The Ontario Headwaters Institute has presented its first-ever Watershed Guardian Awards to five students at the University of Guelph for exemplary work in a senior-year capstone project.
The awards, consisting of five glass watershed droplets and certificates of appreciation, were presented at a gathering at the university on April 3 to fourth year students Elizabeth Colmenar, Arianah Dreise, Emily Ford, Ethan McGraw, and Andrew White. The droplets were hand blown by respected artist Tara Marsh of Glen Williams.
The presentation of the awards marked the launch of an effort to recognize key contributions to watershed security in Ontario, and will be followed shortly by the release of a Watershed Guardian of the year award.
The student project resulted in a 70-page report titled Ontario’s More Homes Built Faster Act and its Impacts on Conservation and the Grand River Watershed, was done in conjunction with the Ontario Headwaters Institute (OHI) and the Grand River Environmental Network (GREN).
Kevin Thomason, spokesperson for GREN, stated that the report, “presents a comprehensive description of the many impacts of the Ford government’s recent efforts to enforce its housing action plan at the expense of the environment, and should be required reading for anyone seeking to plan a healthy balance for natural heritage, agriculture, and future development in the watershed”.
The OHI praised the fourth-year students for conducting graduate-level research and analysis in a fourth-year course. Executive director Andrew McCammon also thanked the university and its professors for supporting the capstone project, which provides opportunities for senior students to gain practical experience while delivering work on topics of interest to the community.
More information includes a PDF of the report done by the students, at Group 19 Headwaters Final Report (00000002).pdf, and a photo of four of the students with their awards, at Microsoft Word – Award Winners.docx