Marsh Charitable Trust – Marsh Award for Outstanding Contribution to International Wetland Conservation

Marsh Award for Outstanding Contribution to International Wetland Conservation

This Award is run in association with the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust and recognises a local citizen of a developing country whose non-UK conservation work has resulted in tremendous sustainable benefit for people and wildlife that rely on wetlands.

Nominations for the Award are put forward to the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and judged in partnership with the MCT.

See here for more information on how to nominate.

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Harison Andriambelo 2022

Since joining WWT in May 2017, Harison has worked to build the Trust’s programme in Madagascar to include three site-based interventions on neglected wetlands and a programme of support to the government and students. In 2021, Harison was instrumental in registering WWT as an established organisation in Madagascar meaning that they are now able to work freely on wetlands and advise the government on environmental issues. He is an untiring advocate for wetland nature and has been instrumental in supporting the designation of 10 RAMSAR sites in the country. Harison promotes the use of evidence-based policy making and monitoring and has raised the profile of several wetland sites and the species which rely on them. He has helped raise significant funds for projects and delivers them to communities in Madagascar to help develop sustainable communities in a deprived area of the world. Harison has proven himself to be dedicated to wetland conservation and works tirelessly to support WWT’s efforts in his native country.

Previous Winners

Dr Ruth Cromie

Ruth started at WWT in the 1980s and, despite no longer being with the organisation, continues to support WWT as a Research Fellow and Consultant on matters relating to the banning of lead ammunition to protect people and wildlife from poisoning. In her time at WWT, she was responsible to their animal health and welfare standards and the Ecosystem Health programme which included research, advocacy, planning and policy work to improve global wetland health. Ruth has worked on resolutions for both the Convention on Migratory Species and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, promoting integrated approaches to managing wetland health. She has played an instrumental role in the banning of lead shot in all EU wetlands and has improved the co-ordinated global response to Avian Influenza. Ruth has had a truly global impact on wetland conservation, driving changes in law and policy in multiple countries and remaining at the forefront of the global health agenda.

Highly Commended: Daniel Joyce

Dr Lew Young

Dr Young was CEO of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP). He passed away in March 2019, and this Award was given posthumously in recognition of his commitment to wetland conservation around the globe throughout his career.

Lew was a passionate conservationist who has committed his whole career to the conservation of Asia’s wetlands and waterbirds. For nearly 20 year, he managed the Mai Po Nature Reserve in Hong Kong SAR, one of the best-known wetland reserves in the area. Here he instilled best practices for wetlands management and created education programmes for students and visitors. He also helped to establish the Wetland Link International-Asia, which facilitates cooperation between wetland conservation centres around the continent.

In 2008, Lew was appointed Senior Regional Advisor for Asia and Oceania for the Ramsar Secretariat, where he provided support for the effective implementation of the convention across 33 countries in Asia. During his time as CEO of EAAFP, he was instrumental in bringing forward the agenda on Southeast Asian migratory species, the Dalmatian Pelican and ‘Indo-Burma’ wetlands.

Dr Young was an influential conservationist and a beloved colleague of all who worked with him.