Five Prince Edward Island individuals and groups were presented with the 2000 Prince Edward Island Environmental Awards last evening by Kevin J. MacAdam, Minister of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Environment, to recognize for their special commitment to the environment.
The Environmental Awards recipients are selected by the PEI Ministerial Environmental Advisory Council and presented annually during Environment Week.
"All recipients and nominees understand the value of environmental action, and of working together to raise awareness and find solutions to environmental challenges," said Minister Kevin MacAdam. "They recognize that a healthy environment contributes to healthy communities with healthy citizens."
The recipients of the 2000 Prince Edward Island Environmental Award honoured at a special reception on Wednesday, June 7, were:
Individual citizen: Daryl Guignion
Business: Maritime Electric
Citizen group: Southeast Environmental Association
Education: Esther McQuaid
Youth: Grand Tracadie Elementary School
While citing the award recipients for their outstanding work in their communities, school and workplaces, the Minister also noted the outstanding calibre of all nominations received from individuals, groups and businesses from across the province. Twenty nominations were received this year.
"More and more, Islanders are making environmental stewardship and sustainability their personal, professional and corporate credos," added Minister MacAdam. "During Environment Week and every week, Islanders participate in habitat restoration projects, roadside cleanup, tree planting, waste management activities and education campaigns. All of these activities, be they small or large, demonstrate a commitment to environmental protection."
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON RECIPIENTS
INDIVIDUAL CITIZEN: DARYL GUIGNION
Daryl Guignion is a professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Prince Edward Island. Since the late 1960s, Guignion has had an active career in conservation as an educator and an active member of his community. He is a founding member and former president of both the Island Nature Trust and the Morell River Management Co-op. Guignon's professional and personal dedication to the environment is manifested in the array of his research projects related to the enhancement of the Morell River.
Currently, Guignon is a leading authority on wildlife conservation and management in the region, and his most recent course on "Land Use in Prince Edward Island" is attracting a growing number of students. He is also president of the Prince Edward Island Wildlife Federation.
Contact: Daryl Guignion, Associate Professor, Biology Department, UPEI, (902)566-0676.
BUSINESS: MARITIME ELECTRIC
Maritime Electric was selected as an Environmental Award 2000 recipient because of their formal commitment to the environment through the adoption of a corporate Environmental Policy as of September 1999.
The policy is based on the principles of continuous improvement of all operations and work practices with respect to the environment, minimizing pollution and complying with all environmental regulations.
Maritime Electric's Environmental Policy has been communicated to all employees, has been posted in Customer Service areas of district offices located in Charlottetown, Summerside and Roseneath and is also available to the public on their Web site: www.maritimeelectric.com.
Contact: Angus Orford, Communications, Maritime Electric, (902) 629-3628.
CITIZEN GROUP: SOUTHEAST ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATION
The Southeast Environmental Association is a community stakeholder group in the Cardigan Bay Region that focuses on the marine environment, the bays and estuaries, and the watersheds that flow into them. The Southeast Environmental Association has taken on many environmental issues and projects, including the following:
- Murray River sewage - testing for bacterial levels in partnership with the community to look at options for disposal;
- agriculture bacteria study - a multi-stakeholder approach in addressing the effect of low density livestock operations on water quality;
- Georgetown landfill - involved the community to clean up this abandoned site and capped it to control leachate production;
- clean river quest - organized Prince Edward Island's first volunteer water quality monitoring program;
- Moores habitat protection - constructed a water control structure with Ducks Unlimited to protect the upper pond habitat as the original dam was in jeopardy of breaching;
- sand mining study - worked with the Geological Survey of Canada to complete a survey of sand mining operations along the Gaspereaux Shore and its effects on coastal erosion;
- school education - provided fish friend tanks; organized recycling programs; and initiated vermi-composting projects;
- waste management - operated the Paint Recovery Day depot in Montague in 1996 and 1999 and conducted a Christmas tree mulching operation for Georgetown and Montague from 1996 to present;
- emission testing - operated the Montague depot for the car care clinic;
- dune grass transplanting - worked to restore a section of Poverty Beach sand spit damaged by winter storms;
- Northumberland bird study - participated in an accounting of historical sightings on the Murray River watershed in order to protect sensitive areas while developing a wildlife viewing industry for the area.
For more information about the Southeast Environmental Association, visit their Web site at www3.pei.sympatico.ca/~seaacap/
Contact: Tom Rath, Chairman, Murray Harbour North, (902) 962-3426.
EDUCATION: ESTHER MCQUAID
Esther McQuaid of Glen Stewart School has dedicated much energy over the past four years to implement a Waste Watch program in her school. Not only has she established the necessary infrastructure to carry out the program, she has developed and maintained an education program to ensure students and staff are knowledgable of the Waste Watch program and environmental stewardship issues.
She has also developed a training program for grade three students who become the school's Waste Watch champions. Students visit classrooms, the staff room and office regularly to collect materials from sorting containers. Students spend time before and after school and during recess cleaning, crushing and sorting waste and recyclables. Each week, McQuaid fills her car with recyclables for the depot in Charlottetown and has made arrangements for a weekly pick up of recyclables to be taken to Wellington.
McQuaid has inspired a keen sense of environmental responsibility among her colleagues, students and many of the families of Glen Stewart School in Stratford.
Contact: Esther McQuaid, Glen Stewart School, (902) 569-0550.
YOUTH: GRAND TRACADIE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
The Grand Tracadie Elementary School, made up of 55 students and seven staff, is committed to the wise use of resources and to the protection and enhancement of the environment. Since October 1998, the school has been involved in the SEEDS (Society, Environment and Energy Development Studies) Learners in Action Program. The program requires that students maintain a log book of environmental projects with the goal to achieve "Green School" status.
Students have completed 100 environmental projects including recycling, composting, playground clean up, garbageless lunches, environmental art, drama and advocacy. In March 2000, Grand Tracadie was the ninth school in Prince Edward Island to receive "Green School" status. For more information about the environmental activities of Grand Tracadie Elementary School, visit their Web site at www.edu.pe.ca/grandtracadie/
Contact: Michele LeClair, Vice Principal, Grand Tracadie Elementary School, (902) 672-7450.