The GSCA office will be open again to the public starting on October 12, 2021. The lobby will be open between 9am-12pm and 1pm-4pm (Monday-Friday) for individuals to drop off items, pick up any necessary materials, and to pay for services. COVID-19 self-screening will be required prior to entering the building and masks are mandatory. Meetings with staff will be by appointment only starting on October 18, 2021.
On September 29, 2021 a new sign was unveiled at the Clendenan Conservation Area. With the generous support of the local Nature League, Grey Sauble Conservation Authority (GSCA) staff were able to research, design and have a new sign fabricated. This sign highlights history of the dam, the property features and a local hero for the environment and past Nature League member – Malcolm Kirk. Mac Kirk worked throughout his career to secure lands for conservation and appreciation and was instrumental at GSCA in this role. The Nature League directors took part in a cheque presentation and their President Rose Feaver along with Tim Lanthier, CAO for GSCA unveiled the new sign. Rebecca Ferguson, Lands Manager for GSCA, shared the history of the property along with information about the dam’s role in flooding/frazil ice management and fish migration and then took members on a guided hike along the trails on the property.
Support from groups like the Nature League is so very much appreciated, it allows GSCA to create new interpretive signage that provides a great engagement and education opportunity for the public when they visit a Conservation Area. The Nature League also sponsored a sign at GSCA’s Feversham Gorge – Madeleine Graydon Memorial Conservation Area in 2019.
Due to Covid restrictions, the Grey Sauble Conservation Foundation is rescheduling the 5th Annual Earth Film Festival, which was to be held on October 8, 2021 at the Roxy Theatre in Owen Sound. The new date for the festival is Thursday May 16, 2022 and will follow many Earth Week activities to be held in April.
The film presented at the festival will be the Canadian production, “Flight of the Butterflies”. An interactive butterfly presentation by Audrey Armstrong and photographer, Willy Waterton, will also be featured at each presentation. Audrey Armstrong is a knowledgably researcher who has devoted many years to studying the migration and habitats of monarchs and has tagged hundreds of butterflies. Her presentation titled “Bruce Grey Monarchs” will be featured followed by the film.
Students from Grades 6 to 8 will be invited to attend two daytime presentations. Each classroom teacher will receive research material and a butterfly kit to teach students about gardens and native plants that attract monarch butterflies.
The evening presentation, which is open to the public, will include draw prizes, a silent auction, and conservation displays during a social hour held in the Roxy Lobby. Representatives from SK films will be in attendance for the evening presentation to share the filming skills and techniques used in “Flight of the Butterflies”.
All funds raised from the evening presentation will benefit local conservation projects and student education grants supported by the Grey Sauble Conservation Foundation.
July 8, 2021
For Immediate Release
The Grey Sauble Conservation Foundation awards an annual $1000 scholarship to a graduating secondary school student entering a post-secondary program in an environmental or resource management related field. The scholarship is named in honour of Malcolm Kirk, who passed away in 2012. Mr. Kirk was instrumental in acquiring 80% of the lands that Grey Sauble Conservation Authority owns and manages today.
This year, the recipient of the Malcolm Kirk Environmental Scholarship is Janna Wardell, a student from Owen Sound District Secondary School who will be pursuing post-secondary education in Environmental Engineering at the University of Guelph.
In the recommendation letter for this scholarship, Janna is described by one of her high school teachers as a highly deserving individual who “always demonstrated an excellent work ethic, and as a result was always successful at achieving her goals. Her positive attitude and inquisitive nature were a wonderful addition to the class.” Janna is also an outstanding athlete and a valuable member of many school and community teams, including skiing, mountain biking, lacrosse, and hockey.
Janna’s future goals are to have a career in the field of water resources and environmental protection, and she plans to continue supporting her community after finishing university. “When I graduate, I hope to return to the Grey Bruce area to live and work. This is a wonderful area, and I would love to keep it healthy for future generations” Janna Wardell.
Each year through an application process, students may apply for this valuable scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to a graduating student in the Grey Sauble Conservation Authority watershed who plans to enter an environmental program at a college or university. The deadline for applications for next year’s scholarship is May 31, 2022.
For more information:
Don Sankey, Chair
Grey Sauble Conservation Foundation
foundation@greysauble.on.ca
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Open PDF here: https://www.greysauble.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Grey-Sauble-Conservation-Foundation-Awards-2021-Scholarship_JULY-8-2021.pdf