NEWS AND UPDATES

How Oakville Charitable Organizations Work Hand-in-hand to Increase Biodiversity and Promote Environmental Stewardship

2023: A Recap

Video: Invasive European Buckthorn information

We are sad to write that Oakvllegreen’s longtime team member, Beatriz Gomez is leaving Oakvillegreen to relocate to the United States. Since joining our organization in 2014, Beatriz has had a significant impact on our community partnerships, programs, and countless community events and presentations.

Driven by her passion for the environment, Karen has been personally responsible for many greenspace restoration projects in our parks and schoolyards. Her enthusiasm and hands-on approach have created a ripple effect, moving thousands of volunteers to become engaged alongside her, in Oakvillegreen’s conservation and stewardship work. Under Karen’s leadership, Oakvillegreen has engaged over 29,800 students in school presentations and stewardship projects, added 10,000 square feet of pollinator gardens and planted 35,000 native trees throughout the Town of Oakville. Karen was a key member in creating Halton’s first schoolyard naturalization project at Sunningdale Public School in 1997. The award-winning project (Dreamacres) continues today, along with its stewardship by the school community. The project’s challenges and successes jump-started Karen’s interest in creating healthy natural spaces for students throughout Oakville. In addition to her long-running volunteer service with Oakvillegreen, Karen has dedicated her time and energy to supporting many other organizations, including Stop Sprawl Halton and CORE Burlington. Karen previously received an Ontario Heritage Trust Award in 2012 for her efforts in preserving the Province’s Natural Heritage and the Government of Canada’s Sesquicentennial Award in 2017 for her volunteer work protecting and enhancing Oakville’s environment.

Green Connections for Adults 55+ is an inspiring and engaging program building community togetherness. Green Connections for adults 55+ was launched in the Spring of 2021 thanks to the support of Halton Region Community Investment Fund and the New Horizons for Seniors Program.

Stop Sprawl Halton is a group of concerned citizens, who, like you, want to see our communities grow more sustainably, retain the individual character of each town and protect valuable farmland for future food security. This proposal will result in an increase in our taxes, an increased dependence on cars, and lead to a disastrous impact on our environment. Update June 2022: Halton Regional Council will meet to consider the adoption of ROPA No. 49 - it includes the provision we fought so hard for - firm urban boundaries to 2041. There’s now an additional inclusion to create a “northern sliver” of more employment lands outside Milton. We say no way! 1. Please email your Regional Councillors . Tell them the deal you want is no urban boundary expansion. 2. Watch the Council meeting on June 15th at 9:30 a.m. Let’s show Council that we are vigilant! 3. Keep your lawn sign up! We’re not done yet. The Ford government has threatened to take plans they don’t like to the Ontario Land Tribunal , and that could include Halton's.

On Friday, March 18, Oakvillegreen Conservation Association hosted a virtual event to celebrate the $100,000 Resilient Communities Fund grant received from the Ontario Trillium Foundation in 2021. This support helped Oakvillegreen rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19 by creating a safe and efficient volunteer management process and developing virtual school programming. The event included remarks from Oakvillegreen staff and Oakville North-Burlington MPP Effie Triantafilopoulos.

Inspiring and engaging students in environmental stewardship has always been one of our top priorities. Having worked with Oakville schools for many years, we see the need for a program that would support curriculum but also provide an opportunity for students to experience urban ecology right at their school and community, and to realize they can all make a difference.” For the past two years, we worked hard to meet the new challenges of the Pandemic and continue to deliver quality environmental programming to Oakville schools and community groups. GreenRoots school program offers fun, nature-based activities modified according to students’ grade level and interests, and allowing a student-driven action component, The program empowers educators, parents and community leaders to teach environmental literacy using Oakvillegreen’s suite of connected in-class and outdoor learning activities, providing a wonderful opportunity for schools to establish or strengthen their partnerships with community organizations such as Oakvillegreen. GreenRoots introduces three key topics offered by grade level: Biodiversity, Climate Change, and Biomimicry, and includes: Downloadable Toolkits with lesson plans and eco-activities, tied to the Ontario curriculum for JK - Grade 12 Interactive classroom presentations led by Oakvillegreen staff (virtual) Outdoor discovery activities led by Oakvillegreen staff - nature walks, urban forest discovery and stewardship The action-oriented approach of the program includes a number of outdoor stewardship activities and aims to ignite that green spark among students, creating life-long nature stewards. The program is possible thanks to the support of Ontario Trillium Foundation and TD Friends of the Environment Foundation.