Two New Zealand ecologists were celebrated for their achievements yesterday at the Te Aka Toro | New Zealand Ecological Society conference.
Prof. Andrew Jeffs, a marine biologist at the University of Auckland, has published an extraordinary body of research that has contributed to the management of fisheries and marine reserves in Aotearoa. His pioneering research on underwater sound has opened our ears to the secret lives of marine organisms.
Jeffs was awarded the prestigious Te Tohu Taiao Award for Excellence by the Society in recognition of his ecological research and his work with communities and iwi which has directly improved New Zealand’s marine environment, through the establishment of marine reserves and extensive mussel reef restoration.
Professor Andrew Jeffs
Sian Crowley was awarded the Ecology in Action Award by the Society. The award recognises Crowley’s extensive contribution to environmental education in New Zealand. She has engaged with tens of thousands of students and community members across the country, from toddlers to adults.
Crowley’s numerous roles in organisations, such as Greening Taupō, BLAKE, Forest and Bird Youth, NZ Association for Environmental Education, the Jane Goodall Institute Youth Council, demonstrate her passion for engaging New Zealanders with ecology and the environment. She has established The Seed Pod, a social enterprise aimed at increasing our collective connection to nature through immersive storytelling, collaborative education and artistic expression.
Jeffs and Crowley were both recognised as hugely influential in developing the next generation of New Zealand ecologists.
Sian Crowley