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2010 MORAINE HEROES
Photo taken by Peter Pomykacz on the Oak Ridges Moraine
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2010 Moraine heroes
This past June, engraved paver stones representing each of the 2010 Moraine Heroes were placed in the ground at the Ganaraska Forest Centre.The stones were unveiled at Ontario Nature's AGM on June 11th, 2011. See photos from the unveiling! The awards were originally presented at our 5 Year Anniversary Event on November 6, 2010 at the Ganaraska Forest Centre. Check out some of the photos from the event.
Scroll down or select an award category to see the 2010 Heroes:
Community Champion(s):
It’s About Water Campaign
Over
2000 Millbrook and area residents came together in the year long It’s About
Water Campaign to successfully halt the proposed Millbrook water diversion
project. Citizens and groups opposed to
the proposal to pipe water from the Moraine to service a development 12km away wrote
letters to experts, politicians, environmental groups, and local council. They
signed petitions; engaged several environmental groups; held demonstrations, public
information meetings and fundraisers; and sent a record breaking number of EA
Part II Order requests to the Ministry of the Environment. The water diversion
proposal was defeated by a vote of 3-2 on August 3rd, 2010. It’s
About Water Campaign participants are an inspiring example of community
champions who came together to protect an important Oak Ridges Moraine water
resource.
Landowner Champion: Sharon Keogh
Sharon Keogh has worked hard
promoting biodiversity on the land she and her husband own on the Oak Ridges
Moraine. Early Canadian writer and botanist Catharine Parr Traill lived there
in the 1840s. Sharon has reintroduced native wildflowers, grasses and shrubs
written about by Traill, and encouraged the spread of existing native flora.
She has spearheaded a controlled burn on the uplands, that were historically
tallgrass prairie, to preserve habitat for ground-nesting birds. She has
conducted guided walks for community groups and individuals. Sharon and her
husband have created a trail network, and are working on controlling invasive
species. They recently launched a website about their restoration efforts
(http://traill.ca/Welcome.html). Sharon's desire is to continue stewarding in
honour of Catharine Parr Traill who celebrated the flora and fauna of the
landscape.
Municipal
Leadership: Northumberland County
Over the last three
years, Northumberland County has transformed the Northumberland County Forest into
a responsibly managed, preserved and accessible natural area of the Oak Ridges
Moraine. Staff have introduced changes to regulate the overall management of
the Forest. Some of these changes include the preservation of sensitive areas
of natural vegetation, the introduction of controlled access for recreational
use, the control of invasive species, participation in the Rice Lake Plains
Joint Initiative and the development of the Forest Fire Management Plan. County staff and stakeholders worked through a public process
to ensure that the Forest moved forward with a management plan that balanced
conservation issues with the privileges of recreation. This was the result of
leadership and commitment to ensuring that the 5400acre natural core area of
the Moraine is preserved and managed according to the spirit and intent of the
Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan.
Collaborative
Approaches: York Regional Forest Advisory Team
The
York Regional Forest Advisory Team is a volunteer group that has been meeting
regularly for 15 years to protect the York Regional Forest (68% of which covers
the Oak Ridges Moraine), and implement the Forest Management Plan. This unique collaboration consists of diverse
stakeholders from local residents, dog sledders, naturalist groups and mountain
bikers to the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, York Regional Police,
and North Whitchurch-Stouffville Ratepayers Association. Together, this
dedicated team raises funds to purchase critical linkage properties to expand
the York Regional Forest, assists with the York Regional Forest Festivals twice
a year, provides feedback to York Region staff on the misuses of the forest and
provides input into the impacts of forest management on public users, assists
with resolving user conflicts and decreases vandalism and incompatible uses of
the forest.
Proactive
Approaches: Ken Towle
Ken Towle has been involved personally and
professionally on the Oak Ridges Moraine for over a decade. Ken’s proactive and
precautionary view of conservation on and off the Moraine is reflected in his
Moraine stewardship and passion for the area. His work as the terrestrial
ecologist for Ganaraska Conservation linked him to the Caring for the Moraine
Project, and later the Rice Lakes Plains Joint Initiative where he has helped
to design tall grass prairie restoration projects. His enthusiasm initiated the
demonstration site at the Ganaraska Forest Centre. He
has also worked with countless Moraine landowners to naturalize their
properties. Ken is the organizer of ‘restoration drinks’, a gathering that
brings people who share a passion for the natural environment together. Ken has
also written about important Moraine topics such as theoretical corridors and
connectivity on the Oak Ridges Moraine.
2010 Moraine Hero Awards Sponsor
