The Conservation Award was established by ARARA in 1991 to recognize significant contributions to the conservation or protection of rock art and renamed in 2022 as the Daniel McCarthy Conservation Award.
Consideration will be given to an individual, group, organization, or agency that has taken a leadership role in significantly contributing to protect or preserve a major rock art site or series of sites from an identified and serious destructive impact, or to cause legislative, educational, administrative, or other action that significantly promotes rock art conservation or protection.