Dawn Deydey has lived in Fernie for nearly 15 years and has dedicated the last decade to taking a lead role in increasing Fernie’s environmental sustainability through community-based programming and projects that create environmental awareness and action.

Dawn’s most notable environmental initiative is the founding of the Community EcoGarden. As a sole-coordinator, she designed, implemented and managed the garden initiative in its first four years. The garden is now coordinated by a volunteer advisory committee, in which Dawn continues to play an integral role, and consists of 24 garden plots and demonstration gardens that are used by community groups, schools and individuals.

Dawn facilitates a wide range of events and activities at the EcoGarden including, educational programming for students, an Apple Share program to improve the utilization of locally grown apples, seed swaps, hands-on workshops about growing and preserving fresh foods, interactive gardening experiences for families and children, a school salad bar program that feeds 500 students daily and promotes the consumption of locally grown food, and composting and vermicomposting workshops. She also offers locally grown produce and gardening information at the farmers market.

Dawn has been instrumental in addressing food security issues in her community and has inspired community members to take action by making sustainable choices.

In addition to the EcoGarden, Dawn has demonstrated her commitment and passion for the environment through a variety of volunteer-based environmental community projects. As the Community Program Coordinator for Wildsight Elk Valley Branch, she develops, supports and promotes programs to maintain biodiversity and healthy human populations in the Columbia and Rocky Mountains eco-region. She is the founder and coordinator of the Earth Day: Trashy but Flashy Fashion Show, an annual event that inspires the community to fuse trash and fashion by creating costumes from trash and recycled materials. She was on the Environment Sector Advisory Committee for the Columbia Basin Trust for seven years. Dawn is also a Director and a founding member of Advocates for Local Living, a group of volunteers that manages several action oriented sustainability initiatives to support and inspire a sustainable community.

Source: www.earthday.ca