About Heroes

Cox Conserves Heroes is an awards program created by Cox Enterprises and The Trust for Public Land (TPL) that honors Heroes among us who work to create, preserve, improve or enhance the shared outdoor places in our communities. The program takes place in multiple Cox locations across the nation. To determine if the program is taking place in your community, please visit the market navigation on the left.

Phase One: Nominations
To select the Hero, each community is encouraged to nominate eco-friendly individuals. A Hero should be someone who has helped to create, protect and/or care for an outdoor place available for public relaxation, reflection or recreation by the community. Learn who is eligible.

Phase Two: Finalists
TPL screens the initial applicants to a pool of twenty. The Heroes Judging Circle, a panel of civic leaders within the conservation field, then selects the top finalists (the number may vary per market).

Phase Three: Voting
The finalists are profiled on the Cox Conserves Heroes website and in local media, during which, the public is asked to vote online for their favorite. Each finalist is encouraged to spread the word and ask friends, family and co-workers to vote.

Phase Four: The Hero
At the conclusion of the voting period, the finalist with the most votes will be selected as the Cox Conserves Hero for his or her market. A donation will be made to the Hero’s environmental charity of choice.

Below is a list of organizations that have received financial support through the Cox Conserves Heroes program.

Atlanta:

• Save Georgia’s Hemlocks ($10,000)
• Mountain Stewards ($5,000)
• Trees Atlanta ($5,000)
• West Atlanta Watershed Alliance ($5,000)
• Kirkwood Neighbors Organization ($2,500)
• Park Pride ($2,500)
• R.E.D.E.E.M Community Outreach ($2,500)
• Elachee Nature Science Center ($1,250)
• Georgia Organics ($1,250)
• Johns Creek Community Wildlife Habitat ($1,250)
• Keeping It Wild ($1,250)
• Historic Fourth Ward Park Conservancy ($1,250)
• Sustainable Norcross ($1,250)

Arizona:

• McDowell Sonoran Conservancy ($12,500)
• Phoenix Mountains Preservation ($2,500) 

New Orleans:

• New Orleans Food and Farm Network ($5,000)
• Parkway Partners NOLA ($2,500)
• Lafayette Square Conservancy ($1,250)
• Operation Sudden Impact ($1,250)

Orange County (Calif.):

• Laguna Bluebelt Coalition ($5,000)
• Friends of Harbors, Beaches and Parks ($2,500)
• Canyonland Conservation Fund ($1,000) 

San Diego:

• Ocean Discovery Institute ($12,500)
• The Anza Borrego Foundation ($10,000)
• Chula Vista Nature Center (now Living Coast Discovery Center) ($10,000)
• San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy ($10,000)
• Wildcoast ($10,000)
• Aquatic Adventures Science Education Foundation ($5,000)
• Chula Vista High School Peace Club ($5,000) 
• Endangered Habitats Conservancy ($5,000)
• Friends of Balboa Park ($5,000)
• Lakeside’s River Park Conservancy ($5,000)
• A.R.C.H.E.S. ($2,500)
• Move San Diego ($2,500)
• Surfrider Foundation of San Diego ($2,500)
• Grow Strong ($2,500)
• Southwest Wetlands Interpretive Association ($2,500)
• Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve ($2,500)
• New Ocean Blue ($1,000)
• Preserve Calavera ($1,000)
• San Diego Canyonlands ($1,000)

San Francisco Bay Area:

• Berkeley Path Wanderers Association ($10,000)
• Committee for Green Foothills ($5,000)
• Pie Ranch ($5,000)
• San Francisco Bay Trail Project ($5,000)
• Berkeley Partners for Parks ($2,500)
• Friends of Alameda Wildlife Refuge ($2,500)
• Friends of Boeddeker Park ($2,500)
• Familyhood Connection ($1,250)
• Northern Alameda County Group of the Sierra Club ($1,250)
• Oakland Landscape Committee ($1,250)
• Phat Beets Produce ($1,250)
• Quesada Gardens Initiative ($1,250)
• World Stewardship Institute ($1,250)

Santa Barbara:

• Fairview Gardens ($5,000) 
• Community Environmental Council ($2,500)
• Goleta Valley Beautiful ($1,000)

Virginia:

• Tree Frederickburg ($10,000)
• Park Partners, Inc. ($5,000)
• Virginia Living Museum ($2,500)
• Western Virginia Land Trust ($2,500)
• Lynnhaven River Now ($1,250)
• Newport News Green Foundation ($1,250)
• Virginia Beach Clean Community Commission ($1,250)
• Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation Foundation ($1,250)

Western Washington:

• Sustainable West Seattle ($10,000)
• North Olympic Land Trust ($5,000)
• Washington Wilderness Coalition ($5,000)
• WSU Island County Beach Watchers ($7,500)
• Metro Parks Tacoma ($2,500)
• Northwest Trek Foundation ($2,500)
• EarthCorps ($1,250)
• Forest Fire Lookout Association – Western Washington ($1,250)
• Greater Metro Parks Foundation ($1,250)
• Green Tacoma Partnership ($1,250)
• King Conservation District ($1,250)