FIELD WITH NEW TREES AND WORKABLE LAND

Each year, the Oxford County Stewardship Award is awarded to a land owner in Oxford County that makes voluntary efforts to help protect the quality of the County’s natural environment (soil, water, woodlands and other natural features).

Finalists are selected from the projects approved through the Clean Water Program each year. Landowners who participate in the program can apply for incentive funding for:

  • Woodlands and wetlands conservation and enhancement
  • Soil erosion prevention and remediation
  • Various measures to protect surface and ground water
  • Fragile land retirement
  • Other conservation initiatives

 

2023 Nominees

The 2023 Oxford Stewardship Award was presented to Cobi an Steve Sauder at County Council on February 14, 2024. More.  

Previous Winners

2022 - Mary Ann Doré and family

2020/2021 - Teresa Piraino and family

2019 – Jeff and Diane Tribe 

2018 – Lynn & Leslie Sage

2017 – Scotty and Jodie Zehr 

2016 – Mike Eckert

2015 – Steele Family

2014– Dawn Dennison

2013 – Joe and Mary Coblentz

2012 – Mary Anne, Roeland and Hugh Van Oostveen

2011 – Thomas and Wendy Jackson

2010 – John Beacom

2009 – Dan Veldman

 

About the award

The winner of the Oxford County Stewardship Award is announced before County Council with the winner receiving a prize of local significance, in keeping with the theme of celebrating and supporting local achievement. Out of the finalists, a winner is chosen by judges from Stewardship Oxford and the Oxford Soil & Crop Improvement Association.

The Oxford Stewardship Award was established in 2009. It builds on the legacy of the former Landsaver Award, which was granted between 1982 and 2003 to recognize outstanding contributions by the farming community toward the conservation of land, water and air.

The development of a stewardship award to acknowledge the role rural landowners play in preserving natural heritage was one of the recommended actions in the Oxford Natural Heritage Study.