​​​​​​Ernie Crossland Young Conservationist Award

This award is presented to individuals and groups that are 30 years of age or younger and are involved in a significant leadership role in a conservation project or with a conservation-based group or organization.

Congratulations to Zoe Bystrov!

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Zoe Bystrov is a 7th grade student from Barrie who is both the founder and youth leader of the community-based group Youth for Lake Simcoe. From a young age, Zoe has been passionate about nature, wildlife, and the environment and has felt the need to help protect Lake Simcoe from waste accumulation and litter build-up. She founded Youth for Lake Simcoe to raise awareness among youth on the importance of the lake and its health and to organize regular clean-ups of the Lake Simcoe shoreline. In the future Zoe sees the group continuing to organize clean-ups in the watershed, and hopes to develop educational materials for schools to promote the importance and health of Lake Simcoe to our lives. 

To join Youth for Lake Simcoe and make a difference, contact youthforlakesimcoe@bell.net​

​Past award winners include:

• 2020 - Not Awarded
  
• 2019 - Nari Hwang​
  
• 2018 - Michael Wang
  
• 2017 - Eva Crothers
  
• ​2016 – Simba Musewe; Mia Harwood, Kyra Bryson and the Sunderland Public School Student Body
  
• 2015 – Melissa Cusack Striepe    
  
• 2014 – Johnathan Purkis
  
• 2013 – Kelsey Shaw 
  
• 2012 – Matt Stergiou
  
• 2011 – Jeff Howard
  
• 2010 – Matt LeBlanc 
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