By all accounts, Clarence Burch was a remarkable man. Rancher, teacher, conservationist, activist, international diplomat and public servant to five governors, Clarence Burch lived an enviable career full of innovation, dedication, curiosity, and good humor. He was a man very much of his time, and yet miles ahead of it as well.

Perhaps Andy Dunigan sums up his grandfather's qualities best: "Clarence embodied what we call today `The Radical Center.' He was more than just a rancher. He was a public servant, an activist, and a man very concerned about the land and sustainable practices. He was a remarkable man."

We at The Quivira Coalition are proud to honor Clarence Burch with an Annual Award.

To mark our 10th anniversary, we announced a new annual award dedicated to the 'four legs' of The Quivira Coalition's original 'chair' - ranchers, conservationists, civil servants, and researchers. We wish to recognize those individuals in each category who have shown remarkable and enduring leadership in the difficult job of working in the radical center - the place where people are coming together to explore their common interests rather than argue their differences, as author and conservation leader Bill deBuys has described it.

First through Seventh Annual Conference