LAC LA BICHE - Lac La Biche County staff are currently accepting nominations for the Environmental Stewardship Award.
Julia Shapka, a seasonal environmental technician with Lac La Biche County Environmental Services, said the award, which started in 2020, recognizes individuals or groups that have made contributions toward protecting, preserving, or enhancing the natural environment in the municipality. There are four separate categories for this award: Individual (adult or youth), Community Organization/Group, Business/Institutional, and Agriculture.
Regarding who can win, Shapka explained that The Environmental Stewardship Award considers a range of actions and projects.
“Actions can focus on specific projects or encompass multiple stewardship efforts,” she told Lakeland This Week.
Using an example, Shapka explained that in 2022, the individual winner facilitated the installation of educational signage around the lake, highlighting its importance as a bird area and advocating for watershed stewardship. The year before, North Country Co-op won in the business category by diverting over 101,000 lbs of waste from landfills through various initiatives.
The agricultural category, Shapka explained, is for nominating agricultural producers, farming operations, and agricultural societies. Shapka said the Lac La Biche Agricultural Society was presented the award in 2022 for their efforts in reducing waste from the Farmer’s Market.
“Nominations have been low for this category, so we hope to promote it to agricultural producers,” she said. “Such practices as offsite waterers, fencing to keep cattle out of waterbodies, reduced fertilizer/pesticide use, etc. would be practices highly eligible for this category.”
Shapka continued by saying that the Environmental Stewardship Award holds significant importance for local environmental efforts, emphasizing the vital practice of responsible environmental management.
“Nominees for this award showcase exceptional dedication in improving our environment. By recognizing their achievements, we aim to inspire others to follow suit,” she said. “Lac La Biche County's natural beauty thrives thanks to these efforts, and we deeply appreciate their contributions to preserving our environment for future generations.
The deadline for submitting nominations is May 1. Winners will be announced during Environmental Week, which runs from June 2-8. In addition to $500, winners also receive a certificate of achievement and public recognition for their efforts.
Those who are interested in nominating someone for this award can fill out a form on the Lac La Biche County website under Environment. For more information, contact Lac La Biche County at [email protected]
