King's Dorothy Izzard honoured as Oak Ridges Moraine protector

Dorothy Izzard is seen here with fellow award recipient Michaela Halsey and Debbe Crandall of STORM.

Dorothy Izzard's efforts to support the Oak Ridges Moraine have been ongoing, and so has the recognition she's received in return.

That latest came last Monday, when the King Township resident was one of the recipients of a Moraine For Life award.

The awards, which are aimed at honouring outstanding efforts in preserving the ecological integrity of the moraine, were presented at a symposium in Markham.

Izzard was recognized as one of the co-founders of the Save The Oak Ridges Moraine (STORM) Coalition and with being instrumental in starting the citizen movement that ultimately resulted in provincial legislation to protect the moraine. She was also noted for her land donation to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), and the fact that she continues to be involved in the cultural and natural heritage of the township. This includes monitoring development and other such activities that could impact the moraine, while encouraging smart planning practices.

"The Oak Ridges Moraine is an icon", commented symposium keynote speaker Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada, adding it's "an intensely ecological marvel" that is important to protect.

The event was organized by the Monitoring the Moraine project partners (Citizens' Environment Watch, STORM and the Centre for Community Mapping) along with the Oak Ridges Moraine Symposium Planning Committee.

There were four award categories to acknowledge community champions, municipal leadership, collaborative efforts and proactive approaches to protecting the moraine.

"I am especially pleased that this year's recipients span generations and represent the growing diversity of the moraine," remarked Sonia Dong, acting executive director of Citizens' Environment Watch. "People from all walks of life are really stepping up to the plate."

Izzard was nominated by King Township.

The letter of nomination stated the retired school teacher "has always been a c o n c e r n e d environmentalist."

"Dorothy has been and still is very active with STORM," the letter stated. "She continues to participate in yearly newsletters and helps to battle pressures such as big-city interests seeking to tap into freshwater sources. She continues to monitor development and activity that could impact the Oak Ridges Moraine, while encouraging smart planning practices.

It also pointed to her support of NCC, observing that she donated 20.78 acres of her property, located on the edge of the Happy Valley Forest in King to the Conservancy.

York Regional council recognized her in 2001 for her donation and commitment to the Region. She was the first to donate property under the Region's Greenlands Property Securement Strategy - A Legacy for the Future.

The municipality also pointed to her involvement in the local accessibility advisory committee and her participation in tours of the township to assist in the advising on the accessibility of public buildings to eliminate barriers.

"Dorothy is still involved in the cultural and natural heritage of the Township," the letter stated. "Her longstanding volunteer service has made her known by her colleagues as versatile, committed and responsible. She is well thought of for her dedication and great work and continues to be a valuable asset in the community. She is a member of the Township who deserves to be recognized for her life long commitment and personal contributions towards the Oak Ridges Moraine."

"We are very proud to have Dorothy Izzard in our community and hope you support council's nomination for a 2007 Moraine for Life Award," it concluded.

Izzard said she found out about the award about a week before the presentation. "It was a total surprise," she declared, adding "it's an honour."

Another community champion recipient was 12- year-old Roseneath (near Peterborough) resident Michaela Halsey.

When Michaela saw invasive plant species taking over her own back yard, she took decisive action, according to STORM. Her campaign started with a drive to learn what she could do to fix the situation and sharing her newfound knowledge with others (children and adults alike) at any opportunity she could. She was the driving force behind a restoration project undertaken by her Girl Scout group, which included eliminating the invasive species through a controlled burn, and planting seeds that are native to the area. The group also designed, built and erected birdhouses as a natural means of controlling insects at the site.

Other recipients were (in the collaborative efforts category) Senator Homes, for their Dreamwood subdivision in Vaughan; (municipal leadership) the Town of Richmond Hill; and (for pro-active approaches) Bala Araniyasundaran, Laura McDowell and Adrian Coombs of York Region's Water and Wastewater Branch.