08/19/2026
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Jackson County Assistant District Attorney Krystina Jackson was presented the Judicial Conservationist of the Year Award at the 2026 Alabama Wildlife Federation Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards banquet. The Alabama Wildlife Federation (AWF) held the banquet, co-sponsored by Alabama Power Company and PowerSouth Energy on Friday, August 7, 2026, at The Marriott Legends at Capitol Hill in Prattville. Governor Kay Ivey provided a congratulatory video prepared specifically for the 2026 Award Recipients.
The AWF Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards (GCAA) are the most respected conservation honors in the state of Alabama. For over 50 years, AWF has presented these awards to individuals and organizations that make great contributions to the conservation of Alabama’s wildlife and related natural resources.
Krystina Jackson is an Assistant District Attorney and prosecutes conservation cases in Jackson County, one of Alabama’s largest north Alabama counties. Deer, turkey, waterfowl, and responsible hunters and anglers, are abundant in Jackson County. Unfortunately, poachers also attempt to take advantage of that abundance. The worst cases involve night-hunting poachers, out of state poachers, and poachers hunting on private lands and wildlife management areas. These are the cases that reach Krystina.
As one Conservation Enforcement Officer stated, “She is always available, including nights and weekends, when officers need guidance on complex cases.”
Recently, Krystina played a critical role in the investigation and successful prosecution of two poachers. That case involved a vehicle pursuit, weapons thrown from the vehicle, and the confirmed poaching of 15 deer during the 2025-26 hunting season.
The result - three felony convictions, numerous conservation violations, and possible federal Lacey Act violations that are now under investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Jackson County District Attorney Jason Pierce added, “Krystina is the epitome of class, hard work and passion in everything she does. Jackson County is blessed to have her, and I am grateful that she is getting some well-deserved recognition for who she is and what she does.”
Presenting Sponsors for the event were Alabama Power Company and PowerSouth Energy. The Westervelt Company, Lockheed Martin, Tennessee Valley Authority, Alabama Farm Credit, and Alabama AG Credit Land & Farm Lenders sponsored the social for the event. Additional sponsor support was provided by David & Kelly Thomas, Ralph & Catherine Martin, III, National Wildlife Federation, University of South Alabama - Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Josh & Mary Virginia Mandell, Lee Thuston, Three Notch Group, and Russell Lands.
AWF’s GCAA was created to promote leadership by example and in turn increase conservation of the natural resources in the state of Alabama including its wildlife, forests, fish, soils, water, and air. The program is designed to bring about a greater knowledge and awareness of conservation practices and projects and to give proper recognition to those persons and organizations that make outstanding contributions to the natural resource welfare of their community and state.
The Alabama Wildlife Federation, established by sportsmen in 1935, is the state’s oldest and largest citizens’ conservation organization. The mission of the Alabama Wildlife Federation, a 501(c) 3 non-profit group supported by membership dues and donations, is to promote conservation and wise use of Alabama’s wildlife and related natural resources as a basis for economic and social prosperity.
