The awards, in their second edition, aim to recognize the work of all those people and organizations that, with their work, contribute to the sustainable development of the rural and fishing environment, as well as to the conservation and knowledge of natural heritage and biodiversity.

Endowed with a total amount of 101,000 euros and co-financed with EAFRD funds, the Biodiversity Foundation Awards recognize the work of entrepreneurs who make a firm commitment to the sustainable management of natural resources, as well as communicators and creators who contribute to involving society in the improvement of the environment.

A Jury made up of renowned professionals from the environment and from each of the disciplines in competition, as well as representatives of the Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs and the Biodiversity Foundation, has awarded these awards by recognising people and organisations that, with their work, have contributed to creating sustainable employment and well-being. as well as to generate social change and individual involvement in a task that belongs to everyone.

In this sense, the commitment of those artists and communicators who day by day inform, excite and convince citizens that each contribution is essential in the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources was valued.

More than 560 applications have been submitted to this second edition. The ‘Photography’ modality, with 333 works received, was the most subscribed followed by ‘Literary Creation’, with 79 works presented. 50 projects were received in ‘Conservation in Action’; 40 documentaries and short films; 31 journalistic reports; 27 projects by entrepreneurs; and 8 initiatives in ‘Fight against maritime pollution’ complete the participation in this contest.

LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATION CATEGORY (1st prize: €10,000 / 2nd prize: €5,000)

Projects that apply business models based on the sustainable use of natural resources, develop nature conservation actions or apply innovative techniques to fight against pollution of the marine environment have been awarded.

‘Entrepreneurs’ Category

• 1st prize: Porto-Muiños Company, in Cambre (A Coruña), which discovers new species of food seaweed on the Galician coast.
• 2nd prize: Ecomanjar, a small family business in Lastras de Cuellar (Segovia), which produces, packages and distributes organic food, revaluing local productions based on the sustainable use of the environment.

Modality ‘Conservation in Action’

• 1st prize: Foundation for the Conservation of the Black Vulture, for the recovery of this species in Mallorca, where the last island population in the world lives. 
• 2nd prize: Global Nature Foundation in Palencia, with the Tierra de Campos Wetlands project, which was started in 1993 with the fundamental objective of recovering as much as possible the steppe wetlands present in the region and dried up throughout the second half of the twentieth century.

Modality ‘Fight against maritime and coastal pollution’

• 1st prize: Technological Centre for Applied Research (TEAXUL S.A.) of Vigo, for a system for purifying waste from the cleaning and evisceration of fish
• 2nd prize: The Institute of Environmental Hydraulics of the University of Cantabria, which has developed a methodology and numerical tools to be used in the management of oil spills at sea.

COMMUNICATION AND CREATION CATEGORY (1st prize: €5,000 / 2nd prize: €2,000)

In order to give greater dynamism to this modality, specific themes were established, thus photographs of wetlands have been awarded; documentaries and short films on biodiversity; reports on climate change; and literary texts on women in rural and fishing areas.

‘Photography’ Category

• 1st prize: Lola Guerrera, with “Delicias en mi Jardín”, an image that is part of a series in which the artist made ephemeral installations in nature with origami figurines.
• 2nd prize: Francisco Llop, with “Pantano de Boadella”. In the image, the author wanted to reflect the loneliness and immobility of human beings in the face of different environmental situations.

 ‘Documentary’ Category

• 1st prize: Lorenzo Joaquín (Larry) Levene, with the film “Icons of Wild China”, which presents an unknown corner of China, in the foothills of the Himalayas, where a unique natural heritage of fauna and flora is hidden.
• 2nd prize:  Agareso, with “Gulf of Fonseca: the fight for a sustainable future”. The documentary chronicles the work of Friends of the Earth Galicia in the Gulf of Fonseca with the local population. The Gulf bathes the coasts of Nicaragua, Salvador and Honduras in the Pacific Ocean.

 ‘Short Film’ Category

• 1st prize: “Amigas del Aire”, a short film that reflects the special relationship that birds and man have maintained for centuries.
• 2nd prize: “Azarbes, channels of life”, documentary short film that shows the biodiversity associated with the traditional irrigation of the Vega Baja of the Segura River.

 Modality ‘Report in the written press and on-line media’ (reports on the Climate Change Summit held in Copenhagen)

• 1st prize: Araceli Acosta, from ABC Natural, with the report ‘The moment of truth for the planet’.
• 2nd prize: Pedro Cáceres, from the newspaper El Mundo, with the report ‘The world facing the challenge of Copenhagen’.

 ‘Blogs’ Modality

• 1st prize: Ferrán Puig for the post “The mathematical certainty of the 5º C of the Titanic”, published in You don’t believe it, where an analogy of the disturbance of the climate system with the Titanic accident is presented.
• 2nd prize: Clemente Álvarez, for the post “The hundred thousand trips of an elevator” published on the Ecolab blog.

 Category ‘Literary Creation’

• 1st prize: “Beans with Clams”, by Alberto Pereiras, for a story where the author shows us the evolution of the work of rural women over time.
• 2nd prize: José Fajardo for “El sabor de la Yerbabuena”, a short story about the traditional role of women in rural areas.

 AWARDS CEREMONY

The Biodiversity Foundation Awards will be presented at a public ceremony presided over by the Minister of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs on the afternoon of 2 June 2011, on the occasion of the celebration of World Environment Day (5 June). The event will take place at the Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs (c/Paseo de la Infanta Isabel, 1).

All the works mentioned can be found on the website of the Biodiversity Foundation Awards. The details of the Jury’s verdict can be read in the press release.