ECS 2016 Conservation award - remembering Mandy McMath and Krzysztof Skóra

The ECS Conservation Award was established by a small group of people that included the late Mandy McMath. Soon after its establishment, the redoubtable Mandy fell seriously ill and was eventually very sadly taken from us well before her time.

The ECS agreed that the award would bear her name as a tribute and hence each time we now move to announce the latest winner, we pause to remember her 

This year just a few weeks ago another conservation hero and the person who won the very first award Professor Krysztof Skora also passed away. Hence we remembered both this year. 

Mandy McMath

Here is what I said. 

We have not really resolved if we call this the 'McMath award' or the 'Mandy' but either way it is named after Mandy McMath the great champion of marine mammal conservation in Wales and beyond and also a big supporter of women in science. She was a great lady and is sadly missed. She was also blessed with an irreverent sense of humour that we also remember in this ceremony. But before we do this we also need to salute another conservation hero:

This year we also remember the very first recipient of the award, Professor Krzysztof Skóra who has recently died. Krysztof was a lovely man, a very positive individual and a famous conservation innovator.

In a move that was typical of him - after he received the award - he donated to the ECS this picture and its wooden carrying box such that it can be passed down the line of conservation award winners. Before we pass it to the next winner we have made a brass plaque that will be attached to the box.

The plaque says the following [see below].

"In memory of Krzysztof Skóra (1950-2016), the founder and Director of the Marine Station in Hel, Poland, and the first recipient of the ECS Mandy McMath Conservation Award.

Krzysztof presented this picture to the ECS to be passed to each award winner in turn.

Inspired by his work to conserve the endangered Baltic harbour porpoise, and in his memory, the Award logo features this species."

In addition we would like to send a floral tribute from here in Madeira on your behalf to his family. So if there are any Polish colleagues in the audience please could you see me afterwards to help arrange this.

I knew Krzysztof well and miss him greatly.

[Meanwhile the picture box was passed over to ECS President Mario and Conference organizer, Luis,who armed with screws and a screwdriver carefully fixed the plaque in the spotlight on stage whilst the award ceremony continued. There is a further tribute to Krysztof  HERE on the ASCOBANS website]. 

After a short pause, we started to tribute to this year's winner. You can find the text of this HERE.

Opening slide including the porpoise-themed conservation award logo.