LPRCA AGM highlights projects, partnerships
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The Long Point Region Conservation Authority held their annual general meeting on Friday in Tillsonburg.
“Our AGM was an opportunity last week to invite many of our local watershed partners - both the municipalities as well as a number of conservation and environmental groups such as Bird Studies Canada, Nature Conservancy of Canada, the Simcoe Fish and Game Club, the Otter Valley Naturalists to come on out and see our annual board and celebrate the activities that we achieved together during 2012,” said Cliff Evanitski, general manager of the Long Point Region Conservation Authority.
Under the Conservation Authorities Act all conservation authorities are required to have an annual general meeting, typically before or by March 1. Close to 60 people from municipalities, conservation authorities and various groups around the region came out for the annual event and heard from guest speaker, wildlife biologist and director of conservation and science, Gregor Beck with the Long Point Basin Land Trust. Beck spoke of the work his group has done in recent years in helping acquire and rehabilitate environmentally sensitive properties in the Long Point region.
A part of the success of the Long Point Region Conservation Authority comes from the long-term partnerships, combined resources and dedication from individuals and organizations who work together to bring about results and achieve a common goal, noted Evanitski. Annual general meetings provide those in attendance the chance to share ideas and collaborate efforts.
“The AGM creates opportunities for people to network, get together and as a result, typically we’ve had a few more projects come out – and in fact, after the last meeting, I’ve got a few meetings resulting from that where there are opportunities for our organization to sit down with others and to partner-up, to help us move some projects forward,” said Evanitski. “In these times of fiscal restraint, none of us can do it alone.”
That underlying theme of partnerships and how local groups and organizations can help one another, was a focus during the LPRCA annual general meeting.
Evanitski pointed to the South Central Ontario Region EDC, currently in Toronto attending the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) conference, as one group working diligently to show their support for the Long Point Region Conservation Authority.
“I know that in a couple of those ministerial meetings that they’re having here in Toronto with the new provincial cabinet, is SCOR is lobbying on behalf of not only Long Point (LPRCA) but also other conservation authorities, for the province to step up and provide more funding because I think SCOR, the region, recognizes the value that LPRCA provides not only to the local environment but also to the local economy,” he explained. “They realize for every dollar that gets invested in a conservation authority, usually we’re able to get two more dollars out of our local partners.
“There’s environmental, social and economic benefits.”
The LPRCA annual general meeting on Friday was a success on many different levels.
“A number of the key players were there – people that are environmentally conscience and are looking to make a difference in their watershed and community,” Evanitski concluded.