Board of Directors

Dr. Gordon
Nelson, Chair

University of Waterloo

Dr. Gordon Nelson is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Waterloo where he has taught and conducted research since 1975. He is Past Chair of the Parks Research Forum of Ontario and the Heritage Resources Centre, University of Waterloo, and is currently active in the conservation and land use field as a member of the Bruce National Park Advisory Committee, the Board of Directors of both Ontario Parks and Waterloo Heritage Committee. Dr. Nelson’s professional accomplishments include the publication of numerous books, articles and reports. Recent publications include: Towards a Grand Sense of Place: Writings on the changing environments, land-uses, landscapes, lifestyles and planning of a Canadian Heritage River and Protected Areas and the Regional Planning Imperative in North America: Integrating Nature Conservation and Sustainable Development. His latest book, Places, Linking Nature, Culture and Planning, should be published by University of Calgary Press in spring 2009. Dr. Nelson has served as Chair of Carolinian Canada Coalition since 2005.

Scott Peck,
Vice-Chair

Ontario Professional Planners Institute

Scott Peck has been involved with Carolinian Canada since 2004, currently serving as the Vice Chair. Scott is a Registered Professional Planner and works for the Hamilton Conservation Authority as Manager, Watershed Planning Services. Scott has experience working for a municipality and conservation authorities and his interests lie in environmental and rural planning, watershed planning and sustainable development. Scott lives in Norfolk County, the heart of Carolinian Canada, with his wife Cheryl, daughter Abi and son Zachary.

Brian Craig,
Secretary

Individual

Brian Craig was a landscape ecologist with Parks Canada, Southwestern Ontario Field Unit. His interests include biodiversity conservation, landscape restoration, and ecological monitoring. He is a Director with the Canadian Biosphere Reserves Association, the Long Point World Biosphere Reserve Foundation and the Carolinian Canada Coalition. Brian joined the Carolinian Canada Board of Directors in 2007 and holds the office of Secretary.

Peter Banks,
Treasurer

Individual

Peter Banks. Retired Systems Engineer. Married with two daughters. Cosmopolitan traveler. Life Master American Contract Bridge League, 40+ years. Member Lambton Wildlife Incorporated 35+ years. Past President Lambton Wildlife Incorporated. Amateur mycologist. Recipient Federation of Ontario Naturalists W. E. Saunders Natural History Award, W. W. H. Gunn Conservation Award and Carolinian Canada Lifetime Achievement Conservation Award. Past President Lambton Lung Association, Ontario Lung Association, Canadian Lung Association. Member CCC Management Committee 1992-2006. Inaugural CCC Board Member 2007. CCC Treasurer 1995-2009.

Cathy Bingham

County of Oxford

Cathy Bingham has a management background in marketing, human resources and communications in both the corporate and government sectors. She is currently responsible for tourism promotion and development for the County of Oxford. In this capacity she is a passionate advocate for the quality of pastoral activities within the County, including its natural, cultural and heritage assets. She considers it a privilege to play a role in making her community a better place to work, play and live, and provides leadership on a range of community- development activities, including trails, arts and culture and heritage opportunities. A committed volunteer, she is a past president of the Oxford County Federation of Agriculture, and has served on many boards and committees over the years.

Cathy and her husband Keith are lifelong residents of Oxford and are actively involved in many community service activities. Although they are world travelers, they particularly prize the quality of life in Southwestern Ontario.

Cathy’s passions include wildlife photography, travel, culinary ‘research’, spending time with her grandchildren, and her career with the County. She is on record as saying that she can‘t believe she gets paid to promote the community she loves.

Caroline Biribauer

Essex Region Conservation Authority

Caroline Biribauer, through her education and professional experience, has had the opportunity to live and work in various corners of the Carolinian Life Zone, both in Canada and the United States. Caroline was born and raised in Toronto and graduated in 1997 with a BSc. in Environmental Science from York University. She then moved to St. Catherines and completed a post-graduate certificate program in Ecosystem Restoration at Niagara College. After completing a contract position at the Royal Botanical Gardens as a Wildlife Technician, Caroline moved to Maryland, U.S., to work as a Wildlife Biologist with the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC). In 2002, she transferred to the Windsor-Detroit area to head the Great Lakes Regional Office of WHC, located in Detroit. In March 2005, Caroline accepted the position as Friends of Watersheds Organizer with the Essex Region Conservation Authority, coordinating volunteers in a wide variety of hands-on stewardship activities across Windsor and Essex County. Caroline is an avid birder, and has taken part in many volunteer activities herself over the years, including the Christmas Bird Count, Breeding Bird Atlas, Frogwatch, Project Feederwatch, Marsh Monitoring Program, Forest Bird Monitoring Program, and annual butterfly counts.

Tara Borwick

Ontario Stewardship

Tara Borwick is the Southern Region Stewardship Coordinator with the Ontario Stewardship. Tara works closely with the 40 Ontario Stewardship coordinators across southern Ontario and focuses efforts on identifying and encouraging landscape approaches to stewardship and the protection of our natural resources. In addition, she also works towards the continued success, growth and expansion of the Ontario Stewardship program throughout Ontario. Before joining the Ontario Stewardship team Tara worked for the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters where she was the Coordinator of the very successful Community Stream Steward Program for over four years and more recently had taken on a new role as Fish and Wildlife Biologist. She brings with her over ten years of diverse experience in project and program management, the majority of which has been in the fields of stewardship and natural resource management.

In addition to her most recent employment, Tara has worked in private industry, with the Federal Department of National Defence, and MNR’s Rabies Research Unit and Aylmer District where she has held various managerial and technical positions. She brings extensive experience with both government and non-government agency interaction and engagement and has been actively involved with many regional and provincial initiatives that are working towards the increased effectiveness of stewardship and natural resource management in Ontario.

Alice Casselman

Association for Canadian Educational Resources

Alice Casselman, M. Sc. Ed., is president and founder, of the Association for Canadian Educational Resources (1987) to develop and to encourage the development of Canadian materials for Canadian learners. A High School Science Department Head for most of her 35 year teaching career, Alice helped establish outdoor educational and experiential programs with School Boards and at Conservation Authority sites. She was also staff person for weekend education at the Toronto Region Conservation Authority for 20 years and a member of writing teams for the Etobicoke Biology Curricula and Outdoor and Education Resource documents. As founding director for Canadian Outward Bound Wilderness School, Council of Outdoor Educators Ontario, Peel Environmental Network and Environmental Education Ontario, she has encouraged many others to participate in environmental community outreach projects.

Wendy Cridland

Nature Conservancy of Canada

Wendy Cridland is Program Manager for the Nature Conservancy of Canada's Southwestern Ontario subregion where she oversees conservation activities within strategically defined natural areas, focusing on private and public land protection and stewardship. Prior to this appointment, Wendy coordinated NCC’s Conservation Volunteers in Ontario. Wendy has also worked for Bird Studies Canada and Long Point Region Conservation Authority and has volunteered locally for the Long Point World Biosphere Reserve Foundation and the Norfolk Environmental Advisory Committee. Wendy has a B.A. (Honours) in Geography from Wilfrid Laurier University and a M.A. in Geography from the University of Waterloo.

Douglas Desmond

Individual

Douglas Desmond is a lawyer, farmer and concerned citizen based on Ridgetown, Ontario. His family has been farming in Kent County since the early 1790's, and Douglas has continued to operate the 350 acre cash crop farm since 1977. Doug was called to the bar in 1992 after completing his Bachelor of Laws from McGill University. He carries on a private law practice based in Ridgetown, specializing in Criminal Law, Family Law, Estate Law and Real Estate. Douglas has taken a leading role in the citizen response to major wind energy projects in his region. Working with the Chatham-Kent Wind Action Group, he has been a vocal opponent of large-scale wind projects being implemented under the province of Ontario's Green Energy Act.

Paul General

Six Nations

W. Paul General is the Manager of Six Nations Eco-centre and a Wildlife Officer and a Member of Seneca Nation - Snipe Clan. Paul has a diploma in Fine Art and Photography and works as a painter/ photographer. He is called upon regularly as a guest lecturer at the Universities of Brock, Toronto and Guelph and Mohawk and Fanshawe College. Paul has also served as a part time professor at Fanshawe College. Paul’s diverse experience has served him well in his present position as Wildlife Officer and Manager of the Six Nations Eco-centre. Along with many daily activities such as monitoring the Grand River Notification Agreement and the Environmental Bill of Rights Registry Six Nations, Paul has been able to make positive contributions towards the protection and enhancement of our environment. A group that Paul has worked with for many years has just received a DFO award for the "Grand River Fisheries Management Plan." Last fall, Paul received the Lieutenant Governor’s “Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship” for his work as an environmentalist, artist, lecturer and teacher.

Bill Graham

Individual

Bill Graham, now retired, was president and owner of University Scholarships of Canada. Bill has served on many boards and committees over the years, including Parks Canada – Parks Advisory Committee, The Bruce Trail Conservancy, and St. Andrew's College. Bill has been actively involved in many sports, especially football, playing professionally for the Hamilton Tiger Cats and coaching the University of Guelph team. His interests also include squash, golf, skiing, fishing, hiking, photography and landscape design.

Mike Halferty

Ontario Forestry Association

Mike Halferty is the Forestry Programs Manager with the Ontario Forestry Association. In this role he directs the Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program, provides landowner support and outreach, and works on development of private land stewardship initiatives. He represents the OFA on various committees such as Carolinian Canada Coalition, Ontario Invasive Plant Council and the Ontario Network for Ecosystem Services. Mike holds an honours B.Sc. and a Master of Forest Conservation from The University of Toronto, as well as a Bachelor of Education.

Mark Helm

Individual

Mark has always enjoyed the outdoors through activities including exploring the family farm, fishing, bird watching and nature photography. These have led him to an appreciation of the importance of nature and its preservation and restoration. Since retiring from the Ford Motor Company, Mark has become involved in several environmental organizations, including the Dorchester Mill Pond Committee, Friends of Meadow Lily and the Dorchester Watershed Action Committee. He has participated in tree and native flower plantings with public schools and a program to reintroduce the Purple Martin to a local golf course.

Cara McCreary

Individual

Cara McCreary is currently completing a thesis on the bean leaf beetle for a Master of Science in Environmental Biology degree at the University of Guelph. She has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from University of Windsor and an Associate diploma in Horticulture from University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus. While completing her education, Cara has been running a small landscaping business, worked in greenhouse/nursery industries and has been involved with several agricultural research projects through University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus. Cara has a keen interest in landscaping with native species and conservation activities.

Jim Oliver

Individual

Jim Oliver is currently serving his second term as councilor of Ward 4 in Norfolk County. He previously worked as the General Manager for the Long Point Region Conservation Authority where he served a 26 year career. He served on the Carolinian Canada Coalition Management Committee for many years before retiring from the Conservation Authority. He is now an Honourary Director.