Welcome to the nomination submission tool

The Wangari Maathai Forest Champions Award recognises inspiring individuals who have helped to conserve, restore, and sustainably manage forests. The award was established by the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) in 2012 in memory of Kenyan environmentalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai.
 
The CPF is seeking an extraordinary individual to be named the seventh Wangari Maathai Forest Champion (2024). We are looking for a candidate with a track record of outstanding achievements in improving forests and the lives of people who depend on them.
 
Do you know inspiring forest champions who are making a difference in their communities, forest landscapes and/or around the world? You are invited to nominate them for the 2024 Wangari Maathai Forest Champions Award.
 
Among the achievements we are looking for in our 2024 Forest Champion are a track record of work:
  • in reducing forest loss
  • increasing the area of forests
  • increasing the use of sustainably grown wood and non-wood products
  • contributing to building resilient forest communities
  • improving livelihoods and youth engagement.
Note: Applications related to grassroots and youth-led initiatives are particularly encouraged.  
 
What the CPF offers 

Funding: The awardee/s will receive a cash prize of $USD 20,000.
Spotlight: The awardee/s will receive travel support to participate in a prestigious international forest event. This will provide the recipient with the opportunity to present their ideas and work to a larger audience, gain visibility and build their network.  
 
Selection criteria 
The nominated candidates will be assessed by an expert jury on the following criteria:  
  • Impact on communities through reducing forest loss and/or increasing forest area and/or using sustainably grown wood and non-wood forest products and/or addressing human-wildlife conflicts in relation to forests.  
  • Innovative aspects of the work, level of innovation, including technical, social or financial innovation, application and feasibility of the innovative aspects. 
  • Empowerment of others, considering also social, gender and youth aspects, to act through strengthened networks, social commitment, outreach and/or improved recognition of value of forests. 
  • Transferability and scale, including local, national, regional, or global contexts and/or application in other countries or regions, including South-South cooperation and the work/activities scale.

Eligibility 
  • Applicants should be nominated by a third party.  
  • Nominees may be individual persons, living or recently deceased. 
  • Professional and research contributions will only be considered if they are conducted outside of work-related responsibilities.  
  • Applications received from a nominee’s family member or business partner are not eligible for consideration.