Windhoek — Namibia is not only becoming a leading tourist destination worldwide but has also become a leader in innovative progress in terms of the environment management and sustainable utilisation of natural resources.

"We have a series of progressive laws and policies in place and are signatories to various international conventions and pioneered the internationally recognised conservancy programmes," the Minister of Environment and Tourism (MET), Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, said at the second field awards ceremony of her ministry on Wednesday night.

Namibia's tourism sector, which is mostly based on ecotourism, is ranked as the country's second largest contributor to the gross domestic product, after mining.

Nandi-Ndaitwah said the country's successful environmental management and conservation could be attributed to the men and women working for the ministry, especially those in the field, hence the ceremony to recognise their efforts.

"We have decided to dedicate this night to the people who go an extra mile to do their daily work, often in adverse conditions. Not in boardrooms and international arenas or debating at conferences but in the field, protecting our wildlife against poachers and illegal harvesters."

Nandi-Ndaitwah acknowledged what she termed the "humble work hands' - scouts, rangers and wardens - who contribute towards ensuring that the country's scenery is pristine and the wildlife is conserved.

The categories of the MET Field Awards were the Lifetime Achievement Award, Welwitschia Award and the Best Park - based on the Incident Book Monitoring System.

The Lifetime Achiever Award is the most prestigious award and is presented to a long-term services member of the MET, either currently in service or retired, in recognition of his or her demonstrated dedication to the work of the ministry and to conservation in general.

Chris Eyer, a leading figure in Namibia's conservation history books, won the Lifetime Achiever Award.

Eyer, who joined the then Department of Nature Conservation in 1971, is a retired Control Warden at Ondangwa but continues with conservation work today.

The Welwitschia Award was won by Johnson Vejorerako (46), from the Etosha National Park, who is one of the longest serving rangers in the park.

This is awarded to MET field staff members demonstrating outstanding leadership qualities, showing great work ethics and typifying someone who is innovative in his or her approach to park management.

The Incident Book Monitoring System Award went to the Khaudum National Park.

The park recently made headlines when the ministry signed a concession with the Gciriku Traditional Authority and the George Mukoya and Muduva Nyangana conservancies to establish tourism accommodation facilities at Khaudum and Sikereti camps within the park.

The Incident Book System is a management-oriented local level monitoring system implemented by park staff.

Staff collect a wide variety of data on a daily basis, such as wildlife mortalities, species sightings, tourists' statistics, fire, rainfall and patrolling efforts.