River Stories - part of the NZ River Awards - want to tell the stories of young people (ages 5 - 25 years) who are involved with restoring local rivers, monitoring water quality, river/stream health or any other interesting projects to do with freshwater.
Each year, the NZ River Awards tracks down 10 stories and asks an experienced journalist to pick three finalists from which they then choose the best River Story.
Once we have identified a story we research and write it up in the style of a magazine/newspaper article for the judge to consider. So there is little input required from the subject of the story, at least initially. If the story becomes one of the three finalists we would like to take it a step further and prepare a video (at our cost) and give it profile. We also fund a representative for each finalist to attend the Awards in Wellington in late November.
Organisers are looking for potential river stories from the South Island. Any suggestions for inspiring examples of individuals, communities, organisations and businesses working to restore New Zealand’s waterways are welcome. Please send me an email (elizabeth@greenaway.co.nz) with contact name, details for email and phone. Also an overview of the river, number of people involved, time period and achievements. While there is no closing date, it would be good to have initial information by end of April.
For more information about the NZ River Awards, please visit: www.cawthron.org.nz/news/general/2017/cawthron-foundation-takes-over-nz-river-awards/
Curious to know about conservation science and some of the great projects that have happened in New Zealand? Check out these restoration stories.
