Gala Celebration of Environmental Excellence 2011
‘Heroes’ Share Passion for Environment
(This news story first appeared in the June 21, 2011 edition of the Haliburton Echo)
They may be self-effacing and their activities widely different, but the individuals and groups who were honoured as enviro-heroes at the Haliburton Highlands Land Trust's fourth annual Wild About Nature gala Saturday night share at least one important thing in common. Each of them believes passionately in protecting Haliburton's natural environment for future generations and enjoying it in ways that do no harm.
The gala also was an occasion to celebrate the success of the land trust, which recently acquired its third important piece of land and now protects and acts as stewards of almost 600 acres of ecologically diverse and significant land in Haliburton County.
The people who donated that land were honoured with the presentation of what the trust board has named the Silver Birch Award. A striking sculpture of a tree clinging to piece of Haliburton County bedrock, the award was created by board member Marjorie Cartwright and presented to Bruce Carruthers, the Dahl family, and Dr. Donald A. Smith.
Carruthers, who is now in his 80s and was unable to be present, donated a 22 acre island in Kennisis Lake to the trust in 2007, to honour his late wife Norah. The island is jointly managed by the land trust and the Kennisis Lake Cottage Owners' Association. An endowment fund created to meet expenses related to the island in perpetuity is now fully funded, trust board chair Shelia Ziman told the large audience of supporters who attended the gala at Camp Wanakita.
In 2009 the trust was given what is now its signature property, the 500 acre Dahl family forest which straddles 2.7 kilometres of the Burnt River south of Gelert. While the Dahls now live in western Canada, and so could not be present, neighbouring property owner Tom McCauley accepted the award on the Dahl's behalf and read brief remarks from Peter Dahl, son of Peggy Dahl, now 93, and her husband who purchased the forest 55 years ago.
"I had no idea what he had in mind, but dad had a vision," Peter wrote. "With hard work and no less expense he planted trees and protected the land, the beginnings of a family stewardship that has continued throughout my life."
"I cannot say how proud I am that this has now become a nature reserve sheltering a rich ecology, including some rare and threatened species."
Because of their connection to, and love for, the property, the family decided "we could no more sell the Dahl forest than you could sell your child," Peter wrote. "It isn't easy to let the Dahl Forest go, but where better than to the protection of the land trust and a community of people who care, as we do, about the stewardship of natural habitats and their wild inhabitants."
"That is why we made our gift."
Dahl expressed the hope that his family, "like other donors to the land trust, has helped to set an example to those with similar devotion to their wilderness properties."
"Joining together we can build a community legacy and make a lasting difference to the ecological health, beauty and richness of Haliburton County," he concluded.
The third honouree was Dr. Donald A. Smith, who this year donated a 72-acre forested property bordering a wetland complex on the Burnt River to the land trust.
Smith, who was present to accept the award, noted that the donation was made in honour of his late wife Lorraine, whose family have been long-time cottagers on Lake Kashagawigamog, and with whom he shared a love of Haliburton County throughout their 54-year marriage.
Also prominent in the evening's agenda was the presentation of six Enviro-Hero awards, designed by local artist Mary Ann Barkhouse, to local individuals and organizations whose goals and activities support and enhance environmentally responsible principles.
The award for stewardship was presented to the Haliburton Highlands Outdoors Association for three projects it champions: the fish hatchery which to date has placed approximately 750,000 trout in local lakes; the winter deer feeding program; and its efforts to clean up access points on more than 50 area lakes.
In the education category the Enviro Hero Award went to YMCA Camp Wanakita, which is dedicated to providing a wide range of programs that connect campers to the natural world that surrounds the camps' Koshlong Lake location.
The award for the arts was presented to Erin Lynch, founder of The Art Hive collective in Maple Lake. A jewellery artist, Lynch's works are inspired by nature, and she teaches courses to children, infusing them with her love of the Highlands surroundings.
Under the category of health, the 2011 Enviro-Hero is the Haliburton Nordic Trails Association, a volunteer organization that creates, maintains and grooms an extensive network of cross-county ski trails at Glebe Park in Haliburton, Moosewoods, and the Twin Lakes trails north of Minden.
The business category award went to Patient News of Haliburton for its commitment to recycling and energy conservation, and for inculcating those values in its employees.
In the youth category, the award went to the Haliburton Highlands Secondary School Eco team. This self-directed group of enthusiastic teens, were successful in a grant application to install a solar panel on the school's outdoor scoreboard. They also planted a herb garden in the school's courtyard to promote the local foods movement, helped clean up the shoreline of Head Lake and presented workshops at an eco-summit at Bark Lake.
While these awards were directed at the wider community, the work of the land trust board's volunteers also was acknowledged by the evening's MC Jack Brezina, on behalf of the Ontario Trillium Foundation, which recently approved a $91,500 grant to help the trust carry out its goals, including more extensive studies of species at risk in Haliburton County, and a number of educational activities at the Dahl Forest.
Last Updated: Jul 8 2011 3:18:48 pm.
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Photo: Lyn Winans
Did You Know...
Norah’s Island was donated by Bruce Carruthers to the Haliburton Highlands Land Trust to honour the memory of his late wife. The Carruthers owned the island for 32 years. Find out more about Norah’s Island.
