RSPB/CIWEM Living Wetlands Award 2008

The RSPB/CIWEM Living Wetlands Award recognises multi-functional projects that demonstrate the sustainable use of wetland habitats.

The 2008 Award is now closed.

Entry Criteria

UK projects that are either work-in-progress or complete are eligible.

• contribute to the delivery of priority UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species and habitat targets for wetlands
• demonstrate sustainability and delivery of multiple benefits e.g. flood alleviation, wastewater treatment, recreation, eco-tourism, water resource security
• ensure no priority BAP species or habitats are harmed by the project

In addition, it is desirable that projects:

• incorporate active community involvement
• contribute to increases in numbers of breeding wading birds (e.g. redshank, snipe, lapwing) and/or other threatened wetland species
• contribute to the restoration of floodplain functions
• include a programme for education or promotion/dissemination of the work
• constitute a new area of work for the entrant, or add value beyond the normal remit of the organisation

To be eligible for the Award, projects must meet all of the essential entry criteria. Entries are scored out of five against each of the essential entry criteria and out of three against each of the other desirable criteria. The maximum possible score is thus thirty points.
Where possible, entrants should provide numerical records of BAP species seen on site and, if available, comparative data showing how numbers of BAP species have increased since the start of the project.  This information will be considered along with other factors such as the size of the project and location. 

Projects on RSPB land or which are directly managed by RSPB are not eligible to enter for the Award.

The Prize

The prize consists of the Mance Memorial Trophy (a specially-commissioned bronze trophy of a snipe), publicity for the winning scheme, a framed certificate and a cheque for £1,500, which should be used to fund the delivery of further UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) targets, publicity of the project and/or related education. The winner will be announced at the CIWEM World Wetlands Day Conference in February and the Award will be presented at the CIWEM Annual Dinner in 2008.

How to Enter

Please fill out the entry form (available here) and send it along with a succinct summary report, up to ten A4 pages in length including illustrations. Sections should be clearly marked and photographs and diagrams used to illustrate the entry. You may like to outline the following:

a) Background to the project
b) Project funding and management
c) How the project benefits wildlife
d) Community involvement, education and public access
e) Sustainability and other benefits that the project delivers (e.g. flood alleviation, eco-tourism etc)
f) Future plans and how winning the Award would benefit the project

Any history of legal infringements or insurance claims against the entrant(s) must be stated in the entry.

If the file size is under 4 MB please email your report and completed entry form to awards@ciwem.org . If the file size exceeds 4MB please send four individual copies on CDs or hard copies to Joanna Cooper, Policy Department, CIWEM, 15 John Street, London, WC1N 2EB.

Judges

The judging panel will consist of five judges including the CIWEM Director of Policy and the Head of Water Policy at RSPB.

If not entries meet the essential criteria no Award will be given.

If a project has any history of legal infringements stated in their application judges will request further information from the entrants.  Judges will be able to deduct up to 30 points at their descretion depending on the infringement.

Previous Winners/Projects

In 2008 the Judges chose to commend The Moray Council for their entry 'The Wards Wetlands Wildlife Site' an urban wetland site situated in the city of Elgin in Morayshire.
The winner of the 2007 Living Wetlands Award is Sutcliffe Park – Quaggy River Flood Risk Management Scheme submitted by the Environment Agency, click here for further information.
The 2006 winner is The Little Ouse Headwaters Project a community based charity with the aim of restoring wildlife habitat along the headwater of the Little Ouse. Click here for more information on the project.  The 2006 winner of the Small Living Wetlands Award is Yorkshire Water for their entry Scrayingham Ecological Wastewater Treatment System.  Click here for more information on the project.
The winner in 2005 was Essex Wildlife Trust’s Abbotts Hall Farm coastal realignment scheme on the Blackwater Estuary.  Click here for more information on the project. The 2004 Award was won by Aston Hall Farm, a working farm at Stone in Staffordshire, with a scheme that transformed a 300-acre site into a floodplain grazing marsh. The project was submitted by a partnership of organisations led by Severn Trent Water.

Further Information

Images and project material may be used by CIWEM and RSPB in award promotion and publications. Permission will be sought from entrants before material is used.

For technical queries about wetlands, please contact the RSPB Water Policy Team on 01767 680551. For publicity enquiries and wetlands pictures contact Heather Mitchell, RSPB press officer (Tel: 01767 681577; Email: heather.mitchell@rspb.org.uk) or the CIWEM Press Officer (Tel: 020 7831 3110; Email: press@ciwem.org)