Media Release
May 5, 2009. Dundas, Ontario
Carolinian Canada Recognizes Habitat Champions
On Friday, May 8th, Carolinian Canada Coalition will celebrate the hard work and dedication of outstanding people and groups who care about their local habitat and wildlife. They embody the notion of “Thinking Globally and Acting Locally”. All across southwestern Ontario, these caring people have quietly dedicated most of their spare time, and in some cases their careers, to conserving habitat and collaborating for healthy landscapes.
The celebration is part of the Coalition’s AGM, “Water for Life” hosted by Conservation Ontario and Hamilton Conservation Authority. This event is open to the public andmarks the Coalition’s 25th Anniversary. A nature ramble through the Dundas Valley, a Carolinian Canada Signature Site, kicks off the event at 10 am. After lunch, guest speaker, Jo-Anne Rzadki will discuss Carolinian Canada Connections to Municipal Drinking Water Source Protection. The Conservation Awards will be presented at 3 pm.
The accomplishments of this year’s habitat champions are diverse:
- Alan Ernest, Lifetime Achievement, for protectingvaluable habitat in Hamilton
- Carolinian Forest Festival, Youth Award, for innovative education in Elgin County
- Heather and Bill Wilson for monitoring Bald Eagles on the Grand River
- David Clemons for saving one of Canada’s last populations of American Columbo, a very tall prairie plant in Brant County
- Catfish Creek Conservation Authority for watershed conservation and environmental education in Elgin and Oxford Counties
- Brent and Jane Marie Ward, Honourable Mention, forrestoring a Heritage Farm in Wheatley
The celebration will take place at Maplewood Hall in Dundas. Lunch is $15 and can be reserved through pre-registration. Registrations will also be accepted at the door with lunch provided as available. You can find out more about the celebration at 519-433-7077. Come, meet this year’s stewardship champions, and be inspired.
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Text and photos posted at
For more information contact:
Michelle Kanter
Executive Director
Carolinian Canada Coalition
(519) 433-7077
Background
Carolinian Canada Coalition
Stretching from Toronto to Windsor, the Carolinian Life Zone of southwesternOntario is among North America’s most vibrant and fragile ecoregions, with more plants and animals than most other places in Canada. Carolinian Canada Coalition (CCC) brings together diverse sectors, people and governments to collaboratively steward southwestern Ontario’s unique habitat network, green infrastructure to support thriving wild and human communities in harmony for generations.
Each year Carolinian Canada presents awards for conservation and education efforts related to the unique natural heritage of the Carolinian Life Zone by recognizing outstanding contributions by individuals, corporations, non-profit organizations and government organizations.
The Coalition’s 25th Anniversary Annual General Meeting is generously sponsored by Conservation Ontario, Ontario Stewardship, Trees Ontario, the Association of Canadian Educational Resources, Bird Studies Canada and individual director contributions.
Conservation Award Recipients
Alan Ernest, of Hamilton, will be recognized for “lifetime achievement”. He has worked tirelessly with the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club to acquire and steward natural habitat. As consultant for the club he has led negotiations to purchase over 22 ha of land from Short Hills to Beverley Swamp. As a member of the Sanctuary Committee since 1990 he has led countless work parties, and conceived and spearheaded the Land’s Inlet Nature Reserve project in downtown Hamilton.
In the “Youth” category, the first Carolinian Forest Festival, which took place in Elgin last year, was organised by Betsy McClure on behalf of a large number of conservation groups. Over 900 Grade 6 and 7 students from 18 schools in Elgin County and surrounding area participated in 31 interactive activities based on the Ontario Curriculum during the 3-day festival. Over 70 volunteers a day, including many high school students, taught the young people about forest resources, forest ecosystems and interactions, climate change, biodiversity, species at risk, stewardship and conservation.
David Clemons of St. George in Brant County has, for the last 10 years,stewarded a significant population of American Columbo, an endangered wildflower reaching over 2 m tall. In 2006 David completed the low complexity prescribed burn worker course and has volunteered in the last two prescribed burns. Under his stewardship the population has increased from ~ 800 plants to 1250 in 2008; making it the largest population of this species in Canada. David has had a profound influence on other landowners in his neighbourhood. He has helped to initiate three other private land restoration projects and one has led to the discovery of a new population of American Columbo.
Bill and Heather Wilson of Cambridgehave coordinated the monitoring of Bald Eagle wintering activities in the Grand River valley from Kitchener downstream to the Glen Morris area since 2003. As coordinators, some of Bill and Heather’s activities include soliciting observational information from birders, distributing copies of digital air photos, organizing Saturday morning Bald Eagle “blitzes”, compiling and submitting data to the MNR and assisting in the preparation of annual reports. Monitoring activities have provided invaluable information on arrival and departure dates of Bald Eagles in this part of the watershed, the location of overnight roost sites, the trend in Bald Eagle numbers over time (increasing) and Bald Eagle behavior and tolerance to humans.
The Catfish Creek Conservation Authorityof Aylmer is the smallest of Ontario’s 36 Conservation Authorities but has been one of the most active, particularly in the field of wildlife conservation. At the heart of Carolinian Canada, it has done much to preserve Carolinian species through dozens of projects and partnerships. This authority has worked in watershed conservation and environmental education for decades, benefiting more than 60,000 students. Its location in Elgin and Oxford is the lynchpin of Carolinian Canada, providing a connecting network of wildlife corridors between major Carolinian natural areas such as Backus Woods and Skunk’s Misery.
Brent and Jane Marie Wardof Wheatley in Chatham-Kent are dedicated to transforming their 50 acre farm into a Heritage Farm with a conservation area and environmental study centre. With many local partners, the Wards have planted close to 13,000 native trees and shrubs, created two large ponds, a meadow, and snake hibernaculumfor the threatened Eastern Fox snake. The created habitat is aimed toward helping the migrating animals that follow the shore of Lake Erie and find the Heritage Farm a safe haven to rest, mate and feed. The Wards’ actions illustrate great vision for the next generations that will benefit, both nature and people. Brent and Jane Marie have already inspired many local friends and neighbours to be involved in conservation and consider undertaking similar habitat projects. The Wards will receive an Honourable Mention.