Carolinian Canada Conservation Awards 2010

2010 Award Recipients The Award Winners Individual Wayne and Lynda Buck Doug Dennis Youth Bkejwanong Eco-Keepers Group Thames Talbot Land Trust Ontario Nature Lifetime Achievement Stew Hilts
photos provided by recipients
Individual
Wayne & Lynda Buck LOCATION	Wayne Buck is a quiet leader who has a very kind heart and a drive to help people learn about natural resources and to help them take action with propagating and growing native plants. He runs a native plant nursery with his family but dedicates much of his time mentoring young professionals and visiting schools to help them grow trees and native plants in the classroom and work on naturalizing their school grounds. Lynda is Wayne's support structure and often right in there with him working at cleaning seed, doing bookwork or other tasks.
Doug Dennis	In a quiet and unassuming way Doug Dennis has committed his life to the careful management of 400 acres of mixed woodland near Vienna in Elgin County. The Otter River Farm has steep ravines with exceptionally high- quality woodland that stretches for two miles along Big Otter Creek. Doug has nurtured mature forest habitat important to bird and other animal species-at-risk. There can be no greater champion of forest stewardship across Carolinian Canada's landscape than Doug Dennis.
Group
Bkejwanong Eco-Keepers	Bkejwanong Eco-Keepers is a summer youth work experience program, which aims to provide Walpole Island youth with practical experience and skills in a wide range of career opportunities in the Natural Heritage and Environmental Fields, while allowing them to learn traditional and local aboriginal knowledge. The Program has just completed its second year with great success and is hoping to expand on its accomplishments.
Group
Thames Talbot Land Trust	Protecting our legacy for future generations, the Thames Talbot Land Trust's objective is to protect lands and waters of ecological, agricultural, cultural value through land securement, landscape restoration and education. The Trust aims to play a pivotal role in conserving and restoring the diverse Carolinian landscape. Since 2000, this group has conserved 270 hectares (665 acres) through land donation, purchase and conservation easement.
Ontario Nature	Since it was established as the Federation of Ontario Naturalists in 1931, Ontario Nature has been a champion for nature in Ontario. From spearheading the creation of a wilderness area in Algonquin Park in 1934 to working tirelessly for the creation of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan in 2001; publishing science-based research for scholars and education materials for young naturalists; advocating for Ontario's original Endangered Species Act 1971 to pushing for its timely revision in 2007, Ontario Nature has been at the forefront of the conservation movement in this province. Today, Ontario Nature's voice is sustained by a Nature Network of more than 140 member organizations and 30,000 members and supporters.
Lifetime Achievement
Stew Hilts	Stew Hilts has been working in the conservation sector for over 35 years, based as a professor at the University of Guelph. He has played a leadership role in the development of many innovative stewardship programs including Carolinian Canada, Centre for Land and Water Stewardship, Environmental Sciences program at the University of Guelph, Latornell Conservation Symposium, Ontario Land Trust Alliance, National Conference on Stewardship and Conservation, Young Conservation Professionals program and the Ontario Farmland Trust. The scope and influence of his achievements have been exceptional. The number of students, organizations, conservation leaders and individual landowners he has influenced is great.