Part of our mandate at the Institute of Urban Ecology is to raise public
awareness of the urban natural environment. Contests are a fun way for
us to challenge people to take a second look at the plants and animals
that are their neighbours. Some of our contests, such as the Nature's
Havens Challenge, get people actively involved in creating wildlife habitat
and supporting urban biodiversity. Others, such as our writing or poster
contests, inspire people to examine their relationship to nature in the
city through artistic media. Whatever the contest, the results are always
exciting. We are always pleasantly surprised by the creativity and excellence
of the contest submissions we receive. It is a pleasure to be able to
celebrate our contest winners on this site, in our newsletter, and at
our annual Volunteer Appreciation Night and Open House.
