Kiwi Coast Trust is delighted to announce a new award aimed at recognising the outstanding achievements of Northland groups and projects who have proven their commitment to restoring the health of their local native forests and wildlife, including kiwi.
The new award is being added this year to the fourth annual Northland Regional Council (NRC) Whakamānawa ā Taiao – Environmental Awards that are now open for nominations.
Kiwi Coast is offering this award to recognise the dedication and achievements of Northland’s hardworking community some of whom are amongst the longest running community led projects across Aotearoa.
Ngaire Sullivan, Kiwi Coast Coordinator, explained the key reason behind the new award:
“Groups and projects out there work really hard for little or no reward and it’s time to celebrate their achievements.”
The winner of the Kiwi Coast award will take home a $500 cash prize and a bespoke handcrafted trophy created especially for the award by a Northland artist.
The winner of this award will demonstrate:
- Working together – a strong community-wide collaborative approach
- Results focused – effective action on-the-ground achieving measurable environmental goals for native forests and wildlife
- Forward thinking – innovation, ideas and thinking outside the box to take a project to the next level.
NRC Council Chair Penny Smart says numerous groups have been recognised since the NRC awards’ inception in 2019 for the difference they are making in Northland.
“Applying to the Environmental Awards helps tell the story of the environmental mahi happening in Northland and shows that collectively we are making a difference.”
She says the awards are an opportunity for Northlanders to be recognised and appreciated for their work and for the wider community to learn more about the details of a project and the reasons for it. The awards cover eight categories: community, pest management, education, water quality improvement, industry, leadership, kaitiakitanga and climate change.
“The Kiwi Coast Outstanding Group or Project Award has been included in 2022 to broaden the reach of the Environmental Awards. Often environmental mahi is happening in Northland, quietly and with little acknowledgement and we want to discover and recognise these achievements.”
Entries are open until Sunday 10 April. More information about the awards and how to enter is available from: awards.nrc.govt.nz
