The City of Kawartha Lakes has celebrated 17 local residents, students, businesses, and organizations that have made a difference to the environment with the annual “Bee a Hero” and “Environmental Hero” awards.
At the beginning of the regular council meeting on Tuesday afternoon (August 25), Kawartha Lakes councillor Pat Warren, along with the city’s environmental advisory committee chair Deborah Pearson and member Christine Szabados and Mayor Doug Elmslie, presented the 2025 awards to the recipients who were nominated earlier this year.
The Bee a Hero award recognizes local residents who create pollinator-friendly gardens, while the Environmental Hero award recognizes local residents, students, businesses, and organizations that have shown a commitment to improving the wellness of the environment, including by protecting natural spaces, improving biodiversity, promoting active transportation, and inspiring environmental action across Kawartha Lakes.
“This is certainly a wonderful day, and it’s so heartening to see so many Environmental Heroes and Bee a Hero heroes,” councillor Warren said, before describing the work of each award recipient and presenting the award to them.
The first Bee a Hero recipient, Rosemary Deitch, has planted gardens for different growing conditions using native perennials, shrubs, and trees. Her gardens provide food and habitat for insect and bird pollinators while also “feeding the soul.”
Next up was Catherine Widjedal, who has spent many years planting and transplanting perennial and native flowers, shrubs, and trees. Her passion for gardening and protecting the environment help support biodiversity while beautifying her property.
Moving on to the Enviromental Hero awards, Bill Steffler was recognized as being a longtime supporter of trails and active transportation. He cycles and walks whenever possible, is a member of the Active Transportation Committee, and has served as chair of the city’s Active Transportation Master Plan Task Force. Steffler is also a key contributor to the Green Trails Association and the Kawartha Trans Canada Trail Association, and a founding member and leader of Active Transportation Advocates for Kawartha Lakes.
Volunteers from the Fenelon Falls Horticultural Society were recognized for their “countless hours” in planning, planting, and maintaining 21 public gardens and four stone planters. Their work includes the rain garden on Oak Street near Maryboro Lodge Museum, which helps filter and absorb stormwater before it reaches Cameron Lake. Their gardens also contain many native and pollinator-friendly plants.
Land conservation charity Kawartha Land Trust was recognized for its work to protect and care for thousands of acres of natural and working lands in the Kawarthas. The land they protect includes ecologically diverse lands, and public access nature reserves that welcome thousands of visitors annually. The non-profit organization’s work also includes conservation partnerships and collaboration within Michi Saagii Nishnaabeg territory.
Marilas McInnis and Kathleen Pearce-Holbrook of Entente Education Canada District 18 Haliburton Kawartha Lakes were recognized for helping to secure funding for several environmental projects, including five backyard birding kits (including binoculars) for Kawartha Lakes Public Library and promotion and delivery of five workshops hosted by Kawartha Conservation, the library, and Bird Friendly Kawartha Lakes.
Richard Gauder of Plant Kawartha, which has been planting trees for seven years to help offset personal carbon footprints, was recognized for leading the group’s work in planting more than 6,000 shade trees, fruit trees and pollinator-friendly species. Plant Kawartha has done plantings at local schools, the Lindsay fairgrounds, and is a member of local climate boards.
Maicey Benjamin (who was unable to attend the presentation) was recognized for forming Sustainable Ecological Alternatives for Living group, which has met monthly for at least 15 years, and for helping start the Bobcaygeon Farmers’ Market. He has also served on the Board of Environmental Action Bobcaygeon since its inception.
The first Environmental Business Hero award winner was Paul Heydon of Grow Wild! Native Plant Nursery, which grows native plants for ecological restoration projects and public and private native plant gardens.
The business also provides ecological restoration services, species at risk research, and educational presentations. Grow Wild! supported Kawartha Lakes’ Bee City designation by providing native plants and supporting the Pollinator Action Team.
Century Cinemas 3, owned by Steve Podolsky, was recognized for providing important habitat for chimney swifts, a species at risk. More than 70 swifts roost in the building’s chimney at one time.
The business is taking steps to keep the chimney suitable for the birds and has been recognized by Birds Canada for their work. Their efforts also contributed to Kawartha Lake’s inclusion in Nature Canada’s Bird Friendly City program.
The first Environmental Student Hero award was presented to Markus Legzdins and Liam Hood-Hanlon of Fleming College, who hosted an American woodcock workshop at Ken Reid Conservation Area. They researched the species, which is not widely known, completing field observations, developing a presentation, and leading the workshop and site visits for 25 participants. Both will be continuing their studies in conservation biology at Trent University in the fall.
Foundations for Independence at Langton Public School was recognized for creating the Langton Community Garden. Students planted and cared for vegetables, herbs, a Three Sisters Garden, and pollinator gardens. Food grown in the garden will be donated to the food bank in Fenelon Falls. The project also helps students learn about where their food comes from, volunteerism, community involvement, responsibility, and First Nations teachings.
Finally, Mackenzie Dunne, Kristen Groves, and Alexandra Di Natale of the Frost Living Laboratory at Fleming College were recognized for their work on a pollinator and bird friendly garden rejuvenation project, which was established in 2004 and has since grown to more than 1,200 square feet of native plant habitat with accessible paths.
A living laboratory, it is used to teach about native plant identification, pollinator diversity, and seed saving. The garden includes culturally significant and sensory plants, interpretive signage, and habitat and food for pollinators and birds. It is recognized by Pollinator Partnership Canada and certified as Bird Friendly.
