Sir Peter Scott Award for Conservation Merit

This is the "senior" SSC award, dating back to 1984. It is presented to individuals in recognition of significant and long term service to conservation through their work with the SSC or associated institutions.

Accomplishments may involve one or more specific events, or they may reflect sustained activity over time. The recipient may be one or more individuals, an organization, or an institution. Achievements are recognizable as particularly significant and noteworthy contributions to the conservation of wild fauna and flora, especially threatened species.

Award: a medal bearing the likeness of Sir Peter Scott, the first Chair of the SSC, and a certificate.

Recipients:

May 2006

Rod East, long-standing member and Co-Chair of the Antelope Specialist Group. In recognition of his extensive involvement in the SSC. Among his outstanding contributions are the publication of Antelopes: Global Survey and Regional Action Plans for Africa south of the Sahara, the African Antelope Database 1998, and the series of Antelope Survey Updates. In addition, his fund-raising efforts have greatly assisted the conservation of species poorly represented in the existing African protected areas network.

November 2004

All recipients were honoured for their long-time, significant contributions to conservation. 

Dr David Given, former Co-Chair of the SSC Plant Conservation Committee (PCC). In recognition of his leadership of the PCC and unwavering dedication towards raising awareness of and action for the conservation of plant species worldwide.
Dr Mohd Khan b Momin Khan, Chair of the SSC Asian Rhino Specialist Group. In recognition of his many years of important and influential work championing species conservation in Asia.
Dr Georgina Mace, Chair of the IUCN/SSC Red List Committee. In recognition of her important and innovative leadership in developing and reviewing the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, ushering in a new era in scientifically-rigorous assessments of the global status of species.

May 2004

Prof. Harry Messel, former Chair of the SSC Crocodile Specialist Group (CSG) and SSC icon. In recognition of his leadership and dedicated service to the CSG, building one of the most globally-known and respected SSC Specialist Groups.

September 2002

The late Dr Ulie Seal, long-standing Chair of the SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group and one of the Commission's leading lights. SSC's former Chairs, David Brackett and George Rabb jointly presented this award during an event at the Minnesota Zoo in 2002 celebrating Ulie's ongoing career as a pioneer of global conservation.

October 2000

Dr William G. Conway, former President of the Wildlife Conservation Society, New York. In recognition of his leadership in advocating the integration of the work of zoological parks into broader conservation programs, tirelessly arguing the responsibility of zoos in conserving nature in the wild, and his far-reaching impact on practical wildlife conservation.
Mr Peter Jackson, former Chair of SSC's Cat Specialist Group. In recognition of his many years of important and influential work related to the conservation of wild cat species, particularly his leading role in tiger conservation worldwide, and his efforts in building the Cat Specialist Group into one of the most active and successful of the SSC.
Prof. Marshall W. Murphree, former Chair of SSC's Sustainable Use Specialist Group. In recognition of his many years of important and innovative work establishing "conservation with a human face", championing the sustainable use of wildlife and its benefits to species conservation.

1999

Dr Tony Cunningham, SSC Medicinal Plant Specialist Group. Dr Tony Cunningham, eminent ethnobotanist and leading light of the SSC Medicinal Plant Specialist Group. In recognition of his years of important and influential work related to the conservation dimension in the use of plant resources in Africa, particularly in the complex area of ethnoecology. This involves resource use by people and the consideration of both cultural and ecological factors in approaching issues such as land-use planning, non-timber plant resource harvesting, and collaborative management.

1996

Dr George B. Rabb - Dr Rabb received the Peter Scott Award for Conservation Merit in recognition of his dedicated leadership and vision as SSC Chair. His vision and leadership aims to foster understanding of the complex dynamics influencing the health of ecosystems and species; integrate social, economic and other sciences into conservation strategies and policies; and motivate conservation organizations, zoo and aquariums and other public enterprises to work together toward a respectful and sustainable relationship with the natural world.

1994

Dr Graeme Caughley - Dr Caughey passed away before the award could be presented to him, it was instead presented to his family. He died in February 1994. Dr Caughley left his own unmistakable influence on ecology, wildlife management and in his later years, conservation biology. He led in his field by setting high standards of experimental design, analyses and integrity. He was best known for his practical and theoretical research on population dynamics, where much of his work pivoted on the ecological relationships between herbivores and their forage.

Peter Scott Awards were presented posthumously to Ingerio Eduardo Aspiazu, Alwyn H. Gentry & Theodore A. Parker III. All three were killed in a plane crash in Ecuador in August 1993. The award was presented to the family and friends of each of the honorees.

Ingenerio Eduardo Aspiazu - For his tireless dedication as a conservationist and in special recognition of his role in helping to make the dream of an Andean protected area network become reality.
Alwyn H. Gentry - For pioneering the rapid assessment technique, an approach to evaluating the biotic wealth of ecosystems, that significantly advanced conservation knowledge and alerted governments to the precarious state of some of their richest ecological treasures, and in recognition of a lifetime of unmatched conservation achievement in the field of botany.
Theodore A. Parker III - For pioneering the rapid assessment technique, an approach to evaluating the biotic wealth of ecosystems, that significantly advanced conservation knowledge and alerted governments to the precarious state of some of their richest ecological treasures, and in recognition of a lifetime of unmatched conservation achievement in the field of ornithology.