2023 LIFETIME ACHIEVER AWARDS
Presented by Dr Susan Close MP | Deputy Premier Minister for Climate, Environment and Water
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Pam Catcheside |
Uncle Jeffrey Newchurch |
Maureen Christie |
Neville Bonney |
Enid Robertson
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JILL HUDSON AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Presented by Craig Wilkins | Chief Executive, Conservation Council of SA
Winner: Professor Sarah Wheeler
For more than a decade, Professor Sarah Wheeler has sought to change national water policy for the benefit of South Australia and the entire Murray-Darling Basin system.
Alongside her academic research as Professor of Water Economics at University of Adelaide, Professor Wheeler has engaged extensively on water policy with government and industry.
Of particular focus has been her work advocating for the most effective policy options to return water to rivers within the Basin. Advocating for increased buyback of irrigator entitlements is fraught with conflict, given the popular narrative about the socio-economic impacts of buybacks by major irrigator groups.
Taking such a stance in calling for water policy reform and being critical of politically-motivated water changes – along with the call for continued buyback of water entitlements – has caused conflict with politicians, irrigator lobby groups, and other water organisations.
Despite significant opposition, Professor Wheeler continues to provide top-level scientific expertise on the Murray-Darling Basin alongside her unwavering advocacy for our country’s greatest Rivers.
Finalists:
Elizabeth Penney
In 2006 Elizabeth Penney’s family purchased seven acres of barren farmland in Angle Vale in Adelaide’s northern suburbs.
Over the past 16 years, the humble family patch has become a six-acre native sanctuary that attracts over 30 different bird species and other diverse fauna. Since convincing her family the area would make a fine bird sanctuary, Elizabeth has brought the land back to life, planting over 20,000 native plants on the property.
Each week she works long hours on the land: planting, weeding and planning for the coming season. As part of her conservation efforts, Elizabeth rescues and repots over 500 plants each year, caring for them at home until they are ready to return to the plot. And at 80 years of age, she shows no signs of slowing down.
This thriving native haven in our city’s north is testament to the tenacity of Elizabeth Penny’s determination to protect and restore our environment.
Alan Young
A lifelong champion for the environment, Alan Young has dedicated his time and energy to restoring landscapes, creating habitats for wildlife, and connecting people to nature.
Alan was nominated for his exceptional contributions to the Lot 101 revegetation project in Glenelg North.
He has worked tirelessly to ensure the project's success, collaborating with a range of partners across government and local council, and rallying members of the community to engage with nature. Alan’s determination and drive have resulted in positive revegetation and weed control outcomes on the 650m Lot 101 Sand Dune.
This critical project has helped stabilise the dune system and improve its biodiversity while providing a unique opportunity to develop and promote effective land management methods for coastal vegetation and dune systems.
Alan continues to inspire others through his work promoting a stronger connection between nature and community.
GREEN ADELAIDE'S PELZER PRIZE
Presented by Dr Susan Close MP | Deputy Premier Minister for Climate, Environment and Water
Winner: James Smith
For nearly two decades, James Smith has been a dedicated advocate for wildlife across the State while primarily focusing on urban and peri-urban environments.
Through the delivery of presentations, workshops, publications and media appearances, James has contributed significantly to an appreciation of urban wildlife in South Australia.
More broadly, he has driven greater understanding around hollow-dependent species and the resources they need and has enhanced our knowledge through research initiatives and co-pioneered a nationally recognised carved hollows workshop.
For many years, James has contributed to educating the community about South Australia’s urban wildlife and habitat to drive a cooler, greener and wilder metropolitan Adelaide.
Certificates of Commendation:
Alan Burns - Certificate of Commendation for Landscape Management
Gerry Butler - Certificate of Commendation for Conservation
Catherine McMahon - Certificate of Commendation for Climate Adaptation
Elizabeth Penney - Certificate of Commendation for Private Land Revegetation Education
Ann Prescott OAM - Certificate of Commendation for Scholarly Publications
Prof Philip Weinstein - Certificate of Commendation for Research
CONSERVATION SCIENCE PRIZE
Presented by Leah Panakera-Thorpe | Manager, Environment Institute, University of Adelaide
Winner: Dr Anthony Cheshire
Throughout a formidable career in conservation science Dr Anthony Cheshire has led a wide range of research projects across the marine sciences.
His work on the development of rapid assessment protocols and technologies to support the investigation of anthropogenic impacts on marine systems includes work on coastal dredging, aquaculture, marine litter and land-based discharges to the marine environment.
Dr Cheshire’s methods have been widely adopted, and are used now both nationally and internationally to support improved management and understanding of marine and coastal habitats.
Finalists:
Dr Jennie Fluin
Dr Jennie Fluin has been nominated for her strategic and collaborative leadership in the successful design and delivery of the Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin Trials and Investigation Program.
The program delivered a $10.9M integrated ecological research program through a partnership between the three South Australian universities, UWA, SARDI, CSIRO, the Goyder Institute, the Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal Corporation, and State and Federal Governments.
By deftly facilitating partnerships between government and the research sector, Dr Fluin's work allowed the closing of critical knowledge gaps needed to inform the future conservation and management of the Coorong and its globally unique environmental values.
Dr Dominic McAfee
Dr McAfee’s research seeks to understand and leverage the ecological and social complexities of marine socio-ecological systems, to develop solutions that ensure marine habitat restoration is both a social and environmental success.
His extensive research on oyster ecosystems provided the evidence base that has driven the momentum for the country’s largest marine restoration program; the restoration of Australia's lost shellfish reefs.
This critical work includes pioneering new multi-species approaches and the use of underwater speakers to boost key restoration processes: techniques that are being applied to new reef restorations across Australia.
WORKING TOGETHER AWARD
Presented by Adelaide Cemeteries CEO Michael Robertson
Winner: Kangaroo Island Feral Pig Eradication Scheme
The devastating 2019-20 bushfires on Kangaroo Island provided a rare silver lining to the destruction: a once in a lifetime opportunity to eradicate feral pigs while their population had been decimated by the same fires.
The Kangaroo Island Feral Pig Eradication team has worked tirelessly to clear feral pigs from private and public land, parks, reserves, forestry and agricultural farmland using a coordinated landscape approach.
Supported by the Kangaroo Island Landscape Board and the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) , this community-led scheme is on track to have eradicated feral pigs on KI by the end of 2023.
Finalists:
Southern Yorke Peninsula Landcare Group
Since 2019 the Southern Yorke Peninsula Landcare Group has coordinated an extraordinary community effort to support the threatened eastern osprey, a spectacular fish-eating raptor.
Six artificial nesting platforms now exist along Yorke Peninsula’s coastline thanks to the combined efforts of a local men’s shed, fishermen, surfers, birdwatchers, environmental organisations and government, all led by this humble group of 34 volunteers.
And the results speak for themselves: the number of osprey-occupied breeding territories has increased from one in 2017 to five in 2022, signalling the raptor’s return to the mainland.
Zoos SA
Collaboration is at the core of Zoos SA’s mission: to connect people with nature and save species from extinction.
Over the past year, Zoos SA has worked together with conservation partners and government organisations, investing expertise, time and energy into vital programs for endangered native species in SA and interstate, including the brush-tailed bettong and Kangaroo Island dunnart.
Most recently, the Zoos SA team has achieved an Australasian first with the successful cross-fostering of a Cheetah cub.
INNOVATION AWARD
Presented by Dr Susan Close MP | Deputy Premier Minister for Climate, Environment and Water
Winner: Dr Mary Retallack
For the past 28 years, Mary Retallack has championed our environment by sharing ways to employ ecological restoration in and around production systems.
Retallack Viticulture has pioneered the use of a broad suite of native insectary plants and established the award winning National EcoVineyards Program, originating in South Australia and now collaborating with more than 90 program partners.
This program actively influences the wine growing practices of more than 6,000 grape growers that collectively manage over 146,000 hectares of wine grapes throughout Australia, and inspires a new generation of wine growers and horticulturists to work with the intelligence of nature.
Finalists:
James Smith
For nearly two decades, James Smith has been a dedicated advocate for wildlife across the State while primarily focusing on urban and peri-urban environments.
Through the delivery of presentations, workshops, publications and media appearances, James has contributed significantly to an appreciation of urban wildlife in South Australia.
More broadly, he has driven greater understanding around hollow-dependent species and the resources they need and has enhanced our knowledge through research initiatives and co-pioneered a nationally recognised carved hollows workshop.
TERN Adelaide
The Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network field program supports people from universities, government, not-for-profit and community groups to accomplish essential environmental work in areas such as climate change, biodiversity monitoring, taxonomy, and land management.
TERN freely provides high-quality environmental samples and data, collected using standardised ecological monitoring protocols developed in collaboration with experts, as well as delivering ecological monitoring support and training.
TERN Adelaide supplies an essential service as a hub and communication conduit, working to break down the silos between academics, applied ecologists and community who are all striving towards common environmental goals.
LEIF JUSTHAM YOUNG ACHIEVER AWARD
Presented by Leif's mum Helen Taylor
Winner: Rhys Abbott
At 28 years old, Nature Conservation Society Campaigner Rhys Abbott has been behind some of SA’s most effective conservation and climate action campaigns.
Alongside his work for NCSSA, Rhys spearheads a number of highly successful social media accounts, including @earthlyeducation, a wildly popular Instagram page with nearly 300k followers, focusing on education about climate and nature issues.
Over the past 18 months, Rhys has co-founded SAGE - the South Australian Grass-Roots Ecosystem - a powerful collaborative movement working to foster resilient communities in the face of climate change, and Heaps Good Planet, a new South Australian voice for protecting and restoring our living world.
Finalists:
Alyssa Powell-Ascura
Emerging artist Alyssa Powell-Ascura uses her platform to champion the relationships between culture, community and environmental advocacy.
Born in the Philippines and raised in Bundjalung Country, Alyssa’s ancestry and belief in our interconnectedness with nature informs a sustainable approach to art and storytelling.Alyssa's artwork uses repurposed materials and digital formats to ensure less waste during production of new artwork and allowing her to reach new audiences.
Her formidable span of creative works, including poetry, illustration, installation and digital media, have environmental care and concern at their heart. As her nominator says, “Alyssa’s art encourages all of us to be great stewards of the earth.”
Django Westmoreland
Django Westmoreland is an inspiring, driven conservationist – and he’s only in Year 9.
As a member of his Junior Landcare Youth Environment Council, Django has set about creating and restoring habitat for bird species in the Fleurieu Peninsula. In addition to weed control and installing nesting boxes, he has planted an incredible 800 Indigenous plants in his local environment.
As an advocate for native birds, his focus is on protecting habitats to ensure local species have a sustainable future. Alongside his practical work, Django likes to meet and collaborate with other young people his age who care about our environment.