The Wild Dunedin NZ Festival of Nature announced its Wild Hero for this year was Jeannie Hayden.
Mrs Hayden was the festival’s first director when Wild Dunedin began in 2016, but had recently stepped back from the role.
Mrs Hayden said she had never set out to be a "wildlife crusader", but wanted to give people the chance to get closer to nature.
"I’ve created a festival and I’ve thought about it and no, actually that festival is really important because it draws in people who maybe don't connect so easily with nature, through fun events."
She said the win had been "overwhelming and very unexpected".
"It's so lovely to have that thanks and support from my ex-colleagues, really. That's the nicest thing, to have that accolade ... is pretty affirming."
Mrs Hayden’s dedication to nature started in the world of television; she was a production manager for Natural History New Zealand for 29 years.
She managed the children’s nature series Wildtrack, which ran for 10 years and which many 1980s children may remember.
"We thought ‘well, we better film the kākāpō, the kākāhei,’ all those iconic species, because in the ’80s, they were all likely to disappear in our lifetimes.
"Well, look at the kākāpō now — the ‘80s was sort of like the start of conservation in lots of ways."
These days, she lives on a 20ha regenerating farm, where her son has set up a commercial kitchen called Augustines of Portobello.
"Suddenly, there's people on our property, and it enables us to continue with the regeneration.
"I guess we've been telling stories of other people doing it for years, encouraging people to do it, and now we're actually, in our latter years, able to just spend time doing gardens and improving the soil and doing all the things that I preached about in a practical way," she said.
Wild Dunedin co-founder and trustee Kerry Buchan said "anyone who knows Jeannie understands how deserving she is of this award".
"Her contribution to local conservation and awareness of nature is extraordinary — she’s dedicated countless hours volunteering, walking the walk and talking the talk.
"Jeannie is the heart of Wild Dunedin, and her influence will continue to be felt for years to come."
For years, Mrs Hayden was at the heart of Wild Dunedin, helping to grow the festival into a landmark celebration of Aotearoa’s incredible biodiversity and stunning landscapes, she said.
