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The Walter B. Jones Memorial and NOAA Excellence Awards for Coastal and Ocean Resource Management

About the Awards | Eligibility | Awards Ceremony |
Walter B. Jones Memorial Awards |
NOAA Excellence Awards for Coastal and Ocean Resource Management| Selection Criteria

About the Awards

coastal marina

Balancing human use with the needs of coastal and ocean resources is the goal of the CZMA.

Innovation, resourcefulness, leadership and a commitment to balancing the human use of America's coastal and ocean resources with the needs of the resources themselves - these are the hallmarks of the Walter B. Jones Memorial and NOAA Excellence Awards.

The Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) of 1972 created a unique and voluntary partnership of federal and state governments to provide a balance between land and water uses and resource conservation along America's 95,000 miles of coastlines, including the Great Lakes. In 1990, as part of the reauthorization of the CZMA, the late Congressman Walter B. Jones provided NOAA with the authority to honor the people and organizations of America for their dedication and outstanding contributions in helping the nation maintain healthy coastal and ocean resources and balance the needs of these resources with human use.

At that time, Congressman Jones identified three award categories as particularly important–excellence in local government, excellence in marine and coastal graduate study, and coastal steward of the year. NOAA later added additional categories to recognize the broad spectrum of contributions made by this country's many motivated, caring individuals and organizations.

Eligibility

The awards program is open to individuals, organizations, and state and local government agencies and their employees. Individuals, organizations and agencies cannot nominate themselves; they must be nominated by others. Candidates can receive an award in a category only once. For a list of previous winners, please click here (pdf, 96 kb). Federal employees and officials are not eligible for the Walter B. Jones Memorial Awards, and are not eligible for the NOAA Excellence Awards, except for the category of Excellence in Ocean and Coastal Resource Management.

Awards Ceremony

Winners will be notified in February, 2008 and honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Recipients at the 2005 award

2005 Award Winners. Back row (left to right) Nancy Jamison (accepting for Dr. Seth Macinko), Kevin Weng, Paul Taylor (accepting for Taylor Shellfish), Charles Max Schenk, Dr. William Aalbersberg, R. Heath Kelsey, Dr. Michael Orbach (accepting for Surfrider Foundation), Jonathan Granville (accepting for Erie MetroParks), Katherine Ann Eschelbach, and Mayor Frederick M. Kalisz, Jr. (accepting for the City of New Bedford, MA). Front row (left to right) Elizabeth A. Blair, Bill Taylor (accepting for Taylor Shellfish), Congressman Walter B. Jones, Jr., VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., Edith Chase, and Caitlin Mullan Crain.

Walter B. Jones Memorial Awards

Coastal Steward of the Year - honors an individual who has exemplified strong, sustained leadership in finding a balance between the human use of the coast and ocean and the needs of that environment.

Excellence in Coastal and Marine Graduate Study - recognizes graduate students whose academic study promises to contribute materially to the development of new or improved approaches to coastal or ocean management.

Excellence in Local Government - given to local governments that have inspired positive change in the field of coastal management by developing or implementing principles embodied by the CZMA.

NOAA Excellence Awards for Coastal and Ocean Resource Management

Volunteer of the Year - recognizes an individual of any age who, outside of his or her work in an employment or student capacity, has donated substantial time to significantly improve the coastal or marine environment.

NGO of the Year - honors a nongovernment entity, such as a nonprofit organization, association, citizen's advisory council, friends group or foundation that has made significant contributions supporting coastal or marine resource programs.

Excellence in Promoting Diversity in Coastal or Ocean Resource Management - bestowed in honor of the late U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown. The award is given to a representative of a university, state, local or tribal government, or a private citizen who has made an outstanding commitment to integrating cultural or ethnic diversity into coastal or ocean resource management programs.

Excellence in Business Leadership - recognizes a business organization that has made significant contributions, "above and beyond the call of duty," to improve or protect the coastal or ocean environment and that demonstrates the ability to balance business interests with environmental needs, as articulated in the CZMA.

The Susan Snow-Cotter Award for Excellence in Ocean and Coastal Resource Management - given to an individual who has initiated innovative practices and brought positive change to the management of ocean or coastal resources at either the state or national level.

Selection Criteria

Award winners will be selected based on the following criteria:

Coastal Steward of the Year

  • Effectiveness in enhancing a balance between responsible use of coastal resources and the preservation of these resources;

  • Effectiveness in advancing the goals of the CZMA;

  • The use of innovative approaches, techniques, or programs;

  • Ability to generate public support for addressing coastal issues through education, legislation, or other means; and

  • Duration of work.
2005 Walter B. Jones Memorial Award Winners for Coastal Steward of the Year Edith Chase

Edith Chase (center) accepts the 2005 Walter B. Jones Award for Coastal Steward of the Year from Congressman Walter B. Jones, Jr. (left) and NOAA Administrator VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher (right.).

Excellence in Coastal and Marine Graduate Study

  • Overall benefit of graduate study to advancing the goals of the CZMA;

  • Use of innovative approaches;

  • Technical soundness of study; and

  • Transferability of the study's results to coastal and ocean management practices.

Excellence in Local Government

  • Effectiveness in advancing the goals of the CZMA at a local level;

  • Effectiveness in increasing public awareness of coastal issues;

  • Use of innovative approaches, techniques, and/or programs to advance the goals of the CZMA; and

  • Ability of the agency/program to serve as a model for other local government efforts.

Volunteer of the Year

  • Contribution to improving the health of coastal and marine environments;

  • Success in promoting an attitude of stewardship and responsibility to individuals, organizations and /or communities; and

  • Duration of volunteer work.

Nongovernmental Organization of the Year

  • Effectiveness in advancing the goals of the CZMA;

  • Effectiveness in increasing public awareness of coastal issues;

  • Use of innovative approaches, techniques, or programs to advance the goals of coastal or ocean management;

  • Transferability of approaches, techniques, or programs to other non-government organizations; and

  • Usefulness of activity to coastal or ocean management programs.

Excellence in Promoting Diversity in Coastal or Ocean Resource Management

  • Effectiveness in integrating cultural or ethnic diversity into coastal or ocean management programs;

  • Effectiveness in increasing public awareness of coastal issues among minority or non-traditional groups;

  • Use of innovative approaches, techniques, or programs to advance goals of environmental justice and diversity; and

  • Transferability of approaches, techniques or programs to other coastal or ocean management efforts or activities.

Excellence in Business Leadership

  • Effectiveness in advancing the goals of the CZMA;

  • Effectiveness in increasing public awareness of coastal issues;

  • Use of innovative approaches, techniques, or programs to advance the goals of coastal or ocean management;

  • Success in promoting coastal and ocean resource stewardship; and

  • Transferability of approaches, techniques, or programs to other businesses.
Elizabeth A. Blair (center) accepts the 2005 NOAA Award for Excellence in Coastal Zone Management

Elizabeth A. Blair (center) accepts the 2005 NOAA Award for Excellence in Coastal Zone Management from Congressman Walter B. Jones, Jr. (left) and NOAA Administrator Conrad C. Lautenbacher (right).

The Susan Snow-Cotter Award for Excellence in Ocean and Coastal Resource Management

  • Effectiveness in advancing the goals of the CZMA or National Marine Sanctuaries Act (NMSA);

  • Effectiveness in increasing public awareness of ocean, estuarine and coastal issues;

  • Use of innovative approaches, techniques, or programs to advance the goals of the CZMA or NMSA;

  • Transferability of activity to other ocean or coastal resource management programs.

  • The award is open to individuals who work with state coastal management programs, national estuarine research reserves, and national marine sanctuaries.

For Additional information on the awards:
Email: jonesnoaa.awards@noaa.gov.

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For More Information


2008 Award Recipients

2005 Award Recipients

2003 Award Recipients

2001 Award Recipients

1999 Award Recipients


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