Longtime Times-Picayune journalist Mark Schleifstein is being recognized with a national award for his decades of volunteer work in service of environmental journalism.

The Society of Environmental Journalists has named Schleifstein the 2025 recipient of its David Stolberg Meritorious Service Award. The award “recognizes an SEJ member whose volunteer service demonstrates extraordinary commitment to the organization and to environmental journalism,” the organization said.

Schleifstein worked for the newspaper for four decades before retiring at the end of 2024. Over that time, his coverage was at the forefront of the myriad environmental issues facing Louisiana, from coastal land loss to industrial pollution.

He has been widely recognized for his work. His long list of awards includes sharing in Pulitzer Prizes for his reporting on Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath as well as for the paper’s 1996 series “Oceans of Trouble,” which explored the perilous state of the world’s fisheries. His reporting on Katrina was key to the newspaper’s coverage and occurred despite losing his own home to the flood.

He was recently named the recipient of a lifetime achievement award from the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana for his decades of work shining a light on the state’s land loss crisis.

Schleifstein was a founding member of SEJ, the organization representing environmental journalists nationwide, and served on its board for 14 years. The organization noted that “for more than three decades, he mentored colleagues, led tours and SEJ conference sessions, and served as a trusted advisor to SEJ staff and board, a steadying force behind the organization’s growth.”

He has helped guide reporting at the Mississippi River Basin Ag and Water Desk and served on the advisory board of SciLine, a resource for reporters in need of reliable scientific information. He is a past president and lifetime achievement honoree with the Press Club of New Orleans. 

“I’m honored to be recognized by this outstanding journalism organization that I have always considered to be my extended family,” said Schleifstein. 

“As much as I have supported its efforts to bring accurate environmental journalism to the world, its members have provided me with needed assistance in reporting on major environmental problems that affect Louisiana and the Gulf Coast, and especially after Hurricane Katrina, personal support for me and my family.”

SEJ member and nominator Jim Bruggers said “Mark’s contributions to SEJ have been fundamental, foundational and exceptional and are deserving of the highest volunteer recognition, particularly at this time of his life.”