​Die Nasionale Navorsingstigting (NNS) het emeritus-professor Brian van Wilgen vereer met die Lifetime Achievement Award, die hoogste eerbewys wat deur die NNS toegeken word aan 'n verdienstelike Suid-Afrikaner vir 'n uitstaande bydrae tot die ontwikkeling van wetenskap in en vir Suid-Afrika, dit waarvoor die individu hom as Suid-Afrikaner beywer, en vir die mate waarin hulle werk die lewens van baie Suid-Afrikaners positief  beïnvloed en gevorm het.

Prof van Wilgen se navorsingsloopbaan wat oor meer as vier dekades strek, se werk oor uitheemse plante en waterbronne het gehelp om Suid-Afrika aan die voorpunt van die bestuur van biologiese indringers te plaas. Hy kry die meeste erkenning vir sy werk van 1995 met die ontwikkeling van modelle van watergebruik deur uitheemse bome, terwyl hy saam met 'n span by die WNNR gewerk het. Hierdie werk het gelei tot die vestiging van die Working for Water programme –'n innoverende projek wat nie net ten doel het om die land van indringerplante te “bevry" nie, maar terselfdertyd werksgeleenthede aan duisende Suid-Afrikaners, veral vroue, die jeug en persone met gestremdhede verskaf.  

Teen 2020 het die Working for Water programme, wat nou deur die Departement Bosbou, Visserye en die Omgewing geadministreer word, 'n gemiddeld van R355 miljoen per jaar oor 25 jaar belê en jaarliks meer as 8 300 voltydse werksgeleenthede geskep.

“Min mense besef," sê hy, “dat dennebome nie inheems tot Suid-Afrika is nie. Hulle is aggressiewe indringers wat dreig om ons natuurlike erfenis te vernietig, soos fynbos, met meer as 6000 plantspesies wat nêrens anders op aarde voorkom nie. Indringerdennebome het boonop die potensiaal om Kaapstad se watervoorrade met 30% te verminder".

Sy praktiese benadering tot die hantering van hierdie probleme is gebaseer op meer as vier dekades se navorsing, wat hy aanvanklik in die 1990s gedoen het as navorser in die Departement Bosbou by Jonkershoek en die WNNR, en later as 'n kernspanlid van die DWI/NNS Sentrum van Uitnemendheid vir Indringerbiologie by die Universiteit Stellenbosch. Hier is hy steeds op die ouderdom van 70 steeds aktief betrokke in sy hoedanigheid as emiritus-professor.

Prof Van Wilgen het die toekenning tydens 'n spesiale seremonie op 1 September 2022 ontvang – klik hier vir 'n video-opname van die geleentheid.

Verskeie van sy kollegas het van die geleentheid gebruik gemaak om hom geluk te wens:

• Prof Richard Cowling, Nelson Mandela Universiteit: “Brian van Wilgen is internationally recognised for his substantive contribution to the fields of invasive plant ecology and fire ecology. But more importantly he is recognised for framing his research in such a way that it leads seamlessly to implementation. In fact I would say that it puts Brian in a very small group of scientists globally – his ability to bridge the gap between research and management."
• Dr Tineke Kraaij, Nelson Mandela Universiteit: “Overall, Brian's example shaped my own research career in many ways and even my own fields of interest. Brian uses sensible and simple methods, rather than to baffle and impress with complicated and expensive materials and methods. Brian laid the foundation in the fields of fire ecology and invasion biology in both fynbos and savanna ecosystems. I have huge respect for Brian as a colleague and a scientist. It was a privilege to work with him and I think his research work will have a significant impact on conservation today and into the future."   
• Prof Dave Richardson, voormalige direkteur van die DWI/NSS Sentrum van uitnemendheid vir Indringerbiologie by die US: “Brian's research on the role of fire in Mediterranean type of ecosystems and savannas have been highly influential. His work on how fire interacts with invasive plants and how this influences the options for management has been highly cited. He has published important papers on the impacts of invasive species on biodiversity and ecosystem services and on optimising strategies for their management. Brian's research over more than 40 years has had a huge influence on ecosystem management in South Africa and has also inspired a new generation of researchers."
  
• Dr Guy Preston, voormalige adjunk direkteur-generaal in die Departement Omgewing, Bosbou en Visserye: “I have known Brian van Wilgen since the 1980s when we developed the concept of the Working for Water programme. He was very much one of the key thinkers behind the idea. He is a systematic thinker and played an enormously important role in the beginning years of the programme, and later as scientific adviser. What I admire most was his ability to provide outcome-orientated and practical solutions, as well as his willingness to speak out on issues."