Yvon Chouinard and former Congressman Bob Lagomarsino are as different as huaraches and Hush Puppies, but a national environmental group has singled the two men out for their work on behalf of wild places.

Chouinard, a self-described "dirtbag climber" who pioneered eco-conscious capitalism with the outdoor company Patagonia, and Lagomarsino, considered by many to be the dean of state Republican politics, will be given Conservation Leadership Awards on Saturday at a ceremony in Santa Barbara by members of the National Forest Foundation.

"It's only fitting that we honor two individuals that exemplify the spirit of citizen- and community-based conservation as Yvon Chouinard and Congressman Lagomarsino do," said William J. Possiel, president of the group.

Chouinard and his company were recognized for setting a model for corporate philanthropy and environmental commitment, said Erin McGlinchey, a spokeswoman for the group which has offices in Montana and Washington D.C.

"This award is meant to recognize these two men's incredible records of achievement in conservation," said McGlinchy.

Since Patagonia was launched in the early 1970s in Ventura, Chouinard has guided the company's decision to earmark a portion of profits and sales to organizations working to protect habitat and biodiversity. Over two decades the company has given $29 million to groups and helped co-found "The Conservation Alliance" in 1989 bringing together other outdoor industry companies into the conservation movement. The company was among the first to embrace the use of organic cotton and recycled materials for its clothing lines.

During his long political career, both in Sacramento and Washington D.C., Lagomarsino was instrumental drafting legislation to protect rivers, wilderness areas and the coast.

As a state senator, he enacted the Marine Resources Protection Act and the California Wild and Scenic Rivers legislation. While in Congress, he was instrumental in creation of the Channel Islands National Park, the Dick Smith Wilderness Area, and the Los Padres National Forest.

The pair, who both own homes not far from each other on the coast just north of Ventura, will be recognized at a ceremony Saturday at the Santa Barbara Club.