Conservation Leaders Nominated

2006 Carolinian Canada Conservation Award Nominees Announced

Eight exceptional people and groups have been nominated for Carolinian Canada’s 2006 Conservation Awards.  Each has devoted countless hours to the conservation of unique natural habitat in their communities and beyond. Not only are they dedicated to improving or saving their local natural areas, their work has provided leadership in protecting and restoring natural heritage as volunteers, professionals and landowners.  Nominees are from the counties of Essex, Huron, Norfolk, Chatham-Kent, Lambton, Wellington and Frontenac.

The following excerpts from the nominations demonstrate the leadership of this year’s Carolinian Canada Conservation Award nominees. Award recipients will be announced this fall.

The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority of Exeter was the first Conservation Authority established in Ontario.  The ABCA has worked diligently for 60 years to protect and restore the special places, plants and animals in their watershed.  This group of dedicated professionals has worked with local residents, governments, and organizations to protect the unique Ausable Gorge, plant thousands of trees, and restore riparian areas.  Education is another key focus for this organization, which manages the longest-running residential outdoor conservation education program in Ontario (Camp Sylvan). The ABCA has been a catalyst for government, municipal and landowner partners to jointly devise and implement strategies for watershed improvements and protection.

Dan Bissonnette of Windsor is a passionate, yet practical, advocate of naturalizing habitat, starting in your own backyard.  He has emerged as a leading environmentalist in his home region, and has inspired many others through his public speaking, broadcasting, lectures and workshops.  He founded the Naturalized Habitat Network Organization in 2001, and since then, this grass-roots community group has become a major force for change in the Windsor Essex region.  He developed a one-day workshop based on his Naturalized Habitat Landscaping course, and has taken it to several locations in Essex, and to Sarnia. He was one of the major driving forces in the salvation of Marshfield Woods, through development and leadership of the Marshfield Woods Coalition.  He has also designed and developed two native plant arboreta, one near Wallaceburg, and one in Leamington.  Dan’s passionate dedication to the natural world is an inspiration to all who come in contact with him.

Marilyn Crawford of Godfrey has tirelessly devoted her retirement years to reducing negative impacts of mining policy on waterways and natural habitat.  A registered prospector, she is so conversant with the Mining Act that she can deal with Ministry specialists on their own ground.  Motivated by the destruction of habitat in her Frontenac neighbourhood, Mary has made notable efforts to raise awareness among many groups for the need to update mining policy for the benefit of all including species such as the Black Rat Snake. Frontenac is at the extreme northern range for some Carolinian species.  She has volunteered with Mining Watch Canada and the Frontenac Environmental Partnership.  Marilyn’s efforts have made a real difference to the future of her own local, and the wider, community.  Her selfless personal dedication to the preservation of the natural world is exceptional.

Don Hector of Chatham is a Stewardship Coordinator who frequently goes far beyond the call of duty – working overtime, evenings and weekends to ensure the success of every project.   Don not only gets involved in the planning and funding of projects, but is often found in the field, working side by side with volunteers in preparation and planting at the sites.  Don is especially interested in raising public awareness, and his work in this area is exemplified by his role as the driving force behind the Chatham-Kent Annual Children’s Water Festival. He has worked hard to develop a local network of stewardship groups, enabling members of the Chatham-Kent conservation community to accomplish more on the ground.  Don has done an amazing job working with private landowners and the municipality to implement best management practices and rehabilitate natural habitat. Don’s contributions have resulted in the creation of over 30 acres of Carolinian habitat corridors in recent years.  His personal commitment to stewardship activities of all kinds is outstanding.

Henry Kock of Guelph was an unforgettable figure on the conservation scene. With his long stride, bushy beard, and passion for native plants, and in particular the American Elm, Henry traveled hundreds of kilometres to study natural areas and collect native plant seeds.  He touched thousands of lives with his message promoting the protection of natural landscapes and naturalized gardening.  As a University of Guelph Arboretum Horticulturist, Henry was responsible for designing and planting several of the Native Plant sections of the Arboretum, developed good propagation techniques for native plants, and held hundreds of workshops on native plants and how to grow them.  He also helped to spearhead the Guelph Organic Conference, was instrumental in setting up the Elm Recovery Project for the disappearing American Elm, lectured and held workshops all across Southern Ontario, and drafted a book on how to grow native trees.

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Brenda Lorenz of Sarnia has been involved in many causes and projects related to the environment and conservation.  As a member of Lambton Wildlife Incorporated, the Sarnia Urban Wildlife Committee, and Chair of the Sarnia Environmental Advisory Committee, Brenda has spent many hours working on projects to preserve or enhance natural areas around Sarnia. She has also devoted much of her spare time to spreading the word about conservation and environmental awareness through various print and film media. For a number of years she helped to run the Lambton Wildlife Inc.’s Young Naturalists Club and was involved in environmental education projects with Centre by the Bay and the Green Communities Project in Sarnia.  She provided leadership in the acquisition and promotion of the Suncor Natureway – a naturalized stormwater drainage system to the east of Sarnia, and she has helped to steward several natural properties around Sarnia as a member of the Sarnia Urban Wildlife Committee.  Recently she has taken on the role of Regional Director for Southwestern Ontario for Ontario Nature.

James and Georgina Sheldon of Highgate have made a major contribution to the preservation of Carolinian Canada habitat through their donation of 40 ha (100 ac) of Carolinian Swamp Forest and cropland to the Nature Conservancy of Canada.  The tract of land is part of the Turin Paw Paw Woods, one of the larger contiguous forests in Southwestern Ontario, and is connected to Clear Creek Forest.  The Sheldons always had a deep appreciation for nature, and when they learned about the significance of the Clear Creek Forest to the natural landscape of Chatham-Kent, they supported the Nature Conservancy in its efforts to purchase the land.  About the same time they became aware that their own bush that they had enjoyed for its beauty and wildlife for many years was also important as part of a Big Picture corridor linking Clear Creek to Skunk’s Misery.   The donation process took several years and was not easy, but eventually their dream was realized, and the land will be restored to its natural state and protected from development in perpetuity.  James passed away shortly after completing the donation, truly leaving a legacy for generations to come.

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Dolf and Anne Wynia of Simcoe have both been active members of the Norfolk Field Naturalists for many years, and each has served at least one term as Chair of the club.  They have undertaken restoration work on their 25-acre farm, planting many Carolinian tree species.  Most recently, they have set aside 5 ha 12(ac) to be planted as the first Forest 2020 project in Norfolk.  Dolf and Anne have not only ‘walked the walked’, they have been an inspiration to many others in the community and across the region in the conservation of forested lands.  One notable example is their advocacy for the protection and proper management of the St. Williams Conservation Reserve, for which Dolf acted as Superintendent in the 1980s.  Dolf is currently a member of the Long Point Region Conservation Authority, and Anne is on the Norfolk Land Stewardship Council.