Healthy Land Award

The Healthy Land award celebrates improvement projects that help to support and protect natural heritage features including woodlands, wetlands and their functions; wildlife habitat; biodiversity and ecological restoration; soil erosion; and trail development.

2025 Nominations are now closed.

The Healthy Land award was presented to the following recipients in 2025:

Doug Pegg (Township of King)

Since purchasing his 15-acre property in 1979, Doug has been enhancing his land which includes a heritage hardwood woodlot, two fish-bearing streams, a mature cedar forest, and areas designated as Provincially Significant Wetlands. Over the decades, Doug has planted more than 9,000 trees and shrubs, personally hand-planting over 6,000. Most recently, Doug enhanced the riparian buffer along the creek on his property by installing 100 live stakes and planting 100 native potted plants. This strategic planting stabilizes the stream bank, reduces erosion, improves water quality by filtering runoff, and provides critical habitat for fish and other aquatic species.

John Nagy (Township of Brock)

Over the past decade, John has completed 18 Enhancing Wildlife Habitat planting projects, gradually increasing the diversity of native trees, shrubs and wildflowers on his property. In the past two years alone, he has planted nearly 450 plants, comprising of over 40 different species. John’s consistent efforts are helping to restore and strengthen local ecosystems by providing food, shelter, and breeding areas for a wide range of pollinators, birds, and other wildlife. By increasing the diversity of native plants, he’s improving his soil health, supporting climate resilience and contributing to the ecological integrity of the area.

Mike Sproxton & Sarah Teefy (City of Kawartha Lakes)

Mike and Sarah are dedicated farmers who are deeply committed to protecting their land and the local environment. They planted cover crops on their land, which are essential for improving soil health, reducing erosion, and limiting phosphorus runoff into local waterways. In 2023 and 2024, they planted oats, peas and barley after their wheat harvest to keep their soil covered and biologically active year-round. To date, they have planted over 20 hectares of cover crops, preventing more than 8 kilograms of phosphorus from entering Lake Simcoe annually.

Peter & Betty Homenuck (Township of King)

Over the past 40 years, Peter and Betty have planted approximately 10,000 new trees on their property, much of it by hand. The Conservation Authority has supported their efforts by planting an additional 2,000 seedlings in 2000, 850 trees in 2007, and 3,350 more in the spring of 2025. Species planted include White Pine, White Spruce, Norway Spruce, Tamarack and White Cedar. By planting thousands of native trees, the Homenucks are helping to restore a healthy, functioning forest ecosystem and provide habitat for countless species, supporting biodiversity, and helping to rebalance areas impacted by land development and agriculture.

Town of East Gwillimbury

In 2024, the Town partnered with the Conservation Authority on two natural heritage projects at Vivian Creek and Queensville Park. At Vivian Creek, stormwater drainage and erosion issues near trails were addressed through the creation of 0.29 hectares of wetlands, 371 trees and shrubs, 3,000 wetland plants, 20 pit and mound features, and 35 metres of stabilized streambank. At Queensville Park, invasive phragmites were removed and replaced with two wetlands totalling 0.25 hectares, 301 trees and shrubs, 2,400 wetland plants, and a 400-metre passive use trail. Together these projects added new wetlands, enhanced local biodiversity, stabilized sensitive areas, and improved public access.

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