Committed to the conservation, enhancement and stewardship of habitat across Newfoundland and Labrador
SAM Conservation Fund
In 2013 SAM members first established an externally managed, charitable endowment fund and continue to seek to build the balance of that fund over time. The vision and agreed long-term intent of this fund is that it will become a provincial source of habitat stewardship and conservation funding. Annual equity realized from the fund could be used to stabilize SAM’s operations, increase its public profile and contribute, in a way consistent with the Vision Statement of
2023 Individual Community Champion - Madeleine Florent (Torbay)​
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Madeleine Florent, a resident of Torbay, was awarded the SAM Environmental Steward Community Champion Award at the 2023 Fall Business Meeting in Bay Roberts, NL. Thank you Madeleine for your commitment to conservation, as demonstrated by fighting environmental issues and for the protection of sensitive and valuable areas (including walking trails and wetlands) within her municipality and beyond for many years. She was involved with the schools in the Town of Torbay - involved in building the outdoor classroom gazebo in The Gully, and was instrumental in organizing the high school environmental group “Friends of The Gully”, who are responsible for many environmental projects at the school. She is also part of the Torbay Environment and Trails Committee (TETC), working hand-in-hand with the Torbay Town Council on a number of projects, including Student Summer Works Projects on the Father Troy Trail (part of the East Coast Trail (ECT)), and maintaining the parts of the ECT that run through Torbay. Routinely she organizes maintenance outings and recreational hikes, hoping to introduce people to the joys of hiking along the beautiful Torbay coastline. She has served on the Torbay Beach Committee, advising the Town Council on ways of restoring the historic and oldest part of Torbay, and on ways of protecting it for future generations, and she has devoted many hours to attending meetings with the government and community groups addressing issues such as blocked walking trails, quarry legislation, etc. She is also active and effective within the East Toast Trail Association, assisting communities in the to incorporate protection of the East Coast Trail in their Municipal Plans, and is an impressive fund-raiser for the annual East Coast Trail Association Trailraiser event. Somehow she has also found time to help improve areas around Torbay: tree planting The Gully on land that was purchased by the Nature Conservancy of Canada, and assisting Friends of The Gully Environment Club in installing nesting boxes in a Stewardship Zone.
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(Pictured L-R: 2023 Individual Community Champion Award Winner Madeleine Florent and SAM Chair of the Board of Directors Pat Woodford.)
SAM, to the conservation activities of its members and the wider Newfoundland and Labrador conservation community. In particular, it is envisioned that such a fund could benefit municipalities, charitable partner entities and the wider conservation community involved in likeminded environmentally driven projects. In the shorter-term, portions of equity from the fund are being used to support the SAM Environmental Stewardship Awards, in particular the SAM Scholarship.
2023 Student Scholarship - Emmerson Wilson
Emmerson is a Master of Science student at Memorial University of Newfoundland with the Ecosystem Ecology Lab. Her studies focuses on estimating the amount of carbon stored in the boreal forest of Newfoundland’s National Parks. This research will allow natural resource managers to determine how managing disturbances (like insects, fire, and moose) can affect carbon storage.
To do this, Emmerson and her field technician, Lilly, spent the summer measuring plants, soils, and more at sites across Gros Morne and Terra Nova National Parks. Emmerson will use these measurements to calculate the amount of carbon stored in the areas they sampled. Then, she will use statistical models to predict the amount of carbon stored across the two national parks. By estimating carbon throughout the province’s national parks they can better understand how the way we manage our forests impacts the capacity of these forests to store carbon and help combat climate change. For example, can we change how we manage defoliating insects like spruce budworm or large animals like moose to improve forest carbon storage? Hopefully, this research can inform how we interact with the boreal forest of Newfoundland’s National Parks in the future, to store more carbon. Good luck on your studies Emmerson!
(Pictured L-R: SAM Director Julie Pomeroy Sparrow, Executive Director Zachary Burrows, and 2023 Scholarship Winner Emmerson Wilson.)
SAM Environmental Steward Awards
The SAM Environmental Stewardship Award is used to recognize an individual, group, organization or business who has gone above and beyond in their community to support wildlife habitat stewardship, whose responsible management of wildlife habitat and the environment within Newfoundland and Labrador exceeds expectations.
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The SAM Environmental Stewardship Award will be awarded based on three levels (outlined below). Winners of this Award do not have to be from a SAM Member Community.
Award Levels:
Innovative Organizations - Business or Non-Profit/Community Group
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This award recognizes a local Business’, Non-Profit’s, or Community Group’s significant innovation or achievement in environmental stewardship. The Innovation Award recognizes a significant initiative or achievement of a Business or Non-Profit/Community Organization in Newfoundland and Labrador who is engaging in green activities and milestones. This could include business projects with a positive environmental impact, or contribution(s) to the community from an environmental or sustainable perspective.
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Community Champion
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This award recognizes an individual’s significant initiative or achievement in environmental stewardship in Newfoundland and Labrador. This individual’s actions will have had a positive environmental impact, proving to be a key force in conserving the environment. This Champion Award recognizes an individual’s contributions to environmental sustainability, bringing us one step closer to a greener future.
The Innovative Organizations and Community Champion Award nominations will be considered prior to each of SAM's bi-annual meetings (Spring AGM and Fall Meeting) - in order to be considered, please have nominations in prior to the next meeting.
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SAM Student Scholarship
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First awarded in 2015, this scholarship is awarded to a student either from or studying in Newfoundland and Labrador whose interests, activities and post-secondary goals are focused on the conservation of habitat in this province.
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Deadline to apply is May 1st of each year.
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Award is a $1000 scholarship.
To be eligible for the SAM Student Scholarship:
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Applicant must be a resident of or must be studying in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador;
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Is (or will be) enrolled in a post-secondary program in the upcoming academic year;
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Have demonstrated an active commitment to conservation in Newfoundland and Labrador.
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To apply: Fill out the attached application form and email it and any supporting documents to
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SAM reserves the right to not to grant the Award if there are no eligible nominees. For more information, please contact the Stewardship Association of Municipalities.