Neil Munro Parks and Protected Areas Award

Background

Neil Munro was an employee of Parks Canada, an agency responsible for managing nationally significant Natural and Historic Sites in Canada. He held various positions within the organization and had a strong interest in the planning and the use of science in managerial decision making in both terrestrial and marine areas. He was an advocate of public consultation in decision-making and was involved in several proposals for new Parks, Marine Conservation Areas, and Biosphere Reserves. He provided a strong voice for the use of science as one of the key considerations in decision-making. He was instrumental in developing closer relations between Parks Canada and universities through the use of cooperative agreements for research and education. He was one of the founders of The Science and Management of Protected Areas Association (SAMPAA) and served as the co-chair for the first five international conferences on Science and the Management of Protected Areas. He encouraged the sharing and discussion of scientific research and its application to parks management among academics, professionals and managers. He was an adjunct professor at various academic institutions, particularly Dalhousie University, through most of his career.

Purpose

This award is to provide support for graduate studies in protected areas planning, design, policy, protection or management. Students who receive the award should be conducting research that is applied in nature and relates to potential or existing parks or protected areas, including but not limited to: National Parks, Provincial Parks or Wilderness Areas, marine protected areas, and National Marine Conservation Areas. Studies that relate to the application of science in decision-making with respect to protected areas are of particular interest.

Amount

The award will have a value of $1,000 with one competition per year.

Application deadline

Students will be prompted to apply before the end of their first year of study through a notice from the department. Applications are due as posted each year and are to be submitted to Awards Committee at sres@dal.ca.

Eligibility

The award is available to students in the second year of their graduate studies in the Master of Environmental Studies (MES) program in the School for Resource and Environmental Studies (SRES) at Dalhousie University, or a related interdisciplinary program at Dalhousie University.

A successful student must have a strong academic background. The thesis research must relate to the planning, design, policy development, protection or operation of parks and protected areas, and must consider the application of the research to the management of parks and protected areas.

Application process

Interested students must write a one-page single-spaced rationale explaining why they feel they should receive the award. This letter must be accompanied by curriculum vitae, an approved thesis proposal, and one letter of reference from the student's supervisor.

Adjudication

In consultation with the Director of SRES, the Awards Committee of SRES shall receive applications and make the award.