Waterloo Region Nature honorary life member Larry Lamb was awarded the Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Trust Lifetime Achievement Award in a ceremony at Toronto’s Queen’s Park on February 22, 2019.
From the Region of Waterloo media release:
Renowned botanist Larry Lamb honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award
Waterloo Region - Local botany and ecosystem restoration expert Lawrence (Larry) Lamb was awarded the Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Trust Lifetime Achievement Award in a ceremony at Toronto’s Queen’s Park on February 22, 2019.
Larry Lamb, a well-known advocate for naturalizing gardens and landscapes, has been an active life-long supporter of natural heritage conservation within Waterloo Region, the province and beyond.
“Larry Lamb is one of those volunteers whose passion for his field of expertise is contagious. He is able to affect the people around him, especially the next generation of conservationists. Without people like Larry, the work to recognize and protect our local ecosystems would have been a lot more difficult to undertake,” said Regional Chair Karen Redman. “Regional Council and staff recognized the important role Larry has played by nominating him for this award, and we are pleased the Ontario Heritage Trust has recognized his contributions.”
Throughout his over forty-year career at the University of Waterloo, and into his retirement, Lamb has generously shared his expertise and connections, influencing the way natural heritage features have been identified, valued and protected.
Locally, Lamb drew on his extensive knowledge of the region’s flora and fauna, and natural areas to help identify what would be designated Environmentally Sensitive Policy Areas (ESPAs) by the Region of Waterloo. These were the first municipally-designated natural areas in the country, and continue to be conserved through the Region’s Official Plan.
Lamb has undertaken many significant naturalization and restoration projects. He has advised on many conservation plans and publications. He is meticulous in documenting and collecting; and has donated his records and collections to public institutions so that they are available for future generations.