Bill Mitsch was a pioneering figure in wetland science and a prominent member and previous Past President of SWS. He was also the principal organizer of INTECOL WETLANDS conference in 1992 in Clumbus, Ohio. He was renowned for his tremendous contributions to wetland ecology and ecological engineering. He founded the Olentangy River Wetland Research Park at the Ohio State University (Ramsar Site), the Everglades Research Park at Florida Gulf Coast University and served as editor-in-chief of Ecological Engineering. He also was awarded the Stockholm Water Prize of 2004, the Einstein Award from the Chinese Academy of Science, and a Doctorate honoris causa from Tartu University, Estonia. The various editions of Bill Mitsch's comprehensive 'Wetlands' textbooks (edited by John Wiley & Sons) have helped many of us wetland scientists around the world fall in love with these wonderful and unique ecosystems, accompanying us in our Ph.D. and research journeys. They are on many of our shelves and remain some of the key textbooks that many researchers reference. He also supported the careers of many of our colleagues and his legacy will live on through them.

Maurizio Borin served for more than 40 years at the University of Padova in Italy, where he led a distinguished career as a Researcher and Full Professor. He was the former Director of the Department of Agronomy, Animals, Food, Natural Resources and Environment. He was also a key member of the International Water Association Wetland Systems for Pollution Control Specialist Group. SWS Europe members will fondly remember our 8th Annual Meeting held in Padova which Maurizio and colleagues organised with characteristic warmth and hospitality. The incredible setting, gorgeous food and the volleyball match will live long in the memory. Maurizio will be remembered as a person of great knowledge and as a leader in wetland research but most of all as someone that showed generosity, kindness and filled the room with laughter.

Herbert John Bavor (15.11.1946- 5.3. 2025) was born in Illinois, USA but he spent most of his life in Australia, namely at Water Research Laboratory, University of Western Sydney in Hawkesbury.  John was one of the pioneers of constructed wetland research in Australia in the early 1980s together with Max Finlayson, Alan Chick and David Mitchell. His early studies in a large-scale pilot system at the Richmond Water Pollution Control Plant brought results which were very influential for further studies in constructed wetlands. During his research in the field of constructed wetlands John also dealt quite often with constructed wetlands designed to treat urban stormwaters. The research sites at Plumpton Park and Woodcroft Estate at the western outskirt of Sydney are good examples of this research. The long-term studies describing these systems are perfect example of the wetland development in time. Probably the major contributions to the constructed wetland research are the papers dealing with filtration materials for phosphorus removal in subsurface flow constructed wetlands. The two principal papers have driven so far more 1300 citations on Web of Science. John was an inherent part of many wetland conferences such as IWA Specialized group on Wetland System for Water Pollution Control, Wetpol, INTECOL Wetlands or Nutrient Cycling in Natural and Constructed Wetlands organized in the Czech Republic where he missed only one meeting out of eleven during the period of 1995-2023. John will be missed very much by the wetland community.