2018 Environmental Excellence Awards

Conservationist: Meaghen Thompson and Olivia Handley, Ennismore Guides

The Environmental Excellence Conservationist Award recognizes an individual or individuals who demonstrate leadership and inspire others to understand and become engaged citizens within our natural environment.

This year, Otonabee Conservation was pleased to present the award to two recipients – Meaghen Thompson and Olivia Handley – both are members of the Ennismore Guides.

Pictured left to right: Andy Mitchell, Chair of Otonabee Conservation, Olivia Handley and Meaghen Thompson, Award Recipients, Sheery Senis, Vice-Chair of Otonabee Conservation and Karl Moher, Director

 

Meaghen and Olivia are ambassadors for conservation having taken active leadership roles to engage others in environmental projects, increasing environmental awareness and securing funding to assist with habitat improvement projects. The most recent example of this being the planting of trees at Paul English Park in Bridgenorth which involved 50 Guide members.

Stewardship: Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre

The Environmental Excellence Stewardship Award recognizes a community group or non-profit organization that has successfully undertaken projects and programs that contribute to a healthier watershed.

The recipient of the award this year is well known in the watershed, and indeed throughout Ontario, for their dedication to the protection and conservation of Ontario’s native turtles.

Together, staff and volunteers, under the guidance of Dr. Sue Carstairs, and Board Chair Mandy St. Germaine, operate the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre. The Centre features a hospital that treats, rehabilitates, and releases injured turtles. The Centre also performs extensive research in the field to further conservation initiatives, and offers a comprehensive education and outreach program.

In 2017, Otonabee Conservation was pleased to support the Centre’s efforts in the creation of a pollinator garden to support their rehabilitation efforts and public education program. This initiative was completed with the involvement of 50 students from St. Anne Catholic Elementary School as part of the Be A Watershed Steward program of Otonabee Conservation and Camp Kawartha.

Accepting the Environmental Excellence Stewardship Award on behalf of the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre was Dr. Sue Carstairs.

Pictured left to right: Andy Mitchell, Chair of Otonabee Conservation, Sherry Senis, Vice-Chair of Otonabee Conservation and Dr. Sue Carstairs, Executive and Medical Director of the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre

Business: Winslow Gerolamy Motors Limited

Recognizing a business that has made a significant contribution to projects or programs of Otonabee Conservation, thereby advancing our vision of a healthy watershed, is the focus of Environmental Excellence Business Award.

Otonabee Conservation was pleased to present the Environmental Excellence Business Award to Winslow Gerolamy Motors Limited. Accepting the award was Mr. Andrew Winslow, Dealer Principal for the company.

Pictured left to right: Andrew Winslow, Winslow Gerolamy Motors Limited, Andy Mitchell, Chair of Otonabee Conservation, Sherry Senis, Vice-Chair of Otonabee Conservation and David Nelson, Director.

 

For a number of years now, Winslow Gerolamy has donated the use of a cube van enabling Otonabee Conservation staff to pick-up, store and deliver thousands of tree seedlings to various planting sites throughout the watershed. Having the use of the van lessened our carbon footprint because we were able to reduce the number of trips it would otherwise take for us to transport the trees. The logistics were also simplified, helping the program to run more smoothly and efficiently.

The Environmental Excellence Awards were presented during the 59th Annual Meeting of Otonabee Conservation held on Thursday evening, January 18, 2018 in Keene, Township of Otonabee South Monaghan.