North Bay senior wins award for protecting Laurier Woods Conservation Area
North Bay senior wins award for protecting Laurier Woods Conservation Area
With binoculars around his neck, 89-year-old Richard "Dick" Tafel still has a spring in his step when he walks along the Laurier Woods Conservation Area.
"There are a variety of aspects which makes this an oasis right in the middle of the city," he said.
Tafel is a past president of the 'Friends of Laurier Wood' organization. He was recently awarded the 'Steve Hounsell Greenway Award' presented by Ontario Nature which recognized him for his work in protecting nature.
"It's certainly very, very nice to be so recognized," smiled Tafel. "You have to admit it's not everybody who receives something like this."
Fred Pinto, the current president of the Friends of Laurier group calls Tafel a 'champion' for sustaining and protecting the environment.
"I've known Dick for a long period of time and he's played a major role in terms of getting people to be aware of nature," said Pinto.
Years ago, the Laurier Woods Conservation Area was a wild area, not under development. While he was involved in the Nipissing Naturalists Club, Tafel pushed to convince the City of North Bay to recognize the land as a preserve.
"It's not just an environment in terms of birds, mammals and amphibians. But, these wetlands store about a quarter of a million litres of water," explained Pinto.
"Which means it reduces our taxes because don't have to build infrastructure to store the water."
When a beaver dam in the wetlands was destroyed by someone, the city bought the property with the help of the club, which chipped in $85,000.
The Friends of Laurier Woods was founded in 1989 to save the area from urban encroachment. Tafel served as the president for 12 years. Over the years, the club acquired more and more land.
"The reason this is here is not just me but because a lot of people that helped to get together and recognize the desirability," Tafel said.
In 2006, an additional 34 hectares of land was transferred to both the Friends of Laurier Woods and the North Bay Mattawa Conservation Authority who currently co-own and co-manage all 250 acres of land.
Tafel hopes the protected lands will be around for generations to come.
"Your great-grandchildren will likely enjoy this place too," he concluded.
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