The Islands Trust 2012 Community Stewardship Awards program is now open for nominations.
If you know of a person, business or group who has made a big difference to life on your island, please nominate them.
“Anyone can nominate an individual, group, organization, school or classroom that has protected the environment or enhanced a community in the Trust Area. By nominating someone for an award, you are telling a story about people investing their energy, time and imagination into our communities and our environment,” said Sheila Malcolmson, chair of the Islands Trust Council.
“Each year, it is heartening and encouraging to hear about these amazing islanders and the work they do.”
The Islands Trust added a new category three years ago to recognize and encourage the actions of individuals and
organizations that are working in the area of climate change. Last year, this award went to Barry Mathias for the Car Stops Program on Pender Island.
“Some of our islanders are doing incredibly creative and passionate work in the fight against climate change. I look forward to sharing their accomplishments and celebrating their success again,” said Malcolmson.
This is the 11th year that community stewardship awards will be presented to a person, business or group that helps to
steward the islands.
Nominations are welcome for projects or actions that are innovative, support the Islands Trust
mandate to ‘preserve and protect the Trust Area and its unique amenities and environment’, benefit a community or the
entire Trust Area, have some level of community involvement, address climate change and relate to the Islands Trust Policy
Statement.
It includes policies for ecosystem preservation and protection; stewardship of resources, such as freshwater, agricultural land, or coastal areas; and sustainable communities, including cultural heritage and economic opportunities. It can be viewed at www.islandstrust.bc.ca/tc/polstatement.cfm.
Nominations can be for a specific project or work carried out over a period of time. The project or work must be ongoing or
have been completed within the previous 12 months.
Stewardship awards will be given to at least two individuals and
two organizations, providing there are sufficient qualifying entries to justify an award. Each nominator can submit two nominations per category. The deadline for nominations is April 27.
Nomination forms and more details, including lists of past recipients, are available on the Stewardship Awards page of the
Islands Trust website at http://islandstrust.bc.ca/poi/awards.cfm or from Islands Trust offices. Award recipients will be
announced following the June trust council meeting, and presented with their awards in the fall.
The Islands Trust Council is a federation of local government bodies representing 25,000 people living within the Islands Trust Area, which includes Denman and Hornby islands.
The Islands Trust is responsible for preserving and protecting the unique environment and amenities of the Islands Trust Area through planning and regulating land use, development management, education, cooperation with other agencies, and land conservation.
The area covers the islands and waters between the British
Columbia mainland and southern Vancouver Island. It includes 13 major and more than 450 smaller islands covering
5,200 square kilometres.
— Islands Trust