OTTAWA, March 11, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Canadian Museum of Nature has launched its nominations for the 2020 Nature Inspiration Awards – a program that celebrates innovative leaders that are connecting Canadians with nature and setting examples for a sustainable future.    

Previous nominees for the annual awards, which debuted in 2014, have included youth or adults who initiate change through community action, teaching, and advocacy; not-for-profits that inspire children and adults through hands-on experiences with nature and the environment; leaders who mobilize people to appreciate nature and its connections to a sustainable society through advocacy and creative programs; and businesses that promote sustainable practices and support community outreach.

Guidelines and application forms are available at nature.ca/awards. The submission deadline is May 19, 2020. A jury selects the winners from a shortlist in each of six categories. Nominations should stress specific projects that show leadership and innovation, rather than just an overview of an organization’s mandate or an individual’s list of accomplishments. Each award includes $5,000, which recipients then “pay it forward” by donating the prize money to another nature-related cause or organization.

“We continue to be inspired by the many ways that Canadians are showing how the natural world impacts our lives, and how we in turn can benefit from a sustainable future,” says Meg Beckel, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of Nature. “We look forward to honouring the people and organizations that are contributing to this awareness through this call for nominations.”

The awards have six categories: youth or youth groups (aged 17 and younger), adults (aged 18 and up), small-to-medium not-for-profit organizations; large not-for profits; small-to-medium businesses, and large businesses. A Lifetime Achievement Award recipient will be selected by the jury.   
                                                                                                           
Nominations can come from a direct application by the individual or organization, or through a third party. Through brief essays and supporting documents (videos, photos, articles), applicants must demonstrate leadership, innovative practices and accomplishments for projects that encourage a positive and sustainable interaction with the natural world.                                                                  

A gala to celebrate the finalists and announce the winners will be held November 25, 2020 at the Canadian Museum of Nature in downtown Ottawa. The awards are supported by media partners The Walrus and the Globe and Mail, as well as category sponsors Ontario Power Generation (Not-for-Profits, small to medium) and the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) for the Youth Award.

For more information, email awards@mus-nature.ca.

Recipients of the 2019 Nature Inspiration Awards included:

• Twelve-year-old Sophia Mathur from Sudbury, Ontario, for leadership and environmental advocacy about action for climate change; 
• Dr. Laurence Packer from Toronto for scientific research on wild bees and public outreach about the importance of bees and other pollinators;   
• Furniture-maker Calstone Inc. from Scarborough, Ontario for leadership in helping youth and communities to re-green urban spaces; 
• Abeego, from Victoria, British Columbia, for inventing and marketing the first beeswax food wrap, a sustainable alternative to plastic;  
• The Trans-Canada Trail, based in Montreal, for the creation of a 24,000-km trail network that connects over 15,000 communities across Canada; 
• Second Harvest, from Toronto, for creating and managing a food-rescue and redistribution program serving over 370 social service agencies and food hubs; 
• Volunteer John Coope for two decades of conservation work and stewardship of Vancouver’s Jericho Beach Park.  

Videos about each of the winners can be viewed at nature.ca.

About the Canadian Museum of Nature
Saving the world through evidence, knowledge and inspiration: The Canadian Museum of Nature is Canada's national museum of natural history and natural sciences. The museum provides evidence-based insights, inspiring experiences and meaningful engagement with nature's past, present and future. It achieves this through scientific research, a 14.6-million specimen collection, education programs, signature and travelling exhibitions, and a dynamic web site, nature.ca.

Information for media:
Dan Smythe
Head, Media Relations, Canadian Museum of Nature
613.566.4781; 613.698.9253 (cell)
dsmythe@mus-nature.ca

John Swettenham
Director, Marketing and Media Relations
Canadian Museum of Nature
613.566.4249; 613.868.8277 (cell)
jswettenham@mus-nature.ca