Tero Mustonen wins Emerging River Professional Award

15 Sep Tero Mustonen wins Emerging River Professional Award

Tero Mustonen has been named the winner of the 2016 Emerging River Professional Award. Tero is a post-doctoral researcher with the University of Eastern Finland and a professional fisher, and works to incorporate traditional knowledge and science into monitoring and restoring watersheds in North Karelia, Finland.

An initiative of the International RiverFoundation, the Emerging River Professional Award (ERPA) recognises and fosters early career river professionals who have demonstrated innovation, excellence and leadership in the areas of rivers, basins, or river-dependent communities.

The award enables finalists to present their work in front of hundreds of global delegates at the International Riversymposium, held this year in New Delhi from 12-14 September, and also includes a cash prize.

Tero was thrilled to receive his award at the Riverprize Gala Dinner in New Delhi, with Australian finalists Lee Garnett from Brisbane City Council and Jamie Ruprecht from the University of New South Wales.

‘The award is for all of us, all the three finalists,’ Tero said.

‘I am very proud of it, and I am proud of the hundreds of ladies and fishermen in the villages who got their traditional knowledge recognised.

‘I am just a messenger of these people, who could not come here and say thank you.’

Tero soon plans to survey villages in the area to collect further traditional knowledge to incorporate it into river restoration efforts. He will soon be meeting with stakeholders back in Finland to discuss next steps.

The ERPA is generously sponsored by OceanaGold Corporation and the process is managed by the International WaterCentre Alumni Network (IWCAN).

Click here for more on Tero’s project and the award.