2022 Environmental Excellence Awards – Otonabee Region Conservation Authority

Jump to each award winner:

Individual Conservationist Award

Awarded to Brianna Salmon

Many people living throughout the Peterborough Region will be familiar with Brianna’s work as the Executive Director at GreenUP. In this role from 2016-2021, Brianna built up the non-profits organization’s programs and partnerships while addressing the environmental challenges of our time including climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental justice.

GreenUP thrived under Brianna’s leadership, enhancing programming to include innovative new approaches, connecting residents with community partners in neighbourhood-scaled, co-design programs addressing climate change through visioning with residents, reimagining public spaces, collaborating to enhance active transportation, increasing biodiversity, reducing susceptibility to flooding, and more.

At GreenUP, Brianna championed and led a successful five-year capital campaign to increase accessibility and infrastructure at the Green UP Ecology Park, which is a vital community hub for environmental education and a resource for native plants and sustainable gardening practices. GreenUP Ecology Park has supported many of Otonabee Conservation’s stewardship projects and has been an excellent neighbour for the Beavermead Campground.

In the summer of 2021, Brianna took on the role of Executive Director at Green Communities Canada, a national organization that works with a network of community-based member organizations across the country, to share resources, implement innovative programming, and elevate collective impact.

Brianna has been recognized as a community leader for many years. In 2016 she was recognized as one of Peterborough’s “Top 4 Under 40,” and she received Trent University’s, Young Leader Award for her work supporting a more healthy, sustainable, and active community.

Brianna is an active community volunteer, serving as a director on a number of local non-profit boards and is a committee member with Sustainable Peterborough. Brianna’s leadership with Sustainable Peterborough and the broader community is evident through advancing Sustainable Development Goals.

Through collaboration with GreenUP programs and with community committees, Brianna as actively supported many of Otonabee Conservation’s strategic goals such as fostering awareness and understanding of the value of the natural environment and contributing to the maintenance of a healthy and resilient natural environment.

Environmental Stewardship Award

Awarded to Trout Unlimited Canada | Millbrook Chapter, presented to the President, Scott Calder

Trout Unlimited Canada is a not-for-profit environmental organization that aims to conserve, protect, and restore Canada’s freshwater ecosystems and their coldwater resources, for current and future generations.

Trout Unlimited Millbrook is a relatively new chapter located in Millbrook, Ontario, that focuses on Baxter and Squirrel Creeks, which meander through the town and the surrounding landscape.

Trout Unlimited Millbrook brings together existing groups and residents, working collectively to maintain and improve the stream system through sediment control, bank stabilization, riparian planting, stream cleanup, and erosion control. Ultimately, they work to improve fish populations, fish habitat, drinking water, and the overall aesthetics of the landscape.

Over the last two years, Trout Unlimited Millbrook has:

Conducted stream temperature monitoring to create baseline reports on Baxter Creek and its tributaries
Completed electrofishing and fish surveys at 10 sites
Planted large trees in partnership with the students at Millbrook South Cavan Public School
Supported the local fishing derby with hopes of partnering with the Lions Club this year to host the derby
Delivered the Yellow Fish Road program in partnership with Otonabee Conservation, marking 87 storm drains in one day with local Girl Guides
Met with landowners in the area and at the Farmer’s Market to provide resources and information about their work to sustainably manage local watercourses.
Counted over 400 hours of volunteer time towards their projects!

Don’t miss the Trout Unlimited monthly article in the Millbrook Times. Their articles create interest in the local watershed and include topics such as tips for safe fishing practices, species information about brook and brown trout, tree planting initiatives, and more.

Thank you for your many hours of volunteer work in the community, engaging our residents and youth to help conserve, protect, and restore Millbrook’s freshwater ecosystems.

Conservation Partnership Award

Awarded to Peterborough Public Health | Presented to Julie Ingram, Manager of Environmental Health

Otonabee Conservation partners with Peterborough Public Health to provide many services in our watershed, with our shared vision of a healthy environment for residents.

We are all likely very aware of the important work that Peterborough Public Health is doing to keep our community safe during the pandemic. Otonabee Conservation would like to first recognize their guidance provided through the pandemic to help us ensure our Conservation Areas, facilities, and amenities are safe for public use.

We would also like to highlight the many other programs and services that the Authority relies on to provide a safe environment for all.

Peterborough Public Health:

Supports the drinking water source protection program with mandatory septic system inspections in vulnerable areas, as defined under the Clean Water Act.
They conduct water quality monitoring for bacteria levels at public beaches throughout the watershed including Selwyn Beach Conservation Area and Warsaw Caves Conservation Area.
They provide resources and signage to inform Conservation Area visitors and trail users about the presence of ticks and the associated risks.
They support Otonabee Conservation community clean up events including the Jackson Creek Clean up, to ensure staff and volunteers know how to safely dispose of syringes and other potentially dangerous materials.
Through the Healthy Kids Community Challenge Program, they encouraged kids and families to get active outdoors, and this included promoting Conservation Areas as great places to get out into nature.
Peterborough Public Health has demonstrated great leadership related to Climate Change inviting community partners, including Otonabee Conservation, to participate in development of their Climate Change Strategy.
They participate in local events and activities to support a healthy watershed including Sustainable Peterborough, and by attending local events, such as Otonabee Conservation’s Discovery Days to promote healthy lifestyle choices throughout the watershed.
PPH also promotes the importance of creating shade, through planting native trees in parks, school yards, and local greenspaces and recognize efforts to enhance local forests.

Perhaps one of the most significant contributions to highlight today, is that over the past two+ years, despite these very difficult times with ongoing pivots and increased workloads, PPH has ensured the smooth and uninterrupted operation of their non-covid-related programs and services, that we rely on to keep people safe and healthy in our watershed.

We are grateful for all that PPH had been doing to keep our community safe and informed during the pandemic.

Business Award

Awarded to Trent University, presented to Julie Davis, Vice President of External Relations & Development

Trent is known around the world for research in climate, environment, and sustainability-related issues. The University’s renowned School of the Environment offers over a dozen undergraduate degree programs and more than 140 environment-related courses across multiple disciplines in the arts and sciences. New in 2022, is a climate change science & policy specialization, which will equip graduates for the growing number of climate-related careers. The University also offers several environmentally themed graduate programs.

Trent University is widely known for their environmental programs but their commitment to an environmentally healthy campus and watershed goes far beyond the lecture halls and laboratories.

In February 2021, Trent’s Board of Governors approved the Trent Lands and Nature Areas Plan, a bold vision aimed at creating an inspiring, sustainable, and complete community to learn, live, innovate, and be active. When structuring the framework of the Trent Lands and Nature Areas Plan, the Otonabee Region watershed was placed first as the foundation for the Plan, putting the significance of the hydrologic system the number one priority.

A key feature of the Plan is a commitment to protect and actively steward 60% of the Symons campus lands as green spaces and Nature Areas within an 868-acre University Green Network; a connected natural system that includes areas for habitat preservation and creation, corridors to facilitate wildlife movement, productive landscapes, and diverse green spaces that support learning on the land, hands-on research, and opportunities to interact with nature.

The Lands Plan was developed with deep engagement with local First Nations, and Trent has recently been successful in attracting philanthropic donations and grants to implement restorative and enhancement projects with the new University Green Network, in collaboration with First Nations.

Another key initiative of the Trent Lands and Nature Areas Plan is Cleantech Commons, which will bring together Trent’s world-class researchers and facilities with key business partners to accelerate clean, green, low carbon & sustainable technology to address global needs.

Trent University has also built a zero-carbon building, a first-of-its-kind professional forensics training facility, which aims to be Canada’s first of its kind, certified by the International Living Future Institute. The building was most recently recognized by the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award in the Green Initiatives category.

The Trent University Board of Governors has implemented environmental criteria for all of its endowment funds, prioritizing assets in sectors, companies, or projects that are taking active steps to address climate change, such as reducing Green House Gas emissions, using cleaner energy sources, or minimizing waste. This will help mobilize more resources towards efforts that are reducing the impact of the economy on the environment. This decision builds and greatly expands on a decision made back in 2015 to establish a socially responsible investment (SRI) category for up to 10% of the endowment fund assets.

Thanks to its numerous sustainability efforts, such as emitting 35% less greenhouse gases than an average Ontario University, Trent is ranked first in Canada for sustainability education and research in the 2021 UI GreenMetric World University rankings, and in 2021, was ranked the #3 most sustainable University in Canada.