SERA Award for Ecological Restoration Excellence — Small Project Category
This award celebrates restoration excellence at a smaller scale — recognising that meaningful ecological recovery doesn’t require vast tracts of land or expansive areas of ocean just sound science, careful planning, and sustained commitment. It’s for projects under 50 hectares that demonstrate outstanding results relative to their size.
Small projects are sometimes where the most innovative restoration thinking happens — tight budgets, close community involvement, and hands-on adaptive management. This award puts a spotlight on that work.
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Prize: $1,500
Who’s eligible:
Any individual, organisation, agency, or community group leading or closely involved in a restoration project under 50 hectares, located in Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, or the Pacific Islands. There is no restriction on project age. Previous finalists and winners may reapply.
What you’ll need to supply:
- A written project summary describing the site, its history, and the restoration approach taken (word limit – 700 words)
- Evidence addressing the judging criteria (see below) — monitoring data, site reports, or survey results
- Photographs of the site for use in SERA’s promotional materials and, if shortlisted, the awards presentation
- Details of stakeholder or community involvement
- Optional: supporting documents such as published research, media coverage, or funding acknowledgements
If shortlisted, you’ll be contacted directly and asked to prepare a short video showcasing your project, to be shown at the awards presentation.
How to apply: Submit via the conference portal
Preparing your application: what judges are looking for
Your 700-word project summary and supporting evidence will be assessed against the following criteria.
Scientific and ecological foundation
Tell us about the science behind your project — sound ecological research, a monitoring program, or research partnerships. Even informal, in-house monitoring that informs your decisions strengthens your case.
Planning and scale-appropriate delivery
Show that your planning, implementation, and monitoring are well matched to your site. At this scale, judges want to see thoughtful, intentional design — not just “doing what we can” with limited resources.
Stakeholder engagement
Who else is involved? Judges look for genuine, secure engagement with local stakeholders or partners, however small your team or community group might be.
Indigenous ecosystem reference
Describe how you’ve used an appropriate local Indigenous ecosystem as your recovery reference — the ecological community you’re aiming toward, and how you determined it.
Sustainability and connectivity
Explain how your project is built to last, and whether it links to surrounding ecosystems — even a small site can contribute to a much bigger picture of connectivity.
Climate adaptability
Have you factored climate change into your design — species choices, water management, or planning for future rather than historical conditions?
Demonstrated recovery
This is where your evidence matters most: monitoring data, survey results, photos, or reports showing recovery is genuinely underway.
X factor
Small projects often have standout qualities that don’t fit neatly elsewhere — an innovative approach, strong community story, or unusual outcome. Tell us about it.