Workshops 2018

Katherine is the Coordinator for the Toronto Zoo’s Adopt-A-Pond Wetland Conservation Programme, which designs and delivers conservation-focused research, restoration, and outreach that targets wetland species and their habitats. Katherine has worked with a variety of wildlife including captive breeding and release for endangered ferrets and marmots, giant pandas, and studying humpback dolphins for her Master’s. She is excited to now be conserving wetlands and sharing that knowledge with the public.

Shantree is the founder and co-director of The Living Centre an Eco-Spiritual Education Sanctuary, established in 1983, located outside of London, ON. in the heart of Carolinian Canada. He received his doctorate in Nutritional Medicine and Herbalism in the 70’s, been given the ‘Honouring our Elders’ awarded by the Canadian Council of Herbalist Associations for offering outstanding contributions to the field of herbalism. Author of numerous books, courses and mentorships related to health, nutrition, herbalism and ecological design forest gardening with wild and native plants. He has been working his craft as an herbalist on the medicinal and nutritional properties of herbs and trees of this bioregion. His primary focus these days are on research, demonstration and education of many rare and endangered native plant species. He is working in a close collaborative way with Carolinian Canada Coalition, in understanding and helping protect these precious plants.

Lorraine Johnson is the author of many books on gardening with native plants, urban agriculture, and environmental issues. The third edition of her classic 100 Easy-to-Grow Native Plants for Canadian Gardens was recently released. She is the editor of The Natural Treasures of Carolinian Canada. A former president of the North American Native Plant Society, Lorraine has long been involved with advocacy for native plant landscaping, urban agriculture, urban tree planting and protection, and conservation of species and spaces.

Dr. Gabor Sass is an ecosystem scientist and community organizer who has worked tirelessly in moving London’s environment and sustainability agenda forward. Gabor is a part-time Assistant Professor at Western University where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in ecosystem health, environmental science and sustainability, GIS, and biogeography. He is founder of Sassafras Consulting, an environmental assessment company which advises on hydrology, ecology and related sustainability problems of urban, agricultural and boreal landscapes across Canada. Gabor is also a member of the Advisory Committee on Environment at the City of London through which he co-organized conferences related to pollinator health, urban agriculture and resilient cities. He is a passionate advocate and leader in urban agriculture, instrumental in establishing Friends of Urban Agriculture London as well as planting two community food forests.

Alex and Tyler Mifflin are the creators & hosts of the award winning television series, The Water Brothers, that takes them on adventures around the world exploring the most critical water challenges we face in the world today.

After many years of working and training in the technology industry, Drew left to peruse his passion for getting outside and enjoying the water. Putting years of training experience to work, Drew opened up LondonSUP, the only full service Stand Up Paddleboard Shop in London Ontario. LondonSUP offers a full suite of training programs including SUP Intro Classes, Paddle Canada Beginner and Advanced SUP Lessons, SUPYoga, and PaddleFit Circuit training. Always wanting to find and do something new, Drew continually works to expand on LondonSUP’s ever growing list of partners to bring new activities and places to paddle to our ever growing paddling community. Although LondonSUP started with Paddle boarding it now caters to multiple water sports including kayaking, adaptive paddling, and Dragon Boating. If it takes place on the water, chances are Drew is keen to give it a go!

Tara Carpenter has had a love of nature and the outdoors from an early age, thanks to growing up on a Norfolk County farm. Now being a mother to a very active, creative, and outdoor loving 7 year old has inspired Tara to encourage other parents and their families to get outdoors. She is a graduate of the AEIL Diploma program at Fanshawe College. During this time she received honors, multiple awards showcasing her leadership achievements and passion for environmental stewardship as well as numerous certifications. Tara also is the Chair of the Education Committee for the Long Point World Biosphere Reserve Foundation, Outdoor Educator at Whistling Gardens, Columnist for Live Small Town Magazine, River Guide with Grand River Rafting and Executive Director of Grand River Outdoor Wilderness Education. “My dream with GROWE is to instill in others the love, passion and respect I possess for nature. I believe that the benefits of engaging our youth in the great outdoors are immeasurable.

Luiza attributes her love of nature to the countless hiking and camping trips she was fortunate enough to have taken with her family while growing up. With a degree in Fine Arts from Western University, her perspective on wilderness and her passion for adventure has led her to some of the most beautiful places in Canada, and has allowed her to discover her love of fly fishing and backcountry canoe tripping. She is one of the few people to catch all six species of trout in Ontario, including the elusive Aurora trout; the worlds rarest trout species. As an avid nature enthusiast she has made it her mission to encourage her three children to explore the outdoors, in the hopes that it will deepen their respect for nature and bring them as much pleasure as it has brought her.

Jody is the National Conservation Outreach Manager for Bird Studies Canada. Jody has written numerous articles on birds, birding and connecting with nature and delivers a variety of education and outreach programs to audiences across Canada.

My name is Mike Lothrop and I teach primitive skills and survival skills. I spend a great deal of time out in the woods camping, canoeing and hiking. I have been interested in these skills since I was a little kid. I got interested in learning how to flint knap arrowheads and other stone tools about 20 years ago and have been doing it ever since! This has branched out into many other primitive skills. I am now involved in: Flintknapping, fire by friction, cordage, basketry, stone carving, green woodworking, bow making, edible/medicinal plants, tree identification, basic tracking, fletching, atlatl/dart manufacture, leather work and more! I work professionally as a dispatcher for J&R Hall Transport. Great place to work!

Ben grew up in rural Ontario on a quarter horse farm. Pigeons, sports, and exploring the meandering creek were his childhood passions. Spending most of his career as a wildlife researcher, he earned a Masters degree for his work studying the ecology and conservation of the endangered Blue Racer. Ben lived for 12 years off the grid, leading The Wilds of Pelee Island as Executive Director. Later, Ben co-lead Traditional Medicinal Native Plant inventories and plant meditations with First Nations. After having taken several courses such as Reiki, Access Consciousness, Yoga teacher training, Ben became Canada's first certified Forest Therapy Guide. Ben lead over a hundred walks in his first few years as a guide and trainer. Along the journey Ben met many Forest Therapy Guides and Trainers, and was inspired to co-create an ethical, non-profit organization for training Forest Therapy Guides.

Toby caught his first bat at the age of 11 and has never looked back. He spent his teenage years chasing and learning about bats in the UK before moving to Ontario for a master's researching bats with renowned bat expert Dr. Brock Fenton. Since completing his master’s he has continued to work with bats in Ontario, most recently working on the Native Bat Conservation Program at the Toronto Zoo

For the last 25 years Paul van der Werf has been managing food after it has become waste through his environmental consulting company 2cg (2 composting guys). Through PhD research at Western University he now focuses much of his energies on preventing food from becoming waste.

Andalyne Tofflemire has been proud to be the Conservatory Manager & Naturalist at Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory for the past 7 years. She loves to share her passion for insects and pollinators through guided walks, presentations, and public events at the Conservatory as well as local nature clubs and festivals. The last few summers she's been hosting evening moth-ing events to introduce people to the mysterious world of moths!

Vanessa Stewart is a beekeeper and outdoor guide from Norfolk County. She is the owner of Vanessa’s Bees a beekeeping business that provides interpretive hive tours introducing the unique behaviours of honey bees with hands-on beekeeping experience. Vanessa promotes the conservation of all pollinating species through rearing butterflies and bees, planting native gardens, contributing to citizen science, and teaching schools, groups, and individuals of their importance through outdoor programming.

Since 2005, Stefanie Coleman Dias has been a renovation contractor working in London and surrounding areas. She holds numerous certifications for energy efficiency in housing and has applied these learnings to the renovation projects she has completed for homeowners. She is passionate about the industry and its importance to the wellbeing of homeowners and their families. She seeks ways for continual improvement in her own work and the industry as a whole, and believes raising the bar of professionalism will have a positive impact on encouraging people to consider our industry as a viable career choice. Stefanie is currently undertaking a new opportunity with adding custom homes to her business, Pretty Smart Homes. Stefanie currently serves as 1st Vice President of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association.

Kara Rijnen is a mom of three and the founder of packagefree.ca. She started packagefree.ca to share her journey towards living without packaging hoping to inspire others to rethink their purchases and the excess packaging that enters their homes. ** Heenal Rajani founded an international nonprofit which has built over 120 schools from plastic bottles and other plastic waste. He is a community activist and a Board member of the London Environment Network. ** Jordan Hawkswell is the founder of Zero Waste Forest City, a community organization that aims to provide resources, connections and community events to reduce waste and clean up the waste that is present in London and South-Western Ontario.