World Environment Day 2006 Award winners

The United Nations Association of Australia announced the winners in this year's World Environment Day Awards at a gala presentation at Melbourne's Grand Hyatt Hotel Rob Gell " Environmentalist and Victorian president of Greening Australia.

This year's World Environment Day theme is Don't Desert Drylands and 2006 is the UN's International year of Deserts and Desertification.

The awards acknowledge actions taken at a local level to address global environmental issues. Awards were presented in categories for Business Enterprise, Triple Bottom Line, Green Building, Marine and Coastal Management, Water Management, Local Government, Education, Community and , Individual and Media.

Some of the winners include:

• Maroochy Chire Council " Best Specific Environmental Initiative " Local Government
• Szencorp Building " Green Building Award
• SA Department of Environment and Heritage - SA Urban Forest Biodiversity Program - Marine and Coastal Management Award
• Kangaroo Island Community Education " Education Award
• Darebin Parklands Association and Yea Wetlands Committee " Community Award
• Melissa Fyfe and Simon O'Dwyer, The Age " Media Award