LSRCA up for prestigious award
"This is the nobel prize for watershed management"
by Michelle Minnoch

The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) is one of four finalists from around the world to compete for the Thiess River Prize.

"This is like the Nobel Prize for watershed management," said Gayle Wood, CAO of the LSRCA. "We are the second group in Canada to ever be nominated."

In 2000, the Grand River in Cambridge won the top honour.

With $300,000 Australian up for grabs, the LSRCA is up against the International Commission for Protection of the Danube River in Austria, Waitakere City Council in New Zealand, and the Yellow River Conservancy Commission in China. There were over 100 submissions for the honour.

"We are very excited," Wood said.

The LSRCA now has to work on a video submission for their final entry, due July 9th. The Conservation Authority has until June 30th to decide who will be representing them in Australia by June 30th.

Director of Watershed Management, Mike Walters said the application process included a number of facets, including their science work, and their partnerships.

"Typically, the nominations are from organizations in charge of a river or watershed", said Ken Neale, LSRCA Manager of Corporate Communications. "Our watershed is quite unique because it not only includes Lake Simcoe, but 35 tributaries."

"We do what we do because of our partnerships," said Rob Baldwin, Manager of Watershed Science. "One of the judges is a strong advocate for the Conservation Authority.

"From an environmentalist's point of view, this is the biggest award in the world," he said.