2010 Full Program

Day 1 - Wednesday, November 17, 2010

8:00am - 10:00am	Registration
10:00am - 12:00pm	Welcome and Introductions Jen Howley, Symposium Chair and Master of Ceremonies Stewart Hilts, Associate Dean of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph Richard (Dick) Hibma, Chair, Conservation Ontario Greetings by Mayor Mike MacEachern, Town of New Tecumseth Honourable Linda Jeffrey, Minister of Natural Resource Keynote Speakers Dr. Wayne Roberts, Toronto Food Policy Council Presentation Biography: Wayne Roberts manages the Toronto Food Policy Council (TFPC), a citizen body of 30 food activists and experts that is widely recognized for its innovative approach to food security. As a leading member of the City of Toronto’s Environmental Task Force, he helped develop a number of official plans for the city, including the Environmental Plan and Food Charter, adopted by Toronto City Council in 2000 and 2001 respectively. Many ideas and projects of the TFPC are featured in Roberts’ book The No-Nonsense Guide to World Food (2008). Since 1989, Roberts has written a weekly column for Toronto’s NOW Magazine, generally on themes that link social justice, public health and green economics. In 2002, he received the Canadian Environment Award for his contributions to sustainable living. NOW Magazine named Roberts one of Toronto’s leading visionaries of the past 20 years. In 2008, he received the Canadian Eco-Hero Award presented by Planet in Focus. Roberts earned a Ph.D. in social and economic history from the University of Toronto in 1978, and has written seven books, including Get A Life! (1995), a manual on green economics, and Real Food For A Change (1999), which promotes a food system based on the four ingredients of health, joy, justice and nature. Roberts chaired the influential and Toronto-based Coalition for a Green Economy for 15 years. He has also served on the Board of the U.S.-based Community Food Security Coalition and Food Secure Canada. He is on the board of Green Enterprise Toronto, an organization of local eco-businesses that’s associated with the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies across North America. He has been invited to speak around the world on strategies that combine food security, community empowerment, environmental improvement, social equity and job creation. Prior to his involvement with environmental issues, Roberts worked for two decades in the fields of community organizing, university teaching, media, labour education, industrial relations and union administration. During this time he chaired the Charles Street Tenants’ Association during the longest and biggest rent strike in Canadian history, serving as the senior negotiator in talks with the Ontario Housing Corporation. During this period Roberts wrote a number of books, including Cracking The Canadian Formula (1992) on the Energy and Chemical Workers Union, Don’t Call Me Servant (1993) on the Ontario civil service and Ontario Public Service Employees Union, and Giving Away a Miracle (1992) on Bob Rae’s New Democratic Party (NDP) government in Ontario. Gord Miller, Environmental Commisioner of Ontario Presentation Biography: Gord Miller is the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, the province’s independent environmental watchdog. Appointed by the Legislative Assembly, the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario is tasked under the Environmental Bill of Rights with publicly reporting on the government’s environmental decision-making.
12:00pm - 2:00pm	Lunch with Guest Speaker Dr. Mathis Wackernagel, Global Footprint Network Presentation Biography: Mathis Wackernagel, Ph.D., is co-creator of the Ecological Footprint and President of Global Footprint Network, an international sustainability think-tank dedicated to bringing about a sustainable human economy in which all can live well, within the means of one planet. By promoting the use of the Ecological Footprint, Global Footprint Network is working to make ecological limits central to decision-making everywhere. Mathis has worked on sustainability on six continents and lectured at more than a hundred universities worldwide. Beginning in 2011, he will be the Frank H. T. Rhodes Class of 1956 Visiting Professor at Cornell University. His awards include an honorary doctorate from the University of Bern, a 2007 Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, a 2006 WWF Award for Conservation Merit, and the 2005 Herman Daly Award of US Society for Ecological Economics.
2:00pm - 3:30pm	Concurrent Sessions
	W1A - Natural Channel Systems and Biodiversity The stream corridor includes the active channel, its riparian zone, floodplain and defined valley. This system is a critical component of a healthy watershed and constitutes a major part of a watershed’s natural infrastructure. This session will examine connections between stream corridors to the watershed and biodiversity. Moderated by Jack Imhof, Ministry of Natural Resources Title: Stream Corridors as an Essential Component of Biodiversity and Natural Infrastructure Speaker: Jack Imhof, Ministry of Natural Resources Presentation 1 Presentation 2 Biography: Jack Imhof is an aquatic ecologist with over 30 years of experience and presently the National Biologist for Trout Unlimited Canada and cross appointed with the Ontario Ministry of Nartural Resources. Jack is also an adjunct professor at the University of Guelph and an adjunct professor through the Department of Biology at the University of Waterloo. Jack has spent over 35 years of his life working on river and watershed restoration. He and Jerry Smitka wrote the original MNR Trout Stream Habitat Improvement Manual in 1982. Jack has taught a graduate course in restoration ecology at the University of Guelph. He is also a watershed scientist and has been involved in the development and implementation of 8-10 watershed/subwatershed plans including the Grand River Fisheries Management Plan and the development of the Natural Channel Systems initiative in Ontario. Jack has received a numerous awards for restoration work over the years from the American Fisheries Society, Izaak Walton Fly Fishing Club and Ontario Streams as well one of the co-recipients of the Ontario Amethyst Award for excellence in public service and a co-recipient of the National Recreational Fisheries Award with the Grand River Fisheries Management Plan Implementation Committee. In 2010 he was given the CVC Award of Excellence for his personal and professional contribution to the Credit River Watershed. He is Past-President of the Ontario Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Jack’s hobbies include photography, fly fishing and martial arts (Yoshinkan Aikido – 3rd Dan). Title: Ecological Streamflows with Geomorphic Functions Speaker: Ashraf Al Zaghal, University of Guelph Presentation Biography: No information submitted yet. Title: Protecting Headwater Drainage Feature Functions through Urbanization Speaker: Laura Del Giudice, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Presentation Biography: Laura has been working in the conservation field since she completed her Bachelor of Science at Trent University and her Masters of Forest Conservation at the University of Toronto. Her current position at TRCA is Planning Ecology Supervisor within the Ecology Division. In this capacity, she is responsible for providing ecological expertise and advice through plan input and review in Durham Region. She is involved in several large scale development projects, such as the Central Pickering Development Plan (Seaton) and Hwy 407 east extension. Laura is the project manager for TRCA’s Headwater Study and is chair of the Headwater Steering Committee, which is a group of CA, MNR, academics and other stakeholders that help to guide the direction of Headwater initiatives. She has lead the development of various guidelines, such as those for Environmental Impact Studies, and she is currently developing a draft Water Balance for Natural Features guideline. Presentation Description: Headwater Drainage Features are intermittent and ephemeral zero or first-order streams, swales and riparian wetlands. While the functions of perennial headwater streams are fairly well accepted, temporary systems, which may flow for only parts of the year, are virtually unstudied and unmonitored. Their small size and the fact that they do not necessarily flow year-round makes them particularly vulnerable to impacts such as enclosure, channelization, grade changes, and realignment. Since 2006, TRCA has been working with numerous partners to try to better understand and manage headwater drainage features within our watersheds in order to protect their vital functions. We will discuss the findings of our research and explain how the results have informed the development of a management guideline. Title: Applying the Nine Step Analysis Procedure of Adaptive Management to an Urban Watercourse - Highland Creek: Lessons Learned Speaker: Mariëtte Pushkar, Aquafor Beech Limited Presentation Biography: Mariëtte Prent-Pushkar is a senior geomorphologist at Aquafor Beech Limited and has over 15 years of consulting and research experience applying the science of geomorphology to a wide range of settings from headwater channels to high order river systems within Ontario, British Columbia, Labrador, and the states of Maine and Texas. In addition to geomorphic applications for various client studies and projects, she has co-authored various protocol and guidance documents for regulatory agencies and municipalities and participates in research and development initiatives for clients, the academic community and within Aquafor Beech. Presentation Description: The 'Nine Step Process' as outlined in MNR's Adaptive Management of Stream Corridors document is applied to Highland Creek and recommendations/modifications for its use are presented. W1B - Water & Climate Change This session will focus on how Conservation Authorities and provincial programs are meeting and what can be done to leverage the impact of the 59 recommendations within the provincial Expert Panel on Climate Change Adaptation’s November 2009 report. Title: Adapting to Climate Change in Ontario - Recommendations of the Expert Panel on Climate Change Adaptation Speaker: Dr. David Pearson, Co-Chair Ontario’s Expert Panel on Climate Change Adaptation Presentation Biography: No information submitted yet. Title: Provincial Guide for Assessment of Hydrologic Effects of Climate Change in Ontario Speaker: Sam Bellamy, AquaResource Presentation Biography: No information submitted yet. Title: No presentation title provided yet. Speakers: Debbie Ramsay & Kathleen O’Neil, Ministry of the Environment Presentation Biography: No information submitted yet. W1C - Natural. Heritage. Systems. - Three Little Words, One Big Concept This session will focus on the efforts of a variety of organizations to develop plans for the protection of biodiversity at the landscape level. Title: Stakeholder Engagement: A Foundation for Natural Heritage Systems (NHS) Identification and Conservation in Leeds & Grenville Counties Speaker: Elizabeth Spang, Ministry of Natural Resources Presentation Biography: Elizabeth Spang has a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning and a Batchelor of Science in Biology from Queen’s University. She is currently working in the Information Management and Spatial Analysis Unit at the Ministry of Natural Resources in Peterborough. For the past year and a half, she has supported two landscape-scale, multi-stakeholder natural heritage systems projects in eastern Ontario. As a result, Elizabeth has gained a great deal of experience working with stakeholders with diverse interests and applying a novel approach for developing natural heritage systems developed by MNR. Presentation Description: Many organizations are involved in conservation but are their activities integrated? An eastern Ontario project demonstrates that engaging stakeholders in ecological target-setting for natural heritage systems can support more strategic, coordinated approaches to conservation and stewardship. Title: Towards a Natural Heritage System for the Credit River Watershed Speaker: Dr. Aviva Patel, Credit Valley Conservation Presentation Biography: Aviva Patel is the Terrestrial Specialist at Credit Valley Conservation and responsible for the development of a Natural Heritage System for the Credit River watershed. She received her Ph.D. in ecology at the University of Miami in Florida, USA. Since then, she has worked on projects involving indicators of forest health, the conservation biology of salmon, and the ecology of plants and pollinators. At Credit Valley Conservation she also coordinates the terrestrial monitoring program that measures trends in the health of forests, wetlands, and riparian zones of the watershed. Presentation Description: The presentation will cover the assessment of natural areas for ecological function at a watershed scale, development of a Natural Heritage System for the Credit River watershed and approaches to implementation. Title: Mapping Our Natural Heritage: A Vision for Muskoka Speaker: Phung Tran, Ministry of Natural Resources & formerly of the Muskoka Heritage Foundation and Judi Brouse, District of Muskoka / Muskoka Watershed Council Presentation Phung Tran's Biography: Phung Tran is currently a Landscape Planning Biologist for the Ministry of Natural Resources, working on reviewing activities that impact natural heritage values at a landscape level and coordinating biological reviews for various District wide projects. Phung acquired her biology and environmental science degree from Trent University and trained in GIS at Sir Sandford Fleming College. She spent several years in the field surveying and collecting life-history information for reptiles and amphibians in Southern Ontario and Algonquin Provincial Park for a wide range of organizations and agencies, including the Toronto Zoo, University of Guelph and St Clair Region Conservation Authority. She formerly worked as a Spatial Ecologist for the Muskoka Heritage Foundation developing and completing the Muskoka Watershed Inventory where biological data was combined with mapping technology to help determine gaps in protection for natural areas and prioritize among areas for conservation. Judi Brouse's Biography: Judi is the Director of Watershed Programs for the District Municipality of Muskoka and the Muskoka Watershed Council. She has an undergraduate degree in Geography from the University of Waterloo and a Masters in Regional and Resource Planning from the same university. Judi moved to Muskoka in February 1984 to work for the District Municipality of Muskoka as a planner. She has been responsible for the Lake System Health and Recreational Water Quality program for over 25 years and led the recent review of the lake system health program. In 2001, when the District Municipality of Muskoka and the Muskoka Heritage Foundation created the Muskoka Watershed Council Judi became the Director of Watershed Programs for the joint venture. Judi now spends most of her time working with volunteers on water quality, environmental health and shoreline stewardship issues. Judi has overseen the development of the 2004, 2007, and 2010 Muskoka Watershed Report Cards. Presentation Description: The Watershed Inventory Project (WIP) is unique because it is a collaborative of volunteer, municipal, provincial, and federal agencies. The WIP is a GIS mapping exercise for Muskoka that identifies ecologically significant areas and how these lands are connected across the landscape. The WIP has been used to identify properties by the Land Trust, report on the state of the watersheds in Muskoka, and for natural heritage planning. The development of the WIP has also lead to discussions about the use of relevant and accurate information and the challenges of updating a volunteer driven system. W1D - Traditions and Teachings: Our Legacy and our Future? Cultural and spiritual knowledge traditions will highlight the interrelatedness of humans and our natural environment in this panel discussion. Topics for exploration include spiritual spaces that incorporate plants, teachings and healing, indigenous naming of places as a means of communicating ancient knowledge about that ecosystem, the importance of water teachings, and the integration of traditional knowledge with contemporary science. Panel Discussion Moderator: Dr. John L. Steckley, Humber College Biography: John Steckley has been teaching at Humber College in Toronto since 1983, and has also taught Anthropology at Memorial University of Newfoundland and at Trent University, and Native Studies and Anthropology at Laurentian University. He has recently published 12 books: Beyond Their Years: Five Native Women’s Stories (1999); (with Bryan Cummins) Full Circle: Canada’s First Nations (2001; second edition, 2007)) and Aboriginal Policing: A Canadian Perspective (2002); Aboriginal Voices and the Politics of Representation in Canadian Introductory Sociology Textbooks (2003) and De Religione: Telling the 17th Century Jesuit Story in Huron to the Iroquois (2004), Words of the Huron (2007), (with Guy Letts) Elements of Sociology: A Critical Canadian Introduction (2007, second edition 2010), A Huron-English/English-Huron Dictionary (2007), White Lies About the Inuit (2008), and Gabriel Sagard’s Dictionary of Huron (2009). He worked as a consultant for CBC’s Canada: A People’s History, and has been interviewed on several radio and television stations. His area of specialization is Canada’s Aboriginal people, and he is a leading expert in the Huron language and culture. He has a doctorate in Education from the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, an M.A. in Anthropology from Memorial University of Newfoundland, and a B.A. in Anthropology from York University. He was adopted into the Wyandot tribe of Kansas in 1999, and was given the name Tehaondechoren (“He splits the country in two”). Panelist: Anthony Templer, Peel Aboriginal Network Biography: Born to and raised by a traditional medicine woman, Anthony is Elk clan, and is now living in Brampton in the Region of Peel. His formal education has given him a B.A. in Psychology, and is a Master Carpenter. The spiritual path has been a part of Anthony’s life for the past 38 years; having received many teachings from across Turtle Island, ranging from the Yukon to Arizona. Currently, he is involved with Healer Isaac Day receiving teachings through the spirit realm. Anthony performs certain ceremonies and has worked with various organizations throughout Turtle Island for the restoration of body, mind and spirit. Today, he is involved with sharing his gifts, through the drum and flute, to help bring balance and insight to others. At this juncture he and his partner are sharing, aboriginal teachings with children and families, through the school systems and workshops. Currently he is the Co-Chair and Treasurer of Peel Aboriginal Network that provide Social, Cultural, Education and Awareness of Aboriginal Teachings. Panelist: Shkode Neegan Waaawaaskone Kim Wheatley, Turtle Island Conservation at Toronto Zoo Presentation Biography: Her spirit name translates to “First/Leader of the Fire Flower”. Kim is Anishinaabe, Turtle Clan from Shawanaga First Nation Reserve located in the Muskoka region of Ontario. She has been the Aboriginal Programme Coordinator for Turtle Island Conservation at the Toronto Zoo for 3 yrs. Kim’s passionate commitment to the legacy of Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge through First Nation community involvement has facilitated her role as coordinator for Turtle Island Conservation. The programme is committed to the preservation of community cultural & natural history priorities, wild life and wild places, incorporating turtle and wetland conservation programming for generations to come. Panelist: Marianne Karsh, Arborvitae and Ignatius Jesuit Centre of Guelph Presentation Biography: The Ignatius Jesuit Centre of Guelph is honoured to have Marianne Karsh, B.Sc.F., M.Sc.F., as coordinator of the Ecology Project. In this role, she is responsible for developing new programs in ecology and spirituality. Marianne delivers the majority of the on-site programs and gives retreats throughout Canada to religious organizations, churches, school boards and private organizations. She is also the director of Arborvitae, a member of the Russet House Farm community, and a senior scientist for Environment Canada specializing in biodiversity and climate change. Marianne has been leading nature and spirituality field trips, courses and retreats for more than a decade. As a forest research scientist and director of Arborvitae, she brings many years of experience in group facilitation, writing and speaking to her position as coordinator. She is passionate about reconnecting people with the Earth through her knowledge of theology, ecology and science. W1E - Food & Stewardship Dr. Wayne Roberts will moderate this session in which we’ll discuss the influence of our food production and food consumption practices on the diversity of the rural landscape. Moderated by Dr. Wayne Roberts, Toronto Food Policy Council Title: Farming the Park Speaker: Elbert van Donkersgoed, Terra Coeur Presentation Biography: No information submitted yet. Title: Making Space for Agriculture: A New Way of Doing Business Speaker: Gary Wilkins, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Presentation Biography: Gary Wilkins graduated from York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with a degree in biology. He has worked for the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority since 1977. Since 1995 he has held the position of Humber Watershed Specialist. He was responsible for the development of the award winning management plan for the Humber River watershed entitled, Legacy: A Strategy for a Healthy Humber and the award winning, Report Card on the Health of the Humber River. He also managed the successful campaign to have the Humber designated a Canadian Heritage River in 1999. Today, he works closely with the community-based Humber Watershed Alliance; a task force responsible for implementing the Humber watershed management plan. His primary responsibilities involve the establishment of partnerships, engaging the community in watershed management, environmental advocacy, implementing environmental projects that protect and restore habitats, near urban agriculture on public land, and communicating watershed health through the media, presentations and special events. Gary is a member of the Canadian Institute of Planning and a Registered Professional Planner. Presentation Description: All around us we see an increasing awareness and a behavioural shift by people looking for food that is locally grown, safe and nutritious. A new kind of agriculture is emerging in city regions requiring different partners, different crops and different ways of doing business. Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) has re-evaluated it traditional role in agriculture and is making a conscious effort to contribute to local food and the agricultural sector. As the largest landowner in the most populated region of the country, TRCA is now reserving some of its land for urban and near urban agriculture. The presentation discusses a new agriculture land and local food procurement policy, and four new urban farm ventures that focus on skill development, production and corporate self sufficiency. Making a contribution to sustainable communities is the underlying corporate objective. Title: Farm to Fork: Restoring Local Food Systems through Urban Agriculture Speaker: Jason Tran, University of Guelph Presentation Biography: Jason Tran holds an MSc in Capacity Development, where his research focused on the socio-ecological restoration of urban landscapes through urban agriculture. He also holds an honours BSc in Environmental Sciences from Guelph. Jason has past contributed as a lead researcher on several ethno foods and water quality studies. While previously working with conservation authorities, more recently, Jason was appointed as Liaison Officer for the Ontario Agricultural College at Guelph, where he is developing and coordinating environmental and agricultural education outreach initiatives for high schools. He is also a sessional lecturer for the School of Environmental Sciences at Guelph. Presentation Description: This study of Milton, Ontario explores community perception towards landscape restoration through urban agriculture infrastructure (ie. greenhouses, hydroponics, community gardens). Linkages are made between urban agriculture, stewardship, sustainability and health. W1F - Perspectives on the Biodiversity Agenda - Part I Please attend both sessions. The first part of this session explores the issues and opportunities in the Province for biodiversity with a series of presentations representing various government and NGO viewpoints. A facilitated panel discussion will ensue with opportunities for audience interaction. Title: The Provincial Perspective Speaker: Eric Boysen, Ministry of Natural Resources Biography: Eric Boysen is the Director of the Ministry of Natural Resources’ Biodiversity Branch. The Branch is responsible for the development of policies and programs to support the management of Ontario’s fish, wildlife and water resources, and to broadly advance biodiversity conservation principles throughout MNR programs. Eric is also the Director of the Renewable Energy Program. Presentation Description: Eric will reflect on actions taken to conserve Ontario’s biodiversity over the last 5 years and discuss opportunities for additional efforts as we move forward with the renewal of Ontario’s Biodiversity Strategy. Title: The Watchdog’s Perspective Speaker: Gord Miller, Environmental Commissioner for Ontario Biography: Gord Miller is the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, the province’s independent environmental watchdog. Appointed by the Legislative Assembly, the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario is tasked under the Environmental Bill of Rights with publicly reporting on the government’s environmental decision-making. Title: The First Nations Perspective Speaker: Paul General, Six Nations Land and Resources, Wildlife Eco-Centre Biography: I am the Wildlife Officer and Manager of the Six Nations Eco-centre; a position which I have held for many years. This multi-faceted position entails many daily activities such as, monitoring the Grand River Notification Agreement and the Environmental Bill of Rights Registry. I am also active in over 40 committees monitoring and contributing towards the protection and enhancement of our environment. I have a diploma in Fine Art and Photography and continue to work as a painter/ photographer. I have authored and co-authored articles in a variety of publications, periodicals and books. I am an ecologist/environmentalist by virtue of my work experience and upbringing as a First Nations person. I have experience in many other fields such as botany, biology, archaeology, construction, engineering, forestry, agriculture. I am a teacher and instructor conducting workshops, training sessions, delivering presentations and talks for schools, universities, public interest groups, organizations etc. I am frequently requested to serve as a guest lecturer at Brock U; U. of Toronto; Guelph U; U. of Western Ontario; Wilfred Laurier U; U of Waterloo; Mohawk College, Fanshawe College, In 2009 I served as one of several keynote speakers at the “International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives” (ICEI) World Congress in Edmonton Alberta. In 2008 I was invested as a recipient of the Ontario “Medal for Good Citizenship” for my work in these and other fields. Title: The NGO Perspective Speaker: Michelle Kanter, Carolinian Canada Coalition Biography: Michelle Kanter has held the position of Executive Director of the Carolinian Canada Coalition since 2003 and has been involved with the Coalition since its inception in 1984. With 25 years of conservation experience in wildlife research and land stewardship, she has worked with a broad range of stakeholders around the world. As a consultant, she developed an award-winning community stewardship program and at the Nature Conservancy of Canada, she helped protect some of the best remaining natural areas in the Carolinian Life Zone. She currently sits on the Ontario Species at Risk Policy Advisory Committee. Presentation Description: Since the launch of Carolinian Canada’s Big Picture there has been great momentum toward improved natural heritage protection, stewardship and restoration. However, new challenges have emerged recently that are tied to major economic and social trends; species and habitats are still declining; and this region remains one of the most threatened in Canada. This situation calls for ambitious new ways of approaching conservation on a multi-use landscape. The Coalition is working with many partners on Conservation Action Plans for Biodiversity Hotspots and a new Coastal Zone program to coordinate, catalyze and integrate conservation more deeply into community decision-making in our most vulnerable areas. In the face of climate change, it is critical that our combined efforts go beyond networks of green, and are recognized as fundamental building blocks to help communities, both natural and human, thrive into the future. W1G - Put Your Best Foot Forward Communicating information successfully to the media requires a well-prepared strategy and an understanding of what the media expects from you. The information in this media training session will provide a framework so that when journalists call, you can take control and respond in a relaxed and confident manner. Title: Put Your Best Foot Forward Speakers: J.J. Beechie and Doug Skeggs, Ministry of Natural Resources Presentation Handout 1 Handout 2 J.J. Beechie's Biography: J.J. was raised in London, Ontario where he spent his early summers playing on Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. He graduated from the University of Toronto, in 1988, with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology. J.J. first worked for the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) in 1988 in the Public Information Centre at Queen’s Park answering various questions from the public and media. During the 1990s J.J. worked extensively on the wildlife draws for moose, deer and turkey. This included developing communications around the draws and changes to the programs such as new regulations or policies and new technologies such as the Interactive Voice Response application and draw results systems for the various draws. In March of 2000 J.J. joined MNR’s Peterborough District as their media relations expert. While in this position he had a number of acting assignments including as a Senior Communication Planner, as the communication planner on the Bear Wise program when it was first being developed and as the Provincial Fire Information Officer during the major forest fire season of 2006. In 2008 he moved to the MNR’s Enforcement Branch as the Issues Management and Strategic Directions Coordinator. While he does not deal directly with the media in this position he continues to provide key messages related to the ministry’s integrated enforcement program to other ministry spokespeople, senior management and political staff. Doug Skeggs's Biography: Doug began his career as newspaper reporter and editor and then moved into government communications. Doug has been with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources for 26 years, in a variety of positions in different parts of the organization in several areas of Ontario. He now works as a communications and issue management specialist for MNR in the Ottawa Valley. Doug has also worked extensively over the past 25 years for non-profit organizations involved in river conservation and protection. Most recently he was involved in the establishment of a new national organization for river conservation called the Canadian Rivers Network.
3:30pm - 4:00pm	Refreshment Break
4:00pm - 5:30pm	Concurrent Sessions
	W2A - Integrated Watershed Management and Biodiversity Integrated watershed management (IWM) provides an opportunity to address the loss of biodiversity in Ontario’s ecosystems. The session will discuss the concept of linking biodiversity into IWM and how it has successfully been completed by provincial and local agencies. Title: Creating the Context for Biodiversity Management through IWM Speaker: Jack Imhof, Ministry of Natural Resources Presentation Biography: Jack Imhof is an aquatic ecologist with over 30 years of experience and presently the National Biologist for Trout Unlimited Canada and cross appointed with the Ontario Ministry of Nartural Resources. Jack is also an adjunct professor at the University of Guelph and an adjunct professor through the Department of Biology at the University of Waterloo. Jack has spent over 35 years of his life working on river and watershed restoration. He and Jerry Smitka wrote the original MNR Trout Stream Habitat Improvement Manual in 1982. Jack has taught a graduate course in restoration ecology at the University of Guelph. He is also a watershed scientist and has been involved in the development and implementation of 8-10 watershed/subwatershed plans including the Grand River Fisheries Management Plan and the development of the Natural Channel Systems initiative in Ontario. Jack has received a numerous awards for restoration work over the years from the American Fisheries Society, Izaak Walton Fly Fishing Club and Ontario Streams as well one of the co-recipients of the Ontario Amethyst Award for excellence in public service and a co-recipient of the National Recreational Fisheries Award with the Grand River Fisheries Management Plan Implementation Committee. In 2010 he was given the CVC Award of Excellence for his personal and professional contribution to the Credit River Watershed. He is Past-President of the Ontario Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Jack’s hobbies include photography, fly fishing and martial arts (Yoshinkan Aikido – 3rd Dan). Title: Measuring the Success of Watershed Based Fisheries Management Plans: Science and Planning Meet Speaker: Christine Tu, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Presentation Biography: Christine Tu is an aquatic biologist at Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA) who has been supervising the Aquatic Management Group for over 4 years. This group, in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources, has been the lead for developing and updating watershed-based fisheries management plans (FMPs) as well as characterizing existing conditions of the aquatic system and setting measures and targets for biodiversity and stream health as part of writing FMPs and watershed plans. This group also undertakes applied research to fill data gaps identified through various land and aquatic resource planning processes. Presentation Description: The Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA), in partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR), is in the process of finalizing The Rouge River Fisheries Management Plan (FMP). This FMP upholds the principles of the Ontario Biodiversity Strategy and lays out criteria on which to evaluate management success which are tied to recommended implementation projects that: address the driving factor(s) limiting target fish species production, attain measurable ecological gains, close knowledge gaps and consider the feasibility to complete work within specified timelines. Also, this FMP strives for more specific recognition towards advancement into the realm of early land use planning that underscores the links between upland changes and aquatic system condition which must be understood and protected in order to achieve the FMPs goals of aquatic health and biodiversity. Title: Protecting Biodiversity with Watershed Based Provincial Policy: The Lake Simcoe Protection Plan Speaker: Jason Borwick, Ministry of Natural Resources Presentation Biography: Jason graduated from York University with an Honours B.Sc. and obtained a Masters from Trent University researching juvenile brook trout habitat and its relationship to groundwater hydrology in Algonquin Park. He has worked with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources as a management biologist for over 8 years in various capacities and is presently the Aquatic Resources Management Biologist with MNR’s Lake Simcoe Team, Aurora District. Presentation Description: Lake Simcoe is a uniquely managed watershed within the province of Ontario as it is the only watershed to have dedicated legislation and a provincial plan aimed at improving the overall ecological health of a waterbody and its watershed. A multi Ministry Lake Simcoe Protection Act and Plan built on a grass roots movement aimed at improving the health of the watershed and continued the remedial efforts of the Lake Simcoe Environmental Management Strategy. This Act and Plan takes a holistic approach to protecting the ecological form and function of the watershed including its native biodiversity. Government commitments requiring actions to restore the cold water fish community, improve water quality, preserve water quantity, prevent further invasive species invasions, protecting natural heritage and implementing large scale farm and rural stewardship programs are just a few of the key components of the plan that will all help to protect and improve the biodiversity of Lake Simcoe and its watershed. W2B - Adapting and Mitigating Climate Change Low Impact Development - a continuation of the previous session with a focus on innovative stormwater management practices. Title: Developing Stormwater Management Criteria to Protect Fisheries and Natural Heritage Speaker: Sameer Dhalla, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Presentation Biography: Sameer is a Manager of Water Resources at the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. He has over 12 years of experience in both the private and public sector and has worked on many projects from watershed planning to floodplain management. At the TRCA, Sameer manages a team of engineers and scientists in reviewing development applications, implementing water resources projects and developing water management guidelines and policies. Today Sameer is going provide an overview of developing Stormwater Management Criteria for Watershed protection. Title: The Low Impact Development Stormwater Management Guide – A Further Evolution of Stormwater Management in Ontario Speaker: Dean Young, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Presentation Biography: For the past eight years Dean has worked for the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. His work has involved designing and coordinating interdisciplinary studies in support of watershed and subwatershed management plans. He is currently a project manager with the Sustainable Technologies Evaluation Program and evaluating the performance of a variety of stormwater infiltration practices. He is a graduate of the Masters of Environmental Studies program at York University, where he specialized in watershed management and ecological restoration. He also holds a Bachelors degree in Chemistry. Presentation Description: A recently completed guidance document, developed by Credit Valley Conservation and Toronto and Region Conservation, contributes to the further evolution of stormwater management in Ontario. Title: Landscape Design Guide for Low Impact Development Speaker: Robb Lukes, Credit Valley Conservation Authority Presentation Biography: Robb Lukes joined Credit Valley Conservation as a Water Resource Specialist in July 2009. Robb’s primary focus is on developing guidance, training, and demonstration projects for Low Impact Development. Prior to joining the CVC, he worked on LID projects for government organization and nonprofits across North America while at the Low Impact Development Center in Maryland. Robb has a M.S. in Water Resource Management from the University of Wisconsin and a B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Portland. Presentation Description: Plant selection and landscaped design for LID is essential not just to the stormwater functions of LID but also to the public’s perception and acceptance of LID. W2C - Tools of the Trade: Building Up Biodiversity This session will outline some of the methods or tools used by those planning for biodiversity. Title: Documenting Biodiversity: DNA Barcoding Speaker: Robert Hanner, Canadian Barcode of Life Network / Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph Presentation Biography: No information submitted yet. Title: Using the New Natural Heritage Reference Manual to Integrate Biodiversity Conservation Into Land Use Planning Speakers: Greg Pulham & Michael Bevan, Ministry of Natural Resources Presentation Greg Pulham's Biography: Greg is a Team Leader and Senior Policy Advisor with the Natural Heritage, Lands and Protected Spaces Branch of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources in Peterborough. He was responsible for leading the review and modernization of the Natural Heritage Reference Manual, successfully completed in April 2010. Greg is currently coordinating MNR’s involvement in the review of the Provincial Policy Statement. Prior to rejoining MNR in the year 2000, Greg worked as a senior planner with the County of Renfrew and held planning positions with several of Ontario’s conservation authorities. Greg graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Environmental Studies degree. Greg is a Registered Professional Planner as a full member of the Canadian Institute of Planners and Ontario Professional Planners Institute Michael Bevan's Biography: Michael is a Municipal Planning Advisor with the Natural Heritage, Lands and Protected Spaces Branch of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources in Peterborough. He has over seven years of land use planning and natural resource management experience working at municipal and provincial government levels. Michael has a Bachelor Degree of Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo in Honours Geography Co-operative Program. As a member of the Canadian Institute of Planners and Ontario Professional Planners Institute, Michael is working to better understand the relationship between the natural and built environments and integrate them into land use planning decisions that promote sustainable development. Presentation Description: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources’ staff will provide an overview of the second edition Natural Heritage Reference Manual. The manual represents the Province’s recommended technical criteria and approaches for being consistent with the natural heritage policies of the Provincial Policy Statement, 2005. An emphasis will be placed on how to use the new manual as a tool for integrating biodiversity conservation into the land use planning process. Title: Protecting Biodiversity with Strategic Lands Securement Speakers: Robert Orland, Orland Conservation and Rebecca Zeran, Ministry of Natural Resources Presentation Robert Orland's Biography: No information submitted yet. Rebecca Zeran's Biography: Raised in eastern Ontario, Rebecca has spent the majority of her career working with natural resources and the environment. She obtained her Bachelors of Science (Hon.) degree from the University of Guelph and has a Master’s of Science degree from McGill University. Her career with the Ministry of Natural Resources began in 2001 in north-western Ontario as part of the Ministry’s internship program. Since then she has worked with a variety of programs in MNR, including protected areas planning, wetland conservation, bird conservation, stewardship and land securement. W2D - Exploring Transition in our Communities As we head for a future affected by the realities of diminishing oil and gas supplies and climate change, communities are developing strategies to address these challenges. Explore how dedicated individuals are creatively empowering themselves in the face of impending change. Title: We Are Now Official – Now What? Speaker: Mike Fox, Transition Town Barrie Biography: Some might say that Mike Fox’s career has changed gears more often than an indy race car driver. From repo man to roofing contractor, to commissioned salesman, to vice president of a major American bank, to teaching sales and marketing to college students, Mike brings a diverse perspective to the projects he tackles. In addition to a diploma in Business Accounting, Mike has earned his Life Underwriter’s license and is a currently licensed as a Mortgage Agent. He was also awarded his Black Belt in Six Sigma process improvement and is a recipient of the National Life Underwriter’s Quality Award. Under the title, ‘Fox on Finance’, Mike offered management advice through his monthly column in a national MacLean Hunter periodical. In addition to chairing the board of a local award winning community theatre, Mike was a founding member of a local business-to-business networking group and is founding member and spokesperson for a proactive Downtown resident Association. In addition to being a founding member of Transition Barrie, Mike sits on the board of a local environmental charity, Living Green Barrie, and BASE3, a committee recently formed by the Barrie Chamber of Commerce to promote green business practices to its membership. Mike is a strong believer in community involvement. He participates in a wide spectrum of advisory groups including a recent police services task force to hire a new chief of police, an ongoing community advisory committee to Barrie’s energy mapping project, an advisory committee to Barrie’s Ecofest, and the Dodge City Task Force which was formed by city council based on Mike’s request to review bar related issues in Barrie’s entertainment district. Mike and his wife Karen recently organized a Mayoral Candidate debate focusing on environmental policy in Barrie. With Gord Miller as moderator, the debate attracted an audience of over 500 people, not to mention some major media attention. Mike is also working to save a free clothing store that was recently opened and is working to introduce the Greenzine magazine to Simcoe County. With a Brady bunch family that includes 6 grown children and 9 grandchildren, Mike has little spare time. But in an effort to practice what they preach, Mike and his wife Karen have transformed their downtown property into an edible garden space complete with a greenhouse, and a shed built primarily from 2nd hand material. They proudly eliminated the final patch of grass on their property earlier this fall. Title: Economic Relocalization Framework Speaker: Fred Irwin, Transition Town Peterborough Biography: Fred is a retired business man, who started his career as a sales engineer for Canada’s largest oil company, and along the way was a global executive for alternative energy heating and air conditioning systems much more popular in Asia and Europe than North America. Formally educated in finance and marketing he made his first hugely unpopular and unsuccessful presentation on Peak Oil in North America in the late 1970’s to the Ontario Minister of Transportation in an effort to stop a major highway widening project in the Peterborough area. Now after retirement and the discovery of the transition movement on the internet, Fred started Transition Town Peterborough in December 2007 and now is happy to be talking openly about Global Peak Oil and how in combination with Climate Change and Economic Instability leads to the need to build local resilience as a bridge to the sustainable future we are all so much in favour of. His talk today outlines the Economic Relocalization Strategy in early start- up in Peterborough, Ontario. Now in its third year Fred is the Secretary and the leader of the Economic Relocalization Working Group of TTP Presentation Description: The presentation will outline the components of the Transition Town Peterborough Economic Relocalization Strategy, its early support and what we are trying to accomplish. Title: The Heart and Soul of Transition Speaker: Sue McKee, Transition Town York Region Presentation Biography: Sue McKee is a strategic futurist who partners with leaders and citizens to create resilient people systems. Holding sustainable living and sustainable business a priority, Sue draws on expertise in relationship systems, values-driven cultures, and change management to build purposeful organizations and communities that excel in collaboration, communication, and commitment to their noble cause. Sue is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach through The Coaches Training Institute. She is also an experienced trainer and facilitator, as a trained specialist in the Cultural Transformation Tools®, the Team Diagnostic® Program, and the Transition Town Movement. Additionally, Sue utilizes her training in relationship systems coaching and various human consciousness evolution models to apply a systems approach to every challenge, and help guide leaders and groups through the next stage of their personal and professional growth. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur in 2003, Sue spent 14 years in cross-functional roles within Unilever Canada, drawing on her Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry and her MBA. Sue’s work experience in marketing, sales, internal audit and innovation provides her with a well-rounded experience base from which to coach and lead organizations and communities toward a more sustainable and resilient future. W2E - Farmers and Biodiversity Projects Many Ontario farmers undertake projects to benefit biodiversity, wildlife and habitat. Each project has its joys and challenges. Three farmers from different parts of Ontario will share their experiences on what they were hoping to achieve, the challenges and the final results. The future of Ontario’s biodiversity depends on such stewardship actions and the support that can be given to landowners like these. Tools like the Environmental Farm Plan, Canada-Ontario Farm Stewardship Program and the Species-at-Risk Farm Incentive Program help support actions like these. Title: On-Farm Projects for Loggerhead Shrike Speaker: Nancy Tilt, Halton County farmer and freelance writer Presentation Biography: Nancy Tilt writes for the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association about wildlife and land stewardship issues facing farmers. She is currently working on a series about farmers living with, and managing their operations to benefit, species at risk. Nancy worked for the Ministry of Natural Resources as a wildlife biologist prior to "retiring" to raise two daughters and work on the mixed farm she and her husband operate near Guelph. Presentation Description: The presentation touches on the biology of a species at risk, the Eastern Loggerhead Shrike, its history in Ontario, and how its continued presence depends on agricultural practice. The stewardship initiatives of three Ontario producers in maintaining short grassland, the shrike’s preferred habitat, are highlighted. Title: COFSP: Connecting Farmers and Biodiversity Speaker: Dr. Bill Ford, Grey County agricultural landowner Presentation Biography: Bill is a psychologist and Director of Educational Connections. Bill grew up on his grandparents’ and uncle’s dairy and chicken farms in Milton and then in Stoney Creek where his interest in viniculture took root. In 2007, Bill purchased a farm in Beaver Valley given its unique micro-climate to establish a vineyard. He successfully completed an Environmental Farm Plan and has had several projects supported through COFSP. Bill has been acknowledged as one of Ontario’s “Green Leaders” by the Minister of Natural Resources and by Trees Ontario. His innovative projects have been featured in the Globe & Mail’s Report on Business, Rural Voice and The Ontario Farmer. Presentation Description: The presentation illustrates how unproductive land on a derelict cattle farm was transformed into an enhanced wildlife habitat by strategically integrating permanent water passages, sediment basins, riparian strips, streams and the restoration of an open wetland. Title: Biodiversity as It Relates to Terwidlen Farms Speaker: Tom Barrie, Durham Region farmer Presentation Biography: Tom Barrie, along with his two brothers, owns and operates a 1000 acre dairy /cash crop farm east of Bowmanville. To compliment his passion for farming, Tom is also a sales representative and crop advisor for Pioneer Seeds. Tom has actively participated in several agricultural-based committees and boards for the past 25 years. He currently holds the Secretary/Treasurer position of Durham Region Soil and Crop Improvement Association and is actively involved as Chairman of the Environmental Farm Plan Peer Review Committee for Durham Region. At a local level, Tom has acted as Chair for the Clarington Agricultural Advisory Committee, and continues as an effective member of this committee. In his spare time, Tom is dedicated to the agricultural community and enjoys canoeing, reading, and spending time with his wife, Sally and their three daughters and their families. Presentation Description: The presentation describes the history of our farm and how we arrived at the cropping program we are practicing now. I’ll also attempt to explain why some things work and some don’t. W2F - Perspectives on the Biodiversity Agenda - Part II This is a moderated session with a panel discussion on emerging and current issues for biodiversity and solutions that can be applied. These four speakers will be discussing preselected questions and taking questions from the audience. It is our intent to tape this session. Panel Discussion Panelist: Eric Boysen, Ministry of Natural Resources Biography: Eric Boysen is the Director of the Ministry of Natural Resources’ Biodiversity Branch. The Branch is responsible for the development of policies and programs to support the management of Ontario’s fish, wildlife and water resources, and to broadly advance biodiversity conservation principles throughout MNR programs. Eric is also the Director of the Renewable Energy Program. Panelist: Gord Miller, Environmental Commissioner for Ontario Biography: Gord Miller is the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, the province’s independent environmental watchdog. Appointed by the Legislative Assembly, the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario is tasked under the Environmental Bill of Rights with publicly reporting on the government’s environmental decision-making. Panelist: Paul General, Six Nations Land and Resources, Wildlife Eco-Centre Biography: I am the Wildlife Officer and Manager of the Six Nations Eco-centre; a position which I have held for many years. This multi-faceted position entails many daily activities such as, monitoring the Grand River Notification Agreement and the Environmental Bill of Rights Registry. I am also active in over 40 committees monitoring and contributing towards the protection and enhancement of our environment. I have a diploma in Fine Art and Photography and continue to work as a painter/ photographer. I have authored and co-authored articles in a variety of publications, periodicals and books. I am an ecologist/environmentalist by virtue of my work experience and upbringing as a First Nations person. I have experience in many other fields such as botany, biology, archaeology, construction, engineering, forestry, agriculture. I am a teacher and instructor conducting workshops, training sessions, delivering presentations and talks for schools, universities, public interest groups, organizations etc. I am frequently requested to serve as a guest lecturer at Brock U; U. of Toronto; Guelph U; U. of Western Ontario; Wilfred Laurier U; U of Waterloo; Mohawk College, Fanshawe College, In 2009 I served as one of several keynote speakers at the “International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives” (ICEI) World Congress in Edmonton Alberta. In 2008 I was invested as a recipient of the Ontario “Medal for Good Citizenship” for my work in these and other fields. Panelist: Michelle Kanter, Carolinian Canada Coalition Biography: Michelle Kanter has held the position of Executive Director of the Carolinian Canada Coalition since 2003 and has been involved with the Coalition since its inception in 1984. With 25 years of conservation experience in wildlife research and land stewardship, she has worked with a broad range of stakeholders around the world. As a consultant, she developed an award-winning community stewardship program and at the Nature Conservancy of Canada, she helped protect some of the best remaining natural areas in the Carolinian Life Zone. She currently sits on the Ontario Species at Risk Policy Advisory Committee. W2G - Science, Stargazing and Volunteers This session will highlight two innovative programs from western Canada that are helping to inspire citizen scientists and eco-tourists. One project demonstrates the value of engaging volunteers to collect and share scientific data, the other looks at combining conservation and stargazing to raise awareness of natural spaces and inspire explorations of the night sky. Both presenters will explore the significance of volunteers’ contributions and the opportunities for public engagement through nature discovery. Title: The Biogeographic Atlases of BC: Building Communities and Generating Knowledge Speakers: Brian Klinkenberg, University of British Columbia Presentation Biography: No information submitted yet. Title: Wilderness Astronomy: Facilitating a New Kind of Eco-Tourism Speakers: Peter McMahon, Wilderness Astronomy.com Biography: Peter McMahon knew he wanted to be a writer by grade 10, the year he started working for his high school paper in Peterborough, Ontario. In 1996, he was accepted into the journalism program at Toronto’s Ryerson University. Since then, Peter has written and produced for some of Canada’s largest media outlets, including CTV, the Toronto Star, the kids magazine YES Mag and Discovery Channel, where he spent seven years as a new media producer and later, senior online producer. While at Discovery, Peter pioneered the first TV-quality live webcasts of science events online. Serving as producer, editor and sometimes host, the productions ranged from live video coverage of the 2007 lunar eclipse to the 2008 university concrete canoe challenge (co-hosted by Survivorman’s Les Stroud and canoe author Kevin Callan), to the FIRST Robotics Canadian championships, to a generation-3 night-vision webcast of the Perseid meteor shower — from inside a meteor crater! As a science journalist, Peter has travelled the world and met some fascinating people: He has covered a space shuttle launch at Cape Canaveral, Florida; helped unearth the bones of a giant carnivorous tyrannosaur in the Alberta badlands; witnessed the reconstruction of a 400-year-old sunken warship in Sweden; walked along the path of a photon in a particle accelerator; and travelled 2 km (4 CN towers!) underground in search of the universe’s missing mass. In his travels, he has met and interviewed "science celebrities" from primate researcher Jane Goodall to James Watson (co-discoverer of the structure of DNA) to Anousheh Ansari (the world’s first female space tourist). He has interviewed "daredevil billionaire" Sir Richard Branson and dozens of American and Canadian astronauts; and he has also worked with science hosts Jay Ingram, Ziya Tong, Natasha Stillwell and sometimes-host of Daily Planet and Daily Planet specials Ed Robertson. Since leaving Discovery and CTV full-time in 2009, Peter has gone on to cover the health science of the Olympics at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games for CTVolympics.ca He is currently working on a number of writing projects with magazines, web sites and the federal government, as well as a series of books on vehicles of the future for Kids Can Press. The ideas for the experiments in his books come from years of creating such activities for hands-on children’s science programs at museums. While working on his latest book, Peter tested his experiments out in the "lab" of his children’s programs, getting feedback on what rocks, what doesn’t and having a lot of fun along the way. An avid backyard astronomer, Peter writes, produces and speaks on topics from do-it-yourself science, to science promotion in Canada, to wilderness stargazing, to space tourism and our future in the cosmos. Presentation Description: Award-winning science journalist Peter McMahon will share his latest field work in attempting to create a new type of campsite experience. From scanning the skies with a collapsible observatory in the Rockies to learning the star stories of this land from First Nations astronomers in Manitoba to navigating constellations by GPS under Canada’s darkest skies, find out how a team of writers, photographers, and volunteers are helping popularize both conservation and stargazing in our nation’s wild spaces.
5:30pm - 7:00pm	Exhibitor Gallery Wine and Cheese
7:00pm - 8:00pm	Harvest Banquet
8:00pm - 11:00pm	Chart Your Own Course & Desserts in the Exhibit Halls
9:00pm - 11:00pm	Hospitality Suite

Day 2 - Thursday, November 18, 2010

8:00am - 10:00am	Registration
8:30am - 10:00am	Concurrent Sessions
	T1A - Watersheds from the Coast to Headwaters: NGO Perspectives on Biodiversity The complex nature of watershed management produces a unique set of challenges for the implementation of stewardship initiatives. Residential activities directly influence the quantity and quality of both ground and surface water sources. Innovative community partnerships strengthen watershed management through biodiversity based stewardship activities. Title: Effective Beach Management through Community Stewardship Speaker: Sara Winterton, Environmental Defense Presentation Biography: Sarah Winterton is the Director of Strategic Partnerships for Environmental Defence. Sarah joined Environmental Defence in 2003, and has been campaigning in the environmental sector since 1985. Some of the campaigns she has worked on at Environmental Defence include the southern Ontario Greenbelt, Ontario’s Clean Water Act, Toxic Nation, Environmental Priorities Outfront, and the international Blue Flag program. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Sustainability Network and the Executive Board of the Foundation for Environmental Education, based in Copenhagen. Her new priority is working with the United Steelworkers on the Blue Green Canada campaign. Title: Urban Roles in Cold Water Stream Protection Speaker: Christine Pritchard, Ontario Streams Presentation Biography: Christine began working for Ontario Streams as part of their summer crew in 2002 and returned as the crew leader for the following two summers before being hired as a Project Biologist in the fall of 2004. Christine is responsible for the coordination and implementation of the Richmond Hill Headwaters Rehabilitation Program, the Caledon Headwaters Rehabilitation Initiative and the Lynde Creek Biodiversity Rehabilitation Program. Christine completed her B.Sc. Honours degree in Environmental Science at the University of Guelph, majoring in Environmental Protection with an area of emphasis in Water Resources. She also obtained a Post-Graduate certificate in Ecosystem Restoration from Niagara College. She can be contacted at christine.pritchard@ontariostreams.on.ca. Presentation Description: Within the boundaries of the Town of Richmond Hill flow many headwater tributaries. Balancing the protection of biodiversity within this urbanized area is an ongoing challenge. A strong partnership between Ontario Streams and the Town of Richmond Hill will be used as a case study to provide examples of community based stream, riparian, and wetland restoration. Title: Headwater Stewardship: Successes and Challenges Speaker: Andrew McCammon, Ontario Headwaters Institute Presentation Biography: Andrew has worked in the environmental sector in Ontario for 20 years and joined the Ontario Headwaters Institute in November of 2008, with a mandate to raise its profile and develop project partnerships. Over the last 18 months, the Institute has delivered 10 events, with attendance of over 400 people, including 2 spring symposia and the series of workshops he is about to describe, delivered with 28 partner organizations. Presentation Description: This presentation will summarize key points from a series of seven workshops delivered across southern Ontario during the spring of 2010 and will touch upon the main challenges facing headwaters, successes and concerns raised in the workshops, and opportunities for further headwater protection in the province, including both policy and community initiatives. T1B - Workshop on the CUAHSI Hydrological Information System (HIS) – Innovation in Technology CUAHSI-HIS is a ground breaking FREE internet-based system for sharing hydrologic data. It is predicated upon the setup of local ‘HydroServers’ enabled with web services that connect to client applications that allow for the publication, discovery and access of data. An overview of this topic will be explored along with insight into local implementation by the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority. Title: The CUAHSI Hydrologic Information System: Improving Access to Water Data Speaker: Dr. Tim Whiteaker, University of Texas, Austin Presentation Biography: Dr. Tim Whiteaker specializes in Hydrologic Information Systems and Geographic Information Systems to support water resources engineering research at The University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Research in Water Resources. He explores innovative ways of using cyberinfrastructure to improve our understanding of our water environment in order to better inform decision-makers about floods, droughts, water pollution, and environmental flows. Presentation Description: An overview of the CUAHSI Hydrologic Information System for sharing hydrologic data is presented, along with insight into local implementation by the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority. Title: CUAHSI HIS - CA Implementation Speakesr: Geoff Verkade & Piper McKinnon, Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority Presentation 1 Presentation 2 Geoff Verkade's Biography: Geoffrey Verkade has been employed by the NPCA and will be marking ten years at the helm of their GIS program this coming June. He is a Fish and Wildlife graduate from Sir Sandford Fleming College and a GIS post graduate from Niagara College. He enjoys his job because of its service aspect and involvement with all of the Authority’s water management programs, but also because of the exposure to new technology and the increasing role of information management in the delivery of public services. His interest in conservation and the natural environment stems from his beliefs and the environmental stewardship commission found in Genesis account of creation. He resides with his wife and two children in the City of Welland. Piper McKinnon's Biography: Piper McKinnon has been working in GIS for the past five years with a focus on web mapping and data services. Her background in web development and design has been integral to her exploration and production of web accessible GIS. She has been with the NPCA since 2008. T1C - The Ghosts of Biodiversity Past, Present and Future The past can inform how we currently approach the protection of biodiversity and help us to set appropriate targets for the future. Title: Reclaiming the Past to Inform the Future Speaker: Dr. Danijela Puric-Mladenovic , University of Toronto Biography: Senior Analyst-Settled Landscape with Southern Ontario Science and Information Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and is Research Associate with the Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto. Her work is concerned with developing innovative strategies and modelling approaches for southern Ontario landscapes which inform strategic land-use planning as well as strategically-based conservation, rehabilitation, restoration, and management of landscapes and vegetation. Presentation Description: This presentation will show the results and findings of pre-settlement landscape and vegetation modelling and mapping for the west side of GTA. The talk will demonstrate how historical vegetation and landscape maps serve as a reference condition, enable GAP analysis and provide critical information to support biodiversity conservation and natural heritage planning and management. With examples, it will be illustrated how protection, conservation, enhancement and restoration could benefit from mapped information on past biodiversity, landscape and vegetation condition. Title: Biodiversity of the Mixed Wood Plains Ecozone Today Speaker: Kim Taylor, Ministry of Natural Resources Biography: Specialist in ecology for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources’ Southern Science and Information Section and lead author of the Ecosystem Status and Trends Report (ESTR) for the Mixedwood Plains (Ontario South of the Shield). Presentation Description: A discussion of the condition of the present biodiversity of the Mixedwood Plains (Southern Ontario) based on the results of the Ecosystem Status and Trends Report for the Mixedwood Plains. Note: The ESTR report for the Mixedwood Plains is part of a national initiative to report on the status and trends of Canada’s biodiversity. Title: A “Targets and Thresholds” Approach to Future Sustainable Landscapes Speakers: Gary Nielsen,Ministry of Natural Resources Biography: Graduated as a forester from University of New Brunswick 1981. He took several years to travel, working in forestry and generally exploring the world before settling in Eastern Ontario to work as a Management Forester, Stewardship Coordinator and Supervisor with the MNR. A birder, a hunter and avid telemark skier, he has recently moved to MNR Peterborough to take up the position of Climate Change Project Coordinator. Presentation Description: An overview of the Stewardship Network of Ontario’s discussion paper entitled “Fostering Collaboration among Stakeholders in Sustainable Landscape Planning in Southern Ontario”. The presentation will discuss ideas on how to move forward with the task of creating a sustainable landscape, resilient to Climate Change and supportive of the high quality of life we want to continue to enjoy in Ontario. T1D - Witnessing and Understanding Change – Diverse Solutions to Diverging Conditions Historical and current analysis and perspectives concerning a diverging climate and the big picture. What are we seeing and what should we do about it? Title: Changes in Winter Temperature and Precipitation Across Ontario and Possible Implications Speaker: Prof. Trevor Dickinson, University of Guelph Presentation Biography: The A.D. Latornell Symposium provides a personal link for Trev, as he worked for Art as a summer student during his undergraduate years. That experience did much to influence Trev to pursue a career in Hydrology. After completing graduate studies at Colorado State University, he became a faculty member in the School of Engineering at the University of Guelph. During his career of more than 40 years at Guelph, Trev has greatly enjoyed working and learning with students of all ages: teaching introductory courses in Engineering Design, and more advanced courses in Deterministic and Stochastic Hydrologic Modeling, Open Channel Hydraulics and Natural Channel Design, and Soil Erosion and Fluvial Sedimentation. He has also been actively engaged in research in various aspects of Watershed Hydrology. As a Professor Emeritus, he is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to remain involved in student research projects, and to get exited about discovering and sharing new ideas. Presentation Description: Studies have been conducted to explore trends in winter temperatures and precipitation across Ontario. The results reveal: (i) the rate at which winter temperatures have been increasing for at least 50 to more than 100 years across the province; (ii) how these rising temperatures have led to increases in the number of frost-free days each year; and (iii) how the rising temperatures have led to a decrease in snowfall and an increase in rainfall during the winter months. Implications of these trends regarding possible changes in winter runoff patterns are noted. Title: Adaptation by Design – the Impact of Changing Climate on Infrastructure and Ecosystem Services Speaker: Heather Auld, Environment Canada Presentation Biography: No information submitted yet. T1E -Community Lake Stewardship Volunteer-based lake associations made up of waterfront owners are becoming increasingly proactive and effective in advocating for and monitoring the health of their lakes. This session will look at how these associations and their volunteers are working with all levels of government to ensure the ecosystem health of their lakes. Title: The Kawartha Lake Stewards: Improving Lake Health through Volunteer-Based Research, Monitoring and Education Speaker: Mike Stedman, Kawartha Lake Stewards Presentation Biography: Retired Professional Engineer after a career in manufacturing heavy equipment for the international Utility market. For the past ten years have undertaken volunteer leadership roles including the Stony/Clear/White Lakeplan, township official plan and zoning by-law amendment, Greater Peterborough Economic Development Tourism Advisory Committee, Voices for the Trent Severn Waterway, the Sturgeon Lake Management Plan Community Advisory Panel and President of the Kawartha Lake Stewards Association. Presentation Description: Success factors for a volunteer stewardship model based on a coordinated approach to water quality monitoring in the Kawartha Lakes including research and public education initiatives. Title: Mobilizing the Power of Many to Affect Change on Haliburton Lakes Speaker: Paul MacInnes, Coalition of Haliburton Property Owners Associations Presentation Biography: Paul MacInnes is his work life is President of Paul D. MacInnes & Associates Ltd. a firm providing specialized consulting to the Canadian Agri Food Industry as well as all the federal and provincial governments. In his volunteer life Paul is President of The Maple, Beech and Cameron Lakes Area Property Owners Association, Executive Member of The Coalition of Haliburton Property Owners Associations, and a member of the Haliburton Highlands Stewardship Council. Presentation Description: How over 30 lakes in the Haliburton County are coming together to advance lake stewardship. Title: Lake Plans: Empowering Local Communities Speakers: Randy P. French, French Planning Presentation Biography: Randy French is a planner and facilitator whose career has involved projects with community groups, municipalities, conservation authorities, provincial and federal agencies and Aboriginal communities. Randy has recently reinvigorated lake planning in Ontario by designing a ‘grass roots’ community-based process that makes local people aware and responsible for taking action to protect important natural, social, physical and economical values. Randy received the 2010 Award for Planning Excellence in Communication and Education from the Ontario Professional Planners Institute for the development of the Lake Planning Handbook for Community Groups. Presentation Description: How can community groups, researchers, academics, conservation authorities and municipal/provincial agencies get involved in a grass roots process to improve awareness and empower people to protect biodiversity at a local scale. T1F - Invasive Threats Our fragile aquatic ecosystems are exposed to many different threats, directly or indirectly, caused by humans. This session will look at invasive species of concern in Ontario, such as the Asian Carp, and how they threaten native species. Title: An Overview of AIS in the Great Lakes and Lake Superior's Plan for Prevention Speaker: Nancy Stadler-Salt, Environment Canada Presentation Biography: No information submitted yet. Title: Asian Carp Threat to the Great Lakes Speaker: Scott Millard, Fisheries and Oceans Canada Presentation Biography: No information submitted yet. Title: Restoring the Balance after a Century of Invasive Species Impacts in Cootes Paradise Marsh, Hamilton Ontario Speakers: Tys Theysmyer, Royal Botanical Gardens Presentation Biography: Tys was originally born in Hamilton, living in the Westdale region until the age of five, and as a result visited the RBG many times as a young child. Tys obtained a B.Sc. from the University of Guelph (1994) and a M.Sc. from McMaster University (1999). After working for a period at the Great Lakes Lab for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences in Burlington, he returned to the RBG in 1997 as a staff ecologist. Much of his work has focused on the restoration of the RBG’s 300 ha. of coastal marshes, particularly Cootes Paradise, the environmental center piece of the region. As a result he has authored numerous reports and papers on the subject, and more importantly made substantial progress towards the recovery and sustainability of these properties. Since 2008 he has been the Head of Conservation and Natural lands at the Garden’s Presentation Description: Invasive species have been impacting Hamilton area native systems for more than century. In an already stressed urban region several had risen to dominance, contributing to the toppling of the areas once extensive weltand systems. Two of the many species were significant progress has been made are the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), triggering a cascade of native species reestablishments. T1G - Visual Communications 1: The Science of Arts In this session we explore how experiences with the arts shape the brain and the promote development of the capacity to imagine alternative ways for humans to be in relation to the rest of the world. The presenters draw on theory, research, and practical examples to highlight the importance of the arts to the survival of biodiversity. Title: The Science of the Arts 1 Speaker: Dr. Ann Patteson, Royal Conservatory of Music & Associate Professor at Queen’s University Biography: Dr. Ann Patteson is the Director of Research for the Royal Conservatory, Toronto and has worked in arts education and arts education research for the past 35 years. She recently chaired the symposium, The Arts for Social and Environmental Justice, at The Royal Conservatory. This event was a first-of-its kind in Canada, bringing together diverse stakeholders, from the arts, government, and the private sector, who believe the arts can offer us insight, inspire hope, and contribute to the creation of a healthier planet for all its inhabitants. Presentation Description: In this session we explore how experiences with the arts shape the brain and the promote development of the capacity to imagine alternative ways for humans to be in relation to the rest of the world. The presenters draw on theory, research, and practical examples to highlight the importance of the arts to the survival of biodiversity. Title: The Arts of Science 1 Speaker: John Scully , Royal Conservatory of Music Biography: John Scully is the Manager of New Media for Learning Through the Arts at the Royal Conservatory. A graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design, he brings his expertise to delivering state-of-the art media-based arts programming with an ecological focus to children, youth, and Adults across Canada. Presentation Description: In this session we explore how experiences with the arts shape the brain and the promote development of the capacity to imagine alternative ways for humans to be in relation to the rest of the world. The presenters draw on theory, research, and practical examples to highlight the importance of the arts to the survival of biodiversity.
10:30am - 12:00pm	Concurrent Sessions
	T2A - Integrated Watershed Management – Managing Collaborations Collaboration is an important element of successful integrated watershed management (IWM) which involves multiple jurisdictions and multiple stakeholders. Successful implementation of watershed objectives relies upon collaboration that emphasizes the link to land use planning and decision-making. For watershed and natural resource managers, this session explores important perspectives on effective collaborations. Title: Managing Collaborations from Multiple Jurisdictions to Stakeholders Speaker: John FitzGibbon, University of Guelph Presentation Biography: John is a professor in the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development at the University of Guelph and is the Chair of the Ontario Farm Environment Coalition (OFEC). He is a professional planner and has graduate degrees from University College of Wales (UK) and McGill University in hydrology. He teaches in the areas of water resources planning and management, land use planning and management resources policy and environmental and land use law. He has been extensively involved in land use and water resources planning here in Ontario, in Western Canada and overseas. He is currently involved in research on environmental and resources management at the local and community level. He has been a member of a number of national and provincial committees including the Technical Committee on watershed based source water protection (OMOE), the National Advisory Committee on Agriculture and the Environment (AAFC) and the committee on Natural Channel Design and Development (OMNR). Presentation Description: The evolution of watershed planning from a top down institutionally based process to one of multi-stakeholder multi-jurisdiction bottom up meeting top down process has required a shift in the nature of watershed planning and management to a collaborative process. The process of collaboration involves the sharing of information, adjustment of activities the sharing of capacity and shared authority in decision making in the planning and management process. This paper reviews the nature of the collaborative process in watershed planning and management and provides some insights into the lessons learned by the author as well as those learned by others involved in watershed collaborations. Title: Collaborative IWM for Better Land Use Planning Decisions and More Resilient Natural Systems and Communities Speaker: Laura Atkins-Paul, York Region Presentation Biography: Laura is a senior planner with York Region’s Long Range and Strategic Planning Branch and has been a practicing planner for over 20 years. She has been involved at York Region in a broad range of planning issues including source water protection, climate change, healthy communities and sustainability. Through collaboration with the LSRCA and the TRCA, she developed Regional Official Plan policies that will help to implement watershed plans in the Region. Before joining York Region, Laura spent 13 years with the Province of Ontario, primarily at MMAH and MOE where she was also involved in water policy development, and was a contributing author of the report An Evaluation of Watershed Management in Ontario. Presentation Description: The Oak Ridges Moraine Watershed Plans were prepared by York Region in partnership with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and stakeholders to guide land use and management decisions for the protection and enhancement of watersheds in a more comprehensive and sustainable way especially in new and intensifying areas of growth. Title: Collaboration Between Municipalities and Conservation Authorities for Community Sustainability Plans – Relationship to IWM and Opportunities for Biodiversity, Ecosystem Habitat Protection & Restoration Speaker: Susan Hall, Lura Consulting Presentation Biography: Susan Hall is Vice-President of the central Canada region and Director of Collaborative Planning at Lura Consulting. Her role includes leading a diversity of projects, focused primarily on sustainability planning for municipalities followed by community-based social marketing campaigns to effect positive behavioural change, and community engagement. Her projects have spanned the breadth of sustainability issues and her focus in recent years has been on working with communities to develop long ranging sustainability plans though community–based planning processes. She has a Masters in Environmental Studies from York University, and a Bachelors in Wildlife Biology from the University of Guelph. Presentation Description: The presentation outlines and identifies potential opportunities for collaboration between municipalities and conservation authorities/ environmental organizations in the development and implementation of sustainability plans. T2B - Walkerton –“The History” May 2010 marked the 10th anniversary of the Walkerton drinking water tragedy. Two sessions will be dedicated to reexamining the challenges that occurred, how the provincial government and its partners worked to resolve those problems, the status of new drinking water source protection initiatives today and best practices to protect the quality and supply of our local drinking water resources. This session will involve presentations from experts on the challenges that were experienced 10 years ago in Walkerton, and the lessons learned. Moderated by Ian Smith, Ministry of the Environment Moderator: Ian Smith, Ministry of the Environment Biography: Ian has the honour to be the provincial lead for a cutting edge partnership between the public, the crown and Ontario’s conservation authorities and municipalities. He leads a small but hearty band of civil servants who cajole, plead and fund a range of partners to identify the threats to our precious drinking water supplies and the activities that will need to be taken to ensure these water supplies remain safe and secure for generations to come. A graduate of the University of Guelph Ian’s office is located in the heart of Toronto but when he tells us that when he looks out his window he sees mostly the tops of the trees, a reminder every day that while we might live in cities and houses we are dependant upon the natural environment around us. Title: Walkerton Drinking Water Tragedy - The Farm and Farmer Involved Speaker: Dr. David Biesenthal, Source Protection Committee Member with Saugeen, Grey Sauble, Northern Bruce Peninsula Source Protection Region Presentation Biography: University of Guelph-1968 D.VM. retired Equine veterinarian operate a cow/calf enterprize in partnership with my wife partnership with my son in a cash crop enterprize-farm 2000 acres-grow-grain corn,canola,wheat,soybeans,white beans Presentation Description: Our farm was targeted as the source of contamination in the Walkerton Water Tragedy. I will discuss the onset and resultant effects of this situation on our family in particular and agriculture in general and the ongoing effects this tragedy has had on agriculture. Title: Walkerton - The Journey from Infamy to Excellence Speaker: Bruce Davidson, Concerned Walkerton Citizens & Source Protection Committee Member with Saugeen, Grey Sauble, Northern Bruce Peninsula Source Protection Region Presentation Biography: No information submitted yet. Title: Ontario’s Experience in Drinking Water 10 Years After Walkerton Speaker: John Stager, Ministry of the Environment Presentation Biography: No information submitted yet. T2C - Our Ecosystems’ Secret Services There’s still more to discuss about Ecosystem Services. This session will pick up where we left off last year with the theme of economic values for biodiversity. Title: Pricing the Priceless: The Ecosystem Service Values for Provincial Protected Areas in Southern Ontario Speaker: Will Wistowsky, Ministry of Natural Resources Presentation Biography: Will is a phrenologist who enjoys xerophyte gardening and full-contact origami.....: ) But seriously, for the past 2 years, he has been the Protected Areas Socio-economic Analyst for the Policy Section of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Prior to that, he did economic and planning related-work through his consulting company called Wildernomics. While he lacks a distinguished military career, Will has accumulated several degrees from the University of Guelph - including a Ph.D in Rural Studies. Besides bike mechanics and good food, Will’s area of expertise includes survey research and the valuation of environmental goods - especially protected areas. Presentation Description: The purpose of this presentation is to showcase the ecosystem service values (ESVs) arising from the 79 provincial parks and 7 conservation reserves located in Southern Ontario. It will also discuss other factors to consider when determining ESVs for protected areas. Title: Ecosystem Services Valuation: Lessons Learned and Future Directions Speaker: Eric Miller, Ministry of Natural Resources Presentation Biography: Eric Miller is Team Leader of the Socio-Economic Analysis Unit, in the Toronto office of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, in its Strategic Policy and Economics Branch. Prior to working in MNR he worked for the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Environment Canada, and as a private consultant on issues of environmental economics. Eric has an MES in Ecological Macroeconomics from York University, a BA in Economics from McMaster University and a BSc in Biology from Carleton. He has taught ecological economics at Queen’s University and at York University. Presentation Description: This presentation will share lessons learned by MNR from a year of dialogue on measuring the economic value of Ontario’s ecosystem services. Future directions will be proposed: how the concept relates to biodiversity, how the information can be enhanced, how results can better inform decision-making, and recommended ways of communicating the concept and its measurement. Title: Valuation of Wetlands in the Credit River Watershed: Implications for Protection and Restoration Speaker: Tatiana Koveshnikova and Mike Puddister, Credit Valley Conservation Presentation Tatiana Koveshnikova's Biography: Tatiana Koveshnikova recently joined Credit Valley Conservation as the new Ecological Goods and Services Project Coordinator. Tatiana is currently a PhD Candidate in Environmental Studies at York University. She holds a Bachelors degree in Economics and Management (Samara State Aerospace University, Russia) and a Masters in Environmental Studies (The Evergreen State College, USA). Tatiana has broad research interests that include social networks analysis the economic valuation of ecological benefits. She has also been working for DSS Management Consultants, an environmental consultancy firm, for the past 5 years, carrying out statistical analysis, assisting in models development and preparing reports for a variety of environmental projects. Mike Puddisters Biography: Mike Puddister is the Director of Restoration and Stewardship at the Credit Valley Conservation Authority. He has an undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo and a graduate degree from the School of Rural Planning and Development at the University of Guelph. Mike has also been employed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority. Since 1985, he has been working for the Credit Valley Conservation Authority. His current responsibilities within the Credit River Watershed include terrestrial, aquatic and wetland habitat restoration, forest management, urban and rural community outreach and education and related research. T2D - Borrowing from Nature When re-inventing the wheel makes sense. Find out why engineers and designers are taking a few pages from Nature to build sustainable infrastructure. Title: Temperature and Nutrient Attenuation – Floating Islands in SWM Ponds Speaker: Phil James, Credit Valley Conservation Biography: Since 2007, Phil has been with Credit Valley Conservation working as a water resources engineer. His focus has been working in the urban parts of the watershed implementing “in the ground” pollution prevention and stormwater retrofit projects. These projects are just some of the ways CVC is implementing the findings of the Credit River Water Management Strategy. Presentation Description: Monitoring programs have found that end of pipe storm water management facilities such as wet ponds can have thermal impacts to receiving water ways due to heating of the permanent pool by the sun. This presentation will discuss demonstration retrofit projects of existing stormwater management facilities using "Floating Island technologies" to mitigate both temperature and nutrient impacts from urban stormwater. The implementation of these types of projects requires a good technical understanding of how the islands will function within a SWM facility as well as the administration, public education, public safety and partnership building that is required to make these projects happen. Title: 180 Degrees of Engineering – Retrofitting for LID in Established Urban Areas Speaker: Steve Barrett, City of Mississauga Biography: Steve spent the majority of his work career in traffic engineering and operations positions with City of Etobicoke and for the last 28 years with the City of Mississauga. Moved to current position in Transportation Infrastructure Planning and Asset Management in 2005 - part of current responsibilities includes managing the Roadway Programming and Asset Management Sections where primary functions are Capital Budget programming of major transportation infrastructure programs. The scope of the City’s major road construction and rehabilitation programs is moving in a direction towards a more environmentally responsible Living Green strategy which includes the incorporation of LID practices to provide storm water quality treatment. Presentation Description: The presentation will focus on a LID retro-fit project in an existing mature neighbourhood and the process of working with the residents. During the past 25 years the City’s Transportation and Works Department has taken the position of upgrading older ditched streets to curb and gutter with storm sewers for water conveyance. This is a very expensive upgrade which is no longer affordable. Looking at alternative ways of upgrading and beautifying these streets by improving the ditches and the asphalt in an environmentally responsible manner has subsequently been the focus. The first project is underway in the Lakeview area of the city. Title: Functional Streetscapes – Retrofitting Roads to Integrate LID Solutions Speaker: Mark Schollen, Schollen & Company Biography: Mark Schollen is a landscape architect and principal of Schollen & Company Inc.. The firm has offices in Toronto, Ontario and Shanghai, China. Mark has been involved in the design and implementation of a number of projects that have employed Low Impact Development (L.I.D.) and sustainable stormwater management solutions. Mark was a contributing author of the CVC/TRCA LID Design Guideline Manual and is a Sessional Lecturer in the Masters Program at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design. Presentation Description: The integration of LID initiatives into existing streetscapes presents the opportunity to retrofit stormwater management into areas where runoff is presently uncontrolled. The presentation will explore two prototypical streetscape retrofit projects. T2E - Community Lake Stewardship Located on the Greater Toronto Area’s doorstep, the natural heritage of Lake Simcoe is under stress from land use pressures such as urban development, intensive agricultural production, and recreational uses such as boating and fishing. This session will explore the actions taken by a number of the watershed stakeholders to increase biodiversity and implement changes at a local, regional, and watershed scale. Title: Integrating Science and Restoration: Community Stewardship in the Lake Simcoe Watershed Speaker: Phil Davies, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Presentation Biography: No information submitted yet. Title: Farm Stewardship for Phosphorus Reduction in the Lake Simcoe Watershed Speaker: Jackie McCall, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Presentation Biography: No information submitted yet. Title: Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation: Stewardship in Lake Simcoe Speaker: Kerry-Ann Charles, Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation Presentation Biography: I am a Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nations Member born in Newmarket Ontario. I Graduated from Sutton District High School in 1995 with Hounours and attended Georgian College Barrie Campus in the Business Accounting Program. I am currently continuing my education through Ontario learn. I have been working for my First Nation for the past ten years in several different capacities such as Child Care Worker, Youth at Risk Coordinator, Self Governance Assistant, By-law Enforcement Officer/ Co-ordinator and my current position as the Environmental Co-ordinator. I have also served a two year term as an elected member of Council for my First Nation. I am very involved in my Community and am a member of several of the Committees. I have two children ages 6 and 11 to which I dedicate a lot of my time to with their enrolment in extracurricular activities. Presentation Description: My Presentation will be a power point of projects that the First Nation has been initiating and involved in over the past few years in regards to preserving the Environment. T2F - Restoring Native Species Lots of work is being done to preserve and revitalize biodiversity in the Great Lakes. This session will highlight the effort, techniques and progress being made in restoring native fish species. Title: Building Biodiversity in the Great Lakes: Rehabilitating Native Fish Species Speaker: Dawn Walsh, Ministry of Natural Resources Presentation Biography: Dawn is the Ministry of Natural Resources COA Project Coordinator. She has an MSc (Zoology) from Guelph University and has worked on MNR Great Lakes programs for over 25-years. Dawn spent 20 years with the Lake Ontario Management Unit conducting fisheries management, assessment and research. She is currently involved in the coordination and reporting of the MNR COA work plan. Presentation Description: An overview of basin-wide efforts and progress under the 2007-11 COA to rehabilitate native Great Lakes fish species. Title: Rehabilitating Lake Superior’s Legendary Coaster Brook Trout Speaker: Marilee Chase, Ministry of Natural Resources Presentation Biography: Marilee Chase has been employed as a fisheries biologist with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources in Thunder Bay since 1996. After completing a master’s degree in fisheries science at the University of Guelph, Marilee has made the north shore of Lake Superior her home. Marilee’s experience delivering Lake Superior programs includes the coordination of coaster brook trout rehabilitation efforts. Presentation Description: Brook trout stocks in the Lake Superior basin were systematically degraded over the past century by habitat loss, over-fishing, and exotic species. Coaster brook trout, a migratory lake-dwelling form, were diminished to the point where only a few viable populations now remain. This presentation will provide an in-depth look at projects, partnerships and actions to help rehabilitate Lake Superior’s coaster brook trout. Title: Rehabilitating Lake Ontario’s Elusive American Eel Speaker: Alastair Mathers, Ministry of Natural Resources Presentation Biography: Alastair is the Lake Ontario Basin COA Coordinator for the Ontario MNR. He has an MSc (Biology) from Queens University and has worked in fisheries for over 25-years including five MNR Fisheries Assessment Units, and Queen’s University. He has been involved in planning, implementation and reporting on a wide variety of fisheries programs to inventory natural resources, monitor their use and restore degraded ecosystems. Presentation Description: American eel is listed as endangered under Ontario’s ESA, 2007. This presentation describes efforts to restore eels including: reducing fishing, eel ladders, trap and transport, stocking, and recovery planning. Title: Rehabilitating the Lake Sturgeon in Lakes Erie and Huron Speakers: Andy McKee & Richard Drouin, Ministry of Natural Resources Presentation Andy McKee's Biography: In my 33 year career with the MNR I have worked as a fish culture technician, deputy conservation officer, fish and wildlife biologist and I am currently working as the Lake Huron COA Coordinator at the Upper Great Lakes management office in Owen Sound. This experience has given me the opportunity to be involved in a wide variety of fish and wildlife population and habitat management projects. I have lived in the Owen Sound area for my whole career. Richard Drouins Biography: No information submitted yet. Presentation Description: My presentation will be a brief description of the recent COA sturgeon projects in Georgian Bay which will assess abundance and composition and status of the spawning population through tagging and collection of biological data. T2G - Visual Communications 2: The Arts of Science If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a painting may well be worth a million. The arts can be used effectively to motivate people to take positive action to help protect and restore biodiversity. In this session, learn about a number of arts-based initiatives for both adults and youth, using both traditional and media-based art forms, which are promoting stewardship of the environment. This session is a continuation of T1G, but also stands alone for those who wish to join in. Title: The Science of the Arts 2 Speaker: Dr. Ann Patteson, Royal Conservatory of Music & Associate Professor at Queen’s University Biography: Dr. Ann Patteson is the Director of Research for the Royal Conservatory, Toronto and has worked in arts education and arts education research for the past 35 years. She recently chaired the symposium, The Arts for Social and Environmental Justice, at The Royal Conservatory. This event was a first-of-its kind in Canada, bringing together diverse stakeholders, from the arts, government, and the private sector, who believe the arts can offer us insight, inspire hope, and contribute to the creation of a healthier planet for all its inhabitants. Presentation Description: If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a painting may well be worth a million. The arts can be used effectively to motivate people to take positive action to help protect and restore biodiversity. In this session, learn about a number of arts-based initiatives for both adults and young, using both traditional and media-based art forms, which are promoting stewardship of the environment. This session is a continuation of T1G, but also stands alone for those who wish to join in. Title: The Arts of Science 2 Speaker: John Scully, Royal Conservatory of Music Biography: John Scully is the Manager of New Media for Learning Through the Arts at the Royal Conservatory. A graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design, he brings his expertise to delivering state-of-the art media-based arts programming with an ecological focus to children, youth, and Adults across Canada. Presentation Description: If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a painting may well be worth a million. The arts can be used effectively to motivate people to take positive action to help protect and restore biodiversity. In this session, learn about a number of arts-based initiatives for both adults and young, using both traditional and media-based art forms, which are promoting stewardship of the environment. This session is a continuation of T1G, but also stands alone for those who wish to join in. T2H - CUAHSI Hydrological Information System (HIS) Workshop – Getting into the Details Earlier in the program, we explored an overview of CUAHSI-HIS which is an internet-based system for sharing hydrologic data. This session provides a two part mini-workshop looking more deeply into this application. It will be facilitated by Tim Whiteaker from the University of Texas. The workshop will include a live demonstration showing how to take real data through the complete HIS publication process and Hands on Training for how to use HIS in both the free HydroDesktop application and Microsoft Excel. Participants are required to bring their own laptops with wireless capabilities. Speaker: Dr. Tim Whiteaker, University of Texas, Austin Biography: Dr. Tim Whiteaker specializes in Hydrologic Information Systems and Geographic Information Systems to support water resources engineering research at The University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Research in Water Resources. He explores innovative ways of using cyberinfrastructure to improve our understanding of our water environment in order to better inform decision-makers about floods, droughts, water pollution, and environmental flows. Presentation Description: This workshop demonstrates how to publish data in the CUAHSI Hydrologic Information System (CUAHSI-HIS), and includes hands-on training for how to use CUAHSI-HIS to discover and access hydrologic time series data. Attendees should bring their own Windows laptops if they want to participate in the hands-on training. The laptops should have Microsoft Office 2007 or greater installed, and the attendee should have sufficient privileges on the laptop to install free CUAHSI-HIS software.
12:00pm - 1:45pm	Pioneer Award Luncheon
2:00pm - 3:30pm	Concurrent Sessions
	T3A - Using Watershed Report Cards to Influence and Engage Decision-Makers and Residents to Protect Biodiversity Monitoring, analyzing and then reporting on the status of biodiversity in Ontario’s watersheds is useful not only for targeting conservation efforts, but to also encourage ‘buy-in’ with decision-makers and residents to help protect it. This session explores recent research and two case studies. Title: Assessing the Influence and Effectiveness of Watershed Report Cards in Canada Speaker: Barbara Veale, Grand River Conservation Authority Presentation Biography: Barbara Veale is the Coordinator of Policy Planning and Partnerships for the Grand River Conservation Authority based in Cambridge, Ontario where she has worked over 32 years in various environmental planning capacities. Barb has her Bachelor of Environmental Studies and Masters degrees from the University of Waterloo and recently completed her doctoral studies at the University of Waterloo, working with Dr. Bruce Mitchell. Her research focuses on watershed governance and explores the use of watershed report cards and other indicator reports as decision tools for watershed management in Canada. Presentation Description: This presentation provides an overview of research exploring the impact of watershed report cards on watershed decision making. Findings are based on the input from 109 people associated with 13 case-study watershed organizations in Canada. Title: Watershed Reporting by Conservation Authorities – An Evolving Process Speaker: Scott Lister, Conservation Ontario / Groundwater Management Presentation Biography: Scott grew up in Nova Scotia and received his Bachelor of Science (Honours) from Acadia University before moving to Ontario, for the first time, to complete a Master of Science Degree in hydrology from Trent University. Over the past ten years he has worked for a conservation authority, and for six years at Nova Scotia Environment (as a watershed planner, hydrogeologist and district manager). He has moved to Ontario again, where he worked for Conservation Ontario for two years before starting his own consulting company, Groundwater Management Inc., to provide services as a professional geoscientist in watershed management, source protection and hydrogeology out of Newmarket. Presentation Description: Watershed Report Cards have been developed by Conservation Authorities as a means of reporting to the public on water and forests, and to provide a easy to understand summary of local actions. Future Report Cards will now be developed following a new guide so that decision makers can have the most relevant information available. Title: Using Watershed Report Cards to Influence and Engage Decision Makers Speaker: Luke Harvey, Credit Valley Conservation Presentation Biography: Luke Harvey has worked at Credit Valley Conservation for the past four years as a Water Monitoring Specialist, primarily focusing on urban watersheds. He holds a B.Sc in Environmental Science from Trent University, a Forestry Technician Diploma from Sir Sandford Fleming College, and a Microbiological Technician Diploma from Centennial College. Luke has successfully designed and implemented baseline and effectiveness surface water monitoring programs to assess the impacts of urban development on the aquatic environment. Presentation Description: CVC incorporates numerous methods to set thresholds against which the ecological condition is assessed. From statistical models to professional judgement the rationale for matching each indicator with its criteria development method will be explained. T3B - Walkerton – “The Road Ahead” This session is a continuation of the morning session and will examine current successes in the Drinking Water Source Protection Program, building blocks for developing Source Protection Plans, and opportunities for the Ontario Drinking Water Stewardship Program (ODWSP) in the future. Moderated by Don Pearson, Conservation Ontario Moderator: Don Pearson, Conservation Ontario Biography: Don Pearson has been General Manager of Conservation Ontario since 2005. He was General Manager of the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority from 1981 to 2003, following which he spend two years as CAO for the County of Perth. He is a currently a member of the Ontario Biodiversity Council; a Trustee with Trees Ontario; and a Board Member of Ontario Heritage Trust. Don earned a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the University of Western Ontario in 1998 and holds an Honours Science Degree from the University of Waterloo (1975). Title: Threats Identification Progress to Date Speaker: Ian Smith, Ministry of the Environment Presentation Biography: Ian has the honour to be the provincial lead for a cutting edge partnership between the public, the crown and Ontario’s conservation authorities and municipalities. He leads a small but hearty band of civil servants who cajole, plead and fund a range of partners to identify the threats to our precious drinking water supplies and the activities that will need to be taken to ensure these water supplies remain safe and secure for generations to come. A graduate of the University of Guelph Ian’s office is located in the heart of Toronto but when he tells us that when he looks out his window he sees mostly the tops of the trees, a reminder every day that while we might live in cities and houses we are dependant upon the natural environment around us. Presentation Description: Ian is going to be outlining the early information and statistics generated by a rambling and dispersed collective of municipal, authority and consulting firm staff who worked under the direction of the committees’, their chairs and most important program managers to ascertain the threats to some of Ontario’s key drinking water sources. It is important to acknowledge the contribution of the dozens of individual contributors to this collective, but also to acknowledge that within this aggregate of statistics each and every individual threat to a water supply entails a human activity in specific circumstances – so that we need to be conscious that the forest of threats and issues he will discuss is composed of thousands of individual trees, composed of dozens of species varying in size and site-specific circumstances. Title: Drinking Water Source Protection and Watershed Management – Program Co-Benefits Speaker: Ian Wilcox, Upper Thames River Conservation Authority Presentation Biography: Currently General Manager of the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority in London, Ontario. Graduate of the University of Western Ontario with a Masters Degree in Geography Twenty-five years of experience in Resources Management working for the UTRCA and Conservation Ontario Live near St. Marys Presentation Description: Source Water Protection Planning is a new form of business for Conservation Authorities. While this effort has its own legislation, funding and dedicated staff, it is not separate from the regular business of Conservation Authorities. This presentation will highlight the benefits Source Water Protection Planning has brought to other Conservation Authority programs in the Thames and Sydenham Source Protection Region. Title: Ontario Drinking Water Stewardship Program – Current Successes Speaker: Jo-Anne Rzadki, Conservation Ontario Presentation Biography: Jo-Anne Rzadki is Watershed Stewardship Coordinator for Conservation Ontario where she brings more than 20 years experience leading the research, development and management of a variety of stewardship initiatives in Ontario; including coordination of the Hamilton-Halton Watershed Stewardship Program for Hamilton Conservation Authority and Conservation Halton for 12 years. She has contributed in a variety of capacities to initiatives that involve stakeholder collaboration. She was a member of the coordinating committee that developed the Grand River Heritage Strategy; was Chair of the Education and Public Awareness Committee of the Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan Forum; has recently completed a six year term as Director on the board of the Ontario Land Trust Alliance; and has contributed to the ongoing evolution of the Carolinian Canada Coalition in various capacities. She has a Master’s degree from the School of Rural Planning at the University of Guelph and Batchelor of Science from the University of Toronto in Biogeography and Plant Ecology. Presentation Description: Ontario Drinking Water Stewardship Program: Current Successes. This presentation will report on the achievements of the Ontario Drinking Water Stewardship Program since 2007, highlighting some specific initiatives that have occurred. The initiation of this program has led to increased availability of technical and financial support for landowners and businesses who are volunteering to implement early actions to protect municipal drinking water supplies. Additional benefits of the program, challenges, opportunities and recommendations for the future will be discussed. T3C - Reptiles + Amphibians + Southern Ontario = At Risk In this session, we will focus on amphibians to elaborate on the effects of land use change and the issues and opportunities facing these species Title: A New Reptile and Amphibian Atlas for Ontario Speaker: John Urquhart, Ontario Nature Presentation Biography: John Urquhart is the Staff Ecologist at Ontario Nature. He coordinates the "Reptiles at Risk" and "Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas" programs. He completed two degrees at the University of Guelph: an Honours B.Env.Sc. majoring in Ecology and a M.Sc. in Zoology. John is an experienced field ecologist and has worked on a wide variety of conservation, education and stewardship projects since 2001. These include growing trees from seed with elementary school classes with the MNR, assessing water quality using benthic invertebrates with the MOE and breeding and releasing black-footed ferrets and Vancouver Island marmots with Toronto Zoo. Presentation Description: John Urquhart will provide an overview of the new Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas, including highlights of last year’s success and how to get involved in this citizen science initiative. He will also discuss reptile and amphibian diversity and conservation in Ontario. Title: Genes in the Half-Shell - How Genetics Can Inform Conservation Strategies for Ontario Turtles Speaker: Christina Davy, University of Toronto Presentation Biography: Christina Davy is a PhD Candidate at the University of Toronto and holds a Masters in Zoology from the University of Western Ontario. She is interested in applied species conservation and the application of conservation genetics, captive breeding and in situ threat mitigation to species recovery. Her field experience includes work with endangered turtles in Canada, Costa Rica and Greece, with endangered passerines and reptiles in Mauritius, and with bats in Canada, Costa Rica and Taiwan. She is happiest when wandering around in a wetland. Presentation Description: We will look at some of the ways in which conservation genetics help us better understand and conserve threatened turtle populations in Ontario, for example by uncovering secretive turtle behaviours or identifying boundaries between populations. Title: Jefferson Salamander: Habitat Identification and Protection Speaker: John Pisapio, Ministry of Natural Resources Biography: John Pisapio is a Management Biologist with the Ministry of Natural Resources. He comes from a research background through the University of Waterloo with work focused on wolves and coyotes. Previous positions include tenures with the Government of Nunavut, various advisory committees and the Niagara Escarpment Commission. In his role with MNR, in addition to supporting a wide range of Ministry fish and wildlife and natural heritage programs, John also provides specialized support on research and management of coyotes, and on species at risk such as Jefferson Salamander and Redside Dace, and is a member of both Recovery Teams. John has also contributed to the development of Ontario’s new Endangered Species Act (2007) and continues to work on various supporting policies and guidelines. John does not identify insects over the telephone. Presentation Description: This presentation provides an update on research findings, management decision making, and the process for identifying and protecting the Jefferson Salamander and its habitat in Ontario. T3D - Win, Win Win! Enhancing Habitat and Infrastructure - Greening Infrastructure doesn’t have to mean reducing the effectiveness of infrastructure performance. Explore infrastructure and environmental partnership stories. Title: Natural Channel Design for Agricultural Drains Speaker: Jack Imhof, Ministry of Natural Resources Presentation Biography: Jack Imhof is an aquatic ecologist with over 30 years of experience and presently the National Biologist for Trout Unlimited Canada and cross appointed with the Ontario Ministry of Nartural Resources. Jack is also an adjunct professor at the University of Guelph and an adjunct professor through the Department of Biology at the University of Waterloo. Jack has spent over 35 years of his life working on river and watershed restoration. He and Jerry Smitka wrote the original MNR Trout Stream Habitat Improvement Manual in 1982. Jack has taught a graduate course in restoration ecology at the University of Guelph. He is also a watershed scientist and has been involved in the development and implementation of 8-10 watershed/subwatershed plans including the Grand River Fisheries Management Plan and the development of the Natural Channel Systems initiative in Ontario. Jack has received a numerous awards for restoration work over the years from the American Fisheries Society, Izaak Walton Fly Fishing Club and Ontario Streams as well one of the co-recipients of the Ontario Amethyst Award for excellence in public service and a co-recipient of the National Recreational Fisheries Award with the Grand River Fisheries Management Plan Implementation Committee. In 2010 he was given the CVC Award of Excellence for his personal and professional contribution to the Credit River Watershed. He is Past-President of the Ontario Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Jack’s hobbies include photography, fly fishing and martial arts (Yoshinkan Aikido – 3rd Dan). Title: Innovative Use of the Drainage Act for Conservation Projects Speaker: Sid Vander Veen, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Presentation Biography: Sid Vander Veen has been the Drainage Coordinator for the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for the past 19 years. He is responsible for the administration of the Drainage Act, including the provision of grants to municipalities and liaison with landowners, municipalities, engineer and environmental agencies across the province. Sid is a professional engineer and has formerly worked for a consulting firm in Ottawa and for the Ministry of Natural Resources in Kemptville and Timmins. Sid grew up on a dairy farm in Stormont County and currently lives in Wellington County. Title: Green Changes Using Drainage Engineering Techniques Speaker: Tom Pridham, R.J. Burnside Engineering Presentation Biography: Tom is originally from a farm in the Alliston area and as such had no difficulty in finding our location today! He is a 1982 graduate in Water Resources Engineering from the University of Guelph. Since graduation, he has worked for R. J. Burnside & Associates Limited a Consulting Engineering firm with its head office in Orangeville, Ontario. Over this time period the Company has grown from a staff of about 20 to roughly 300 employees with several branch offices. Tom specializes in the preparation of reports under the Drainage Act on behalf of several Municipalities in Southern Ontario. He has authored and co-ordinated the implementation of roughly 300 reports over his almost 30 year career. He is also a member of the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers Land Drainage Committee. T3E - Community Engagement through the Application of the Landowner Stewardship Guide Dr. Wayne Caldwell will moderate this session, reviewing the approach to the development of a stewardship program for Southern Ontario rural landowners. This includes the development of the Stewardship Guide that reflects a community based process that has produced both area specific and a province-wide version. This session will draw upon experience developing and using the Lake Huron, Lake Simcoe and provincial versions. Moderated by Dr. Wayne Caldwell, University of Guelph Title: Stewardship Manual and the Grand River Speaker: Tracey Ryan, Grand River Conservation Authority Biography: No information submitted yet. Title: Lake Simcoe Sewardship Guide Speaker: Carole Seysmith , Ministry of Natural Resources Biography: No information submitted yet. Title: Horse Owner Stewardship Guide for the Ontario Landscape Speaker: Bronwynne Wilton , University of Guelph Biography: Bronwynne Wilton currently works in the Office of Research, Agri-Food Partnerships at the University of Guelph and she holds a PhD in Rural Studies. Bronwynne has worked on land use management and land stewardship initiatives as a PhD student and as a research scientist with the Centre for Land and Water Stewardship. Bronwynne co-developed an on-line continuing education course for Equine Guelph’s equine science certificate entitled ’Stewardship of the Equine Environment’. Title: Horse Owner Stewardship Guide for the Ontario Landscape Speaker: Mark Eastman , Credit Valley Conservation Biography: No information submitted yet. Title: Credit Valley and the Stewardship Guide Speaker: Alison Qua-Enoo, Credit Valley Conservation Biography: No information submitted yet. Title: Healthy Home Guidebook Speaker: Karen Douglass Cooper, Raisin-South Nation Source Protection Region Biography: Karen is a Visual Arts graduate from both St. Lawrence and Algonquin Colleges with twenty plus years experience in the fields of Communications and Community Program Development. Her professional life has included eight years as Arts and Culture Coordinator for the City of Cornwall as well as several years as a Program Coordinator / Curriculum Designer focusing on Youth Recreation, Conservation and Outdoor Education. In 2008 Karen coordinated and authored the Healthy Home Guidebook bilingual edition. She currently works as Communications Specialist with the Raisin-South Nation Drinking Water Source Protection Program. In her leisure time Karen enjoys sparring with medieval swords. Title: Lake Huron Stewardship Guide Speaker: Mari Veliz, Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority Biography: No information submitted yet. T3F - Biodiversity through Biomonitoring Diversity of taxa is an essential indicator of the condition of a watershed/aquatic ecosystem. This session will discuss (or maybe even debate) monitoring techniques, uses, advantages and disadvantages. Title: Biodiversity Norms in Southern Ontario Streams Speaker: F. Chris Jones, Ministry of the Environment Biography: Chris Jones works at the Dorset Environmental Science Centre as the Ontario Ministry of the Environment’s benthic-invertebrate-biomonitoring scientist. His research goal is to advance biomonitoring methods, so that the biological condition of Ontario’s waterbodies can be reliably assessed and reported on. His present studies seek to understand (for example): the composition of benthic communities in Ontario’s most northerly Lakes and rivers; reference conditions for southern-Ontario streams; the relative importance of different predictors on bioassessment-index values; and the influence of taxonomic detail on bioassessment outcomes. Chris also coordinates Ontario’s Benthos Biomonitoring Network, which is a province-wide, lake-, stream-, and wetland-biomonitoring collaboration. Presentation Description: I will explore several questions about biodiversity norms in ontario streams: what is normal biodiversity? Does taxonomic richness vary across space or time (and if so, what insights can be gained from these patterns)? Title: What’s Driving Taxa Richness in Southern Ontario Streams? Speaker: Ed Gazendam, University of Guelph Presentation Biography: Ed Gazendam is the President of Water’s Edge, a private consulting firm offering fluvial geomorphological and natural channel design expertise to public and private clients. He has over 20 years of experience in stream and watershed projects in both the private and public sectors. Ed holds Bachelor and Master level degrees from the University of Guelph. He is currently completing his PhD in stream systems at Guelph and is registered with the Professional Engineers of Ontario and the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers (Hydraulics). Ed is a director with the Canadian Water Resources Association – Ontario Branch and an active member of the provincial Natural Channels Initiative Committee. Presentation Description: Our study evaluated the applicability of the Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) for Southern Ontario. Based on data collected in 2009 and 2010, QHEI correlates to the Hilsenhoff Biotic Index (HBI), Abundance and Richness benthic metrics. Interim threshold limits were developed for design purposes. Two case studies will demonstrate use and applicability. Title: Ecological (Biodiversity) Thresholds in the Credit Watershed Speaker: Kata Bavrlic and Kirk Bowers, Credit Valley Conservation Kata Bavrlic's Biography: Kata Bavrlic holds a Master of Science in conservation biology from Trent University, in Peterborough, Ontario. As the Terrestrial Monitoring Specialist at Credit Valley Conservation, she is responsible for coordinating the Terrestrial Monitoring Program component of the Integrated Watershed Monitoring Program. The program measures long-term trends in the health of forests, wetlands and riparian areas throughout the watershed. Although she has worked with a diversity of taxa over the years, her specializations include avian community ecology and tree health. Kirk Bowers' Biography: Kirk Bowers holds an undergraduate degree in biology from Brock University and a Masters of Science from Carleton University. Since 2008, he has worked at Credit Valley Conservation – first as a riparian study assistant and then as a terrestrial monitoring technician. He has been responsible for developing and implementing riparian monitoring protocols as part of the terrestrial component of a larger integrated watershed monitoring program. Presentation Description: A review of the philosophies, processes, and statistical tools used to set monitoring thresholds for components of an integrated watershed monitoring program in the Credit River Watershed. T3G - More Than Just the 3 R’s Teaching students and adults about biodiversity, or the variety of life on Earth, is a daunting yet exciting task. Attend this special session on education and see how some of Ontario’s top outreach education providers are guiding students (or any age) through a fascinating and exciting exploration of biodiversity issues. Title: Biodiversity Education Awareness Network Speaker: Dolf Dejong, Royal Botanical Gardens Presentation Biography: No information submitted yet. Title: Biodiversity Education at the Zoo Speaker: Dave Ireland, Toronto Zoo Biography: Dave Ireland is the Curator of Conservation Programs at the Toronto Zoo and is responsible for guiding Zoo operations, procedures and programs toward sustainable development and messaging. Dave holds a BSc. Honours in Biology and Chemistry from Mount Allison University and a MSc. in Ecology from Trent University. Dave Chairs the internal Zoo “Green Team” and is the Chair of the Ontario Road Ecology Group, a Zoo conservation program with a scope across Ontario. Dave also sits on a variety of external committees related to sustainable development, including: the Biodiversity Education and Awareness Network (BEAN), the Education Alliance for a Sustainable Ontario (EASO) and the Corporate Energy Management Committee (City of Toronto). Dave coordinates a 4th year Conservation Biology course at the University of Toronto at Scarborough titled “The role of zoos in conservation”, and frequently provides lectures to community groups, university seminar series and businesses. Dave works closely with the Zoo animal curators and assists on exhibit design and education messaging. Currently, Dave lives with his wife and two daughters in Little India in Toronto. Presentation Description: Informal education and demonstration projects are powerful tools for changing behaviours toward sustainable development and biodiversity conservation. This talk will showcase the unique ways the Toronto Zoo is reaching audiences. Title: Life in Crisis: The Schad Gallery of Biodiversity Speaker: Deborah Metsger, Royal Ontario Museum Presentation Biography: Deborah Metsger is Assistant Curator of Botany in the Department of Natural History and is responsible for the management of the ROM’S Green Plant Herbarium, a collection of more than 500,000 botanical specimens. She has conducted biodiversity studies throughout Ontario and further afield, including Guyana. Among her publications, she is co-author of the ROM Fieldguide to the Wildflowers of Ontario (2004), and Co-editor of Managing the Modern Herbarium (1999). Deborah regularly contributes to ROM public programs and events and has participated in developing several galleries, special exhibitions, and travelling exhibits. She is a member of the curatorial team responsible for Life in Crisis: the Schad Gallery of Biodiversity –the ROM’s most recent Natural History gallery. Presentation Description: This talk explores the use of specimen-rich displays, multimedia and live-programming in “Life in Crisis: the Schad Gallery of Biodiversity” to communicate three main themes - Life is Diverse, Life is Interconnected, Life is at Risk.
3:30pm - 4:00pm	Refreshment Break
5:00pm - 8:00pm	Silent Auction
5:00pm - 6:45pm	Student Poster Display & Competition
7:00pm - 8:00pm	Gala Banquet
8:00pm - 9:00pm	Comedy Performance by The Second City
9:00pm - 11:00pm	Hospitality Suite

Day 3 - Friday, November 19, 2010

7:00am - 10:00am	Registration
7:00am - 8:00am	Early Bird Conservation Breakfast
7:45am - 8:15am	Keynote Speaker Dr.Bill Dennison, University of Maryland - Center for Environmental Science Presentation Biography: Dr. Bill Dennison is a Professor of Marine Science and Vice President for Science Applications at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES). Dr. Dennison’s primary mission within UMCES is to coordinate the Integration and Application Network. The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science is one of two research and service institutions in the 13-institution University System of Maryland. UMCES is comprised of three laboratories distributed across the watershed of Chesapeake Bay within Maryland: Appalachian Laboratory in Frostburg, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay in Solomons and Horn Point Laboratory on the eastern shore of Chesapeake Bay near Cambridge as well as Maryland Sea Grant College in College Park, Maryland. UMCES also operates an Annapolis Liaison Office. Bill Dennison rejoined UMCES in 2002 following a ten year stint at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. He originally started at UMCES (then the Center for Environmental and Estuarine Science) in 1987 as a Postdoctorate/Research Assistant Professor based at Horn Point Laboratory. In Australia, Bill developed an active Marine Botany group at the University of Queensland with strong links to the Healthy Waterways Campaign for Moreton Bay. Bill obtained his academic training from Western Michigan University (B.A., Biology & Environmental Science), the University of Alaska (M.S., Biological Oceanography), The University of Chicago (Ph.D., Biology), and State University of New York at Stony Brook at Stony Brook (Postdoc, Coastal Marine Scholar).
8:30am - 10:00am	Concurrent Sessions
	F1A - Climate Change Implications for Great Lakes’ Watersheds Biodiversity What are the implications and responses on a local level to climate change? This session explores some of the anticipated issues that will occur and some adaptive management approaches to maintain and protect biodiversity. Title: Adaptive Management Approach for the Upper Great Lakes in Response to Predicted Vulnerabilities From Climate Change Speaker: Wendy Leger, Environment Canada Presentation Biography: Wendy Leger is a Water Projects Officer with the Boundary Waters Issues Unit at the Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Environment Canada. Wendy has over 20 years of experience working on Great Lakes water quantity and water management related projects. She is currently the Canadian co-lead of the Adaptive Management Group on the International Joint Commission’s Upper Great Lakes Study. Title: Implications to Base Flow and Ground Water in Response to Climate Change Scenarios Speaker: Dr. Young-Jin Park, University of Waterloo Presentation Biography: I received B.Sc, M.Sc. and Ph.D. (2003) in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the Seoul National University, South Korea and moved to Canada in 2003. I am currently a research assistant professor for quantivity hydrogeology (since 2007) at the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences in the University of Waterloo. Since 2003, I have been a member of the development group for an integrated groundwater and surface water flow and heat/solute transport simulator (HydroGeoSphere). My major contributions in the development of HydroGeoSphere are the sophistication of the conceptual model and the implementation of advanced mathematical and numerical schemes for the integrated simulations. Presentation Description: My presentation will focus on the following issues: Impact of climate change on water resources in the Grand River Watershed and in Canada Thermal energy exchange between surface and subsurface flow regimes and the implications for ecosystem health Title: Proceedings and Guidance from the Nearshore Climate Change Workshop Speaker: Sandra George, Environment Canada Presentation Biography: No information submitted yet. Title: Integrated Approach to Watershed Management for Climate Change and Addressing Recommendations from the Ontario Expert Advisory Panel for Climate Change Speaker: Charley Worte, Conservation Ontario Presentation Biography: Charley Worte currently works with Conservation Ontario as the Source Water Protection Manager and coordinates Conservation Ontario’s role in implementing the Clean Water Act. He is also involved in supporting Conservation Authorities in the implementation of integrated watershed management and in responding to climate change. He has 30 years experience in watershed management primarily with Credit Valley Conservation Authority and Conservation Ontario. Charley represented Conservation Ontario at Phase 2 of the Walkerton Inquiry and has sat on a variety of source protection committees and working groups since that time. Charley is a graduate of the University of Guelph with a Masters of Science degree in Hydrology and a Bachelors degree in Water Resource Engineering. F1B - Aquatic Biodiversity The diversity of insects and other invertebrates that live in the water can tell us a lot about the health of our watercourses. Speakers in this session will share their experiences and perspectives on methodologies and assessing impacts. Title: Biodiversity Insights from a Large-Scale Biomonitoring Survey Speaker: Dr. James Rusak, Ministry of the Environment Presentation Biography: Jim is the Biological Monitoring Scientist for the Ontario Ministry of the Environment’s Dorset Environmental Science Centre. His research there focuses on the long-term ecological and environmental monitoring of aquatic ecosystems and the use of these data to understand biological patterns and processes and improve our attempts to understand and manage aquatic ecosystems. Presentation Description: Using a lake dataset with high taxonomic resolution, spanning multiple years and sites, I discuss the biodiversity insights gained from having both spatial and temporal patterns of taxonomic richness, how taxonomic detail influences our understanding of impairment, and the prospects for using phylogenetic diversity as a biomonitoring indicator. Title: Human Impact on Stream Benthic Macroinvertebrate Biodiversity: An Airport Case Study Speaker: Joshua Diamond, Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority Presentation Biography: Joshua Diamond M.Sc. is a Water Quality Specialist with the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority in Welland, Ontario, Canada. He has worked in the watershed monitoring field for over ten years. As Water Quality Specialist his duties include coordinating the NPCA’s groundwater and surface water monitoring network. His research interests include biological monitoring and peatland ecology. Presentation Description: De-icing compounds are used at airports to eliminate winter ice from aircrafts and runways. The influence of these contaminants on macroinvertebrate biodiversity in reference and impacted tributaries adjacent to a Hamilton-area airport are investigated. Title: What Intensive Monitoring of the Eastern Green Drake Mayfly Is Revealing about the Health of the Credit River Speaker: Dr. Henry E. Frania, Royal Ontario Museum Presentation Biography: Dr. Frania has over 30 years experience doing taxonomic research on caddisflies (Trichoptera), ground beetles (Carabidae), and other groups of insects. Over the past 15 years he has also acted as a consultant on projects assessing the health of streams, adjoining riparian corridors, etc., using invertebrates as bioindicators. Presentation Description: Study of the Credit River’s Green Drakes over the over the past six years is showing that even the best remaining sections of the river are declining in health. F1C - Biodiversity Lost? or Found The stressors and threats to biodiversity are many; the spread of invasive species, increased demand for public use, and climate change. This session will focus on ways to evaluate these stressors in order to direct and prioritize management actions. Title: Terrestrial Invasive Plant Strategy Speaker: Noah Gaetz,Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Biography: Noah Gaetz has a Biology and Environmental Policy degree from Brock University. Noah has close to 15 years experience working in the conservation management field. He is currently the supervisor of Terrestrial Natural Heritage at the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority where he helps to manage such projects as invasive plant strategies, Ecosystem Recovery Planning and natural system adaptation to climate change. Presentation Description: This presentation will highlight the results of a study conducted to aid in the development of an invasive species management plan. The goals of this study are twofold. The first aims to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the state of invasive plants within TRCA’s jurisdiction. The second aims to put forth a systematic framework for strategic management of invasive plants. Title: Incorporating Anticipated Impacts to Wildlife in Trail Management Planning Speaker: Bill Thompson, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Biography: Bill Thompson has a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Trent University, and a Master’s degree in Botany from the University of Manitoba where he studied the impacts of forest fragmentation on seed dispersal. Since graduation Bill has worked as a private consultant, and with Ontario Parks, the Ministry of Natural Resources, and the Elgin County Stewardship Council. His work has included developing and implementing conservation and restoration plans at both the site level and landscape level. He is currently employed as a Conservation Lands Planner by the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, where he contributes to the management of their portfolio of conservation areas. Presentation Description: This presentation provides an overview of a trail planning process that attempts to account for the anticipated disturbance to wildlife associated with trail networks, based on a combination of site inventory and GIS analysis Title: Climate Change: Implications for Natural Systems and Biodiversity Speakers: Brian Henshaw, Beacon Environmental Biography: Brian is a Principal with Beacon Environmental, a firm with four offices across Ontario. Over 25 years he has accrued a broad range of experience related to the monitoring, inventory, analysis and evaluation of natural systems, with special expertise in wildlife and in wetlands. Brian was a primary contributor to the “How Much Habitat is Enough 2nd Edition” and “Urban Effects on Area Sensitive Forest Birds”. Several hundred projects have included: Natural Heritage System design, research, Environmental Assessments, EISs, development and execution of monitoring protocols, strategic analysis of nuisance wildlife issues and air traffic hazard/risk assessments. Brian was an instructor for the MNR Wetland Evaluation Training Course for over a decade and he has assisted in the instruction of the Ecological Land Classification Course. Presentation Description: Brian will present the findings of a collaborative project between Beacon Environmental and the Toronto Region Conservation Authority that examined the most likely climate change scenarios for the Toronto area and developed a method to systematically examine natural heritage features and function for their response to the predicted change. The outcome of the project was unexpected on several levels. F1D - Food: Diversifying the Urban Landscape Learn more about how the grassroots movement toward urban agriculture is transforming the character of residential neighborhoods from monoculture lawns to more diverse ecological landscapes. Title: Food City: Patterns and Possibilities Speaker: Dr. Karen Landman, University of Guelph Presentation Biography: Karen has had a long interest in the relationship between humans and plants - food plants included. Her academic and practice background includes horticulture, landscape architecture, planning, and cultural geography. Her current research interests are urban agriculture and, more broadly, food systems. Recently, Karen undertook an urban agriculture road tour, traveling 30,000 km to investigate what is happening across North America. Presentation Description: Urban agriculture is an increasing activity in North American cities that competes for space along with urban forests, parks and greenways. Karen will provide an overview of urban agriculture across North America. Title: Backyard Bounty – Guelph’s Urban Farming Project Speaker: Robert Orland, Backyard Bounty Presentation Biography: Environmental entrepreneur and investor, Robert began his career 23 years ago with the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority. In his 10 years there, he held a variety of positions there and by the time he left, created a legacy of stronger environmental policies. Robert then joined the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) to create nature preserves throughout Ontario by negotiating land donations and purchases with landowners. After being there over 3 years, he protected over 25 environmentally significant natural areas. Robert then established his own business doing land securement for important lands that were not targeted on a national scale: http://orlandconservation.ca/. He and his staff all work to protect lands in many areas over southern Ontario. The company devises conservation strategies and sustainability plans for governments, conservation authorities and land trusts to secure green space in perpetuity. Since 2002, Robert has been a socially responsible real estate investor; as well as an investor of other community supportive businesses. At the start of 2009 Robert launched an urban farming business in Guelph called Backyard Bounty: http://backyardbounty.ca/. Individual homeowners and other landowners in the urban centre can have his company convert their unused lawns to grow food using organic and bio-dynamic methods. The food is then sold locally to restaurants and individuals. Presentation Description: The presentation will focus on lawn conversion to productive and diverse gardens, the operations and sustainability of the project. Title: Food Policy at the Regional Level: How Food Redefines Municipal Cooperation and Development Speaker: Arthur Churchyard, Guelph Food Charter Biography: Arthur Churchyard currently researches rural planning and development at the University of Guelph. His publications include the Ontario Farmland Trust’s guide to "Planning Regional Food Systems", and work funded by OMAFRA on regional economic development. He serves on the Policy Committee of the Guelph Wellington Food Round Table. Presentation Description: How can urban and rural planning policies improve the diversity of local foodscapes? Guelph is an emerging case study in urban agricultural development. F1E - Urban Biodiversity & Stewardship Urban nature is essential for connecting the majority of Ontario’s population with the natural environment. City dwellers’ interaction with nature is critical for their health and well-being. These two sessions will focus on groups bringing nature to cities and their “solutions” to enhancing urban biodiversity. Title: Increasing Urban Biodiversity through Use of Unconventional Spaces Speaker: Brad Bass, University of Toronto Presentation Biography: Dr. Brad Bass is a member of the Adaptation and Impacts Research Division located in the University of Toronto’s Centre for Environment. His current research interests include the impact of green roofs and breathing walls on energy conservation, simulating adaptation with agent-based simulation models and the impacts of climate change on the energy sector. Brad also chairs the North American Green Roof Research Committee and is a member of Mississauga’s Environmental Advisory Committee Title: Green Roofs Speaker: Gavin Miller, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Presentation Biography: Gavin Miller is a flora biologist for the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. His current work involves biological inventory and assessment of natural heritage areas, including long-term monitoring of forests and wetlands. This information, covering thousands of hectares, is used for numerous planning and recovery projects. Before TRCA, Gavin has also been involved with designing and installing ecological restoration projects, and native plant propagation. Presentation Description: Green roofs are known for their value in energy savings, local climate mitigation, and storm water attenuation. However, they also provide an unparalleled opportunity for supporting certain flora and ecosystems. In effect, they extend opportunities for natural heritage right into the urban fabric. Title: Greening Corporate / Institutional Grounds: Early Adopters, Successes and Challenges Speaker: Donna Havinga, Credit Valley Conservation Presentation Biography: Donna brings combined specialties in ecological landscaping/restoration, facilitation and related education to her position as Supervisor of CVC’s new Urban Outreach programs. Prior to her work at CVC, she was a well known leader, practitioner, facilitator, and educator in private practice. She is co-author of the widely acclaimed Restoring Nature’s Place and, with her newly created team at CVC, is currently developing programs and resources tailored to CVC’s urban areas and watershed. Among other programs, Donna created the Greening Corporate/Institutional Grounds Program with input from partners, and is now looking to support others in offering the program in other jurisdictions. Presentation Description: The time is right! Private landowners are interested in a more ecological approach to managing their yards and grounds. Donna will describe the Greening Corporate/Institutional Grounds Program and the opportunities the program presents for other Conservation Authorities. F1F - Modeling Natural Heritage – A Comparative Analysis This unique session will provide a comparative analysis of different natural heritage modeling techniques, brief presentations on different models, one-on-one discussions through poster displays and an open question session. Title: Natural Heritage Marxan Model Speaker: Geoff Clark, Ministry of Natural Resources Presentation Biography: Geoff Clark is a Natural Spaces Spatial Analyst with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources in the Southern Science and Information Section. He has worked with Marxan conservation system planning software since 2008 on various natural heritage system design and modelling projects across southern Ontario. In particular his work focusses on documenting processes for preparing spatial datasets for Marxan analysis. He is a GIS Applications Specialist (Fleming College) and has an Honours B.Sc. in Geography from Trent University. He attended the Young Conservation Professional program in 2010. Presentation Description: An overview of MNR Southern Science Section’s landscape-level approach to natural heritage system design using the Marxan conservation system planning software to evaluate ecological function, biodiversity, and socio-political values. Title: LSRCA Natural Heritage System: Approach and Methodology Speaker: Michael Dennis, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Presentation Biography: Michael Dennis is a graduate of the Geographic Analysis program at Ryerson University, specializing in GIS and geostatistics. Employed at the LSRCA since 2004, he has been involved in a variety of projects, including nutrient loading modelling, design and implementation of an enterprise geodatabase, as well as being the principal GIS Analyst involved in the development of the Natural Heritage System. Presentation Description: An examination of the LSRCA Natural Heritage System will briefly outline the policy background of the System, and will describe the GIS tools and techniques employed in translating policies into a mapping product. Title: TRCA Natural Heritage Design System Speaker: Jason Tam, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Presentation Biography: No information submitted yet. Title: Applying a Road Density Measure for Natural Heritage Speakers: Ken Towle & Jeff Moxley, Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority Presentation Ken Towle's Biography: Ken Towle has over 20 years professional experience in conservation biology, restoration ecology and environmental education. In 1990 he received a Masters degree in Environmental Studies from York University. Since then he has worked on such diverse issues as tropical forest conservation, migratory songbird declines, invasive plants, prairie restoration, and natural heritage system design. For the past seven years Ken has been a Terrestrial Ecologist at the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority. Jeff Moxley's Biography: Jeff is currently in his fifth year at the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority. Prior to that he ran a GIS consulting company out of Kingston, Ontario and has over 10 years of GIS experience. Jeff holds diplomas in Integrated Resource Management technologist and GIS application specialist from Sir Sanford Fleming College in Lindsay. Presentation Description: Roads and traffic have serious impacts on biodiversity and ecological function. In addition to direct impact on wildlife populations through road kills, they act as barriers to movement of some species. While we define and attempt to protect natural heritage systems roads dissect these and prevent them from achieving their full potential. This presentation discusses approaches and challenges of using a road density measure to supplement natural heritage system design in watershed and landscape planning. F1G - Impacts of Nature Deficit Disorder Join keynote speaker Richard Louv for a more in-depth workshop looking at Nature-Deficit Disorder. Louv will investigate the relationship of children and the natural world in current and historical contexts. Louv created the term “nature-deficit disorder” to describe possible negative consequences to individual health and the social fabric as children move indoors and away from physical contact with the natural world – particularly unstructured, solitary experiences. Title: Connecting Children With Nature Speakers: Richard Louv, Children’s Nature Network Biography: Richard Louv is a journalist and author of seven books about the connections between family, nature and community. His most recent book, "Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder" (Algonquin), translated into 9 languages and published in 13 countries, has stimulated an international conversation about the relationship between children and nature. Louv is also the chairman and co-founder of the Children & Nature Network (www.childrenandnature.org), an organization helping build the movement to connect today’s children and future generations to the natural world. Louv coined the term Nature-Deficit Disorder® which has become the defining phrase of this important issue. In 2008, he was awarded the Audubon Medal, presented by the National Audubon Society. Prior recipients have included Rachel Carson, E. O. Wilson and President Jimmy Carter. Louv is also the recipient of the Cox Award for 2007, Clemson University’s highest honor, for “sustained achievement in public service” and has been a Clemson visiting professor. Among other awards, Louv is the recipient of the 2008 San Diego Zoological Society Conservation Medal, the 2008 George B. Rabb Conservation Medal from the Chicago Zoological Society, and the 2009 International Making Cities Livable Jane Jacobs Award. He was recently named Honorary Co-chairman, with Canadian artist Robert Bateman, of Canada’s national Children and Nature Alliance. Louv has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Times of London, and other major publications. He has appeared on many national TV shows, including NBC’s Today Show and Nightly News, CBS Evening News, ABC’s Good Morning America, and NPR's Morning Edition, Fresh Air, and Talk of the Nation. Between 1984 and 2007 he was a columnist for The San Diego Union-Tribune and has been a columnist and member of the editorial advisory board for Parents magazine. Louv served as an advisor both to the Ford Foundation’s Leadership for a Changing World award program and to the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. He is on the board of directors of ecoAmerica and a member of the Citistates Group. He has appeared before the Domestic Policy Council in the White House as well as at major governmental and professional conferences, nationally and internationally. He is working on his eighth book, about the restorative power of nature. He is married to Kathy Frederick Louv and the father of two young men, Jason, 28 and Matthew, 22. He would rather fish than write.
10:30am - 12:00pm	Concurrent Sessions
	F2A - Great Lakes Shorelines and Biodiversity Coastal communities and habitats are affected by watershed land uses and development pressures, yet species and the communities depend on a healthy environment. This session will outline ecosystem based management principles and how they can inform land use decision-makers and engage the public to consider better shoreline practices. Title: Species and Communities Dependant on Great Lakes Coastal Processes Speaker: Mike McMurtry, Natural Heritage Information Centre Presentation Biography: Mike is the Natural Areas Ecologist with the Natural Heritage Information Centre (NHIC) in Peterborough. The NHIC is responsible for managing data on rare species, plant communities and natural areas and making this information available for conservation purposes. Mike manages a provincial database on natural areas such as Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest, wetlands, provincial and national parks, conservation areas, Important Bird Areas and Biosphere Reserves. He also works with conservation partners on projects involving natural heritage data, for example the Great Lakes Conservation Blueprint for Biodiversity, Islands of Life and Biodiversity Conservation Strategies for Lake Ontario and Lake Huron. Presentation Description: The presentation will focus on the species and ecological communities that are found in Great Lakes coastal areas and the factors that make them dependant on this environment. Mike will also discuss how coastal biodiversity is being addressed in recent conservation initiatives. Title: Linkages in Watershed Land Use, Water Quality and Coastal Wetland Condition Speaker: Greg Grabas, Canadian Wildlife Service Presentation Biography: Greg Grabas is a Habitat Ecologist with the Canadian Wildlife Service. His work involves science and monitoring projects on lower Great Lakes coastal wetlands. He coordinates studies that examine the condition of various wetland attributes including water quality, aquatic macroinvertebrates, submerged aquatic vegetation, fish, birds and amphibians. He is also involved in exploring the effect of water level changes on vegetation community dynamics in Lake Ontario coastal wetlands. Presentation Description: This presentation will explore linkages among watershed land use, water quality, and biotic community attributes (birds, amphibians, macroinvertebrates, fish, and submerged vegetation) in Lake Ontario coastal wetlands. Title: Application of Ecosystem Based Management Principles to the Design of Shoreline Structures Speaker: Peter Zuzek, Baird & Associates Presentation Biography: No information submitted yet. F2B - Integrating Policy Decisions Around Water Management Integrating policy decisions to manage water has been an ongoing battle. This session will examine the public’s perspective on water, following with expert recommendations on how water resources can be improved through policy decisions. Title: 2010 Unilever RBC Canadian Water Attitudes Study Speaker: Catherine McVitty, Unilever Canada Presentation Biography: Catherine has been with Unilever for over 15 years involved in a variety of roles related to Unilever’s environmental sustainability agenda. Most recently, Catherine has responsibility for managing the Unilever Canada and Unilever U.S. charitable foundations both of which support environmental sustainability through community grant-making. Catherine also works with community groups, business and government stakeholders in order to advance Unilever’s environmental performance and reputation in Canada. Additionally, Unilever has just recently announced its new 10 year vision which aims to double the size of the business without increasing the company’s environmental footprint. With sustainability so intimately linked to the business’s growth agenda, Catherine is also working with many parts of the business to identify opportunities to reduce Unilever’s environmental impact and share those accomplishments both internally and externally. Presentation Description: For three consecutive years, Unilever and RBC have commissioned a study of Canadian’s attitudes to freshwater. I will present the finding of our 2010 Canadian Water Attitudes Study with a focus on: how water is viewed by Canadians, how it is valued in comparison to other natural resources, confidence in availability of freshwater, attitudes toward conservation and many other findings. Given the three year history of the study some trend analysis is available as well. Title: Opportunities for Water Management and Sustainability – A Look at the Water Opportunities and Water Conservation Act Speaker: Theresa McClenaghan, Canadian Environmental Law Association Presentation Biography: Appointed as Executive Director of CELA in November 2007, Theresa McClenaghan holds an LL.B. from the University of Western Ontario (1984), an LL.M. (constitutional law) from Osgoode Law School (York University, 1999) and a diploma in Environmental Health from McMaster University (1999). She is a member of the Bars of Manitoba and Ontario. Theresa has practised public interest environmental law, both in private practice since 1985 and at the Canadian Environmental Law Association as counsel from 1998 to 2006. From 2006 to 2007, Theresa was senior water policy advisor to the Ontario Minister of the Environment where she was responsible for overseeing the passage of the Clean Water Act, implementation of the remaining Walkerton Inquiry recommendations, establishment of water taking charges for commercial water takers, and passage of legislation to implement in law the provisions of the Great Lakes Charter Annex. Notable litigation has included representation of Intervenors at the Supreme Court of Canada, Federal Court of Appeal and Ontario Court of Appeal on pesticide by-laws and the Oncomouse patent among others. Theresa’s expertise in environmental law includes environmental health, water law and policy, energy law and constitutional law. Theresa, along with other lawyers at CELA, represented the Concerned Walkerton Citizens in both parts of the Walkerton Inquiry. She was CELA’s representative to several of the province of Ontario`s advisory committees dealing with Source Protection and nutrient management after the Walkerton tragedy. Theresa also has been author or co-author of various environmental law book chapters dealing with water law, pesticides regulation and nuclear power regulation. Theresa lives in Paris, Ontario, with her husband and their four children ranging in age from 8 to 16 years. Title: Policies and Approaches to Protect Water Quality and Resources in Developing Countries Speaker: Dr. Zafar Adeel, Director of United Nations University - Institute for Water, Environment & Health, and Chair of UN-Water Presentation Biography: Dr. Zafar Adeel has experience in a variety of water and environmental issues, including monitoring and control of water pollution, water management in dry areas, solutions to industrial environmental problems, modeling of environmental systems and environmental policy formulation. He is also keenly involved in development of and liaison with international networks of water experts. He serves as Director at United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH). Dr. Adeel is an environmental engineer with post-graduate degrees from Carnegie Mellon University and Iowa State University. Currently, he is serving as the Chair of UN-Water; a group of 27 agencies focused on global water issues. Presentation Description: The presentation focuses on the water quality dimension of the global water crisis. Its worst impacts are on developing countries, and there is a risk of reversing or hampering gains in human and ecosystem wellbeing. F2C - Maintaining Integrity... Ecologically Speaking Understanding biodiversity and ecological integrity is critical to our landscape when planning urban development, identifying transportation networks and managing natural resources. Title: Using Indicator Species to Assess Biodiversity Speaker: Jessica E. Grealey, Natural Resource Solutions Inc Presentation Biography: Jessica Grealey is a Terrestrial and Wetland Biologist with Natural Resource Solutions Inc. She has been studying different aspects of butterfly ecology for almost 10 years. She specializes in developing butterfly monitoring programs for a variety of purposes. Such programs have included citizen science programs for Environment Canada, long-term community monitoring programs for private and public organizations, and butterfly monitoring programs to measure the success of municipal habitat restoration projects. Currently she is completing her Masters at the University of Waterloo where her research focuses on using butterfly as indicators in urban landscapes. Presentation Description: Conservation biologists are increasingly recognizing the value of select biological indicators to measure and monitor changes in biological diversity. Due to their rapid response to environmental change, monitoring changes in the abundance and diversity of butterflies has the potential to indicate changes in overall ecosystem health and biodiversity which can be used to help guide conservation management decisions and land-use planning. Title: Red Pine Plantations in Ontario Speaker: Sal Spitale, University of Waterloo Presentation Biography: Sal is currently completing his Masters of Environmental Studies in the department of Environment and Resource Studies at the University of Waterloo. He is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario with an Honours Biology degree. Following his undergraduate degree Sal has had a keen interest in forest ecology and the mechanisms driving the diversity of plants in the understory Ontario’s altered woodlands. His five years as a volunteer with the Bruce Trail Conservancy and more recently his work in the restoration of a conifer plantation along the Bruce Trail motivated Sal to acquire a deeper understanding of the ecology and biodiversity that conifer plantations have, or seem to lack. Presentation Description: In his presentation Sal will be describing the changes in the understory of Red Pine plantations in southern Ontario from a seemingly sterile environment to a more complex and diverse ecosystem. Title: Road Impacts on Biodiversity Speaker: Mandy Karsh, Ontario Road Ecology Group Presentation Biography: Mandy Karch is the Coordinator of the Ontario Road Ecology Group at the Toronto Zoo and is responsible for facilitating partnerships among transportation planners and government and non-government agencies focused on resolving road ecology issues. Mandy also goes out into the community to raise awareness about road ecology and the work OREG does to mitigate the threats of roads to protect biodiversity. Mandy holds a B.Sc. Honours in Marine and Freshwater Biology and a M.Sc. in Zoology from the University of Guelph and has over 12 years of experience working in freshwater and sea turtle conservation across North America. Presentation Description: Partnerships are the key to changing the way transportation networks are managed across Ontario. This presentation will highlight some of OREG’s partnerships and outline how they contribute to conserving biodiversity. F2D - Community Connections Discover how diverse communities are uncovering new environmental stewards through creativity, tolerance and action. Title: Engaging Multicultural Groups in Environmental Stewardship Activities Speaker: Shintu Cherian, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Presentation Biography: Shintu has been involved in formal and non formal Environmental Education for over 14 years. She started her career in India as a Lecturer teaching formal Environmental Science course to graduate students. Since then, she has been actively involved in several local, national and international projects in creating environmental awareness and engaging a wide range of community members in conservation programs. In her current role at TRCA, she educates and engages new Canadian multicultural communities in community based environmental projects and stewardship activities across the GTA. Presentation Description: In her presentation, Shintu will address some significant challenges, barriers and success stories of engaging multicultural communities in environmental stewardship activities through 4 main components of the program she coordinates. Title: Green Jobs for All in Jane and Finch Speaker: Rosemarie Powell, The Jane/Finch Community and Family Centre Biography: No information submitted yet. F2E - Urban Biodiversity & Stewardship This session is a continuation of the previous session focusing on urban biodiversity opportunities i.e. “solutions” to enhancing urban biodiversity green roofs greening corporate and institutional grounds wetland restoration Title: Lawn Conversion to Biodiversity Gardens Speaker: Robert Orland, Orland Conservation Biography: No information submitted yet. Title: Gosling Wildlife Gardens – Biodiversity Gardens for Small Plots and Suburban Lots Speaker: Chris Earley, University of Guelph Biography: I am the University of Guelph Arboretum’s Interpretive Biologist and Education Coordinator. I have been a nature geek my whole life. I strive to get others excited about nature in hopes of inspiring them to observe, enjoy and protect it. I teach a variety of nature workshops and have written 5 bird books. I also lead tours (Arctic, Africa, Galapagos) for Quest Nature Tours. I am currently doing a part-time Master of Science on wasps and cavity-nesting birds. These pursuits still leave me with enough time for cottaging, playing basketball and soccer, and hanging out with my awesome (and obviously very patient) wife and wonderful kids. Presentation Description: See how the University of Guelph Arboretum’s Gosling Wildlife Gardens inspire the public to install backyard wildlife habitat and become aware of local biodiversity. Title: Evergreen Common Grounds Case Studies Speaker: Kim Sellers, Evergreen Biography: Kim has worked with Evergreen since 2007 engaging the Mississauga community in a variety of events, activites, workshops and talks on publicly accessible lands in the City of Mississauga. She works with multiple partners on stewardship and restoration programs, including, community groups, social service agencies, schools, business, and government. Before her time with Evergreen, Kim was worked with Canadian Forestry Service, Trees Ontario, City of Toronto and volunteered in numerous community events and programs. Kim received her Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology with Honours from the University of Guelph. Presentation Description: Using case studies and drawing on Evergreen’s 19 years of experience, we’ll take a close look at various community projects and highlight successes, challenges and areas for improvement and growth. F2F - Monitoring and Tracking Biodiversity Various technologies used to monitor and/or track rare, endangered and invasive species movements using GPS and GIS will be presented during this session. Open discussions on challenges and success will be provided. Title: The Invasive Tracking System for Ontario Speaker: Francine MacDonald, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters Biography: Francine MacDonald has coordinated the Invading Species Awareness Program for Ontario for eight years; a successful partnership initiative of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, along with numerous other federal and regional governments, industry and non-governmental organizations. Through this successful program, Francine has led or contributed to the development of a variety of initiatives directed at the major pathways for invasive species introduction. She is a member at large of the U.S Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species and a founding member of the Ontario Invasive Plant Council’s Advisory Board. She is a graduate of Trent University’s Biology program and Niagara College’s Environmental Management Program. Prior to working with the OFAH, Francine worked with Ducks Unlimited and with several conservation authorities in Ontario. Presentation Description: The Invasive Tracking System is an on-line tool, enabling citizens, scientists and conservation practitioners to query and report invasive species occurrences for Ontario, as well as provide information on stewardship, management and control projects that is being conducted on the ground. This presentation will provide a brief tour of the ITS, profiling its tools and capabilities to track invasive species and management actions across the province. This project is a joint initiative of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources’ Invading Species Awareness Program, CoMAP, and the Ontario Invasive Plant Council, with funding support from the Lake Simcoe Clean Up Fund. Title: A GIS Approach for Mapping Wood Turtle Habitat in Ontario Speaker: David Tellier, Ministry of Natural Resources Presentation Biography: David is currently a GIS Analyst with the Southern Science and Information Section for the Ministry of Natural Resources in Peterborough. He graduated from the University of Alberta in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry. He is a registered professional forester with more than eighteen years of experience in GIS in working in forestry consulting, the forest industry and now the provincial government. He specializes in GIS analysis and data management, project management, and application design and development. He has extensive experience in consulting with wide range of clients and team members to provide detailed solutions for geospatial problems, forest management and natural resource inventories. Title: Integrating Natural Heritage Data Speaker: Phil Lenoir, Grand River Conservation Authority Presentation Biography: Phil Lenoir is an experienced Software Developer that has been working for the GRCA for over 8 years. He is a database specialist and has developed many desktop and web solutions for managing data. He is a lifelong environmentalist and an amateur botanist and so has a keen interest and understanding of biodiversity issues. He lives on a 10 acre rural property that he and his wife are able to exercise their conservation ethic. F2G - Communicating Science Effectively This hour-and-a-half mini-workshop will introduce you to some of the tools and practical skills needed to more effectively communicate scientific information Speaker: Dr.Bill Dennison, (University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science) Biography: Dr. Bill Dennison is a Professor of Marine Science and Vice President for Science Applications at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES). Dr. Dennison’s primary mission within UMCES is to coordinate the Integration and Application Network. The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science is one of two research and service institutions in the 13-institution University System of Maryland. UMCES is comprised of three laboratories distributed across the watershed of Chesapeake Bay within Maryland: Appalachian Laboratory in Frostburg, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay in Solomons and Horn Point Laboratory on the eastern shore of Chesapeake Bay near Cambridge as well as Maryland Sea Grant College in College Park, Maryland. UMCES also operates an Annapolis Liaison Office. Bill Dennison rejoined UMCES in 2002 following a ten year stint at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. He originally started at UMCES (then the Center for Environmental and Estuarine Science) in 1987 as a Postdoctorate/Research Assistant Professor based at Horn Point Laboratory. In Australia, Bill developed an active Marine Botany group at the University of Queensland with strong links to the Healthy Waterways Campaign for Moreton Bay. Bill obtained his academic training from Western Michigan University (B.A., Biology & Environmental Science), the University of Alaska (M.S., Biological Oceanography), The University of Chicago (Ph.D., Biology), and State University of New York at Stony Brook at Stony Brook (Postdoc, Coastal Marine Scholar).
12:00pm - 1:00pm	Young Conservationists Luncheon & Graduation
1:00pm - 1:45pm	Keynote Speaker Richard Louv, Author of "Last Child in the Woods" Biography: Richard Louv is a journalist and author of seven books about the connections between family, nature and community. His most recent book, "Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder" (Algonquin), translated into 9 languages and published in 13 countries, has stimulated an international conversation about the relationship between children and nature. Louv is also the chairman and co-founder of the Children & Nature Network (www.childrenandnature.org), an organization helping build the movement to connect today’s children and future generations to the natural world. Louv coined the term Nature-Deficit Disorder® which has become the defining phrase of this important issue. In 2008, he was awarded the Audubon Medal, presented by the National Audubon Society. Prior recipients have included Rachel Carson, E. O. Wilson and President Jimmy Carter. Louv is also the recipient of the Cox Award for 2007, Clemson University’s highest honor, for “sustained achievement in public service” and has been a Clemson visiting professor. Among other awards, Louv is the recipient of the 2008 San Diego Zoological Society Conservation Medal, the 2008 George B. Rabb Conservation Medal from the Chicago Zoological Society, and the 2009 International Making Cities Livable Jane Jacobs Award. He was recently named Honorary Co-chairman, with Canadian artist Robert Bateman, of Canada’s national Children and Nature Alliance. Louv has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Times of London, and other major publications. He has appeared on many national TV shows, including NBC’s Today Show and Nightly News, CBS Evening News, ABC’s Good Morning America, and NPR's Morning Edition, Fresh Air, and Talk of the Nation. Between 1984 and 2007 he was a columnist for The San Diego Union-Tribune and has been a columnist and member of the editorial advisory board for Parents magazine. Louv served as an advisor both to the Ford Foundation’s Leadership for a Changing World award program and to the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. He is on the board of directors of ecoAmerica and a member of the Citistates Group. He has appeared before the Domestic Policy Council in the White House as well as at major governmental and professional conferences, nationally and internationally. He is working on his eighth book, about the restorative power of nature. He is married to Kathy Frederick Louv and the father of two young men, Jason, 28 and Matthew, 22. He would rather fish than write.
2:00pm - 2:15pm	Wrap Up