SPAN PROJECT
Ministry of Environment and Tourism
Private Bag 13306
Ministry of Environment & Tourism
Namibia
9000
The MET Field Awards
Guidelines for MET Field Awards:
in recognition of exceptional performances
The Welwitchia Award
The Welwitchia plant, which is one of the Namibian Coat of arms, survives in harsh environmental conditions and is one of the world's most unusual plants. The Welwitchia Award will be given to a staff member who exemplifies the type of character required in the performance of his/her duties in representing the park management and conservation profession on a day to day basis.
The incumbent should have demonstrated outstanding moral leadership qualities, high standards of performance and dedication to themselves, their colleagues and the MET.
The Lion Heart Award
This is a valour or bravery award that will be presented to an individual who has shown great courage while on the job. This will only be awarded as appropriate. The award recognizes a person who undertakes an exceptional or unusual act of service above and beyond the call of duty, inside or outside of parks.
This Award will recognize an individual who exhibits virtues of bravery in line with the highest conducts of conservation management. Examples are actions to prevent potentially catastrophic hazards to the environment such as fires or floods, lifesaving rescues, thwarting of a major crime or aiding tourists or animals in distress. The award will not, however, recognize heroic acts done as a result of recklessness or negligence on the part of the nominee.
The Springbok Award
This award will be presented to either of the two field staff members:
- A possibly lower ranking staff member who shows great potential and enthusiasm to succeed in the nature conservation and park management profession. In this case, the candidate will be a young and upcoming individual who has been in the MET for no longer than five years.
- An individual who demonstrated tremendous potential in the park management and conservation field in the new post. The candidate will be a person who has been in a particular position for not more than five years. The individual will be a person with a high level of motivation, workmanship and relentless energy; who plays promise of playing a key role in park management and conservation in the near future.
Lifetime Achieve-ment Award
This award will recognize and reward a staffs who have made a significant and meaningful contribution to conservation and the environment. Candidates can either be still active within the MET or have retired.
What prices are available?
Winners of the individual Welwitchia, Lion Heart, and Springbok and life time awards will receive a medal, certificate and a floating trophy with their name engraved on a plate on the trophy. Winners get to keep the trophy for a year.
How will the winners be determined?
The aim of the field awards is to recognize exceptional achievements by staff as nominated by MET staff. A nomination form that outlines the criteria and guidelines for the different awards will be dispatched to all stations during August and September this year. Nominations for suitable candidates will be accepted from all MET Park and field staff. The Chief Control Wardens (CCWs), Chief Conservation Scientists (CCSs) and relevant senior staff in each region will be responsible for collecting the nomination forms and sending them to the Chief Warden for Headquarter Coordination Services in the Directorate of Parks and Wildlife Management (DPWM) in Windhoek.
Nomination forms should not reach the Chief Warden for Coordination Services no later than 30 November each year. S/he will then be assisted by the SPAN-PMU to shortlist a maximum of three candidates per award, based on the number of nominations received per nominee.
An award committee comprised of representatives from across MET directorates will unanimously vote for a winner in each category. In the event that a given Chief Control Warden is short listed for an award, nominations should be sent directly to the CW for Coordination Services. A set of guidelines will soon be developed to help the committee conduct a fair voting process.
