Taranaki’s Flagship Environmental Awards Have Been Revamped And Upgraded As They Go Into Their Third Decade.

Changes for the 2013 Taranaki Regional Council awards include more categories, a clearer focus on why awards are made, and corporate sponsorship allowing a higher-profile presentation ceremony.

The awards were inaugurated in 1993, with 189 presented over the following two decades.

Nominations for this year’s awards close at 12 noon on Tuesday 4 June, and can be made at www.trc.govt.nz/environmental-awards/.

“The awards celebrate the fact that the region’s generally good-quality environment is not simply an accident, but the result of hard work across all sectors of the Taranaki community,” says the Council Chairman, David MacLeod.

“Twenty years on, it’s fitting to introduce changes aimed at giving them a higher and clearer profile.”

The original three awards categories have been expanded to five – Business (Public and Private Sector), Sustainable Dairy Farming, Sustainable Land Management, Community, and Education.

“The nominations process has been revamped, with more details required on what the person, organisation or activity has achieved and what makes it outstanding,” says Mr MacLeod. “There’s also a clearer focus on the visible or measurable improvements or outcomes that have been achieved.”

He says bringing corporate sponsors on board gives the Council the resources to stage a more visible and accessible presentation ceremony.

“Presentations will be made at an early-evening catered function in New Plymouth, making it easier for people to gather and celebrate the region’s environmental heroes,” says Mr MacLeod. “

In previous years, presentations have taken place at a meeting of the Council at its chambers in Stratford.

“We’re pleased that some of the key players in Taranaki industry and commerce have agreed to become partners in these awards,” says Mr MacLeod. “They as much as us understand the importance of sound environmental stewardship, and why the region should celebrate its environmental achievers.”

Awards sponsors are Port Taranaki Ltd (Business – Public and Private Sector), Fonterra (Sustainable Dairy Farming), Dow AgroSciences (Sustainable Land Management), Methanex (Community) and the Taranaki Daily News (Education).

ENDS

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