Above: Denise Landau in Antarctica

At an evening event held in Cape Town on 17 September, BirdLife South Africa’s Head of Conservation, Dr Hanneline Smit-Robinson, presented Denise Landau with an Owl Award in recognition of her contributions to the Saving Marion Island’s Seabirds: The Mouse-Free Marion (MFM) Project.  Denise, who lives in the USA, was unable to be present to receive her award, so Dr Anton Wolfaardt, MFM Project Manager, collected it on her behalf.  Owl Awards honour people and groups who make outstanding contributions to protecting South Africa’s birds and natural habitats.

Denise Landau, with Anton and Leigh Wolfaardt at the Global Bird Fair in the UK in July 2025. Denise holds a copy of “Marion & Prince Edward: Africa’s Southern Islands” presented to her by the Project for her support, photograph by John Cooper

Denise became a member of the MFM NPC Fundraising Committee in May 2023, bringing with her a wealth of experience as both President and COO of the USA-based not-for-profit Friends of South Georgia Island (FOSGI), which is dedicated to raising funds for the protection and conservation of the island.  She is also a Trustee of the Scottish registered charity South Georgia Heritage Trust.  Denise was instrumental in establishing a fiscal sponsorship contract between FOSGI and the MFM Project.  As a registered 501(c)(3) organisation, FOSGI is able to offer tax benefits to American supporters of the project, opening an important avenue for donors in the United States.  With remarkable generosity, she arranged for FOSGI to waive the fee typical of fiscal sponsorship arrangements and to apply only minimal administrative costs, ensuring that each contribution directly supports the MFM Project’s conservation objective.  This model of ethical partnership and transparent stewardship speaks volumes about Denise’s values and leadership and is a clear reflection of her integrity and commitment to supporting the MFM Project.

Dr Hanneline Smit-Robinson, BirdLife South Africa’s Head of Conservation, reads the citation for Denise Landau’s Owl Award at the evening function, with Yvonne Pennington, Chairperson, BirdLife South Africa Board of Directors and Board Member of the Mouse-Free Marion Non-Profit Company, standing behind, photograph by Kurt Martin

Beyond administrative facilitation, Denise has gone above and beyond in offering her personal time and expertise.  She has regularly made herself available for project committee meetings and has provided insightful guidance on matters relating to fundraising, donor engagement and organisational development.

Denise brings to this role a legacy of global conservation leadership.  As the former Executive Director of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), she was instrumental in advancing responsible tourism and environmental protection in one of the planet’s most fragile and significant ecosystems.  She played an instrumental role in raising awareness, securing funding and building support for the largest ever island eradication initiative: the South Georgia Habitat Restoration Project, which successfully eradicated invasive rats and mice from the island, confirmed in 2018.  Her decades-long commitment to conservation in the Southern Ocean and the sub-Antarctic region stands as a testament to her lifelong dedication to protecting biodiversity in even the most remote parts of the world.

Denise Landau’s Owl Award and accompanying certificate, photograph by Robyn Adams

Denise exemplifies the spirit of the Owl Award: dedication, integrity and a deep commitment to conservation, particularly in the remote Southern Ocean.

No less than five other supporters of the MFM Project have previously received Owl Awards from BirdLife South Africa, starting with fund-raiser Romario Valentine (an Owlet Award at the age of 12) and Carol Jacobs, who represents the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment on the MFM Project Management Committee, both in 2022, and Jim Rankin, who raised funds for the project via the Rotary Club of Knights Pendragon, in 2024.  Last year DFFE’s Dr Azwianewi “Newi” Makhado received the prestigious Eagle-Owl Award for his contributions to seabird research and conservation in southern Africa, including at the Prince Edward Islands.  Newi serves on the MFM Project’s Scientific and Technical Advisory Group and on the Non-target Species Advisory Panel.  In the same year, Dr Michael Riffel, Managing Director of the independent scientific consultancy Rifcon and a member of the MFM Fundraising Committee, also received an Owl Award from BirdLife South Africa.

The MFM project thanks Denise and all the awardees for their highly valued, and continued, contributions towards a mouse-free Marion Island.

John Cooper, News Correspondent, Mouse-Free Marion Project, 07 October 2026

*********************************************************************************

The Mouse-Free Marion Project is a registered non-profit company (No. 2020/922433/08) in South Africa, established to eradicate the invasive albatross-killing mice on Marion Island in the Southern Ocean.  The project was initiated by BirdLife South Africa and the South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.  Upon successful completion, the project will restore the critical breeding habitat of over two million seabirds, many globally threatened, and improve the island’s resilience to a warming climate.  For more information or to support the project please visit mousefreemarion.org.