Gala Celebration of Environmental Excellence
Enviro-Heroes!
Health
Winner: Sue Shikaze
Sue Shikaze has a vision for our community: get people healthy and active. One way she does this is by promoting cycling as a healthy alternative means of transportation and recreation. Through her signature style of collaboration and leadership, Sue partnered with the County of Haliburton on the "Share the Road" project funded by the Ministry of Transportation. A comprehensive campaign of advertising, posters, media interviews and feature articles helped launch this impressive initiative that continues to contribute to safe and healthy cycling opportunities throughout the County. Sue's work also supported a successful Commuter Challenge in 2009 with 117 cycling/walking participants traveling 3,897 km from May 31 to June 6. All this healthy lifestyle and no vehicle carbon emissions.
In 2008, Sue was awarded "Best Short Case Study" by the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals for her "Creating Active Rural Communities" paper. She has a deep commitment to enhancing public health practices by documenting and then sharing her work. Sue continues to highlight the importance of active communities by writing submissions to governments, offering webinars and presenting to county and municipal councils. A passionate health promoter, Sue is Chair of the Communities in Action committee and an active member of the Haliburton Highlands Cycling Coalition.
Description: A person or organization whose environmental activities promote, exemplify or result in healthy lifestyles.
Nominees: Haliburton Highlands Cycling Coalition, Haliburton Highlands Health Services, Jane and Bob Heyes, Sue Shikaze.
Stewardship
Winner: Jerry Walker
Jerry was a driving force behind the wetlands mapping of the County, a crucial component of planning for the County's environmental future. He started the County's first Ducks Unlimited chapter in Haliburton followed by the Minden chapter. Water-fowling may have attracted him to Ducks Unlimited, but working with wetlands has become his focus here and across the country.
Jerry is a seven-year member of the Ducks Unlimited Canada board of directors; protecting wetlands is at the heart of the organization's work. Jerry also worked with Haliburton Forest on beaver pond management and is involved with placing duck boxes across the County. And now, every year, Jerry sponsors the Adopt-A-Class program for Grade Four students in Haliburton County so the next generation can learn about our fragile wetlands and wildlife.
Description: A person, landowner or organization that has provided leadership in conserving and protecting our water, forests, flora, fauna or mineral resources.
Nominees: Dahl Family, Susanne Lauten, Brian Nash, Robin Simpson and Christine Atrill, Jerry Walker.
Education
Winner: Haliburton-Muskoka Children's Water Festival and Friends of Ecological and Environmental Learning
The Haliburton-Muskoka Children's Water Festival (HMCWF), "an annual event that motivates students to become water stewards in their homes, classroom and community", is going into its sixth year. And the Friends of Ecological and Environment Learning (FEEL) is a big reason for its continued success. Their significant contribution of volunteers gave a boost to the community partners who started the festival and worked tirelessly to secure funds and volunteers to deliver an engaging two-day water conservation festival for over 500 kids.
FEEL's mandate is to support education and interpretive programs related to Ontario's ecosystem while stimulating community interest, understanding and support for these projects. HMCWF believes that "by combining hands-on interactive activities with messages relevant to their daily lives, students 'soak up' knowledge on the properties, uses, connections and importance of water", becoming "aware of the value of conserving and protecting water". The important role HMCWF has played, supported by a dedicated volunteer committee and led by FEEL, has contributed to furthering both environmental stewardship and education in Haliburton County.
Description: A person or group that has effectively organized and delivered environmental education opportunities for children, youth, or adults.
Nominees: Fleming College - Haliburton Campus, Haliburton-Muskoka Children's Water Festival/Friends of Environmental and Ecological Learning, Sharon Lawrence, Eric Lilius, Rick Whitteker.
Business
Winner: Haliburton Highlands Water Trails
The Haliburton Highlands Water Trails is dedicated to the protection and improvement of the canoe route and camping environment throughout the Haliburton Highlands. Managing some 70,000 acres, 70 lakes, 185 campsites, 13 access points, 80 portages, 40 km of hiking trails and 16,000 campers, the HHWT rose out of a need identified by citizens to clean up, regulate and protect the public lands surrounding the Frost Centre.
The Frost Centre divestment and uncertainty around the future of this natural gem inspired a long journey of advocacy and negotiation by a variety of recreation enthusiasts and organizations with municipal and Ministry of Natural Resources staff. Eventually, it all led to the formation of the Haliburton Highlands Water Trails Committee in 2002. Starting with a seed grant of $200,000 through the Ontario Living Legacy, Water Trails has developed a set of far-reaching education, outreach and stewardship initiatives. A significant backcountry recreational location to year-round visitors including cottagers, canoeists, campers, hikers, day trippers, fisherman, hunters, snowmobilers, skiers and snowshoers is now protected and accessed through an organized, award-winning management system.
Description: A business or non-profit organization that has excelled in developing "green" business practices and/or providing "green" products/services that protect the environment.
Nominees: Haliburton Highlands Water Trails, Know Your Home Inspections, Inc., Winterdance.
The Arts
Winner: Mary Anne Barkhouse and Michael Belmore
Mary Anne Barkhouse is a member of Nimpkish band, Kwakiutl First Nation. She is a multi-disciplinary artist who uses a variety of materials to examine environmental concerns and aboriginal culture through the use of animal imagery. Michael Belmore is of Ojibway heritage. He has worked in a variety of media in sculpture/installation. For several years his work has evolved around our use of technology and how it has affected our relationship to the environment.
Though both have had a number of solo exhibitions and pursue separate careers, they often collaborate to produce art that challenges our ideas about the environment and our interaction with it. Their collaborative work includes "Lichen" at the Toronto Sculpture Garden, "Colony" at Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, "Digital Stream" at University of Western Ontario and "Esker" at Millennium Park in Peterborough. Their work is held in numerous public and private collections across North America. Most recently the National Gallery of Canada has acquired two of Barkhouse's bronze installations and Belmore has a solo exhibition upcoming at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian located in New York City.
Description: An artist who has produced a body of work that celebrates our natural environment.
Nominees: Maryann Barkhouse/Michael Belmore, Neil Campbell, Jane Selbie, Wendy Wood.
Last Updated: Jun 29 2010 12:11:34 am.
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Photo: Lyn Winans
Did You Know...
As of August 2009, 7 new species that have been identified in Haliburton County have been added to the Ontario government's Species at Risk list. Chimney Swift and Whip-poor-will are now listed as Threatened. Snapping Turtle, Common Nighthawk, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Canada Warbler and Bald Eagle are listed as Special Concern. Read the full article.
