CWF Announces 2024 Canadian Conservation Achievement Awards
June 17 2024 - 11:13AM
The Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) is pleased to announce the
eight recipients of this year’s prestigious Canadian Conservation
Achievement Awards. These remarkable citizens have shown
exceptional commitment, innovation and leadership in their
respective fields, making a lasting impact on the conservation
landscape.
“The awards recognize those who have gone above
and beyond in their efforts to safeguard wildlife and their
habitats for the use and enjoyment of all,” said Rick Bates, CEO of
CWF. “Their unwavering dedication and passion serve as an
inspiration to us all, reminding us of the power of individual
action. We are immensely grateful for their contributions and proud
to recognize their outstanding efforts.”
CWF presented the following awards on June 15 at a
ceremony in Moncton, N.B.
- Stan Hodgkiss Canadian Outdoorsperson of the Year
Award: Heather Fraser of Stilesville,
N.B. has enjoyed a 40-year career in forestry, fish,
wildlife and environmental management. She taught outdoor
science-based education, managed forest land and developed a model
watershed stewardship program. She collaborated with private
landowners and companies to conserve and protect natural resources.
She runs a sugar bush operation and recently founded an outdoor
guiding and education business called Explore Nature’s Bounty.“I
want to share what I have learned with others as I build new nature
ambassadors that will appreciate and care for the environment as I
do,” she said.
- Roland Michener Conservation Award for Conservation in
Action: Ben Mitchell-Banks of Invermere,
B.C. has dedicated his personal and professional life to
conservation causes. Trained by the F.B.I., he worked in uniform
and undercover with the B.C. Conservation Service and the
Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). While no longer in
enforcement, he continues to volunteer for many long-term
conservation activities. This includes the Abel Creek Culvert
Rehabilitation Project which provided kokanee salmon and Rainbow
Trout with improved access to spawning habitat.“We need to rebuild
and repair what we humans have degraded or destroyed; we owe this
to the many generations that will follow us,” Mitchell-Banks said.
“Many species are struggling to survive; what may seem like small
changes and gains now will be seen as paying big dividends
later.”
- Roderick Haig-Brown Award for Conservation through
Fisheries: Michael Fralic of Brooklyn,
N.S. is president of the Medway River Salmon Association.
He has engaged volunteers and corporate partners in many
conservation activities along the river. From sludge clean ups to
the monitoring of oxygen levels, pH levels and water clarity, he
has been a tireless advocate for the restoration of the river.“I
have always loved all places wild,” he said. “There are lots of
issues and problems but there are solutions if everyone, including
DFO, works together. It is unacceptable to do nothing.”
- Wade Luzny Youth Conservation Award: Two
Recipients: Adrea Reykdal of East Selkirk,
Man. loves ice fishing, camping and helping wildlife. She
built and installed a bird nesting box in her yard, she has
volunteered to remove black knot, pick up trash and conduct bird
surveys for Nightjars and nocturnal owls. She also transplants
seedlings and has helped to plan events for youth such as ice
fishing on the Red River with the CWF WILD Outside program for 15
to 18 year-olds.“Wildlife and nature give me an overall sense of
calm and freedom,” she said. “There is no feeling that compares to
waking up by a lake and hearing birds as you watch the
sunrise.”Brayden Chatlain of Victoria, B.C. is a
champion of CWF’s WILD Outside youth program for 15 to 18
year-olds. Through this program as well as through school and
community groups, he’s helped with plant identification, invasive
species removal, species monitoring, and native species planting.
He also volunteers at a local non-profit aquarium, the Shaw Centre
for the Salish Sea, contributing to the efforts to strengthen
Chinook Salmon population numbers.“Being outdoors has always been
very important to me, and being able to couple that with
environmental and conservation work has been a great way to give
back to nature,” he said.
- Youth Mentor Award:
Lisa Nadon of
Breslau, Ont. is a paralegal who spends her free time
volunteering with CWF’s WILD Outside teen conservation program. She
plans events and activities to teach youth outdoor skills like
camping and orienteering. She also volunteers with her local trail
and recreation associations as well as tree planting group. Through
these activities, she inspires others to enjoy and conserve nature
and wildlife.
“Volunteering helps in
countless ways, from helping in your community, to educating others
about your passion or hobby, to connecting in your community and
learning and growing as a person,” she said. “I love being
outdoors. I love educating youth about nature and I love learning
from them as well.”
- Robert Bateman Award for Conservation in the
Arts: Harrison Burton of Pine Grove, N.S.
is an underwater cinematographer, filmmaker and aerial photographer
who focuses on the health, well-being, and protection of aquatic
environments. His credits include the award-winning documentary
Expedition Nictau which explores the wonders and dilemmas facing
the lake, located in a New Brunswick’s provincial park.“It’s my
belief that visual storytelling and dive exploration, like the work
we conducted in Nictau Lake, are a key step in inspiring people to
both care and act on protecting these natural spaces for future
generations,” he said.
- WILD Educator of the Year Award:
Crystal Roberts of Minto, N.B. is a senior
experiential learning coordinator for a school district as well as
a trained education facilitator with the Canadian Wildlife
Federation. She grew up in rural Manitoba but moved to rural New
Brunswick in 2019, initially teaching French Immersion before
taking on her senior coordinator role in 2021. She uses CWF’s WILD
Education program to empower other teachers in integrating outdoor
learning into their curriculum.“I do my best to make sure that
learning is fun, and it isn’t difficult to make it that way,” she
said. “I want people to see how important this type of education
is, but also how much curiosity it can inspire in students and
educators.”
The recipients are featured in the July/August
issue of Canadian Wildlife and Biosphère magazines.
CWF thanks all the nominees and nominators.
Applications for the next Canadian Conservation Achievement
Awards will be accepted from Nov. 1, 2024 to Jan. 31,
2025.
For more information, visit
CanadianWildlifeFederation.ca/Awards.
About the Canadian Wildlife
Federation:
The Canadian Wildlife Federation is a national,
not-for-profit charitable organization dedicated to conserving
Canada’s wildlife and habitats for the use and enjoyment of all. By
spreading knowledge of human impacts on wildlife and the
environment, carrying out actions to conserve and restore species
and habitats, developing and delivering conservation education
programs, advocating for changes to government policy and programs,
and co-operating with like-minded partners, CWF encourages a future
in which Canadians can live in harmony with nature. For more
information, visit CanadianWildlifeFederation.ca.
Contacts:
Heather Robison Media and Community Relations
Officer heatherr@cwf-fcf.org 613-599-9594 x 212
or
media@cwf-fcf.org
Photos accompanying this announcement are available
at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f65cb247-e874-4eb1-8fa3-7e65ef798a25
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1024bf5d-121b-416f-84bd-c352f72cde4d
A PDF accompanying this announcement is available
at:http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/96541953-381d-47ce-8544-0541a7761124