Amerada Hess and Earthwatch announce the winners of the national environmental awards.

Amerada Hess, the oil and gas exploration and production company, is pleased to announce the winners of the Amerada Hess Environmental Awards for Teachers and Educators.

The awards are part of an ongoing national programme run by Earthwatch, the international environmental charity, and sponsored by Amerada Hess. Now in their third year, they have so far provided 60 educators with the opportunity to join Earthwatch projects and gain practical experience of environmental research in Britain.


Ronnie Mackie, an Education and Development Officer at Craigencalt Ecology Centre, Fife, will be joining Earthwatch scientists on Britain's Basking Sharks project where he will act as a field researcher.

Meanwhile, Nicola Macintyre, a Countryside Ranger from Dean Castle Country Park in Kilmarnock, and John Salter, a Lecturer at Elmwood College in Cupar, Fife, will be heading to South Devon to join the Bush Crickets and Butterflies project.

Andy Mitchell, Corporate Affairs Manager at Amerada Hess, said, ‘The Award scheme programme is an integral part of the company's UK community involvement efforts, and complements the environmental improvements we strive for in our business. We are delighted to see the continuing interest in this award scheme with Earthwatch. We hope all the winners have a fantastic time and will share their knowledge on their return.'

In 2004, a further 30 educators will receive an award as a result of demonstrating how their participation on this scheme would benefit their teaching and the wider community.

When each of the thirty winners return home from their conservation projects, they will be awarded a £250 grant to design and implement a ‘Community Action Plan' that will allow them to share their experiences and newly acquired skills with their schools and local communities.

The three teachers whose community action plans are judged as the most successful in early 2005 will win a place on one of Earthwatch's international projects.

Sharon Williams, Head of Environmental Engagement, Earthwatch, added, ‘The Amerada Hess Environmental Awards for Teachers have been extremely successful over the past two years and we hope to use 2004 as an opportunity to continue building our relationship with Amerada Hess and the education community.'

‘We are confident that this year's winners will have a rewarding experience on their projects and will return to the classroom with enhanced skills plus new and inspiring ideas to pass onto their students'.

Editors Notes