The Award WinnersRon Tiessen Patricia Rhoads The Natvik Family The Nature Conservancy of Canada |
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photos provided by recipients |
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| Ron Tiessen
PELEE ISLAND |
Ron Tiessen founded the Pelee Island Heritage Centre which works closely with the island’s burgeoning tourism industry. He has been critical to the local municipality in developing a ‘Green Vision’ to set the island an international leader in eco-friendly economic development. Currently, he is creating a Stewardship Demonstration Farm to show how water, air and nature can be protected through progressive farming techniques. |
| Patricia Rhoads
ESSEX COUNTY |
Patricia Rhoads of Essex County helps landowners who want to make a difference. She gave local landowners access to specialists by organizing the first Habitat Restoration Conference in Essex-Kent. She started a native plant nursery to provide the species needed in her region. She also co-founded the Canada South Land Trust, which facilitates landowners in receiving financial incentives for protecting natural areas. |
| The Natvik Family
CHATHAM-KENT |
The Natvik Family operates swine and crop operations near Highgate in Chatham-Kent while protecting and ‘adding back’ to their local environment. They have restored extensive portions of the farms to native species and operate a native plant nursery. With less than 4% forest cover in this part of the Carolinian zone, this family is critical to protecting what remains. They network with neighboring farms to make ‘natural linkages’, implement eco-friendly agriculture and search out new ideas to help keep the landscape healthy. |
| The Nature Conservancy of Canada/strong>
CANADA WIDE |
The Nature Conservancy of Canada has secured many key natural habitats across the Carolinian zone including species-at-risk habitat, wetlands, old growth forests and other habitats at Middle Island, Bickford Oak Woods, Clear Creek Forest and Stone Road Alvar, to mention a few sites. This organization is dedicated to working out creative, voluntary, ‘win-win’ solutions with landowners. Conservation agreements with farmers, golf courses and mining companies result in significant ‘natural saves’ which rely on compatible, leading-edge land management practices. |
