Date:  02 April 2017 Source:  Offices of the Minister of Conservation and the Minister for the Environment

Nominations for the 27th annual Green Ribbon Awards are now open, giving New Zealanders the chance to honour our environmental leaders, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry say.

“These prestigious awards recognise outstanding contributions by individuals, communities and organisations to protect and enhance the environment. Previous years have showcased an impressive array of initiatives making a difference to our natural assets and wildlife,” Dr Smith says.

“The 10 categories include biodiversity, resilience to climate change, waste minimisation, caring for fresh water, coastal and ocean protection, leadership, philanthropy and partnerships, and the Supreme Winner category.”

Last year’s Supreme Winner as well as taking home the Community Leadership category was Te Whangai Trust.

“The Trust continues to change lives through its work with long-term unemployed, youth and people at risk, centred around conservation principles,” Ms Barry says.

“Every year Te Whangai provides half a million eco-sourced native plants and more than 156,000 volunteer hours and has made significant environmental gains in the Waikato region, restoring ecosystems, wildlife corridors and waterways."

“We will also be awarding the prestigious Loder Cup for outstanding contributions to the protection of our unique flora and fauna. The ornate cup gifted by Gerald Loder was first awarded in 1929.”

“The names engraved on the cup reflect a who's who of New Zealand conservation - Duncan and Davies, Dr Gerry McSweeny who was closely involved in the creation of DOC now celebrating its 30th birthday, and Clive Paton to name a few."

“There are many individuals and groups around the country fighting the War on Weeds and working towards Predator Free 2050 and we encourage them to nominate for the biodiversity category of the Green Ribbon Awards," Ms Barry says.

“We welcome the opportunity to raise the profile of environmental initiatives by communities, organisations and workplaces through these awards, and want people to share stories about what they've learned. We invite all the finalists to an awards night banquet at Parliament and for many who work in isolation, they relish the chance to celebrate conservation achievements and network with people who share their enthusiasm for protecting our nature," the Ministers say.

Entries for the Green Ribbon awards close on 10 May with the finalists to be announced at Parliament on June 8.

Read more about Green Ribbon Awards and how to enter.

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