Ward Burton

Ward Burton is a native Virginian from South Boston, and is married to Tabitha Burton. He has three children - Sarah, who is 20, Jeb, who is 15, and Ashton, who is 5 years old. As a NASCAR Cup driver he has multiple career wins, including the prestigious title of 2002 Daytona 500 Winner. Growing up, Ward spent much time in the great outdoors and often lived off the land for days on end at a place called the COVE, which his wildlife foundation owns and manages today.

Ward has always been passionate about the environment. He contributes to multiple causes related to the environment and his philanthropy has supported programs ranging from K-12 education to landowner awareness of environmental federal stewardship programs. Ultimately, he created the Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation, which manages a 2000-acre wildlife refuge system of protected land as well as 8.5 miles of riverfront on the scenic Staunton River. This project has served as a conservation model nationally.

Ward is a leader in environmental education and advocacy, resource protection, and habitat restoration. His passions are to reduce pollution, improve water quality, advance recycling efforts, restore habitat, and replenish the land often taken away by development. Leaders at every level of government have recognized the Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation nationally and statewide.

Finally, Ward is committed to global environmental policy issues from renewable energy to enabling landowners to access federal and state programs that protect their land in perpetuity and allow for the land to be passed down from generation to generation with minimal financial impact. Ward speaks regularly at the state and national levels and is often called upon by dignitaries to offer advice on policies that affect everyday people.

In addition to being the founder of the Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation, Ward is involved in numerous conservation efforts in Virginia and around the United States, including:

• Keynote speaker at the Cooperative Conservation Conference at the White House
• National spokesperson for the NRA; recorded radio PSAs for membership drive
• Spokesperson for the Virginia Park System
• Involved with the 4-H clubs in Alabama and Virginia through PSAs and assisting 4-H clubs to conduct wildlife enhancement programs on Foundation Land
• Board member and spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
• Partnering with the Natural Resources Conservation Service to create awareness for the need to protect and create additional wetlands in America
• Spokesperson in 2004 for Save Our Salmon - an alliance of six fishing organizations in the Pacific Northwest - to create spawning habitat for salmon and steelhead for recreational and commercial fishing
• Spokesperson and celebrity draw to an annual fundraiser for Return to Nature, Inc., a non-profit conservation educational organization that takes the conservation and stewardship message into the elementary schools reaching over 210,000 students
• Honorary Chairman for National Hunting and Fishing Day in 2000
• Spokesperson for National 4-H Shooting Sports
• Promotional work for Ducks Unlimited, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, National Wild Turkey Federation, and Wildlife Forever for membership drives and animal re-introduction
• PSAs for the Alabama DNR and the West Virginia DNR to promote their work in conservation, hunting safety programs, and Hunters for the Hungry
• Former board member of Wildlife Forever
• Hosted hunting and fishing events with ill and terminally ill children from the United Special Sportsmen Alliance and Carilion Health System
• Life member of the National Rifle Association, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, Quality Deer Management Association, and the National Wild Turkey Federation