Posted by Craig Newberry, Communications
Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo
“These achievements demonstrate Woodland Park Zoo’s power of collaboration, creativity and community action to advance conservation,” said Woodland Park Zoo President and CEO Alejandro Grajal, PhD. "From helping drive meaningful policy change for pollinators across Washington state to discovering new ways for zoos and aquariums to engage people with animals, strengthen empathy and deepen connections to the natural world, this work advances and brings to life our mission of making conservation a priority in everyone's lives.”
The zoo also received the Significant Achievement Education Award for the Advancing Conservation through Empathy for Wildlife (ACE for Wildlife®) Network. The program is exceptional in its ability to advance conservation education at scale by transforming how zoos and aquariums design, deliver, and evaluate engagement that motivates conservation action. Through an innovative integration of research synthesis, professional capacitybuilding, shared evaluation, and a free community of practice, the program provides practical, flexible tools that institutions of all sizes can adapt, implement and measure. This approach strengthens conservation impact across the AZA community by accelerating the adoption of evidencebased, empathyinformed practices that are both replicable and sustainable.
AZA announced this year’s winners at the association’s Honors and Awards Lunch, held last week at AZA’s Annual Conference in Portland, Ore., which recognized the achievements of AZA-accredited facilities, from conservation efforts and facility design to volunteer engagement and more.
“Congratulations to the team at Woodland Park Zoo for their hard work and dedication in achieving this remarkable recognition,” said Dan Ashe, president and CEO of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. “These awards recognize the best of the best in the global aquarium and zoo community. The work being done at Woodland Park Zoo further strengthens the impact of our entire community and is something Seattle can be proud of.”
Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo
Woodland Park Zoo is proud to announce it has received two Significant Achievement Awards from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Out of the 96 nominations across all award categories, Woodland Park Zoo was recognized for its exceptional work in pollinator conservation and advocacy, and for the Advancing Conservation through Empathy for Wildlife Network.
Woodland Park Zoo was awarded the Significant Achievement Advocacy Impact Award for its Hello Pollinators, Goodbye Pests! campaign and the passage of Washington State Senate Bill 5972. This landmark legislation gave the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) authority to regulate pesticides including neonicotinoids, which are known to be incredibly harmful to pollinators. As of January 1, 2026, neonicotinoids are no longer allowed for use by home gardeners on outdoor ornamental plants in Washington state.“These achievements demonstrate Woodland Park Zoo’s power of collaboration, creativity and community action to advance conservation,” said Woodland Park Zoo President and CEO Alejandro Grajal, PhD. "From helping drive meaningful policy change for pollinators across Washington state to discovering new ways for zoos and aquariums to engage people with animals, strengthen empathy and deepen connections to the natural world, this work advances and brings to life our mission of making conservation a priority in everyone's lives.”
The zoo also received the Significant Achievement Education Award for the Advancing Conservation through Empathy for Wildlife (ACE for Wildlife®) Network. The program is exceptional in its ability to advance conservation education at scale by transforming how zoos and aquariums design, deliver, and evaluate engagement that motivates conservation action. Through an innovative integration of research synthesis, professional capacitybuilding, shared evaluation, and a free community of practice, the program provides practical, flexible tools that institutions of all sizes can adapt, implement and measure. This approach strengthens conservation impact across the AZA community by accelerating the adoption of evidencebased, empathyinformed practices that are both replicable and sustainable.
AZA announced this year’s winners at the association’s Honors and Awards Lunch, held last week at AZA’s Annual Conference in Portland, Ore., which recognized the achievements of AZA-accredited facilities, from conservation efforts and facility design to volunteer engagement and more.
“Congratulations to the team at Woodland Park Zoo for their hard work and dedication in achieving this remarkable recognition,” said Dan Ashe, president and CEO of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. “These awards recognize the best of the best in the global aquarium and zoo community. The work being done at Woodland Park Zoo further strengthens the impact of our entire community and is something Seattle can be proud of.”
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