Meet the Winners:

Richard Irving
Baxters Harbour Kings Co.

A resident of Baxters Harbour, Hants Co., will receive the 2003 Nova Scotia Woodlot Owner of the Year award from the Department of Natural Resources.

Mr. Irving was chosen as the western Nova Scotia regional winner in May and was recently selected as the provincial winner.

"There are many positive changes happening on private woodlots across Nova Scotia," said Tim Olive, Minister of Natural Resources. "This prestigious award recognizes one woodlot owner a year who puts extra thought and care into their woodlot activities."

The Department of Natural Resources received 11 nominations for the woodlot owner award in January from which three regional winners were chosen in May.

Mr. Irving was selected as the provincial winner for his special attention to increasing the diversity of plants and animals on his woodlot, which has been in the Irving family since 1917.

"He has changed the composition of his woodlot from an overgrown pastureland of white spruce back to a representation of the Acadian forest" said Dale Glennie, a member of the judging committee. "Mr. Irving has also left special wildlife corridors and refuges for sensitive plant life. That is one of the things that made him stand out above the others."

"I would like to congratulate Mr. Irving for his hard work and dedication," said Mr. Olive. "This award acknowledges his outstanding stewardship”.

The 2003 Woodlot Owner of the Year award will be officially presented to Mr. Irving at a public field tour to be held on his woodlot at 12:30pm on October 4th. Details to be announced.

 

2003 Regional Winners
Central Region Winner David Meehan, a woodlot owner from Rawdon Gold Mines in Hants Co., was chosen as the Central Region Woodlot Owner of the Year. A field tour will be held on Mr. Meehan's woodlot in Rawdon Gold Mines on Saturday, September 13. The tour will leave the Windsor DNR office on that morning. Details to be announced. Contact: Don Cameron 902-893-5629 Camerods@gov.ns.ca
	David Meehan   Central Region Winner
Eastern Region Winner Phillip Clark, a woodlot owner from Brophy, Antigonish Co. was chosen as the Eastern Region Woodlot Owner of the Year. This is the second time Mr. Clark has received this award, the first time being in 1993. A field tour will be held on Mr. Clark's woodlot on Saturday, September 6. The tour will begin at the Antigonish DNR office. Details to be announced. Contact: Tim Bailey 902-863-7373 baileyta@gov.ns.ca
	Phillip Clark Eastern Region Winner
For more information on the winners or the upcoming field days contact:
Dale Glennie Natural Resources 902-424-5444 E-mail: woodlot@gov.ns.ca	Bruce Carter Natural Resources 902-584-2229 E-mail: carterbm@gov.ns.ca