboration. Nominations may recognize a completed conservation project or organizational development.
