An exclusive presentation of the 13th Goldman Environmental Prize, the world’s most prestigious environmental award, given annually by the Goldman Environmental Foundation to environmental heroes from six geographical areas. The 2002 winners are Fatima Jibrell, who saved the northeast region of Somalia from massive logging of old growth acacia trees by persuading the regional government to create and enforce a ban on exports of charcoal to the Gulf States; Pisit Charnsnoh, an ecologist who works to protect and restore Thailand’s coastal ecosystems devastated by industrial fishing and increased logging; Jadwiga Lopata, a conservationist who has used eco-tourism to preserve and promote Poland’s traditional family farms; Alexis Massol-Gonzalez, an entepreneur who led his community in a successful fight to convert a mining zone into Puerto Rico’s first community-managed forest reserve; Jonathon Solomon, Sarah James and Norma Kassi, North American tribal leaders who have successfully defended the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from oil drilling; and Jean La Rose, an indigenous Guyanese woman who has overcome harassment to protect her country’s Amerindian lands from mining by filing Guyana’s first indigenous land rights lawsuit.

The Goldman Environmental Prize is the world's largest prize program honoring grassroots environmentalists. Founded in 1990, the Prize awards $750,000 annually to environmental heroes from six continental regions. Nominated confidentially by a network of renowned environmental organizations and environmental experts, recipients are chosen for their sustained and important environmental achievements. The Prize offers these environmental heroes the recognition, visibility, and credibility their efforts deserve. Presented April 22, 2002 in San Francisco.