Phillip D. Reed Environmental Writing Award
Presented every year, the Phillip D. Reed Environmental Writing Award recognizes outstanding writing on the Southern environment in two categories. The Book Category honors works of nonfiction that are not self-published, and the Journalism Category honors newspaper, magazine, and online writing published by a recognized institution such as a news organization, university, or nonprofit group.
Is there a book or article you would like to nominate? If so, please submit your nomination by clicking the link below and enter by October 1, 2026. Contest requirements can be found on the bottom of this page and the nomination page.
Congratulations to the 2026 Reed Award winners.
We proudly announce that Catherine Coleman Flowers and Lindsey Liles are the winners of the
2026 Reed Award. Their work exemplifies the power of storytelling to capture some of the most important environmental issues facing the South and was celebrated in person and online earlier this year.
Book Category
Catherine Coleman Flowers, a two-time recipient of the award, received the 2026 Reed Award for “Holy Ground: On Activism, Environmental Justice, and Finding Hope.”
In “Holy Ground,” Flowers shares an inspiring collection of essays that are deeply personal, with an urgent message. Drawing from a lifetime of organizing and advocacy, Flowers frames the defining challenges of our time, from climate change to rural poverty, through the lived experiences of the communities most often left behind.
Journalism Category
Lindsey Liles received the 2026 Reed Award for the Garden & Gun feature “Inside the Fight to Save the World’s Most Endangered Wolf.”
Liles’ reporting takes readers inside the ongoing struggle to protect the red wolf, the most endangered wolf species on the planet, whose only wild population remains in a small corner of eastern North Carolina. Through vivid reporting and careful attention to science, policy, and place, the story explores the fragile balance between wildlife conservation, land use, and public will.
2026 Reed Award Featured Speaker
Christian Cooper served as the keynote speaker for the 2026 Reed Environmental Writing Award ceremony. Christian Cooper is an Emmy Award-winning host and the New York Times bestselling author of “Better Living Through Birding.” Known for his work as the host of National Geographic’s “Extraordinary Birder with Christian Cooper,” he brings his lifelong passion for birding and environmental advocacy to a wide audience.
A former president of the Harvard Ornithological Club and current vice president of the New York City Bird Alliance, Cooper champions safe, accessible green spaces and engages underserved communities in the joys of birdwatching.
Meet the 2026 Reed Award judges.
Recognizing the great work of our 2026 finalists.
The work of this year’s finalists spans a wide range of environmental issues—from threats to wildlife and shrinking habitats to clean water, environmental injustices affecting Southern communities, and the pressures our region faces from data centers, energy demands, and the accelerating realities of climate change. Learn more about their work.
Look back at our past Reed Award winners.
Reed Award Contest Requirements
The primary judging criterion is the quality of writing style and connection to the South’s environment, overall originality of the piece, and presentation of unique ideas and pressing issues. Cash prizes are awarded to the winner in each category. Winners will be invited to celebrate and read from their winning entry at a special SELC event during the Virginia Festival of the Book, held every March in Charlottesville, Va.
Learn more about Phil Reed and the history of SELC’s Reed Award program here.