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• Contributions

• Harold and Kay Scholl Excellence in Conservation Award
• Essential Nomination Information
• Summary of Society Awards
• Hugh Hammond Bennett Award
• Fellow Award
• Outstanding Service Award
• Honor Award
• Merit Award
• Commendation Award

Essential Nomination Information:

Awards nomination deadline is December 12th.

The awards program of the Soil and Water Conservation Society is designed to recognize individuals and organizations who have made outstanding contributions in advocating the conservation of soil, water and related natural resources.

Outlined in this manual are the criteria and nominating procedures for the awards program. Award recipients will be announced at the Society's annual meeting, unless otherwise indicated.

Included in this manual are criteria for the Hugh Hammond Bennett, Fellow, Outstanding Service, Honor, Merit, Commendation awards.

The award category selection key will help you place your nomination in the awards category that best fits the nominee's accomplishments. Answer the questions sequentially until you are led to the appropriate award. Incorrectly placed nominations will not be considered for recognition.

The formal nomination questionnaire must be filled out for the appropriate award category and may be accompanied by supporting information. There is a specific nomination questionnaire for each award category except chapter awards. Please make additional copies as needed. Consult the nomination procedures section under each award category.

All award nominations must be sent to SWCS headquarters (945 Southwest Ankeny Road, Ankeny, Iowa 50021-9764). Nominations must be postmarked on or before December 12. Late nominations will not be considered.

Additional information, if needed, may be obtained from the Society's headquarters office or your regional Awards Committee representative.

Summary of Society Awards

I. Society Members:

     Fellow

• Recognizes exceptional professional achievement coupled with service to the Society
• Number awarded: Up to 0.1% of members

     Outstanding Service

• Recognizes distinguished service to the Society over a long and sustained period (10 years minimum)
• Number awarded: Up to 0.1% of members

     Commendation

• Recognizes members for service to their chapters (members having received other Society awards are also eligible)
• Number awarded: Each chapter, council of chapters, Society board member, or Society officer may nominate no more than one member annually

II. Society Members and Non-Members:

     Hugh Hammond Bennett

• Recognizes extraordinary national and international accomplishments in the conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources
• Number awarded: One, and then only if a suitable candidate is nominated

     Honor

• Recognizes people for outstanding accomplishments compatible with Society objectives
• Number awarded: Up to 10 each year

     Merit

• Recognizes noteworthy conservation activity or products of organizations, agencies, or firms
• Number awarded: As many as meet the criteria

Following, nomination procedures are explained by award category. All nominations, except those for chapter awards, are due by December 12.

Hugh Hammond Bennett Award

The Hugh Hammond Bennett Award is the highest honor bestowed on an individual by the Society. It is given for distinguished service in recognition of national and international accomplishments in the conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources.

Criteria

• The award may be given to Society members or nonmembers.
• No elected officer of the Society or Board member shall be eligible for the award while holding office.
• The service and accomplishments of the nominee shall have made major and widely recognized contributions to the conservation of natural resources on national and international levels. These accomplishments shall be consistent with the goals and objectives of the Society.

Nomination Procedure

• Nominations may be made by Society officers, Society Board members, Society chapters, or individual Society members.
• Nominators must submit fourteen copies of the Award Nomination Questionnaire and supporting material.
• The supporting material, in narrative form, should clearly document the national and international scope of the nominee's accomplishments, including such items as professional achievements in resource conservation, publications, and papers written or delivered at professional meetings. Service to the Society either as a member or nonmember and service to other professional or conservation organizations can also be included.

Selection

• The Society's Board of Directors reviews all nominations and selects the recipient.
• No monetary gift will be made, but expenses may be paid for the recipient to attend the Society's annual meeting or other appropriate place of presentation. The award will be presented at the
• annual meeting or elsewhere as designated by the Board. A response, if any, from the recipient, such as an address or paper, will be determined by the Board.
• The award shall be given to no more than one individual annually. No award shall be made if a suitable candidate is not nominated or if the Society's Board of Directors decides there are significant reasons for not conferring the award.

Click here for the Hugh Hammond Bennett award faxable questionnaire.

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Fellow Award

The designation of Fellow is conferred on Society members who have performed exceptional service in advocating the conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources. This award is given for professional excellence, first and foremost. Professional achievement may be in practicing, investigating, administering, or teaching soil and water conservation or closely related fields.

Criteria:

• Only Society members with at least 10 continuous years of membership are eligible.
• Board members and officers of the Society shall not be eligible during their term of office.
• Nominees should be widely recognized outside the Society and their state or province for their expertise as professional conservationists.
• Nominees shall have been active in Society affairs and shall have made contributions to the progress of the Society beyond the chapter level.
• The degree of Fellow will not be awarded to recognize long and faithful service to a chapter or to the parent Society in the absence of significant professional achievement.

Nomination Procedure:

• Nominations shall be by petition, signed by at least 25 members of the Society. Individuals signing the petition may, but need not be, members of the same Society chapter. Names of Society members who are not formal members of a local chapter may also appear on a petition. Names of petitioners must be printed as well as signed.

The supporting material should include:

• Documentation of an individual's professional achievements in narrative form, including significant publications or products using other media, significant papers presented at professional meetings, and other information, detailing the specific contributions the nominee has made, as deemed appropriate for the degree of Fellow
• Length and continuity of Society membership; offices and committee memberships held at the chapter and international levels
• Society representation on special boards, federations, and commissions
• Other outstanding contributions to the Society
• Awards received from the Society or other organizations not listed on the Awards Nomination Questionnaire

Submit sixteen copies of the petition, Award Nomination Questionnaire and supporting material.

Selection:

• The Awards Committee will evaluate and rank nominees. Recommendations will be presented to the Board of Directors for final approval.
• No more than one-tenth of one percent of the Society's membership will be honored each year.

Click here for the Fellow Award faxable questionnaire.

Click here for the Fellow Award petition.

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The Outstanding Service Award is given to Society members in recognition of distinguished service in helping the Society to develop and carry out its program over a long and sustained period of time. Accomplishments of the nominee should not be of a scope or significance warranting the degree of Fellow, but should be greater than those required for the Commendation Award.

Criteria:

• Any Society member may be nominated. A five-year period, however, must elapse before members who have received Fellow Awards are eligible for the Outstanding Service Award.
• Officers at the national and chapter levels, Board members, and Society staff members are eligible during their terms of office.
• The nominee must have performed distinguished service to the Society on a sustained basis for at least 10 years. This service may have been performed at the chapter, regional, or international level, or any combination thereof.
• The nominee's service should include activities that help the Society to achieve its goals and objectives.
• The award will not be given merely to recognize long membership in the Society or to honor a member's retirement.

Nomination Procedure:

• Nominations shall be by petition, signed by at least 25 Society members. Individuals signing the petition may, but need not be, members of the same chapter. Names of Society members who are not formal members of a local chapter may also appear on a petition. Names of petitioners must be printed as well as signed.
• Submit nine copies of the petition, Award Nomination Questionnaire and supporting material.
• The supporting material must clearly document the above criteria, including such items as length and continuity of membership; time span during which the distinguished service was rendered; offices, committee, and other positions held at the chapter and international levels; attendance at chapter and national meetings; and other information, in narrative form, identifying the services rendered to the Society, as deemed appropriate under the award criteria.

Selection:

• The Awards Committee will evaluate and rank all nominations. Recommendations will be presented to the Board of Directors for final approval.
• No more than one-tenth of one percent of the Society's membership will be honored each year.

Click here for the Outstanding Service Award faxable questionnaire.

Click here for the Outstanding Service Award petition.

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The Honor Award recognizes people, usually nonmembers of the Society or lay members of the Society, for outstanding accomplishments compatible with the mission of the Society.

Criteria:

• Society members and nonmembers are eligible.
• A nominee's outstanding accomplishments must be widely recognized by leaders in soil and water conservation and/or related fields.
• The nominee's influence or position should have materially stimulated interest in and advanced the conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources through one or more of the following fields: author, speaker, educator, administrator, industry, business, banking, soil conservation district, profession (lawyer, doctor, minister, etc.), and nonpartisan political activity.
• The nominee's activity shall have been of a voluntary nature and not part of his or her normal working duties.
• The nominee's political activities can in no way be construed to reflect a partisan attitude on the part of the Society.

Nomination Procedure:

• Nomination may be made by Society chapters only.
• Submit nine copies of the Award Nomination Questionnaire and supporting material.
• Supporting material should include details on the extent and scope of the nominee's contributions, on any assistance the nominee has given the parent Society or a chapter, how the nominee's professional role relates to his or her conservation activities, and other pertinent information. Omit reference to family, church, military, political, or social activities unless they relate specifically to the nominee's conservation activities.

Selection:

• The Awards Committee will evaluate and rank nominees. Recommendations will be presented to the Board of Directors for final approval.
• No more than 10 Honor Awards will be presented annually.

 

Click here for the Honor Award faxable questionnaire.

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The Merit Award is given in recognition of an outstanding activity, product, or service by a group, business firm, corporation, or organization that promotes the conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources.

Criteria:

• Activities of corporate sustaining members of the Society are eligible.
• Society chapter activities are not eligible in this category.
• Eligible organizations include press, radio, movies, television, industries, corporations, churches, societies, foundations, civic clubs, scout groups, and other organizations, public or private, that have carried out a noteworthy conservation activity.
• The effort or activity shall be in line with the Society's mission.
• The activity should be the result of an organized program and may include the activity of an agency of government.
• The activity shall have an effect over a large area, at least a large part of a state or province, or parts of several states or provinces.
• The principal effect of the activity should have been directed to other than professional conservationists.
• The activity should have clearly contributed to bringing about better conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources and/or better understanding of natural resource conservation issues.
• The selection of the organization should not bring discredit to similar or competing organizations.

Nomination Procedures:

• Nominations may be submitted by chapters and appropriate chapter committees, any three Society members, Society officers, Society Board members, or Society committee and task force chairs.
• Eligible groups may submit their own nominations.
• Submit nine copies of the Award Nomination Questionnaire and supporting material.
• Supporting material should include details on the geographic extent and scope of the nominee's contribution, the audience to which the contribution was targeted, and details on how the nominee's contribution improved the conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources and/or improved the understanding of natural resource conservation issues.

Selection:

• Nominations will be judged by the Awards Committee. Recommendations will be presented to the Board of Directors for final approval.
• There is no limit on the number of awards presented annually.

Click here for the Merit Award faxable questionnaire.

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The Commendation Award gives international recognition to Society members for service to their chapter or council of chapters.

Criteria:

• All Society members are eligible for consideration except members who have received a Fellow Award within the past five years.
• The activity for which the individual is recognized should be in line with the Society's objectives, growth, and activities.
• The nominee shall have served as a committee member, or as a chapter officer, or in another capacity, and shall have been instrumental, in an exceptional way, in the development or implementation of a chapter.
• The activity should have required exceptional time or effort.
• The nominee's activity shall have been accomplished recently; does not necessarily have to be a long, sustained project; and may have been done over a period of less than a year.
• There is no limit to the number of times the Commendation Award may be given to an individual or on the time span between Commendations.

Nomination Procedure:

• Each Society chapter or council of chapters, each parent Society officer, and each Society board member may nominate no more than one member each year.
• Submit seven copies of the Award Nomination Questionnaire and supporting material.
• Supporting material should detail the specific accomplishments the nominee has made to the chapter or council of chapters.

Selection:

• Regional members of the Awards Committee will recommend approval or disapproval of all nominations in their respective regions. Recommendations will be presented to the Board of Directors for final approval.

Click here for the Commendation Award faxable questionnaire.

Tips for Completing SWCS Award Nominations