Lake Simcoe International Thiess Riverprize finalist

NEWMARKET - July 27, 2009 - The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) has announced it is a finalist in the competition for the 2009 International Thiess Riverprize. The conservation authority is one of five finalists from around the world to reach the final round of competition.

The prize recognizes organizations that are engaged in the very best practices in watershed management, and is awarded to the project that represents the world’s best effort to conserve natural watershed resources for future generations.

Competing with the LSRCA for this year’s award, including a cash award of $350,000 Australian, are the Avon River (England), the Lower Owens River (Los Angeles, USA), the Polochic Basin (Guatemala), and the Yellow River (China).

“We are thrilled and honored to be considered one of the world’s best at watershed management,” said Virginia Hackson, East Gwillimbury councilor and chair of the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority. “We have been working for many years on sustainability and we have developed an integrated watershed management program. An international panel of scientists has validated that our work is of the quality that can compete with the best in the world. That is very gratifying.”

“Our nomination stands with the very elite of the world in environmental science,” said LSRCA’s CAO Gayle Wood. “We are very proud to be honored with this international distinction. From an environmental point of view, this is the biggest, most prestigious award in the world. Only two organizations in Canada have ever been nominated, and this is our second time. It’s also important to note that both Canadian nominees are conservation authorities in Ontario: the LSRCA and the Grand River Conservation Authority."

In 2007, Riversymposium Chair Professor Paul Greenfield said the LSRCA work exemplifies the spirit of the International Thiess Riverprize. “Many countries are facing a water crisis and now more than ever it is important for the International Thiess Riverprize to reward and promote best practice water management. All people involved in the Lake Simcoe project should feel proud their efforts have been recognized in this way.”

Since its inauguration in 1999, the International Thiess Riverprize has come to be called the ‘Nobel Prize’ for outstanding environmental work in watershed management.

• 2008 – St. Johns River, Florida, USA
• 2007 – Danube River Basin, Austria
• 2006 – Sha River, China
• 2005 – The Drome, France
• 2004 – Siuslaw River Basin, Oregon, USA
• 2003 – Alexander River Restoration Authority, Israel (in cooperation with the Palestinians)
• 2002 – Mekong River Commission, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Lao People's Democratic Republic
• 2001 – Blackwood Basin Group, Western Australia
• 2000 – Grand River Conservation Authority, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
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• 1999 – Mersey Basin Campaign, United Kingdom

The LSRCA is now one of a short list of finalists who will go on to the next round of judging. The award will be presented at a special ceremony during the International Riversymposium in Brisbane, Australia, September 22.

Further information:
Sue Jagminas
Acting Manager, Corporate Communications
LSRCA
905-895-1281
Thiess Riverprize
http://www.riversymposium.com/