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Conservationist of the Year

David Carter, director with Phil McNamee Charitable Foundation, to speak on wetlands theme at Ausable Bayfield Conservation’s Partner Appreciation Evening
Speaker to present on March 20, 2025 about wetland at Serenity Nature Reserve in Grand Bend; Ausable Bayfield Conservation to announce Conservationist of the Year Award winner at event

Enhancing wetlands is the theme of Ausable Bayfield Conservation’s annual Partner Appreciation Evening at Ironwood Golf Club on Thursday, March 20, 2025. The keynote speaker is David Carter, a director with Phil McNamee Charitable Foundation (PMCF). The presenter will speak about Creating a Wetland: A Growing Collaboration at Serenity Nature Reserve, Grand Bend. Serenity Nature Reserve is located at 70050 Corbett Line.

“I am honoured to have the opportunity to showcase the PMCF’s passion for nature and education, and specifically, the creation of a new wetland at Serenity Nature Reserve,” he said.

David Carter was raised in Sarnia. He now lives in London and works at Robarts Research Institute as a molecular biologist. Although busy as a father of six children, he enjoys camping, canoeing, backpacking, hiking, photography and coaching soccer. His love of nature was fostered at a young age through many family camping trips at Point Farms Provincial Park, through Scouting at 23rd St. Barts, and later, wilderness backpacking where he met Phil McNamee.

David Carter helped with the construction of campsites at Solitude Nature Reserve near Port Stanley, sits on the Board of the Phil McNamee Charitable Foundation, and is presenting on March 20 on behalf of Phil McNamee to talk about the creation of a new wetland at Serenity Nature Reserve near Grand Bend.

Ausable Bayfield Conservation will announce the Conservationist of the Year Award winner at the March 20 event. There will also be years of service awards for Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) directors and staff.

It is free to attend the Partner Appreciation Evening but seating is limited and interested people must reserve a week ahead of the event. There is a complimentary, light supper served at the Partner Appreciation Evening.

To attend the event, please reply, to ABCA, by Thursday, March 13, 2025, for meal numbers. RSVP to Jackson Janmaat, Corporate Services Assistant. She can be reached by email or by phone at 519-235-2610, or toll-free 1-888-286-2610, extension 221. (Let Jackson know if you have dietary restrictions).

Ironwood Golf Club is located at 70969 Morrison Line, two kilometres east of Exeter and south of Highway 83.

To learn more about Serenity Nature Reserve, at Phil McNamee Charitable Foundation, visit the PMC Foundation website. 

To find out more about the Partner Appreciation Evening visit the abca.ca website and the Conservation Award web page link. 

Download the poster now:

Conservationist of the Year Award

The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) has presented the Conservationist of the Year Award since 1984 to recognize significant conservation efforts. 

Ausable Bayfield Conservation plants a tree and installs a plaque at a Commemorative Woods site maintained by the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation.

Individuals, organizations or companies who have completed conservation work within the ABCA region, can be nominated for the Conservationist of the Year Award. Current ABCA staff members and directors are excluded.

The Conservation Award acknowledges one individual or group per year who demonstrates positive conservation principles. The nominee must have undertaken conservation efforts over a number of years that have shown long-term benefits for the natural environment and society.

Examples of conservation work that protects soil, water, and living things, include:

  • Improving local water quality
  • Conservation farming
  • Reforestation
  • Environmental education
  • Providing wildlife and fish habitat
  • Promoting environmental awareness and action
Nomination Form

Thank you for all your nominations, for this award, in 2025!

Nominations are now closed and we look forward to honour this year's winner on March 20, 2025 at the Partner Appreciation Evening.

The 2025 Nomination Form, including details about the award and past winners, is located here:

Please send the nomination form prior to the deadline to:

Tim Cumming, Communications Coordinator,
Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA), 71108 Morrison Line,
RR 3 Exeter, ON N0M 1S5 at tcumming@abca.ca ... Facsimile: 519.235.1963

Partner Appreciation and Conservation Awards Evening

You are invited to the annual Partner Appreciation Evening at Ironwood Golf Club on Thursday, March 20, 2025.

Watch for details coming soon.

Award Winners

The Conservationist of the Year Award winner, in 2024, was Michael and Lindsay Groot and family.

Congratulations!

A list of previous award winners is included in the nomination form.

A winner for this year will be announced at the Partner Appreciation Evening on Thursday, March 20, 2025.

Inquiries

Please contact Communications Coordinator Tim Cumming or 519-235-2610, or toll-free 1-888-286-2610, extension 248 for additional information about the awards. 

New Web Page

Ausable Bayfield Conservation has made some changes to the website.

This web page, for the Conservationist of the Year Award and Partner Appreciation Evening, is located in our new Get Involved Section.

It replaces the former conservation award web page on our former Community and Volunteers section.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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