Sutherland Shire Environment Centre has a number of grant and award programs which seek to celebrate, recognise and support individuals and groups in the Sutherland Shire and bioregions who act to protect our environment, and the importance of environmental considerations.
Sutherland Shire Environment Centre (LEAF) Local Environment of Australia funding
Funding open to groups for projects that are beneficial to the environment in their local areas.
Bill Ryan Award
In honour of Bill Ryan who passed away in December 2019, Sutherland Shire Environment Centre has created an Activism Award in order to recognise peaceful environmental activism. Bill Ryan’s civility, spirit, and determination have been an inspiration to so many. His long history of engaging in non-violent, direct action was centred in his conviction that civil disobedience and the freedom to protest should be an essential feature of democratic society.
This award has been established in Bill Ryan’s name as a tribute to a much loved and remarkable man and to honour those who share his spirit of non-violent direct action for the benefit of the environment.
RD Walshe Writing for the Environment Award
In 1989, Bob Walshe OAM, author and environmental activist, ran a short “Writing for the Environment” course in Sutherland. From this group grew Sutherland Shire Environment Centre. Bob’s wisdom, approach and ongoing support built a foundation that allows the Environment Centre to support members and local community organisations in their efforts to protect and improve their local areas in the Shire and its region.
In honour of our founder, Sutherland Shire Environment Centre has established an writing award for Australian citizens and 25 years or younger.
UNSW Masters and PhD research thesis Award
Through the University of New South Wales Sutherland Shire Environment Centre invites nominations for a $1,000 prize to be awarded for research at a Masters and Phd level to encourage and support students undertaking studies on environmental issues in and around the Shire Sutherland region.
Topics might include (but are not limited to) environmental conservation, environmental remediation, environmental education and environmental history. Ideally the winning thesis, or an edited version or extract would be published in the public domain, although this would not be a requirement. Theses can be nominated through their authors’ supervisors.
University of Wollongong scholarship
Sutherland Shire Environment Centre has previously provided an annual scholarship for honours students of the University of Wollongong.
The scholarship (was valued at $2500) and offered support to Honours students who are committed to environmental issues impacting the Sutherland Shire. The purpose of this scholarship was to provide recognition and reward to any student in the Environmental Engineering or Environmental Science disciplines, working on a specific project or thesis that examined, enhanced or aimed to improve the environmental sustainability of the region.
Sustainable Business Award
This planet is the only one we have! It’s not in anyone’s best interest to put in place business practices or sell products that damage it. Eco-savvy business is environmentally-sustainable business – business that operates in ways that, at best, benefit the environment and, at least, do minimal harm to it. Sutherland Shire Environment Centre is proud to support and encourage eco-savvy businesses through our sponsorship of the ‘Sustainability Award’ in the Sutherland Shire Local Business Awards.
Eco-savvy business is the direction of the future.
Speaking 4 the Planet
Beat Plastic Pollution. Connecting People to Nature. Illegal Trade in Wildlife. Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care. Raise your Voice, Not the Sea Level. Think.Eat.Save. You might recognise these as recent World Environment Day themes. We want our kids to be able to speak up about their beliefs. How great would it be if they could speak up for the planet?
Speaking 4 the Planet is a world-first program – since 2013, high school students have been participating in Speaking 4 the Planet competitions.
