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Long-time EFI contributor Maria Nijnik receives international honour

Published 6 August 2026

EFI warmly congratulates Prof. Dr. Maria Nijnik of The James Hutton Institute on receiving the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) Distinguished Service Award in recognition of her significant contributions to advancing the scientific, technical and organisational aims of IUFRO. The award recognises more than two decades of commitment to international forest research and collaboration. 

The James Hutton Institute, Scotland's leading interdisciplinary research organisation for sustainable land, crop and nature management, is an EFI Associate Member organisation. Maria Nijnik has long been an active member of the EFI network, serving on EFI's Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) for  two terms. She also served as the SAB observer in EFI's Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDT) for Policy Support and has been an important focal point between EFI and The James Hutton Institute. 

At IUFRO, Maria Nijnik has contributed to a wide range of activities over more than twenty years, including leadership roles in working parties and task forces focusing on social innovation, entrepreneurship, climate adaptation, post-conflict forest landscape restoration, and gender equity in forestry. 

The award recognises her professionalism, research excellence and dedication to developing science-based solutions that benefit forests and communities worldwide. EFI is pleased to join colleagues across the international forest research community in celebrating this well-deserved recognition.

Source: This story is based on an article originally published by The James Hutton Institute. 

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