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FRIENDS of the TAY WATERSHED Association
P.O. Box 2065 57 Foster Street Perth, ON K7H 3M9 E-mail: info@tayriver.org Web: www.tayriver.org |
Press Release – November 4, 2006
‘Friends of the Tay’ Announce 2008 Environmental Awards
To Rideau Canal, ‘Art of Being Green’ and Rideau Valley Field Naturalists
With their choice of recipients for their annual environmental awards this year, the ‘Friends of the Tay Watershed’ have recognized three very successful and popular initiatives in this region. At their annual ‘Watershed Discovery Evening’ in Perth on November 4, the ‘Friends’ presented awards to Parks Canada’s Rideau Canal Office, to the ‘Art of Being Green Festival’ in Lanark, and to the Rideau Valley Field Naturalists.
In his opening comments to the award ceremony, Board member David Crowley noted that this is the seventh year that the association awards have been presented. Their objective is to recognize organisations or individuals, and their activities, that provide significant benefit to the Tay watershed and the environment. The awards are for “Contribution to the Tay Watershed”, “Contribution to the General Environment”, and “Contribution to Water Resources, at the Provincial, National or International Levels".
The award for “Contribution to the Tay Watershed” went this year to the Rideau Valley Field Naturalists for their many activities in promoting awareness and understanding of nature and the environment in the Rideau watershed, including the Tay. In particular, their initiative in developing the butterfly garden at the Perth Wildlife Reserve has made a unique contribution to local awareness of the need to provide such habitat and protection.
The award for “Contribution to Water Resources, at the Provincial, National or International Levels" recognizes the contribution of the Rideau Canal Office of Parks Canada to the natural and historic protection of our area water resources through a number of initiatives, including achieving World Heritage designation, by UNESCO, of the Rideau system. The international recognition and prestige developed from this designation has provided a foundation on which regional governments, companies and non-profit organizations alike may build increased environmental, economic, and social benefit. This award also recognizes the exemplary leadership displayed by the Canal Office in the development of the Rideau Corridor concept, their cooperation with and support of communities along the corridor, and in their wake reduction, waterway protection, and education programs. The foregoing is particularly appropriate considering the upcoming Tay Canal 175th Anniversary in 2009.
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This year’s award for “Contribution to the General Environment” went to the very successful ‘Art of Being Green’ (AOBG) festival in Lanark, for its substantial contribution in popularizing the environment message and carrying it to a wide geographic area. More than 7,200 people from far and near found their way to the fifth annual AOBG festival this past summer. AOBG has been recognized by Festivals & Events Ontario as one of the 100 best festivals in Ontario out of more than 3,000 festivals of all types. Participating exhibitors have enthusiastically endorsed the festival as one of the very best environmental festivals around and an excellent venue for spreading the environmental message.
The ‘Friends of the Tay Watershed’ Environmental Awards are presented annually to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the Tay watershed and/or to the environment.
The Friends of the Tay Watershed is a registered charitable organization that involves landowners, communities, government agencies, business and other interested parties in programs aimed at preserving and improving the health of the Tay River watershed. The Association carries out activities to maintain wildlife habitat, recreation, water quality, water quantity and related resources in the Watershed.
Released by The Friends of the Tay Watershed Association
For information: (613) 264 0094 or info@tayriver.org