NEWS RELEASE
LAKE SIMCOE REGION CONSERVATION AUTHORITY
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NEWMARKET - At its 37th annual Conservation Awards ceremony on Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018, the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) paid tribute to 23 individuals, businesses and groups who are working in their communities to improve our environment.
During his remarks, Aurora Mayor and LSRCA Board Chair Geoffrey Dawe spoke to the outstanding achievements of the award winners. “Each and every one of our recipients has made a positive impact on the health of our watershed, in their own community and collectively, across the entire watershed community. Tonight, we thank them, we honour them and we acknowledge that their actions are an inspiration for others.”
Emceed by Jennifer Anderson of Rogers TV’s The Parenting Show and former LSRCA Media Recognition Award winner, the ceremony took place at Madsen’s Greenhouse and Garden in Newmarket. Jennifer shared winning entry highlights touching on the passion of the people behind the projects.
Accolades went out to this year’s recipients as follows:
George R. Richardson Conservation Award of Honour
Sylvia Bowman (watershed wide) – For her lifelong passion and leadership in the many environmental organizations and initiatives she’s been involved in throughout her life. Sylvia participates in and helps with several events for these organizations including tree plantings, invasive species removal, and hikes. Sylvia is a gentle, passionate and extremely dedicated advocate for the environment. She has motivated others, including her daughter, to embrace environmental guardianship and action. Sylvia has always been a strong voice for nature in the community. Her impact and legacy will live on through the many projects and lives she has touched.
Ernie Crossland Young Conservationist Award
Michael Wang (Newmarket) – For being an environmental hero and making our community a healthier place to live. He has been a member, the Chair, and now acts as the consultant to his school’s Green Team. Michael encourages his fellow students to reduce their environmental footprint by minimizing the amount of food waste they produce. He also works with the school’s Dining Services to measure and record food waste produced during lunch hours. Some other activities and initiatives that the club has taken on so far include: running a green energy audit for the school, green actions such as planting, banning plastic water bottles and hosting a Green Week where students participate in activities to raise awareness of environmental issues.
Healthy Community Award
1. Cannington and Area Historical Society and Cannington Horticultural Society (Cannington) – For their enthusiasm and hard work organizing a community tree planting event and a hands-on nature experience where a local school group participated in numerous stations learning about the environment.
2. Carol Karner (Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Newmarket) – For spearheading the creation of themed Nature Backpacks, available at Aurora, East Gwillimbury and Newmarket libraries, containing resources, materials and equipment for families to get active outdoors and connect with the natural environment.
3. Children’s Development Services, Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (Barrie, Bradford West Gwillimbury) – For developing a program that enables early learners with developmental needs and their families to engage in outdoor life experiences in a supported and safe environment.
4. Innisfil Library Seed Program (Innisfil) – For offering library patrons a selection of vegetable, herb and flower seeds to grow at home and enjoy.
5. Michelle Nye (Newmarket) – For engaging students in rich inquiry based outdoor learning and enhancing local greenspaces.
6. Mount Albert Lions Club (East Gwillimbury) – For organizing a community Nature Day engaging participants in various environmental activities.
7. Nature’s Emporium (Newmarket) – For their commitment to the environment by developing a Sustainable Selections product family and for introducing compostable shopping bags.
8. Simcoe Country District School Board (Simcoe County) – For being a leader in implementing environmental initiatives within their schools.
9. Tycoed Restorative Farm (Uxbridge) – For undertaking a restorative farm project and encouraging self-reliance through permaculture, hugelkultur, solar and wind power.
10. Wellington Public School (Aurora) – For taking ownership of a local park and regularly cleaning up garbage and other debris and for their efforts to reduce their environmental footprint within the school environment.
Healthy Land Award
1. Hossein Esmaelidaeh (Georgina) – For planting 1,670 tree seedlings and shrubs on almost 1 hectare of his property.
2. Ian Smith (East Gwillimbury) – For reducing soil erosion by interseeding 800 acres of muck soil and installing a rotating finger de-dirter at the front end of his vegetable processing plant.
3. Jim Stewart (Schomberg) – For planting 4,075 tree seedlings on 2 hectares of his rural property.
4. John Nagy (Sunderland) – For planting 1,000 native trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants on his property.
5. Larry Onisto (Uxbridge) – For increasing forest canopy by planting 4,575 White Pine and White Cedar trees on just over 2 hectares of his property.
6. Ontario Landscaping Ltd. – For donating numerous 60-70cm caliper Red Oak and Kentucky Coffee trees that will be planted throughout the watershed.
7. Tim Horlings (King) – For controlling erosion and reducing nutrient loss on his fields by planting 60 acres of cover crops.
8. York Bassmasters (East Gwillimbury) – For planting trees within ‘difficult’ and ‘hazardous’ designated areas, due to the steep slopes of the Holland River bank.
Healthy Water Award
1. Bayshore Property Management (Barrie) – For setting an example in winter maintenance practices and educating clients on using reasonable quantities of winter salt.
2. Holland Marsh Drainage System Joint Municipal Services Board (Bradford West Gwillimbury) – For creating a sediment removal area for storm runoff and alleviating flooding problems for multiple homes by constructing a stormwater management pond.
Honourable Mention
1. Kaiden Taylor (Keswick) – For participating in community clean up days, reminding others to recycle and educating his peers on the importance of the environment.
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