Whitaker Named Lifetime Achievement Award Winner for Environmental Stewardship

Ernest Howard Whitaker, a pioneer in environmental education and community service – and a national inspiration for children learning about the environment – has been named the Robert Sparks Walker Lifetime Achievement Award winner.

The award is the top honor in the Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards presented by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC).

“We strive each year to recognize the very best people in protecting our natural resources, and no one is more worthy of such praise than this honoree,” said TDEC Commissioner David Salyers. “He has devoted a lifetime of service with what is obviously a deep, unwavering passion. This award shows our appreciation. We are grateful for all his work.”

Whitaker has devoted more than 70 years to advancing conservation practices and public education. He is especially known for creating two mascots to teach children about the environment. The characters, Sammy Soil and Ruby Raindrop, are used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to draw attention to conservation. They make public appearances promoting the importance of protecting natural resources.

Whitaker’s work impacts thousands of lives across the country through volunteerism, innovation, and community engagement, but he has had special focus on Tennessee, his home state.

A native of Putnam County, his career with the Soil Conservation Service (now the Natural Resources Conservation Service, or NRCS) has spanned multiple Tennessee counties, where he led groundbreaking conservation initiatives.

• In Hamilton County, Whitaker’s work has helped close 20 dangerous abandoned coal mines through federal-state partnerships; engaged regional media to raise public awareness on conservation issues; and co-founded the Hamilton County Agriculture Fair and Hall of Fame.
• In McMinn County, he engineered animal waste control systems for 160 Grade A dairy farms; directed the $1 million Chestuee Watershed Project, which focused on flood control and land management; established Tree Day, adopted by the City of Athens for Arbor Day celebrations; and launched the Earth Team, a nationally recognized conservation volunteer group.
• In Meigs County, he influenced the planting of over 2 million trees, significantly enhancing regional biodiversity; founded the Meigs County Lions Club and local Red Cross Blood Bank; and introduced Sammy Soil.

The characters Sammy Soil and Ruby Raindrop were inspired by a dream in 1967. He created Sammy Soil, a cartoon clod of earth with grass for hair, to help children understand the importance of protecting the land. Later, he collaborated with award-winning cartoonist Bruce Plante to introduce Ruby Raindrop, a cheerful water droplet who teaches water conservation.

The mascots have appeared at White House Earth Day celebrations; the Smithsonian’s “Dig It! The Secrets of Soil” exhibit; and many classrooms, festivals, and community outreach events nationwide. Sammy and Ruby remain central to USDA and NRCS educational programming, delivering messages such as “The soil you save today may keep you from hunger tomorrow.”

Whitaker’s leadership and service has earned him widespread acclaim, including the USDA Superior Service Award (1989); Tennessee Technological University Distinguished Alumnus honor (1991); and the USDA Handicapped Employee of the Year award (1999), stemming from hearing loss from childhood illness.

Whitaker, alongside his wife Nell, has taught English and agriculture to international families. His commitment to education and civic pride continues to influence his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Whitaker’s life is an example of how one person can make a difference. His legacy is the inspiration he offers future generations who will carry on his work to protect the environment.

Robert Sparks Walker, namesake of the award, was a founder of the Chattanooga Audubon Society. He turned his childhood home and surrounding farmland into a wildlife sanctuary. Among his writings was “Torchlights to the Cherokees: the Brainerd Mission,” gaining a nomination for the Pulitzer Prize. Walker was editor of the magazine The Southern Fruit Grower and wrote a weekly column in the Chattanooga Times. He died in 1960 at age 82.