Saving Threatened Ecosystems Award

We are pleased to announce that in 2008 there will be category awards for both Site Coordinators and Schools as part of this competition.

SITE COORDINATOR CATEGORY

This award will be presented to a registered National Tree Day site judged to be the best example of the reinstatement of an area of an endangered ecosystem. This grant is kindly funded by the Threatened Ecosystems Network who work to raise awareness about threatened ecosystems and prevent extinctions.

Site Coordinator Grand Prize

  • Saving Threatened Ecosystems Award TROPHY
  • A cash grant of $1000 from the Threatened Ecosystems Network

Criteria:

The site needs to be a registered National Tree Day site, vegetation must be planted and site results submitted after the event. Provide information on the reinstatement of an area of endangered ecosystems on the following basis:

  • How highly endangered the ecosystem is.
  • How badly the area was degraded to begin with.
  • How much replanting was necessary.
  • How well the new vegetation complies with benchmarks. Please contact your local council or state environment department for this information.
  • How weeds will be controlled.
  • How the area will be protected from other threatening processes.
  • How it will be maintained into the future.
  • The size of the project relative to the size of the group and the size of the organisation (if any) they represent.

As planting times may vary during the year, you may send in a proposed project entry that covers the above. Entries must be received by Friday 29th August. Please see below for details of where to mail your entry.

Lists of endangered ecosystem types for each state or local area can be provided by local councils or your state environment department.

SCHOOL CATEGORY

This award will be presented to a registered Schools Tree Day site judged to provide the best information in answer to the criteria. Educational toys are provided by Planet Ark in association with Tree Toys and the cash grants are kindly funded by the Threatened Ecosystems Network, who work to raise awareness about threatened ecosystems and prevent extinctions.

First Prize

  • Saving Threatened Ecosystems Award TROPHY
  • Eco Dome and Worm World, kindly provided by Tree Toys
  • $100 voucher to purchase plants for the Eco Dome and worms for Worm World
  • Total prize value: $350.00

These educational and interactive toys will help your students learn about how light, the earth, plants, water and air are all linked in a cycle that sustains life on earth, as well as allowing them to enter the mysterious underground world of worms to discover how they live, eat and breed.

You can download further information about the ECO Dome (484k pdf document).

FOUR runners up will each win:

  • Eco domes, courtesy of Planet Ark
  • $50 voucher to purchase plant for the Eco dome
  • Total prize value: $140.00

The Eco Dome is an educational and interactive toy that will help your students learn about how light, the earth, plants, water and air are all linked in a cycle that sustains life on earth

Criteria:

  • Define the term "Biodiversity Hotspot".
  • Identify how many biodiversity hotspots there are in Australia.
  • Chose one biodiversity hotspot in Australia and describe in 200 words or less why it is considered a biodiversity hotspot and what could be done to help it.

Information is available from the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts web site.

Mail your entry, including your site number and results form by Friday 29th August to:

Saving Threatened Eco-Systems Award 2008
Planet Ark Environmental Foundation
PO Box 4
Wentworth Falls NSW 2782

 

Judging:

The entries will be judged by a panel from the Threatened Eco-systems Network and Planet Ark.