Friends of the St. Clair River (FOSCR) and the St. Clair River Binational Public Advisory Council (BPAC) recently held an amateur digital photography contest to encourage community members to step outside and enjoy the majestic St. Clair River and its connected ecosystems.
St. Clair Region Conservation Authority officials say this contest was launched during the summer months in hopes to bring some joy to the local community during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic and to raise public awareness and appreciation for the beautiful St. Clair River and all the life it supports.
The contest was open to Canadian and American residents from August 1, 2020 to September 26, 2020.
In total, 187 entries were received under the three contest categories:
– ‘Our Wonderful Waterway’ – a focus on the St. Clair River’s natural features: water, flora, fish and wildlife.
– ‘Floating Away’ – a tribute to the St. Clair River’s benefits to residents and tourists for recreation, transportation and commerce.
– ‘Digital Perspectives’ – an opportunity for digital editors to add an artistic touch and present a new perspective of the St. Clair River during the current pandemic.
A panel of judges reviewed each of the entries and selected two winning photographs (one youth and one adult) for each of the contest categories.
Friends of St. Clair River presented each of the following winners with a canvas print of their award-winning photograph as well as a $500 cash prize:
– Our Wonderful Waterway- Chris Seager (Adult) and Lily Hamilton (Youth)
– Floating Away- Ian Sanderson (Adult) and Carson Westfall (Youth)
– Digital Perspectives- Nicole Watson (Adult) and Madison Lourenco (Youth)
“We are very pleased with the community participation in the contest and would like to thank everyone who participated,” stated Craig Griffiths, President of the Friends of the St. Clair River, in a press release.
“Each photo captures a brief moment in time along the St. Clair River, and as a collective, these images start to tell a story about the St. Clair River and the value it provides to the many communities who call it home.”
SCRCA officials say this is the third successful amateur photo contest organized by the Friends of St. Clair River, and it won’t be their last.
Anyone who is interested in viewing the contest gallery or learning more about FOSCR or the BPAC and the outreach and education programs they support are encouraged to visit friendsofstclair.ca.
The Friends of the St. Clair River is an all-volunteer Canadian charitable organization that assists the St. Clair River Binational Public Advisory Committee (BCAP) in the development and implementation of the St. Clair River Remedial Action Plan by promoting conservation, beautification and environmental activities associated with the St. Clair River.
The Binational Public Advisory Committee consists of citizens living in the U.S. and Canada who are concerned about the health of the St. Clair River.
Collectively, BPAC members represent all society sectors.
BPAC formed in 1988 after environmental degradation caused the International Joint Commission, a bi-national Great Lakes advisory agency, to “list” the St. Clair River as an Area of Concern (AOC).
BPAC’s role is to help implement a Remedial Action Plan (RAP) that is doing much to improve the quality of the St. Clair River.
BPAC also elicits citizen involvement and advises governments about environmental issues within the St. Clair River watershed.
