WILDLIFE PRESERVATION
SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA INC
(ABN 13 817 470 816)
Formed in 1909 and dedicated to the conservation of Australia's wildlife
Patron: His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC (Retd)
Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia
President of Honour: Dr Vincent Serventy AM
MEDIA RELEASE
ALICE SPRINGS VOLUNTEER WINS SERVENTY CONSERVATION AWARD FOR 2005
Mr Lyall Kenneth Metcalfe of Alice Spring in the Northern Territory
is the winner of the 2005 Serventy Conservation Award presented at a
ceremony in the NSW Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney on Monday 20
February 2006.
Ken (as he is known) has an inspirational love for Australia's wildlife and
has a lifelong interest in nature conservation both as a working Ranger with
the Fauna Protection Panel and as a Ranger with the National Parks &
Wildlife Service in NSW. In his older years Ken has continued his life
volunteer conservation work throughout most states of Australia. Ken now
lives in Alice Springs NT where he acts as a Regional Councillor for our
Society and assists with many Northern Territory Parks clean ups, and also
assisted with the foundation of the Alice Springs Volunteer Bush Fire
Brigade.
Ken as recipient of the Serventy Conservation Medal for 2005, while not as
old as Dr Vin Serventy, has nonetheless made a lifetime contribution to the
conservation movement. Ken Metcalfe joined our Society as a 19 year-old and
has been active ever since. His activities have lasted over a period of
more than 45 years. These began in Sydney where he acted as Honorary Ranger
for Hornsby Shire Council, Sutherland Shire Council, as Honorary Ranger for
NSW under the Fauna Protection Act and in a salaried position within the NSW
National Parks and Wildlife Service. He also became a registered flora
collector for the National Herbarium, Sydney. During this time Ken found
time to act as an Honorary Fire Patrol Officer and even captain a local Bush
Fire Brigade.
Wherever Ken has gone he has become involved in conservation and related
activities. He was an honorary Ranger for Coffs Harbour Council and since
his move to the Northern Territory he hasn't allowed the heat to affect his
zeal. He has been actively involved in the Alice Springs volunteer Bush
Fire Brigade, won a Tidy Towns Award for small towns, won a Power and Water
Award for vegetation and water conservation in a small Aboriginal community
north of Alice Springs. In 2001 Ken was runner-up in the Territorian of the
Year award and in 2002 was awarded the Volunteer of the Year for Emergency
and Safety.
In the army there is an old saying, "don't volunteer for anything". In the
conservation movement that just wouldn't wash. We'd achieve very little if
we didn't work together. We depend on volunteers and it is fitting that a
volunteer like Ken Metcalfe should be recognised for his lifelong
contribution.
The Serventy
Conservation Award
The Presentation of a special Bronze Conservation Medal was made by our Guest Speaker, The Hon Morris Iemma MP, Premier of New South Wales, and the cheque presentation was made by Dr Vincent Serventy.
 Ken with Dr Vincent Serventy AM. |
 Ken with the Award Certificate and Medallion |
History of the Serventy Conservation Award
In 1997 the Council of
the Society decided to perpetuate and honour the conservation memory of the
Serventy family for their outstanding contribution to wildlife preservation
throughout Australia by establishing the Serventy Conservation Award and
Medal.
The Serventy Conservation Award, named in honour of our President of Honour,
Dr Vincent Serventy AM, his brother, the late Dr Dominic Serventy, an
international ornithologist, and his older sister Lucy Serventy, who died
last year.
Dr Vincent Serventy has been a member of the Society for more than 50 years,
written some 65 books and served as its President until 2000. His work for
conservation and the environment is well known. His sister Lucy, was a
member of the Society for even longer, and was famous in Western Australia
for her work in nature conservation, particularly among young people and for
her bush walking exploits throughout the State.
This Award is intended to honour wildlife conservation work that has not
been done as part of a professional career for which the person will have
been well paid and honoured. It is given to those who labour in the
wildlife conservation field for a love of nature and a determination that it
should be conserved.
Often these have been non-scientists who have earned their wildlife
conservation skills through sheer hard work and sometimes personal
sacrifices. In the past names like Alec Chisholm, Keith Hindwood, Arnold
McGill, Milo Dunphy all come to mind. In the last century there were other
great figures like the artist and ornithologists John Gould and John Gilbert
who contributed much to our knowledge of our Australian wildlife.
Medal design
The Medal was created
by Australia's foremost sculptor, Stephen Walker, who was born in Victoria
in 1927 and now lives in Tasmania. At the request of Vincent Serventy,
Stephen designed the special conservation medallion in brass. The medal
depicts our national icon, the Australian koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), on
one side and our Society's own special emblem, the short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus
aculeatus), on the other with suitable wording.
Stephen Walker's empathy and affection for Australian wildlife is embedded
in the creation of the Serventy Wildlife Conservation medal. His
achievement of excellence in design and construction of this superb artwork
is a complement to our unique Australian wildlife.
In addition to the Medal a cheque for $1,000 is awarded annually. Many
conservationists in the past have suffered financially for their devotion to
the cause of wildlife conservation. This monetary award is a small tribute
to their dedication. The bronze medal is designed to be a constant reminder
that the conservation movement has remembered their work in the past, just
as history will remember the same achievements in the future.
Selection procedure
The decision on the
granting of each year's medal is decided by a full meeting of the Society's
Council each year. Nominations should be received by the Secretary of the
Society by the end of October each year for assessment. Each nomination
should contain sufficient details of the work of the nominated person for
the Council to be able to verify the good work of the individual on the
field of wildlife conservation across Australia.
For more information please contact the Executive Director of the Society on
Tel (02) 9556 1537 or check our website -
www.wpsa.org.au
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