The Jackson Wild Legacy Awards recognize visionary filmmakers, conservationists, scientists and innovators. Past Legacy Award recipients include Jane Goodall, Sir David Attenborough, E.O. Wilson, Alan Rabinowitz and Sylvia Earle.
2023 Legacy Award
Legacy Award - Victoria Stone and Mark Deeble
Sponsored by The WNET Group’s Nature Series

Victoria Stone and Mark Deeble are this year’s recipients of the Legacy Award. They are known for their independent story-driven films championing the importance of biodiversity and the interconnectivity of the natural world. For each film, they spend a minimum of 2 years camped in the wilderness with a small team. Their films are based on keen observation, and a deep understanding of natural ecosystems. They have won over 100 international awards in recognition of their artistry and wildlife storytelling including two Grand Teton and 10 content, category and craft awards from Jackson Wild.
Throughout their careers they have used their films to support conservation. Following the launch of The Elephant Queen, a decade-long project and Apple’s first feature film acquisition for Apple TV+, they launched, with long-term Assistant Director Etienne Oliff, The Elephant Queen Outreach and Mobile Cinema and Theatre in Kenya. The film, translated into Swahili and Maa has been shown to over 120,000 people living in areas of high human-wildlife conflict.
The couple began their careers as underwater wildlife filmmakers filming around the world for Survival Anglia, the BBC and National Geographic. In 1987, they were invited to Serengeti by Alan Root. Their first East African film, Here Be Dragons, revealed the dramatic new behavior of giant Grumeti crocodiles leaping from the water to grab drinking wildebeest. Since then, they have worked in East Africa telling wildlife stories that have been shown in more than 140 countries with audiences estimated in excess of a billion. Sir David Attenborough called The Queen of Trees “A masterpiece!” Amongst its many awards are a Peabody and a Grierson. It followed Peabody and Emmy®-winning Mzima to join a filmography which includes Once Upon a Time in Tsavo, The Elephant & the Termite, The Elephant Queen, A Little Fish in Deep Water, Tale of the Tides, The Tides of Kirawira, and Devilfish.
Throughout their careers they have used their films to support conservation. Following the launch of The Elephant Queen, a decade-long project and Apple’s first feature film acquisition for Apple TV+, they launched, with long-term Assistant Director Etienne Oliff, The Elephant Queen Outreach and Mobile Cinema and Theatre in Kenya. The film, translated into Swahili and Maa has been shown to over 120,000 people living in areas of high human-wildlife conflict.
The couple began their careers as underwater wildlife filmmakers filming around the world for Survival Anglia, the BBC and National Geographic. In 1987, they were invited to Serengeti by Alan Root. Their first East African film, Here Be Dragons, revealed the dramatic new behavior of giant Grumeti crocodiles leaping from the water to grab drinking wildebeest. Since then, they have worked in East Africa telling wildlife stories that have been shown in more than 140 countries with audiences estimated in excess of a billion. Sir David Attenborough called The Queen of Trees “A masterpiece!” Amongst its many awards are a Peabody and a Grierson. It followed Peabody and Emmy®-winning Mzima to join a filmography which includes Once Upon a Time in Tsavo, The Elephant & the Termite, The Elephant Queen, A Little Fish in Deep Water, Tale of the Tides, The Tides of Kirawira, and Devilfish.
Past Legacy Award Recipients

2022
Dr. Paula Kahumbu
Dr. Paula Kahumbu

2022
Brian Leith
Brian Leith

2021
Valerie Taylor
Valerie Taylor



2019
Paul Hawken
Project Drawdown
Paul Hawken
Project Drawdown

2017
Greg Carr
Gorongosa National Park Restoration Project
Greg Carr
Gorongosa National Park Restoration Project

2017
Kris Tompkins
Tompkins Conservation
Kris Tompkins
Tompkins Conservation

2015
Howard & Michele Hall
Howard & Michele Hall

2015
Cynthia Moss
Cynthia Moss

2015
Joyce Poole
Joyce Poole

2015
Iain Douglas-Hamilton
Iain Douglas-Hamilton

2013
Dereck & Beverly Joubert
Dereck & Beverly Joubert

2013
Dame Daphne Sheldrick
Dame Daphne Sheldrick

2013
Mike deGruy
Mike deGruy

2011
Dr. Alan Rabinowitz
Dr. Alan Rabinowitz

2011
Clark Bunting
Clark Bunting

2011
Bill Grant
Bill Grant

2011
Barry Clark
Barry Clark

2011
Wolfgang Bayer
Wolfgang Bayer

2009
Dr. Richard Leakey
Dr. Richard Leakey

2007
Dr. Sylvia Earle
Dr. Sylvia Earle

2007
Roy Disney
Roy Disney

2005
Dr. E.O. Wilson
Dr. E.O. Wilson

2005
Dr. Jane Goodall
Dr. Jane Goodall

2003
Dr. George Schaller
Dr. George Schaller

2003
President Omar Hadj Bongo of Gabon
Congo Basin Forest Partnership
President Omar Hadj Bongo of Gabon
Congo Basin Forest Partnership

2001
Hans Hass
Hans Hass

1999
Sir David Attenborough
Sir David Attenborough

1997
Alan Root
Alan Root

1995
Gil Grosvenor
Gil Grosvenor

1993
Mardy Murie
Mardy Murie

1991
Jimmy Stewart
Jimmy Stewart