"Much like the conservationists who previously have received the Audubon Medal, including Stewart Udall, Rachel Carson and Ted Turner, I realize that this recognition cannot be a cause to rest, but a spur to continue our work."

"The ability to manage large assets well - it's like being Michael Jordan or winning the gold in the Olympics; it's what you aspire to."

"When a profit-seeking company proposes to take citizens' private land away for its own gain, people should stand up for their rights."

"We are too quickly losing important landscapes in this country to development - and I worry that if we do not act to protect them now, future generations will grow up in a profoundly different world."

"'Hurt Village' is based on a real housing project in Memphis, about three minutes away from the Lorraine Hotel where Dr. King was assassinated, so in my work I'm focusing on a very specific area in Memphis. I see 'Hurt Village' as a natural extension of 'The Mountaintop.'"

"Kids are a huge sacrifice they change everything - but I'm ready to work for things of greater importance than going out to meet someone for dinner at 10 o'clock at night."

"As for me, prizes are nothing. My prize is my work."

"I've learned from doing my own show with Fox that people are not your partners if they're signing the checks. Whoever signs your paycheck is the boss - no matter what they tell you."