Reed Environmental Writing Award 2026: A Celebration of Storytelling

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this year’s Reed Environmental Writing Award as part of the Virginia Festival of the Book. It was a meaningful evening of connection, reflection, and celebration, and one we’re grateful to share with such an engaged and thoughtful community.

If you registered but were unable to attend, you can now watch the full event online:

Watch the Event

We were honored to recognize this year’s winners, Catherine Coleman Flowers (book) and Lindsey Liles (journalism), whose work brings critical environmental issues to light with clarity, depth, and urgency. Their writing, and the work behind it, continues to inspire action, elevate underrepresented voices, and deepen our understanding of the challenges and opportunities ahead.

We were also thrilled to welcome keynote speaker Christian Cooper, whose remarks were both moving and motivating. His reflections on nature, community, and shared responsibility resonated deeply with the audience, reminding us of the power of storytelling to connect people and spark meaningful change.

Throughout the evening, we were struck by the sense of community in the room, from longtime supporters to first-time attendees, from finalists and judges to partners and friends. It’s that collective energy and shared commitment that continues to make the Reed Award such a special gathering each year.

We extend our sincere thanks to our panel of judges for their time and thoughtful consideration, to our finalists for their outstanding work, and to everyone who helped make this event possible from our partners and vendors to the many hands behind the scenes.

We look forward to continuing this conversation throughout the year and to gathering again next March.