Conservationist of the Year

This is the web page for the Conservationist of the Year Award, presented each year by Ausable Bayfield Conservation, and for the Annual Partner Appreciation Evening.

Partner Appreciation and Conservation Awards Evening

You are invited to the annual Partner Appreciation Evening.

Download the poster now:

Partner Appreciation Evening 2023 (PDF file)

Conservation Award

The Conservationist of the Year Award honours a person, farm, business, community group, or organization.

Download the Conservationist of the Year Nomination Form (2023) now:

Nomination form - Conservationist of the Year Award - 2023 (1 MB – Large PDF file)

Nominations are now closed. Thank you for all the wonderful nominations of worthy stewards in this watershed.

The nomination form is available in text below and in alternate formats upon request.

Nomination Form Text

Ausable Bayfield Conservation presents:

Conservationist of the Year Award

Nomination Form

I wish to nominate the following nominee:

Name of nominee:

Contact name (if nominee is organization or business) :

Their address:

Postal code:

Telephone:

E-mail (optional):

This nomination is being submitted by:

Your name:

Address:

Telephone:

Postal code:

E-mail (optional):

Tell us why this person or organization is deserving in 300 words or less:

Please send nomination forms by deadline attention to:

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

Phone: 519-235-2610 Toll-free: 1-888-286-2610 Facsimile: 519.235.1963

Decision of judging panel is final.

About the Award

Ausable Bayfield Conservation has presented the Conservationist of the Year Award for more than 35 years - since 1984.

Past winners include rural landowners and residents, agricultural producers and farms, service clubs, community organizations, companies, nature groups, and municipalities. Each winner is a business, farm, organization, or person residing in the watershed or having done conservation work there.

For the award winner, Ausable Bayfield Conservation presents an award and makes a donation towards a tree and plaque at a Commemorative Woods site maintained by the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation.

Eligibility

Individuals, organizations or companies who either reside in, or have completed conservation work within, the area of jurisdiction of the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA), are eligible to win the Conservationist of the Year award. Current ABCA staff members and directors are excluded.

Recognition

Ausable Bayfield Conservation will make a donation towards a tree and plaque at a Commemorative Woods sites maintained by the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation.

Criteria

The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority has recognized outstanding achievements in conservation, since 1984, with the annual presentation of an award to the Conservationist of the Year.

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

Previous award winners

Conservationist of the Year award winners in the past include:

Denys Farms Inc. – Jim, Dan and Mike Denys
Keith, Geoff and Mike Strang (Strang Farms)
Blue Bayfield
Koos and Nathalie Vermue
Rick Quinn and Diane Hawthorne and their family
Mels and Ruthanne van der Laan, of Cold Stream Ranch
Lambton Shores Phragmites Community Group
Cordner Farms - Jane Sadler Richards and Doug Richards
Bob Norris
Peter Darbishire
Joan and John Love
Ann and Bill Phelan
Exeter Lions Club
Patricia Down* and Robert Down
Lorne Teeple *
Grand Bend Community Foundation
Stewardson Dairy
Boys' and Girls' Club, London (Middlesex ECO Crew)
Shadyside Farms, Paul and Vic Hodgins
Ray Letheren, Friends of the Bayfield River
Environmentally Concerned Citizens of Lambton Shores
Andy deBoer
Stephanie Donaldson
Everet and Joan Van Sligtenhorst
John MacPherson
Straw Family
George Cantrick*
David McClure
Brian Arnold
Fred Dobbs
Lions Club of Arkona
Village of Arkona
Township of Hibbert
Stephen Bright
Dinney Funeral Home
Huron Fish and Game Club
Garry Palmateer
Lions Club of Clinton
Bluewater Recycling Association
Andrew Dixon
Ralph and Eleanor Smith
Elmer Trick
Armstrong East Cottage Association
Lambton Wildlife Inc.
David Ball
Adelaide Township
Arnold Westlaken
Tuckersmith Township
Van Loon Farms
Village of Hensall
Bob Montgomery
Jim Reeve
DEL Farms
Bud Walker
Bert and Margaret Daynard
Ausable Anglers Club
Carfrey Cann
Keith Connelly
John Deeves
Nancy Glendinning
Hayter Turkey Farms
Peter Rombouts
Bill Thirlwall
Ausable Nomads
Dearing Farms
Huron Soil and Water Conservation District
Murray and Ron McRae
Huron Board of Education
Thomas Doherty
Huron Centennial School
Jerry Giesen
Claybird Gun Club
Wayne Woods
Bayfield Anglers Association
Jay Campbell

* Asterisk denotes that the award was given posthumously.

Denys Farms Inc. – Jim, Dan and Mike Denys, of Parkhill area, honoured with Conservationist of the Year Award for more than 25 years of conservation farming

Ausable Bayfield Conservation is pleased to announce the winners of the Conservationist of the Year Award.

The winners, in 2022, are Denys Farms Inc. – Jim, Dan and Mike Denys, of the Parkhill area.

Read the story now:

Denys Farms wins Conservationist of the Year Award

You are invited to nominate person, farm, business, or group for conservation award

Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) has presented Conservationist of the Year Award each year for almost 40 years

Ausable Bayfield Conservation has recognized outstanding achievements in conservation each year, since 1984, with conservation awards. The conservation authority is to present the Conservationist of the Year Award, for the 40th consecutive year, in 2023. Past award winners have included rural landowners and residents, agricultural producers and farms, service clubs, community organizations, companies, nature groups, and municipalities.

The local conservation authority invites the public to nominate a person, business, farm, community group, or organization in 2023 for the Conservationist of the Year Award. You may nominate a nominee until February 15, 2023. To submit a nomination, visit the abca.ca website for the nomination form at:

Conservation Award web page link

“There are many local stewards helping to protect and enhance our local watershed resources,” said Brian Horner, General Manager and Secretary-Treasurer of Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA). “This award is one way we can say ‘Thank you’ to them for the needed positive stewardship actions they are taking.”

Individuals, organizations or companies who either reside in, or have completed conservation work in, the ABCA area are eligible to win the Conservationist of the Year award. Current ABCA staff members and directors are excluded.

Examples of conservation work include: improving local water quality; conservation farming; reforestation; conservation education; providing wildlife and fish habitat; and promoting awareness and action for soil, water, and habitat for all living things.

Ausable Bayfield Conservation presents the winner with a hand-crafted gift and makes a donation towards a tree and plaque at a Commemorative Woods site maintained by the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation.

“We have been pleased to recognize many deserving recipients over the years,” the ABCA General Manager said. “We also know there are many others who may not receive an award but who are worthy of recognition and we thank them as well.”