Diane Griffin Community Conservation Award
In 2022, WHC announced the creation of the Diane Griffin Community Conservation Award. This award will be presented annually to the organization that most exceeds WHC’s expectations through their Community Conservation Action Program project.
With the success of the 3-year Community Conservation Action Program (CCAP) pilot, WHC has developed the Diane Griffin Community Conservation Award, to be presented annually to one CCAP project. The organization with the most innovative and impactful project per grant year will be the recipient of this award.
Basic Information
- Based within the Community Conservation Action Program at WHC.
- Granted one time per grant year to one organization.
- Decision is at the discretion of WHC Staff.
Eligibility
- An organization that has been approved for funding in the current fiscal year.
- All project results must have been executed and expectations of delivery and achievements are exceeded.
- Must not have been the recipient of the award the previous year.
Qualifiers for this Award
- Project activities were very relevant to CCAP objectives: Connecting Canadians to Nature, Engaging Youth in Conservation and/or Providing Educational Conservation Programming
- Project was representative of WHC’s Strategic Plan:
- Provide/administer grants to fund wildlife habitat conservation.
- Leverage delivery of WHC objectives by working with conservation partners.
- Promote participation in nature conservation.
- Enhance WHC’s effectiveness and recognition as a national conservation leader.
- The project exceeded WHC’s expectations in delivering an innovative conservation program
- This could include new methods of connecting people to nature, innovative programs for youth, the use of new conservation technologies/strategies, etc.
- New ways of engaging people that go beyond the typical conservation project.
- Project made a recognizable impact on the community surrounding them which will continue to be beneficial for years to come.
Naming the Award
Wildlife Habitat Canada is proud to name the Community Conservation Award after the Honourable Senator Diane Griffin. This award is integral in engaging Canadians in conservation and stewardship at the grass-roots level.
Senator Griffin is a lifelong and passionate Canadian conservationist from Prince Edward Island who was named to the Senate of Canada by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Griffin is a former provincial deputy minister of environmental resources and a recipient of the Governor General’s Conservation Award, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, and the P.E.I. Environment Award for her incredible dedication and work to protect nature. She also served as executive director of the Island Nature Trust and is a published author, writing the book Atlantic Wildflowers, which showcases 129 species of flowering plants found throughout Atlantic Canada.
Along with her extensive work in conservation, Griffin proposed and passed Bill S-236, the Recognition of Charlottetown as the birthplace of Confederation Act. Senator Griffin has also focused on championing literacy and helped to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Program to P.E.I. where it has greatly surpassed its goals.
Senator Griffin encourages Canadians of all ages to explore nature and take action in ways that make sense in our homes and hearts, acknowledging that “what we do in our individual homes and communities is going to be significant for the conservation of Canada’s natural resources.”
The Diane Griffin Community Conservation Award will recognize Canadian conservation projects that embody the same passion, enthusiasm, and dedication to conserving Canadian wildlife habitat as Diane has shown throughout her impressive career.
“We all need peace and quiet, beautiful natural places to be our touchstones and to replenish our souls. A walk in nature does that for me. Also, just knowing we have natural places and wildlife is satisfying”.
– Senator Diane Griffin
2022-2023 Recipient
WHC would like to congratulate Wildsight, the inaugural recipient of the Diane Griffin Community Conservation Award for their 2022-2023 EcoStewards Program!
Wildsight’s EcoStewards Program exceeded WHC’s expectations in connecting Canadians to nature by bringing people outdoors and facilitating conservation participation. The impact of this program was seen by students, teachers, school staff and the community. By offering student/teacher-led programming, Wildsight was able to tap into the environmental concerns of the local area and of the students, while targeting the young minds that will guide the future of conservation in an interactive and memorable way.
WHC has been funding projects nationally for more than 35 years and over time we started to recognize the need for support in the field of local, hands-on, community-based conservation. These projects have a vital role in protecting the environment. Partnering with organizations like Wildsight allows WHC to invest in the people who are going to make positive environmental change and support those human connections to nature.
To learn more about Wildsight, click wildsight.ca
