A Wiarton senior has been nominated by local council for a prestigious award.
A release from the Town of South Bruce Peninsula states that council has nominated Leslie Wood for consideration for the 2022 Ontario Senior Achievement Award. The yearly award recognizes individuals over the age of 65 who have made a significant contribution in their community. The release shares that Wood began learning about invasive phragmites in 2017 after retiring from a career as a vet, and "formed the Oliphant Fishing Islands Phragmites Community Group which actively works to control invasive phragmites along the coastal wetlands in Oliphant and the Fishing Islands."
The volunteer group has grown to 55 volunteers, and is a member of the Saugeen Peninsula Invasive Species Collaborative and works closely with the Invasive Phragmites Control Centre. Phragmites have become a major cause of damage to Ontario’s biodiversity, wetlands and beaches.
“Leslie’s dedication to eradicating phragmites around the Fishing Islands has re-opened many waterways that were seriously under threat of becoming impassible. Council is grateful for Leslie’s dedication to our community and proudly nominates her for the Ontario Senior Achievement Award” says South Bruce Peninsula Mayor Janice Jackson.