Frankfurt Conservation Award (Bruno H. Schubert Prize): International Award for Teaching, Research, and Applied Nature Conservation

“For more than four decades, the Bruno H. Schubert Prize has recognized individuals who have made extraordinary contributions toward the protection of biodiversity on a global scale,” explains Gabriele Eick, Chairwoman of the Board of the Bruno H. Schubert Foundation, and she continues, “This year’s award ceremony, now in its 33rd year, not only marks an impressive consistency, but also once again underlines the international relevance of our cause. Our award winners come from all over the world – they work in very different cultural, political, and ecological contexts, but with a common goal: the preservation of our natural resources, the basis of our lives. Names such as Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Kristine McDivitt Tompkins, Loki Schmidt, John and Terese Hart, and Klaus Töpfer exemplify the excellence and diversity of this commitment. As a foundation, we are proud to award this prize to personalities whose work radiates far beyond national borders, thus also sending a strong signal for international cooperation to protect nature.”

The three award categories reflect the focus of the partner institutions Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt Zoological Society, and Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung: research and teaching on topics of environmental protection as well as applied nature conservation.

This year’s prize in the “Teaching” category goes to Dr. Rosie Trevelyan. The British biologist is the director of the Cambridge office of the Tropical Biology Association (TBA), an organization that has dedicated itself to the international promotion of nature conservation for many years – in particular through the practical training and further education of specialists from tropical countries. Under Trevelyan’s leadership, the TBA has built a strong, cross-border network of conservation experts who implement concrete projects to protect biodiversity in their home countries. Through her dedicated teaching, her ability to network internationally, and her tireless commitment to capacity building in regions of high biodiversity, Trevelyan has had, and continues to have, a far-reaching impact on global conservation. In 2024, the British biologist was honored for her work with the title Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).

The award in the “Research” category this year goes to Joji Cariño, member of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems. This international body aims to promote the global transition to sustainable food systems. However, the educator and senior policy advisor from the Philippines is not only committed to sustainable food supply at a global level but also intensively campaigns for the rights of Indigenous peoples. For more than 35 years, she has been a passionate advocate for human rights in these communities – at the international, national, and local level. Of particular note is Cariño’s role as former Director of the Forest Peoples Program (UK), where she tirelessly advocated for Indigenous peoples’ interests in the area of forest conservation and resource use.

Dr. Hà Thăng Long is honored in the “Applied Nature Conservation” category. Hà Thăng works as a project manager for the Frankfurt Zoological Society in Vietnam. For eleven years, the biologist has been intensively involved in the establishment of a biosphere reserve in Vietnam. This reserve, which was officially implemented in 2021, represents a significant milestone in nature conservation in the country and makes a major contribution toward preserving Vietnam’s unique biodiversity. Hà Thăng’s work has not only contributed to the creation of this protected area but has also initiated numerous nature conservation projects in the country, thereby making a lasting impact on the development of Vietnamese nature conservation.

This year’s recipients of the Frankfurt Conservation Award exemplify the various facets of nature conservation and environmental protection. Their joint efforts are a living testimony to the importance of cooperation, commitment, and foresight in global conservation efforts. The three winners will each receive 15,000 euros for their achievements. “We are proud to honor these outstanding individuals, whose commitment inspires across borders and calls future generations to action,” says a delighted Eick.