Ecology in Action Award

Nominations for the Ecology in Action award are currently closed.  For more information please contact the awards convenor, Margaret Stanley (mc.stanley@auckland.ac.nz).

Aims of the award

The Ecology in Action award reflects one of the primary aims of the society: the promotion of the study of ecology and the application of ecological knowledge in all its aspects. This award was established to recognise individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the application of ecological knowledge, including communication, education and transfer of ecological science at the grass roots in Aotearoa New Zealand or the Pacific. The Society would like to recognise such individuals’ achievements in promoting ecology and education, with landowners, community groups, politicians, councils and others. The society recognises the important role of the transfer of ecological knowledge in changing behaviours and achieving practical protection and restoration of biodiversity.

Award

Recipients of the award are:

• awarded complimentary registration for the next New Zealand Ecological Society conference, and support towards associated travel and accommodation costs to attend - normally up to $1000 at the discretion of the council;
• invited to give a plenary talk at the next annual New Zealand Ecological Society conference;
• highlighted in the New Zealand Ecological Society newsletter and given profile via a media release announcing the award.

Eligibility

Open to members and non-members. Awardees can only obtain the award once. Nominations may be held for three years from submission for consideration or may be updated annually by way of re-submission.

Nominations

Please email nomination materials to the awards convenor (Margaret Stanley, mc.stanley@auckland.ac.nz) by Wednesday 31 July 2024.

Nominations can be made by the nominee or an independent nominator and must include a detailed statement of support outlining the nominee’s outstanding contributions to the practice and application of ecology in Aotearoa New Zealand or the Pacific. Nominations must provide specific evidence for each achievement. Evidence for outstanding application of ecological knowledge may include, but is not limited to, applied ecological breakthroughs, development of innovative new techniques, significant uptake or application of knowledge or new techniques by others, changing the way we do things and transfer of ecological knowledge to others including community groups, regulatory agencies and landowners, effective partnerships with iwi, hapū or whānau. Nominations may include letters of support from others. All nominations are emailed directly to the awards convenor.

Selection

The selection panel shall consist of current elected council members of the New Zealand Ecological Society. Where deemed appropriate the council may co-opt ex-officio members of the council on to the selection panel, and/or delegate a sub-committee to oversee selection. At the discretion of the nominated committee no award may be made in any given year.

Past Recipients Ecology in Action Award

Cameos of past recipients can be viewed here.