Mongabay’s Butler Honored for Environmental Journalism Impact

Rhett Butler, founder and CEO of environmental news platform Mongabay, has received significant recognition for his contributions to conservation journalism. Butler was recently awarded the prestigious Henry Shaw Medal by the Missouri Botanical Garden and named to Forbes’ 2025 Sustainability Leaders list, joining renowned figures like Sir David Attenborough.

In a recent podcast interview, Butler emphasized that these honors reflect Mongabay’s collective achievements rather than individual success. “While my name is on the award, it’s for Mongabay,” he explained, crediting his team for the platform’s impact-driven approach to environmental reporting. Unlike traditional media outlets focused on clicks and pageviews, Mongabay measures success through real-world conservation impact, made possible by maintaining editorial independence.

“Independence is absolutely critical because if you’re not independently verifying the work you’re doing, then you’re just communicating someone’s agenda,” Butler stressed, highlighting the importance of unbiased environmental journalism in today’s media landscape.

Butler also reflected on the recent passing of conservation icon Jane Goodall, whom he considered a longtime friend and mentor. Through their relationship, Butler learned valuable lessons about maintaining optimism in environmental work. “The biggest thing I took away from my relationship with Jane is the importance of hope,” he shared. “She was truly a messenger for hope.”

These accolades underscore the growing recognition of independent environmental journalism’s crucial role in conservation efforts and public awareness about pressing ecological issues.