Literary award · United States

John Burroughs Medal

Award to the author of a book that is judged to be distinguished in the field of natural history (1926-).

About John Burroughs Medal

The John Burroughs Medal, named for nature writer John Burroughs (1837–1921), is awarded each year in April by the John Burroughs Association to the author of a book that the association has judged to be distinguished in the field of natural history. Only twice has the award been given to a work of fiction.

From the Wikipedia article “John Burroughs Medal”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Recent winners

YearWinnerWinning work
2025Marcia G. Bjørnerud—
2023Kelby Ouchley—
2022Cal Flyn—
2021William Bryant Logan—
2021Marilyn Sigman—
2019William E. Glassley—
2018David G. Haskell—
2017Brian Doyle—
2016Sharman Apt Russell—
2015Sherry Simpson—
2014Kathleen Jamie—
2013Thor HansonFeathers: The Evolution of a Natural Miracle
2012Edward Hoagland—
2011Elisabeth Tova Bailey—

From Wikidata; the list may be incomplete for some years.

Eligibility and entering

Check the official rules of the John Burroughs Medal for the current eligibility window, accepted formats, residency or language requirements and any entry fee. For most established prizes the publisher submits on the author's behalf, often with a limit on entries per imprint.

If you are self-published, look for an explicit statement that independently published books are accepted, and budget for entry fees and copies for judges.

Sources & data