Whidbey Audubon Society announces that Craig and Joy Johnson have been honored as the 2012 recipients of the first Whidbey Audubon Society’s Excellence Award. This award recognizes outstanding contributions in advancing the mission of Whidbey Audubon to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife and their habitat.

The couple received the award as a surprise immediately after their Sept. 13 presentation, “Birds, Yard Habitat and Beyond.” The program was the Whidbey Audubon Society’s monthly program, open to the public. Over 130 people crowded into the Coupeville Recreation Hall to hear the renowned couple.

Whidbey Audubon Society organizers credited the Johnsons for making a unique and lasting contribution in protecting and restoring wildlife and bird habitat through their work with a number of conservation organizations including: Whidbey Audubon Society, Whidbey Camano Land Trust, BirdNote, the Greenbank Farm, Whidbey Watershed Stewards, Island County Parks, Washington State Parks, Backyard Wildlife Fair, Sound Waters and Island County Beach Watchers. Combining original fine art, photographs and graphics with informative and creative writing, the Johnsons have created an impressive and lasting legacy, according to a Whidbey Audubon Society press release.

They have published four photographic books highlighting Puget Sound birds, the most recent being “Our Pacific Northwest Birds and Habitat — Featuring the Puget Sound Area,” and a children’s book, “The Amazing Hummingbird Story of Red Rufous.” They have created numerous brochures highlighting the birds and habitat of local areas including Puget Sound area woodpeckers, Puget Sound area hummingbirds, birding the backyard and creating habitat, and six place-specific brochures: “Birding Whidbey and Camano Islands;” “Birding Earth Sanctuary;” “Birding Possession Beach and Double Bluff;” “Birding Crockett Lake and Keystone Spit;” “Birding West Beach, Joseph Whidbey State Park and Swan Lake;” and “Birding Greenbank Farm.”

They have designed and created interpretive signs at the Greenbank Farm, Swan Lake, Earth Sanctuary and Possession Beach Waterfront Park. Their photographs have been used to help procure grants for land conservation. They have presented numerous programs at Sound Waters and numerous Audubon Chapters.

Their website, pugetsoundbackyardbird.com, overflows with educational resources for teachers and the public. They offer photos, videos, books, brochures, bird feeding tips and slideshows.

Their materials have educated, inspired and motivated thousands of people. Anywhere the Johnsons can, they engage people, using photos, artwork and stories to share the message of conservation and conscientious stewardship. Their generosity, creativity and talents are matched only by their humility, love of birds and their desire to advance the causes of conservation, preservation and habitat protection, according to a press release.