Nominations are now open for projects from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific islands to be considered for SERA’s annual awards for (1) excellence in ecological restoration practice and (2) the most outstanding student project. In addition, this year we will also host the 3) Albert Morris Award - a collaboration with the Australian Association of Bush Regenerators and Barrier Field Naturalists’ Club. The 2021 nomination period for all awards closes 16 April 2021.
Send your applications to p.erskine@uq.edu.au with the subject 'SERA Awards application'. Include photos and text addressing the criteria for the award/s of your choice. Applications should be drafted in Powerpoint format, but send it as a pdf file to reduce file size to less than 6 megabytes.
1) The SERA International Award for Restoration Excellence
This award acknowledges individuals or organisations that have made a significant, enduring or internationally recognized contribution to the science and/or practice of ecological restoration through achieving high standards of practice at a site or the development of innovative new approaches, methods and/or strategies for involving the public in restoration efforts.
Subcategories:
a) Larger scale (i.e. 50ha and greater)
b) Smaller scale (i.e. below 50 ha)
Criteria: Projects must demonstrate the following characteristics:
· Planning, implementation and monitoring appropriate to the scale of the project
· Secure engagement with local stakeholders
· Adoption of a locally indigenous ecosystem as a reference or target
· Sustainable size or potentially effective linkage with other ecosystems
· Designed adaptability to climate change
· Evidence that recovery processes have commenced on the site and that there is potential for comprehensive recovery
Eligibility: Any individual or group of individuals or organisation in Australasia is eligible.
2) The Koonamore Student Award
This award recognizes students that have made a significant impact in advancing the theory, practice, and/or public awareness of restoration through innovative research, tools, publications or technologies.
Criteria: The nominee must have demonstrated at least one of following in the development of:
• New approaches to restoration;
• Innovative research into restoration methods, tools, criteria or standards;
• Integration of volunteers in restoration programs;
• Increased public awareness of ecosystem restoration; or
• Use of traditional knowledge in restoration planning or outcomes.
Eligibility: Any enrolled undergraduate or postgraduate student (or within one year of completion) in the field of restoration ecology from a higher learning institution (technical colleges, universities or similar) in Australasia.
3) The Albert Morris Award
This award celebrates well-established ecological restoration projects or programs that have outstanding ecological and social outcomes and is established in honour of Albert Morris, pioneer botanist and designer of arguably the earliest intentional restoration project that harnesses natural regeneration as the main means of recovery. This project was initiated by Albert and the Barrier Field Naturalists’ Club and carried out in the mid 1930s in Broken Hill NSW to reverse desertification in the town common surrounding the city. Its results are evidenced by the green swathe of native vegetation that surrounds the city today.
Criteria: Projects must demonstrate the following characteristics:
· Substantial social benefits
· Planning, implementation and monitoring appropriate to the scale of the project
· Secure engagement with local stakeholders
· Adoption of a locally indigenous ecosystem as a reference or target
· Sustainable size or potentially effective linkage with other ecosystems
· Designed adaptability to climate change
· Evidence that recovery processes have commenced on the site and that there is potential for comprehensive recovery
Eligibility: Any individual or group of individuals or organisation in Australasia is eligible.
NOMINATION AND JUDGING
Nominations can be submitted by anyone regardless of membership in the Society. Likewise, award nominees may include SERA members as well as non-members but must be communicated through an SERA member, and all applicable criteria must be met in order for your nomination to be considered. The SERA Awards Committee will review all nominations and select award recipients based on the criteria given here. The Committee may seek supporting evidence for a given nomination in the form of publications, site visits, photographs, letters of recommendation from impartial referees, or any other appropriate documentation.
Awards are presented during the biennial SERA Conference on Ecological Restoration. Recipients will be notified in advance of the conference so they have adequate time to make the necessary preparations.