The Future for Nature Foundation, previously the Golden Ark, has issued a call for applicants for its 2009 Future Nature Award.1 Three individuals will receive €50,000 each for efforts toward protecting species of wild animals and plants on an international level. Interested parties should apply for the award or nominate others. The deadline for applications is August 31, 2008.
Previous recipients include Patricia Medici, PhD, of Brazil, Charudutt Mishra, PhD, of India, and Michiel Hötte of The Netherlands.2 Dr. Medici is chair of the Tapir Specialist Group, and received the award for her efforts protecting the tapir, an mammal that is similar in appearance to an anteater and indigenous to Central America, South America, and Asia.3 Dr. Mishra is the founder and director of the Nature Conservation Foundation, and runs the India branch of the International Snow Leopard trust. Snow leopards are an endangered species.2,4 Hötte is the founder of the Tigris foundation, and co-founder and co-ordinator of the Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance.2 Hötte works to conserve the Amur tiger and the Amur leopard; the Amur leopard is so rare that there are only 30 existing in the wild. None of the awards thus far have been given to plant-related conservation efforts, but those are still encouraged to apply.
Eligible parties should have conservation experience and be at the early or mid stage of their career. The goal of this award is to assist young conservationists while simultaneously helping to assure a better future. Nominees should have experience leading conservation projects as well as palpable results in regards to conservation. The recipients will be selected by an impartial, international committee of conservationists. The awards will be issued in Spring 2009 at the Annual Future of Nature Conference at Burgers’ Zoo in the Netherlands.
More information about applications and nominations are available at the Web site: www.futurefornature.net.
—Kelly E. Saxton
References
1Future for Nature Web site. Available at http://www.futurefornature.net/. Accessed July 31, 2008.
2Award Winners 2008 Page. Future for Nature Web site. Available at http://www.futurefornature.net/award_winners_2008. Accessed July 31, 2008.
3About tapirs page. The Tapir Specialist Group Web site. Available at http://tapirs.org/tapirs/index.html. Accessed August 1, 2008.
4The Charudutt Mishra page. The Nature Conservation Foundation Web site. Available at http://www.conservation.in/people.php?name=Charudutt+Mishra. Accessed August 1, 2008.