The Service Award is presented to an individual or organization involved in soil and water conservation work and whose work has made a valuable contribution to the art and science of good landuse. The individual or organization need not be a member of the state Chapter but should have some presence in the state of North Dakota.

Professional Award

The Professional Award is presented to an individual directly involved directly in the field of soil, water, and natural resource work. Professional Award recipients have stimulated interest and progress in advancing the art and science of good land use through their professional work. The individual recognized by this award is generally a Chapter member, but this is not a requirement.

The Business Stewardship Award is presented to recognize the efforts of a business to promote soil and water conservation even though their bottom line may be profit motivated. This effort may be done by the actual promoting of activities in the field such as field demonstrations or through their educational efforts such as distributing printed materials or helping to sponsor informative meetings. The business does not have to be a member of the Society.

SUMMARY OF NATIONAL SOCIETY AWARDS

The awards program of the Soil and Water Conservation Society is designed to recognize individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions in advocating the conservation of soil, water and related natural resources. Award recipients are announced at the Society's annual meeting, unless otherwise indicated.

A formal nomination questionnaire must be filled out for the appropriate award category and may be accompanied by supporting information.

There is a specific nomination questionnaire for each award category. Additional information may be obtained from the Society’s headquarters office or the state awards committee for the exact procedures that must be followed in order to nominate someone for an award.

The designation of Fellow is conferred on Society members who have performed exceptional service in advocating the conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources. This award is given for professional excellence, first and foremost. Professional achievement may be in practicing, investigating, administering, or teaching soil and water conservation or closely related fields.

1. Only Society members with at least 10 years of membership are eligible.
2. Board members and officers of the Society are not eligible during their term of office.
3. Nominees should be widely recognized outside the Society and their state or province for their expertise as professional conservationists.
4. Nominees shall have made contributions to the progress of the Society beyond the Chapter level. Contributions may have been through volunteer service, writing, teaching, fundraising, etc.
5. The degree of Fellow will not be awarded to recognize long and faithful service to a chapter or to the international Society in the absence of significant professional achievement.

The nomination procedure shall be by petition signed by a minimum of 25 members of the Society (need not be members of the same Society chapter). Supporting material should include documentation of the individual’s professional achievements in a narrative form, including significant publications, significant papers presented at professional meetings, etc. Please contact your state awards committee for all the details.

The Society Awards Committee will evaluate and rank nominees. Recommendations will be presented to the Board of Directors for final approval. No more than one-tenth of one percent of the Society’s membership will be honored each year.

The Outstanding Service Award is given to Society members in recognition of distinguished service in helping the Society to develop and carry out its program over a long and sustained period of time. Accomplishments of the nominees should not be of a scope or significance warranting the degree of Fellow, but should be greater than those required for the Commendation Award.

1. Any Society member may be nominated. A five-year period must elapse before members who have received the Fellow Award are eligible for the Outstanding Service Award.
2. Officers at the national and chapter levels, Board members, and Society staff members are eligible during their terms of office.
3. The nominee must have performed distinguished service to the Society on a sustained basis – for at least 10 years. This service may have been performed at the chapter, regional, or international level, or any combination thereof.
4. The nominee’s service should include activities that help the Society to achieve its goals and objectives.
5. The award will not be given merely to recognize long membership in the Society or to honor a member’s retirement.

The nomination procedure shall be by petition, signed by at least 25 Society members. Individuals signing the petition may be, but need not be members of the same chapter. Supporting materials should include such items as length and continuity of membership; time span during which the service was accomplished; and offices, committee, and other positions held at the chapter and international levels plus many other items. Please contact the state awards committee for more detail.

The national Awards Committee will evaluate and rank all nominations. Recommendations will be presented to the Board of Directors for final approval. No more than one-tenth of one percent of the Society’s membership will be honored each year.

The Commendation Award gives international recognition to Society members for their service to their chapter or council of chapters.

1. All society members are eligible except members who have received the Fellow Award within the past five years.
2. The activity for which the individual is recognized should be in line with the Society’s objectives, growth, and activities.
3. The nominee shall have served as a committee member, chapter officer, or in another capacity and shall have been instrumental, in an exceptional way, in the development or implementation of a chapter.
4. The activity should have required exceptional time and/or effort.
5. The activity shall have been accomplished recently; does not have to be a long, sustained project; and may have been done over a period of less than a year.
6. There is no limit to the number of times an individual may be given the Commendation Award or on the time span between Commendations.

Each Society chapter or council of chapters, each parent Society officer, and each Society board member may nominate no more than one member each year. Supporting materials should detail the specific accomplishments the nominee has made to the chapter or council of chapters.  Regional members of the Awards Committee will recommend approval or disapproval of all nominations in their respective regions.  Recommendations will be presented to the Board of Directors for final approval.

The Hugh Hammond Bennett Award is the highest honor bestowed on an individual by the Society. It is given for distinguished service in recognition of national and international accomplishments in the conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources.

1. The award may be given to Society members or nonmembers.
2. No elected officer of the Society or Board member shall be eligible for the award while holding office.
3. The service and accomplishments of the nominee shall have made major and widely recognized contributions to the conservation of natural resources on national and international levels. These accomplishments shall be consistent with the goals and objectives of the Society.

Nominations may be made by Society officers, Society Board members, Society chapters, or individual Society members. The supporting material should clearly document the national and international scope of the nominee’s accomplishments, including such items as professional achievements in resource conservation, publications, and papers written or delivered at professional meetings. Service to the Society either as a member or nonmember and service to other professional or conservation organizations can also be included.

The Society’s Board of Directors reviews all nominations and selects the recipient. The award will be presented at the annual meeting or elsewhere as designated by the Board. The award shall be given to no more than one individual annually. No award shall be made if a suitable candidate is not nominated or if the Society’s Board of Directors decides there are significant reasons for not conferring the award.

The Honor Award recognizes people, usually nonmembers of the Society, for outstanding accomplishments compatible with the mission of the Society.

1. Nominees can be either Society members or nonmembers.
2. Nominee’s outstanding accomplishments must be widely recognized by leaders in soil and water conservation or related fields.
3. The nominee’s influence or position should have materially stimulated interest in and advanced the conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources through one or more of the following fields: author, speaker, educator, administrator, industry, business, banking, soil conservation district, profession (lawyer, doctor, minister, etc.), or nonpartisan activity.
4. The nominee’s activity shall have been of a voluntary nature and not part of his or her normal working duties.
5. The nominee’s political activities can in no way be construed to reflect a partisan attitude on the part of the Society.

The nomination may be made by Society chapters only. An award nomination questionnaire should be filled out and supporting materials included. These should include details on the extent and scope of the nominee’s contributions, any assistance the nominee has given the international Society or chapter, how the nominee’s professional role relates to his or her conservation activities, and any other pertinent data.

The national Awards Committee will evaluate and rank all nominations. Recommendations will be presented to the Board of Directors for final approval. No more than 10 Honor Awards will be presented annually.

The Merit Award is given in recognition of an outstanding activity, product, or service by a group, business firm, corporation, or organization that promotes the conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources.

1. Activities of corporate sustaining members of the Society are eligible.
2. Society chapter activities are not eligible in this category.
3. Eligible organizations include press, radio, movies, television, industries, corporations, churches, societies, foundations, civic clubs, scout groups, and other organizations, public or private, that have carried out a noteworthy conservation activity.
4. The activity or effort shall be in line with the Society’s mission.
5. The activity should be the result of an organized program and may include the activity of an agency of government.
6. The activity shall have an effect over a large area, at least a large part of a state or province, or parts of several states or provinces.
7. The principal effect of the activity should have been directed to other than professional conservationists.
8. The activity should have clearly contributed to bringing about better conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources and/or better understanding of natural resource conservation issues.
9. The selection of the organization should not bring discredit to similar or competing organizations.

Nominations may be submitted by chapters and appropriate chapter committees, any three Society members, Society officers, Society Board members, or Society committee and task force chairs. Eligible groups may submit their own nominations. Supporting materials should include details on the geographical extent and scope of the nominee's contribution, the audience to which the contribution was targeted, and details on how the nominee’s contribution improved the conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources and/or improved the understanding of natural resource conservation issues.

Nominations will be judged by the Awards Committee. Recommendations will be forwarded to the Board of Directors for final approval.

There is no limit on the number of awards presented annually.