Nominations are now open for the 2025 SA Environment Awards – including the Green Adelaide Pelzer Prize – to celebrate individuals, groups and organisations that dedicate their time and expertise to care for our precious natural environment.
The 2025 SA Environment Awards are presented by the Conservation Council of South Australia (Conservation SA) in partnership with Green Adelaide, the Department for Environment and Water and the University of Adelaide Environment Institute.
Conservation SA Chief Executive Kirsty Bevan said that the work undertaken by community members and groups in conserving and protecting the environment deserves to be celebrated.
"The South Australian Environment Awards are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the passionate, dedicated, and innovative individuals and groups working tirelessly to protect and restore our environment," she said.
"These awards honour the incredible contributions of South Australians who champion the health of our landscapes, climate, biodiversity, and community resilience.
Their often unseen efforts are building a brighter, more sustainable future for everyone."
Green Adelaide Presiding Member Professor Chris Daniels said that the quality of past nominations has highlighted how passionate people are about making a significant difference for the South Australian environment.
“Our Pelzer Prize acknowledges the environmental efforts made by members of the community and organisations to support our drive for a cooler, greener and wilder metropolitan Adelaide,” he said.
Department for Environment and Water Chief Executive Ben Bruce said the awards recognised the passionate people who cared for, protected and restored the state’s environment.
“The SA Environment Awards are an opportunity to bring people together and recognise the environmental champions of South Australia,” Mr Bruce said.
“Nominating a person or a group for one of these awards is a great way to highlight their achievements and celebrate their efforts.”
Nominations are open across 6 categories:
- Jill Hudson Award for Environmental Protection – Since 1998, this award has recognised an individual living in South Australia who has made an outstanding contribution to protecting the state’s environment.
- Pelzer Prize – Championed by Green Adelaide, the Pelzer Prize recognises a conservation leader or environmental champion who works towards restoring landscapes, creating habitat for wildlife, connecting people to nature, or cleaning up natural spaces.
- Working Together Award – The Working Together Award recognises groups or organisations whose program has recently achieved significant results for our environment.
- Innovation Award – This new award recognises an individual, organisation or company for developing or applying an innovative solution towards a sustainable future.
- Leif Justham Young Achiever Award – Named for inspiring young climate activist Leif Justham, this award recognises individuals (or groups of young people) under the age of 28 who have made a significant contribution to protecting the state’s environment.
- Conservation Science Award – This prize recognises the development of application-ready research or the successful application of science and research into real-world conservation outcomes.
For more information and how to apply visit the SA Environment Awards website.
Nominations close at 5 pm on Friday 14 March and an awards ceremony will be held on World Environment Day (5 June 2024) to celebrate the winners, finalists and Lifetime Achievers.
Past Pelzer Prize winners include Jill Woodlands (2021), Sophie Thomson (2022), James Smith (2023) and Dr Mark Ellis (2024)