Healthy Community Award
The Healthy Community Award celebrates individuals or groups in our watershed who have completed a project that increases community connections and engagement through events, fairs and festivals; tree plantings; clean-ups and community programs. It also acknowledges significant traditional media or social media coverage; delivering innovative environmental programs or services; as well as sharing knowledge and information through campaigns.
2025 Nominations are now closed.
The Healthy Community award was presented to the following recipients in 2025:
Fred C Cook Public School Eco Phoenix (Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury)
Student leaders are making a difference through a school-wide focus on “Restorative Ecology”. Inspired by authors Naomi Klein and Robin Wall Kimmerer, they created documentaries on water activism, drama presentations, environmental art, and mentored younger students through an Eco Buddies program. They also reached the community through public presentations at the Bradford Library and a restorative project that added native trees and wildflowers to the school grounds with support from partners like the Conservation Authority.
Magna Mechatronics, Mirrors & Lighting (Newmarket)
This group volunteered in both the fall of 2024 and the spring of 2025 to plant trees and shrubs in the Town of Newmarket. In total, 43 staff planted and mulched 295 natives trees and shrubs along the Nokiidaa Trail and at Firefly Marsh, improving habitat, riparian buffers, and biodiversity along the East Holland River. Healthy riparian zones filter pollutants, reduce erosion and stabilize water temperature, safeguarding aquatic life and water quality. In addition to the planting, Magna staff also created wildflower seed bombs, hosted a Lunch and Learn on sustainable practices, and built a flower box, benefiting both nature and the community.
Morning Glory Public School (Georgina)
This school is leading the way in environmental education and community engagement through hands-on learning. A hoop house is at the center of their efforts, providing a year-round space where students learn about soil health, seasonal planting, and sustainable food systems that reduce runoff and protect water quality. The school also maintains a pollinator and butterfly garden, providing habitat for bees and butterflies while also teaching students about their vital role in biodiversity and agriculture. Partnerships with local First Nations, bring Indigenous knowledge and land-based practices into programming, promoting both environmental stewardship and reconciliation.
Rotary Club of Barrie Huronia (Barrie)
Lisa Zhao, with the Rotary Club of Barrie Huronia, and in partnership with the City of Barrie and Living Green Barrie, launched the Native Tree and Pollinator Pod Project along Barrie’s waterfront. This initiative transformed two areas into vibrant, pollinator-rich greenspaces. Each “pod” features a native tree, shrubs and wildflowers within a recycled lumber frame, protecting young trees while also showcasing ecological landscaping in an urban park. The pods provide critical pollinator habitat, reduce soil compaction, conserve moisture, and even create cooling shade for fish during spawning season.
Rotary Club of Uxbridge (Uxbridge)
For more than 25 years, this group’s efforts have included participating in tree plantings, the Bonner Fields Bioswale initiative, and most recently the Fields of Uxbridge Mini Forest project. Based on the Miyawaki Method, 600 native trees and shrubs were planted in a compact space, with the help of 80 volunteers. This project will help boost biodiversity, improve soil health, and sequester carbon. Their annual Wing and Pizza Night, a popular fundraiser, is uniquely waste-free thanks to reusable materials, and clear sorting stations. They also participate in scrap metal and e-waste collection days to help their community and the environment.
St. Andrew’s College (Aurora)
Since 2021, Outdoor and Experiential Education Coordinator Angus Murray has led tree planting events at St. Andrew’s College. With the help of the Conservation Authority, he has engaged students in hands-on learning and promoted environmental sustainability across the school’s 126-acre campus. As part of their 125th Anniversary Challenge, 1,250 trees were planted, including 400 in the fall of 2024 with alumni, students and staff, and an additional 150 were planted and mulched by Environmental Studies students. In the Spring of 2025, 40 more native trees and shrubs were planted beneath the Willow Farm boardwalk, helping to restore local habitats, enhance biodiversity, and stand as a living legacy of stewardship for the school and the wider community.
South Simcoe Streams Network (Innisfil)
In 2024 & 2025, the South Simcoe Streams Network organized six community planting events in the Lake Simcoe watershed, bringing nearly 300 volunteers to plant more than 2,000 native trees and shrubs. Their efforts improve stream health, enhance wildlife habitats, and build community connections to local ecosystems. By combining hands-on restoration with education and volunteerism, this group empowers residents to play an active role in protecting and restoring nature.
Stouffville Library (Stouffville)
The Stouffville Library supports sustainability, active living and environmental awareness through its Lendery and Adventure Zone. Residents can borrow sports equipment, musical instruments, appliances, bicycles, trailers and fishing rods, reducing waste while also encouraging a healthy, low-impact lifestyle. Discovery Kits on birds, butterflies, trees and outdoor science further inspire children to explore the natural world with hands-on tools like binoculars, guides and journals. Through partnerships with Sustainable Stouffville, the library also hosted guided bike rides and safety workshops, increasing its role as a hub for sustainable community learning and connection.
WS Butterflyway Project (Stouffville)
The Butterflyway Project is a grassroots effort to recognize the Town of Stouffville as an official Bee City. Co-founded by Micole Rubinoff and Devra Ranieri, this group was inspired by the David Suzuki Foundation to plant native gardens, donate repurposed canoe planters, and distribute seed kits and native plants to create pollinator-friendly spaces across the community. They run a Facebook group with over 200 members, sharing resources, events and tips to inspire residents. By engaging groups like the Girl Guide and collaborating with the local library on a seed-sharing program, this group is building a more connected and environmentally aware community.
Youth for Lake Simcoe (Barrie)
Founded in 2020, Youth for Lake Simcoe has grown into a powerful youth-led movement for environmental action and community health. Base in Barrie, this group has completed more than 100 clean-ups, removing hundreds of bags of litter from shorelines, parks and neighbourhoods. Their work goes beyond clean-ups as they educate other youth through school presentations, advocating for watershed health and raising awareness about local environmental challenges. By promoting partnerships and encouraging stewardship, Youth for Lake Simcoe empower young people to take direct action while promoting mental, social and physical well-being through community connection.
Who to Contact
Katarina Zeppieri
✆ 905-895-1281 x 116
✆ 1-800-465-0437 Toll free
✉ k.zeppieri@lsrca.on.ca
