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​2020 Distinguished Landscape Practitioner Award

Sarah GergelSarah Gergel
Sarah Gergel

Dr. Sarah Gergel, Professor of Landscape Ecology & Conservation at the University of British Columbia, Fellow of the AAAS, and Associate Dean of Diversity & Inclusion for the Faculty of Forestry was awarded the 2020 Distinguished Landscape Practitioner Award by the North American Chapter of the International Association for Landscape Ecology (NA-IALE) at their annual meeting this May (the meeting was held virtually this year).  This honor is bestowed to individuals who have made outstanding contributions over a period of years to the application of the principles of landscape ecology to real-world problems.

The nominators for Dr. Gergel’s award noted that “Dr. Gergel’s book, Learning Landscape Ecology, co-edited with Monica Turner, has been fundamental to the development of our field. I know many colleagues who have used both editions in their teaching and found that the practical tools therein have helped enhance their teaching and effectively train the next generation of landscape ecologists.” Another nominator stated “ Notably, this book emphasizes proper interpretation and critical thinking rather than simply how to run programs.”  

Additionally, another set of nominators mentioned that “Dr. Gergel’s research to date on the most vulnerable forested ecosystems, river floodplains, and the development of indicators has been ground breaking. Her innovative use of geospatial data in the application of aerial photography and imagery, especially in a historical context, has allowed her to shape the theoretical bounds and push the technical limits of the landscape ecology field.”

When asked what motivated her to practice landscape ecology, Dr. Gergel said “My first inspiration in landscape ecology was when I began working for Professor Larry Harris at the University of Florida while I was an undergraduate student. He wrote an early classic book in landscape ecology called The Fragmented Forest.” She has taken that early inspiration and applied it widely. She now is focusing on links between landscape diversity and human health, gaining a better understanding and incorporating indigenous perspectives into the discipline and into academia as a whole, and harnessing free and open data to further the practice of landscape ecology.

Sarah holds a MSc and Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida. 

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  • Home
  • Governance
    • Executive Committee
    • Standing Committees
    • IALE-NA Bylaws
    • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
  • Awards
    • Distinguished & Best Paper Awards
    • Student & Foreign Scholar Awards
  • Annual Meeting
    • Overview
    • Registration
    • Program >
      • 2026 Schedule
      • Student Presentation Award Program
      • Presentation & Poster Guidelines
    • Travel Grants >
      • Foreign Scholar Travel Award
      • IALE-NA Student Travel Awards
      • NASA-MSU Professional Enhancement Award
    • Sponsor & Exhibitor Opportunities
    • Travel Logistics & Area Information
    • Code of Conduct
    • Archives >
      • Past & Future Meetings
      • 2025 Annual Meeting >
        • 2025 Schedule
        • 2025 Workshops
        • 2025 Special Symposia
        • 2025 Scientific Excursions
      • 2024 Annual Meeting >
        • 2024 Schedule
        • 2024 Plenary Presenters
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        • 2023 Plenary Presenters
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      • 2021 Annual Meeting >
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        • 2021 Plenary Presenters
        • 2021 Special Symposia
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        • 2021 Planning Committee
      • 2020 Annual Meeting >
        • 2020 Schedule
        • 2020 Plenary Presenters
        • 2020 Special Symposia
        • 2020 Workshops
        • 2020 Sponsor Directory
        • 2020 Planning Committee
      • 2019 Annual Meeting >
        • 2019 Schedule
        • 2019 Special Symposia
        • 2019 Workshops
        • 2019 Scientific Excursions
      • 2018 Annual Meeting - Chicago >
        • 2018 Schedule at-a-Glance
        • 2018 Plenary Presentations
        • 2018 Special Symposia
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        • 2018 Scientific Excursions
        • 2018 Student Activities
  • Resources
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        • Fall 2021
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  • Contact Us