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For Immediate Release  

Mongabay Founder Rhett Ayers Butler To Receive Henry Shaw Medal  
Award honors significant contributions to research and conservation  

(ST. LOUIS) Mongabay Founder Rhett Ayers Butler will receive the Henry Shaw Medal on Wednesday, Oct. 22.   

The Henry Shaw Medal has been awarded since 1893. It honors individuals who have made a significant contribution to the Missouri Botanical Garden, botanical research, horticulture, conservation, or the museum community. 

“Rhett Ayers Butler’s work has been vital in increasing awareness about pressing environmental issues around the world,” said Dr. Lúcia G. Lohmann, President and Director of the Missouri Botanical Garden. “His commitment to global conservation aligns precisely with the Garden's mission to discover and share knowledge about plants and their environment in order to preserve and enrich life. We are honored to recognize his impact with the Henry Shaw Medal.” 

Past winners include the National Geographic Society, Her Royal Highness Princess Basma bint Ali, Dr. Jack Dangermond, and Dr. Thomas E. Lovejoy, among many others.  

“It is a tremendous honor to receive the Henry Shaw Medal from such an esteemed institution as the Missouri Botanical Garden,” Butler said. “The Garden’s legacy of advancing science, conservation, and public understanding is an inspiration, and I am deeply grateful to be recognized alongside those who have contributed so much to protecting our planet.” 

Rhett Ayers Butler is an American journalist, author, and entrepreneur who founded Mongabay, a nonprofit environmental news platform dedicated to coverage at the intersection of people and nature. What began as a personal project in 1999 grew into one of the world’s most trusted sources of independent reporting on biodiversity, climate, and planetary health.  

Under Butler’s leadership, Mongabay expanded into a global network spanning more than 80 countries and publishing in multiple languages. Its reporting has held powerful interests accountable, elevated local and Indigenous voices, and informed policy debates, while driving tangible conservation outcomes — from protecting forests in Gabon to influencing corporate climate strategies.  

“This recognition reflects the collective effort of the entire Mongabay community,” Butler said. “Our staff, contributors, and partners around the world, along with the generosity of our donors, make it possible for us to tell stories that inform, inspire, and drive change. I share this honor with all of them.” 

Butler’s vision has helped redefine environmental journalism, showing that rigorous, accessible reporting can catalyze meaningful change. The Henry Shaw Medal honors his contributions to advancing public understanding and protecting the natural world through journalism.  

“Rhett Ayers Butler is a shining example of what the Henry Shaw Medal recognizes. His commitment to environmental journalism has deepened the public's understanding of the urgent need for conservation and inspired action around the world. It will be my honor to present him with this award.” said Missouri Botanical Garden Board of Trustees Chairman Michael Stern.  

Stern will present Butler with the award Wednesday, Oct. 22 at the annual Henry Shaw Society Dinner.  

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The Missouri Botanical Garden is a global leader in science, conservation, horticulture, and education, whose mission is to discover and share knowledge about plants and their environment in order to preserve and enrich life. The Garden’s programs operate locally and throughout the world to address key challenges facing humanity by empowering stakeholders to manage, protect, and restore biodiversity sustainably.   

Founded in 1859 and located in St. Louis, Missouri, the Garden is one of the nation's oldest botanical institutions and a National Historic Landmark. The beautifully landscaped gardens, along with the satellite sites Shaw Nature Reserve and the Butterfly House, attract over 1 million visitors a year.