A photo by a Kawartha Lakes woman is one of eight winners of this year’s national Lake Biodiversity Photo Challenge.
Barb Callander’s photo of a pair of curious river otters in a wetland feeding Balsam Lake was selected as a judges’ favourite in the namesake category of the fourth annual challenge organized by hosted by Living Lakes Canada, an award-winning water science and stewardship non-profit organization.
“The lake system is under pressure from increased nutrient loading and invasive species,” Callander wrote as part of the caption for her photo.
Nearly 450 photos were submitted for the 2024 challenge, which celebrates lakes across Canada and raises awareness around what’s threatening their biodiversity.
Judges’ favourites and public favourites were selected in each of four categories — lake landscapes, lake biodiversity, and lake impacts, along with a youth category — for a total of eight winning shots from across Canada, plus a special mention.
The judges’ favourites were selected by a panel of Living Lakes Canada team members and photo challenge partners and prize sponsors, and the public favourites were selected based on 1,228 votes.
The full list of winners is below.
Judges’ Favourites
- Lake Landscapes Category: Mario Mailloux, Lanaudière region, QC
- Lake Biodiversity Category: Barb Callander, Kawartha Lakes, ON
- Lake Impacts Category: Haolun Tian, Eastern Ontario
- Kids Category: Zoe Bystrov, Simcoe County, ON
Public Favourites
- Lake Landscapes Category: Andy Li, Banff National Park, AB
- Lake Biodiversity Category: Adam Benn, Okanagan, BC
- Lake Impacts Category: Tracey, Halladay, East Kootenays, BC
- Kids Category: Neora Varghese, Southern Alberta, AB
Special Mention
- Sophie Sanfacon, Vancouver Island, BC
Each winner will receive the grand prize of an online photography workshop with professional photographer Viktoria Haak, Nikon Canada Ambassador and Kase Filter Global Ambassador, as well as prize packages with items from Kicking Horse Coffee, Lush, and Laykhaus.
All the winning photos, along with all other submissions, can be viewed at livinglakescanada.ca/lbpc2024.
