Conservation Achievement Awards

Each year, CWF recognizes deserving Canadians who have played a valuable role in conserving wildlife and habitat in their region. The Conservation Achievement Awards honour the volunteers and professionals who are making significant contributions to the conservation of Canada’s natural heritage and legacy. In 2009, six winners were selected, each representing a different aspect of conservation.

Youth Conservation Award
Rachel Hacking of Stratford, Ontario, won the Youth Conservation Award, which recognizes youth who have participated in a wildlife conservation project or activity in the previous year. Hacking won because of her work for local wildlife – raising money and awareness for local swan populations and the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Roderick Haig-Brown Award
Named after one of Canada’s greatest outdoors enthusiasts, the Roderick Haig-Brown Award is awarded to an individual who has furthered the sport of angling and the use of Canada’s recreational fisheries. This year, the award was given to Mario Viboux of Verdun, Quebec, for his introduction of a sport-fishing program to the youth in the province as well as his direction of the Point de Mire Youth Centre, illustrating his leadership and passion for the outdoors. 

Roland Michener Conservation Award
The Roland Michener Conservation Award is given to an individual who has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to conservation. This year, Don Trethewey of Kamloops, British Columbia, was given this honour for his knowledge of wildlife and habitat from his early days as a habitat assessment biologist and for volunteering much of his time to environmental clubs and provincial committees.

Doug Clarke Memorial Award
The Doug Clarke Memorial Award is presented to an affiliate organization in recognition of an outstanding conservation project. This year the Nanaimo & District Fish & Game Protective Association is being recognized for its completion of The Millstone River By-Channel. An 800-metre side-channel now provides fish, notably Coho salmon, the opportunity to migrate and spawn past Deadman’s waterfalls.

Past Presidents Award
The Past Presidents Award is given to an elected legislator who has made a significant contribution to the conservation of wildlife, and this year we chose Gary Breitkreuz of Yorkton, Saskatchewan, and Larry Bagnell of the Yukon.  As co-chairs of the non-partisan Parliamentary Outdoor Caucus, both men have united legislators from the four major political parties with the goal of creating a common value for the Canadian outdoors and natural heritage.

Stan Hodgkiss Canadian Outdoorsperson of the Year Award
And lastly, Robert Gruszecki of Calgary, Alberta, was awarded the Stan Hodgkiss Canadian Outdoorsperson of the Year Award. Robert has displayed a lifelong enthusiasm for wildlife and the outdoors to people of all ages across Alberta. His work has now become a blueprint for the delivery of conservation education across Canada.