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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, October 7, 2011 · 12 Continued from page 11 Another Environmental Educator Award was bestowed upon Oakwood Public School principal Malerie Borbath for supporting Duguay's and Felps's project and for connecting with Oakvillegreen so the group could provide environmental education programs to her students. The students of Rotherglen School were also recognized with the Junior Foresters Award for their participation in numerous environmental projects. "Whether we are doing an invasive weed pull, a tree planting or an urban forest tour, we know there is one school that is always ready to be involved: Rotherglen," said Brock. "This school has put a focus on experiential environmental education. Last year when Oakvillegreen showed a film about the danger posed by the process of `fracking' for natural gas, Rotherglen students brought their water bucket display to the event that highlighted water issues and articulately explained them to visitors." During the evening, Oakvillegreen's Liz Benneian also spoke about some of the activities Oakvillegreen undertakes to promote the protection of the urban forest. These activities included seed collecting, urban forest tours for children, recruiting people to serve as foster tree parents and school renaturalization. Challenges facing the urban forest such as the emerald ash borer, global warming and development were also discussed. A moment of recognition was also given to two late Oakville residents who, decades apart, each saved the great white oak tree in Bronte. In a speech given by Ward 4 Town and Regional Councillor Allan Elgar, it was noted the great white oak, which is believed to be more than 250 years old, was protected from a 1972 Bronte Road widening that might have seen it cut down. During this road widening, retired broadcaster George Atkins succeeded in getting the Ministry of Transportation to sign a legal document stating every possible precaution would be taken to safeguard the tree during the nearby construction. This document was adhered to and the tree got through the road widening untouched. In 2006, the tree's existence was again put in jeopardy, when Bronte Road needed to be widened again and it was determined that diverting the road around the tree would cost an additional $343,000. Enter retired schoolteacher Burnell. Elgar remembers the day Burnell came before town council to call for the tree to be spared. Easier said than done, was the reply. "Council put her feet to the fire and they said, `Will you save this tree? Will you raise the $343,000?'" said Elgar. "Joyce said, `Yes, I will.' "She had no idea how she could do it, but she really decided to take them on." Burnell went on to co-organize a campaign that would see donations come from corporations, school fundraisers, a benefit concert by Sarah Harmer and from people as far away as India, England and Ireland. In the end, the committee came up a little short, but after a request from Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn, the Province, the Region and the Town each offered up $25,000 to meet the goal. Elgar said the work of Atkins and Burnell is truly important as a society that destroys its past, he said, is a society without a future.