Colin Stewart Conservation Award

The Colin Stewart Award was established in 2004 to honour a lifetime of contributions by Colin towards conservation initiatives in Nova Scotia.

Colin Stewart served on the Halifax Field Naturalists Board for over twenty years and was essentially a one-person Conservation Committee. Most notably, he is known for his work as Nova Scotia Coordinator for the World Wildlife Fund’s Endangered Spaces Campaign, where he played a key role in securing 31 Protected Wilderness Areas encompassing more than 287,000 hectares across the province.

His many other contributions to conservation included:

  • Instrumental in getting The Halifax Public Gardens’ significant trees identified and ensuring their identification was marked with signage.
  • Spearheading the establishment of the Piping Plover Guardian Program in Atlantic Canada.
  • Helping establish the Nova Scotia Trails Federation and the Federation of Nova Scotia Naturalists (now Nature Nova Scotia).
  • Developing management plans for several parks and other natural areas, including Long Lake Provincial Park, McNabs and Lawlor Islands, and Point Pleasant Park.
  • Serving as a founding member of the Nova Scotia Nature Trust.
  • Serving as a spokesperson for the naturalist community in dealing with various levels of government.

View more about Colin in Bob McDonald’s Tribute to Colin Stewart

HFN established the Colin Stewart Conservation Award to recognize Colin’s many contributions to conservation. Colin himself was the award’s first recipient before his untimely death in 2004. For more about Colin and his conservation legacy, please see the Spring 2004 issue of Natural Landscapes, a publication of the Nova Scotia Nature Trust.

The award recognizes individuals or groups for significant conservation efforts in Nova Scotia when suitable nominations are received. Below are the recipients since Colin Stewart, with links to learn more about their contributions.

How to Nominate Someone

The nomination process has two steps. The first is a simple way to bring a deserving individual or group to the committee’s attention. If the committee wishes to pursue the suggestion, the nominator will be invited to help develop a more detailed nomination.

Step 1: Suggest a Candidate

Do you know an individual or group whose conservation contributions in Nova Scotia deserve recognition? We invite you to tell us who they are and briefly explain why you believe their work merits consideration for the Colin Stewart Conservation Award.

Please include:

  • The name of the individual or group.
  • Your name and contact information.
  • A brief explanation of their conservation contributions and why you believe they deserve recognition.

Suggestions must be received by December 31.

The preferred method of submission is by email to hfn.inquiries@gmail.com. Please reference Colin Stewart Award in the subject line of your email.

Alternatively, suggestions may be mailed or delivered to:

Halifax Field Naturalists
Colin Stewart Award Committee
c/o Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
1747 Summer Street
Halifax, NS B3H 3A6

The Colin Stewart Conservation Award Committee will review suggestions and determine which warrant further consideration.

Step 2: Develop the Nomination

If the committee wishes to pursue a suggestion, it will contact the nominator to discuss the nominee’s conservation contributions and the additional information needed to assess their suitability for the award.

The nominator will be asked to help gather and document information about the nominee’s conservation projects, specific contributions, scope of impact, and lasting achievements. The committee can provide guidance on the award criteria and help identify relevant information and sources.

The committee will review the supporting information to determine whether the nominee meets the award criteria. If the criteria are met, the award will be presented in the spring (April, May, or June), depending on the recipient’s availability.

Award Criteria and Further Information

Please consult the Award Criteria to understand how nominations are evaluated and what the committee considers when determining whether the award is warranted

If you have questions about the award or need guidance on preparing a suggestion, please contact the Halifax Field Naturalists at hfn.inquiries@gmail.com