Greenbelt Presents NGO Impact Award We were very honoured to present an award at the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) Awards 2022 last week. A delegation of Greenbelt staff attended the event and presented the NGO Impact Award to the Canal & River Invasive Species Project (CRISEP) 2021-2025, beating two other shortlisted projects on the day. CRISEP is the largest non-native species eradication project ever on UK inland waterways, delivered by the Canal & River Trust and funded by Severn Trent Water. It aims to significantly reduce or eradicate four key invasive species, including Giant Hogweed and Japanese Knotweed, from some 250km of waterways in the Trust’s network. In the same category, the BatChat Podcast, by the Bat Conservation Trust, and Woodland Trust’s State of UK Woods and Trees projects also received highly commended and commended status, respectively. Adam Ralph, one of Greenbelt’s Regional Development Managers and part of the team presenting the award, said “I really enjoyed attending the 2022 CIEEM Awards last Wednesday,” “It was great to see such a diverse range of projects and so many inspirational nominees across all categories. Greenbelt sponsored the NGO Impact Award, which I was pleased to present to Charles Hughes from the Canal & River Trust.” The project includes a range of sustainable approaches to invasive species management which align with Greenbelt’s focus on Biodiversity Net Gain, including using natural materials to suppress plant growth, and utilising biocontrol by releasing weevils at two locations to curb Floating Pennywort. “I cannot believe it!” said Charles Hughes, an Environmental Scientist at the Canal & River Trust and the CRISEP Project Manager, who accepted the award. “I would like to say a massive thank you to the institute for giving us this award, I am so grateful. “A huge thanks to Severn Trent, who have made this project possible by donating £600,000 worth of funding to deliver this project, and all of our contractors and suppliers who help make our goals and ambitions possible.” You can read more about the awards ceremony, including both the winners and commended runners-up in all 17 categories, on the CIEEM website here, or view a free copy of the event program here. Previous article: Let's Celebrate National Meadows Day! Prev Next article: Marie Curie Brain Game Fundraiser Next