Bayfield River community to unveil new watershed plan at Bannockburn Conservation Area’s 40th Anniversary Fall Hike

People living around the Bayfield River and Trick’s Creek areas have been active for the past two years to help create a management plan to protect and improve forest conditions, wetlands, and water quality in their watershed. The members of the advisory committee have announced the Main Bayfield Watershed Plan is complete. They will unveil the plan to the public on Sunday, October 6, 2013, at the 40th anniversary of the Bannockburn Fall Hike.
For more information on the Main Bayfield Watershed community's release of their watershed plan visit: http://www.abca.on.ca/page.php?page=bayfield-main or http://www.abca.on.ca/news_item.php?ItemID=408

General manager of Ausable Bayfield Conservation announces retirement

Ausable Bayfield Conservation’s Tom Prout has done everything from attending camp, to cutting grass, to serving in top staff job:  After more than three decades in the top staff job, Tom Prout announces his retirement from local conservation authority; calls his career ‘satisfying.' The general manager and secretary treasurer of Ausable Bayfield Conservation announced on September 12 that he will be retiring at the end of the year, after more than three decades at the top job of the local conservation authority. “I give credit to everybody I’ve met along the way,” Tom Prout said in an interview, outside the office at Morrison Dam Conservation Area, east of Exeter. “I’ve learned something from all of them.” Prout looked back on his career and called it satisfying and he said he “owes a debt of gratitude” to the people he has met and with whom he has worked. For more information on Tom's career visit: http://www.abca.on.ca/news_item.php?ItemID=405

Ryan Carlow wins student award

Conservation Foundation presents $1,000 student award for fourth year:  Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation recognizes local students with financial award towards post-secondary studies in conservation fields such as forestry, fish and wildlife, and biology. The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation has announced that Ryan Carlow, of West Perth, is the 2013 recipient of the Student Environmental Award of $1,000. The award is given each year to a local student towards their post-secondary studies in a field related to conservation, such as forestry, fish and wildlife, biology, ecology, geography, or outdoor education.
The chairman of the foundation board of directors, Bob Radtke, presented a cheque to the winning student during an August ceremony held at the Woodland Reflection Shelter pavilion, at Morrison Dam Conservation Area, east of Exeter, along the South Huron Trail. The Chair wished Ryan well on his studies and noted that Ryan had also served as the 2012 Junior Conservationist, an eight-week mentoring and conservation job experience program funded by the conservation foundation.
For more information on the Foundation's Student Environmental Award visit: http://www.abca.on.ca/page.php?page=student-environmental-award

 

Local student winners announced for conservation writing contest

Ausable Bayfield Conservation congratulates all the students who submitted to the Watershed Tales Student Conservation Writing Contest: Adults can learn a lot about protecting soil, water, and living things from these young people. Our future looks to be in good hands! The 2012-2013 award winners are:
First Prize - Lourdes Delicata - Short Story Age 5 - 10 - Category A - The Wetlands
Second Prize - Kylie Nott - Short Story Age 5-10 - Category A - All About Watersheds
First Prize - Emma Stilwell - Poetry - Age 5 – 10 - Category D - Wetlands Poem
Second Prize - Becky Hallahan - Poetry - Age 5 – 10 - Category D - Wetlands
First Prize - Isa VanEsveld - Essay - Age 5 – 10 - Category G - What the Wetlands Mean to Me  
Second Prize - Janey Brand - Essay - Age 5 – 10 - Category G - Special Meaning
First Prize - Obi Siebert - Short story - Age 11 -14 - Category B - The Turtle           
Second Prize - Molly Ann Young - Short story - Age 11 -14 - Category B - The Watershed
Candice Abell - Honourable Mention - Short story - Age 11 -14 - Category B - The Watershed
First Prize - Nicholas Cripps - Poetry - Age 11 - 14 - Category E - A Plea for Change
First Prize - Hanna Dunn - Essay - Age 11 - 14 - Category H - Why Watersheds Are Important
Second Prize - Meredith Marier - Essay - Age 11 - 14 - Category H - Watershed
To read submissions from the winning writers of the past three years of the contest visit: http://www.watershedtales.ca/