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The State of South Carolina’s top honor for stewardship of the natural world will be awarded again soon and sponsoring agencies are putting out a call for your nominations. The Environmental Awareness Award recognizes South Carolinians who are doing extraordinary work on behalf of our environment. Nominations will be accepted through Jan. 31, 2013.

Each year the public is invited to submit nominations to the awards committee. This committee is made up of representatives from the state’s natural resource agencies, including the South Carolina Forestry Commission, the Department of Health and Environmental Control, the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium and the S.C. Department of Natural Resources. The requirements are high. Candidates should demonstrate innovation and leadership. His or her accomplishments will have led to positive change or may have influenced matters affecting the natural environment.

University of South Carolina (USC) Distinguished Professor Patricia J. DeCoursey was named winner of the 2011 South Carolina Environmental Awareness Award. DeCoursey, who has served as a Professor of Biological Sciences at USC since 1976, was recognized for her volunteer efforts to create small urban forests and gardens.

Chances are you or someone you know is working hard on behalf of the environment everyday and should be recognized like DeCoursey. The nomination form along with application guidelines and a brief history of the award can be found at:

The S.C. General Assembly established the S.C. Environmental Awareness Award in 1992. It’s now in its 20th year recognizing outstanding contributions made toward the protection, conservation, and improvement of South Carolina’s natural resources.

Past recent winners include:

2011 - Patricia J. DeCoursey, Professor of Biological Sciences at USC

2010 - Frank S. Holleman, III, President, Naturaland Trust

2009 - Fred Holland, Coastal Ecologist, Charleston

2008 - Benjamin Ziegler, Chairman, Pee Dee Land Trust

2007 - Richard Porcher Jr., Professor Emeritus, The Citadel

2006 - Rick Huffman, Founder, South Carolina Native Plant Society