The Mériscope is honored with the Canadian Nature Inspiration Award 2022

Each year, the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa presents the Nature Inspiration Awards. These prestigious awards recognize individuals, businesses and not-for-profits that show leadership, innovation and creative approaches to sustainability in order to connect Canadians with nature and the natural world.

The Mériscope was one of five finalists in the small and medium-sized nonprofit category of this year’s Nature Inspiration Awards. At a special gala in Ottawa on November 14, the Canadian Museum of Nature announced the winners of its national Nature Inspiration Awards for 2022. 

A truly magic moment happened when the Mériscope was announced as a co-winner in the small and medium-sized nonprofit category, together with a caribou restoration project in British Columbia led by West Moberly and Saulteau First Nations.

“At a time when our planet and society as a whole is confronting challenges from climate change and biodiversity loss, it’s inspiring to recognise the diverse ways that Canadians are connecting us with the importance of nature in our lives,” says Dr. Danika Goosney, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of Nature. “With local, regional and national impacts, all of these innovative projects remind us of the need to live in balance with nature and work towards a sustainable future.”

In his acceptance speech to an audience that had gathered at the museum from coast to coast to coast for this event, Dany Zbinden, founder and director of the Mériscope, acknowledged: “Today, it’s with great joy and a bit of pride that I’m holding this award in my hands, but I would not be here without my dedicated team and our volunteers. I want to express my deepest gratitude to my staff, our volunteers, our board members and our science advisory panel, all of whom have helped to make this possible through their contribution in one way or another.”

Research, education, outreach and conservation have been important pillars of our mission since the beginning of the Mériscope. We are convinced that by bringing young people into close contact with nature, teaching them specific skills and giving them leadership qualities, we can encourage them to take an interest in natural history, to experience nature and to engage in conservation. We are supporting these young talents to help them make the right decisions in their later professional life when it comes to environmental and climate protection, thus creating a sustainable impact for the protection of marine ecosystems and marine mammals.

We are honored to receive the Nature Inspiration Award 2022 for small and medium-sized nonprofits and feel very encouraged to continue with our work. “I want to thank the Canadian Museum of Nature for honoring all the amazing people and their work here today – work that is crucial when it comes to creating a link between people and nature. Merci beaucoup!” says Dany Zbinden in his final note.