Essex – In celebration of the countdown to Earth Day, the Essex Region Conservation Authority and Detroit River Canadian Cleanup are asking students in the Windsor-Essex Region to highlight how they will educate their peers on the topic of conservation and the prevention of species loss.
“This year’s contest aligns with Earth Day’s 2019 goal of raising awareness about the accelerating rate of negative impacts such as habitat loss, pollution and land use changes on plants and animals,” explains ERCA’s Partnerships and Outreach Coordinator Gina Pannunzio. ”Close to home, wildlife living in Windsor-Essex are among the rarest and most biodiverse in Canada, and the Place for Life is home to more than 240 federally or provincially rare species of plants or animals. We are asking local students to think about the landscape around them. Who else do they share it with? How can they raise awareness in the community to understand the importance of conservation and protection?”
Students have a number of creative options to tell their story. ERCA welcomes pictures, poems, essays, and even photographs for the contest. The submissions will be separated into five grade-based categories, with one winner declared from each category.
“This contest celebrates the diversity of life in Windsor-Essex,’” Pannunzio adds. “It’s really about providing local youth a platform to share their thoughts, perspectives and ideas to protect plants and wildlife living in and amongst us daily”.
The student submissions will be shared with the public on the ERCA website and social media pages. The winning students will also be recognized at ERCA’s annual Earth Day tree planting event, which happens at 10am on April 28 in East Windsor. The five winning submissions will be rewarded with an Earth Day prize pack, sponsored by Windsor Crossing Premium Outlets and Adventure Bay Family Water Park, at the Earth Day Tree Planting event.
Submissions can be submitted with the subject heading “Earth Day Contest”
By email to: Contest@erca.org
By mail: 360 Fairview Avenue West, Suite 311, Essex, ON N8M 1Y6.
By fax: 519-776-8688.
