Erast Parmasto

[3][4] His expertise in the field of mycology has resulted in him being nicknamed "Seenevana", or the "grand old man of mushrooms".

[2] Parmesto was furthermore one of the driving forces behind the establishment of Liiva-Putla Nature Reserve, one of only five areas created for the protection of mushrooms in Europe.

Jaanus Kala, Deputy Secretary-General of the Ministry of the Environment and chairman of the award's jury said of the scientist, “Erast Parmasto has dedicated his life’s work to studying nature and to promoting its protection among the public”.

[2] In 1964, Czech mycologists František Kotlaba and Zdenek Pouzar, together circumscribed the fungal genus of Parmastomyces (in the family Fomitopsidaceae), it was named in his honour.

Erastia was circumscribed by Finnish mycologists Tuomo Niemelä and Juha Kinnunen in 2005 and also named in his honour.