August 31, 2021
Don lives on the west side of Manitoulin Island and has been volunteering as a nature reserve steward with EBC for a couple of years.
Don first learned about EBC through reading about our conservation successes and accomplishments in the Manitoulin Expositor. He was thrilled to learn about the purchase of Cup and Saucer back in 1999, with an additional purchase of 45 acres conserved in 2001. Don had been hiking, climbing and removing garbage from the area for decades. About two years ago, Don met and chatted with EBC's Chair, Saba Ahmad, while he was cleaning up the Cup and Saucer Nature Reserve. A week later, EBC's Executive Director, Bob Barnett, contacted Don asking if he would like to become a steward of the Cup and Saucer. Don was honored to be part of the EBC team and has been continuing to remove all trash from the trails and parking lot upon each visit. As part of his stewarding duties, Don also studies trail traffic patterns and looks for places where navigational mistakes are made so that he can remedy them. During the last month, Don and a friend were asked to re-mark the red trail system and repair the iconic log ladders that lead down to the Adventure trail.
When Don is not stewarding, he is wood sculpting and rock climbing. He has decades of experience exploring wild areas - forests, deserts, jungles, mountains, vertical rocks, underwater, and ocean waves.
Years after graduating from community college, Don went back into education. He wanted to deepen his understanding of geology and the history of our planet. During this time he also went on lots of field trips. Don has also had the opportunity to learn many teachings from a First Nations elder on Manitoulin Island over the past 16 years. He acknowledges that the teachings have had a profoundly positive impact on his life.
Thank you Don for continuing to do what you love and providing cleaner wild spaces and trails for fellow hikers and nature lovers!
