The City of Campbell River’s 22nd annual Stewardship Awards were awarded Sept. 24 and recognize individuals who work to improve the environmental well-being of our community.
As the community confronts challenges such as biodiversity loss and climate change, the contributions of environmental stewards have become increasingly important.
Nominations were received from the community in six categories. The winners are:
Air Quality / Alternative Transportation - John Elson
In 2018 Elson cofounded the Cycling Advocacy Subcommittee of the River City Cycle Club. He has been at the forefront of cycling advocacy ever since driving significant improvements in cycling services including bike parking, pop-up bike lanes and raising awareness of the need for improved cycling lanes on our North-South and East-West connections. More than just safe cycling, John’s efforts are focused on reducing CO2 emissions and their impacts on climate change. Specific projects include GoByBikesCR, 2020 Bike Count, Council presentations during budgeting to support actioning the City’s Master Transportation Plan, compilation of a “Towards a Bike-Friendly City” report, continual partnership with the City, and Canada Day bike parking.
Pesticide Free / Urban Agriculture - Michelle Merkel
Merkel is recognized for her food security work in her position at Robron. Her nominator first met Michelle when she came out to the Greenways Land Trust Fruit Tree Project to get fruit for her upcoming class. This evolved into the kids coming out to pick fruit so that they could learn how to preserve jams, and make jellies and fruit juice. Michelle also runs the school garden program that supports students in learning how to garden and cook with fresh produce. Extra produce is distributed to community volunteers who help in the garden. Michelle has also previously been involved in a sustainability group at the school and we hope this can be resurrected in future years. The connection with the Greenways fruit-gleaning project is important: while the project is designed to distribute fruit that would otherwise go unpicked to the owners, volunteers and partners, the program also works to reduce bear attractants and human/wildlife conflicts.
Waste Reduction - Jo Watson
Jo is this year’s recipient for her invaluable work managing the Hema?elas kitchen and the Campbell River Food Bank. Jo has a 30-year-long food-connected history in Campbell River and surrounding communities that involves instructing Food Safe (20 years) and the North Island College Culinary Arts program (23 years). She established a gleaning station in 2021 with the Hema?elas kitchen and started her position at the Food Bank last year. Jo also has a connection with Greenways Land Trust Fruit Tree Project and her nominator notes that this diverts thousands of pounds of fruit each year, that would otherwise be wasted, and distributed to people who need it. Her efforts help to increase food security and decrease bear attractants. Jo notes that her work is deeply connected to the food recovery program volunteers who were last year’s recipients in this category.
Water / Energy Conservation - Leona Adams
Adams was recognized for her volunteering efforts in 2013 and is recognized again now with another decade of volunteer service. Leona remains an active member of the Campbell River Environmental Committee and is known for advocacy related to the City’s drinking watershed, which often involves a network of connections to senior agencies. Leona digs into complex issues, respectfully and with diligence and focus.
Habitat Protection/Creation - Peach Akerhielm, Stephen Smith, Deb Cowper
Relatively new on the scene, Peach’s nominator stated that Peach has dedicated herself to supporting the restoration work completed by Greenways Land Trust in the Willow Creek Conservation Area. The past several summers, Peach has taken on the watering of a huge number of plants and has suggested improvements such as tree guarding parties and other measures to reduce browsing and vandalism. Peach is not only very generous with her time, but she also shares native plant seedlings that she collects and raises from the natural area in her backyard where she has created a thriving riparian area along her stretch of Willow Creek.
Smith was nominated last year and this year by two separate individuals. For five years, he has been diligently pulling broom for an estimated 1,000 hours. Without fanfare and support from an organization and a sponsor, he’s made broom control part of his daily routine. Often getting up before his wife to perform a couple of hours of broom bashing before breakfast. Some of the areas Stephen has tackled include Jubilee Parkway, Strathcona Gardens, the Sportsplex, a church near the Gardens, the Campbellton Entrance feature plane, Home Depot and the road by Canadian Tire. When conservation and invasive plant treatment money is allocated, it is usually dedicated to selecting environmentally sensitive lands leaving some other areas without management.
Cowper is an educator with over 20 years of service and she has a BSc in Marine Biology and a Masters of Marine Management. She was part of the team that established the Discovery Passage Aquarium in 2011 managing it during that first year and went on to help establish the Explorer Lab. There she developed and delivered several curriculum-based educational programs contributing many volunteer hours. Currently, Deb is the DFO community educator and the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund educator in the schools. Her wealth of experience enriches DFO’s Stream to Sea program. She leads school groups and parents in intertidal explorations, highlighting science and care for the many creatures and making engaging public education displays.
Environmental Excellence - Janis La Couvee
La Couvee is a dedicated environmental stewardship volunteer who directs her talents and energy on a variety of different fronts. She is on the Greenways Board of Directors and contributes to their Development Committee which involves reviewing and making suggestions to the many developments ongoing in the City. She digs into events with the Conservation Team and lends a hand to school group outings with the Junior Streamkeepers.