Meet the winners of the first annual Art & Science Competition from the Wetland Centres of Excellence program

This year’s art competition centred on the theme “Biodiversity creates hope.” To connect to this theme, Jose decided to use a variety of mediums such as drawing, photography, sculpture and crocheting. By bringing together these mediums, he sought to mirror the unity of life in the wetlands.

“I like the paradise you see in my artwork.” 

Using art to champion wetlands conservation 

Reflecting on how his art might inspire others, Jose says “I feel like what my art would tell others is that there’s never a limit on what you could create. It’s never just a drawing, a painting or a sculpture. What if you could just combine them to express your ideas?” 

The judges were impressed by the quality of Jose’s art and his passion, with one stating “The composition, 3-D elements and combination of different mediums puts this work in the league of many of the world-class artisans I have the honour of working with.”

Jose was thrilled to win the competition and reflected on what he learned and a message he wanted to share about wetlands.  

“Wetlands might not seem that important at first, but wetlands are actually one of the most important ecosystems in our planet, and it creates a living environment for other individuals (and) organisms just like us. And it’s important to maintain their habitat, home and shelter, just like every human has the right to have one.” 

Amelia, Alex & Kennedy’s Story

Amelia, Alex and Kennedy are all part of the RBG/Aldershot WCE in Ontario. Describing the program at their school, Amelia says “Everyone in this program is working hard because we really care about our environment and we really want to make a difference.”

For this year’s science competition, groups addressed the case study question of whether it is better to preserve one large wetland or several small wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region, which extends from Alberta to Manitoba and contains some of the most critical wetland habitats for birds in North America.

“We actually ended up loving this case study a lot more than we initially thought that we would have. The Prairie Pothole Region—it’s such a fascinating and crucial area for our country and just the world as a whole,” Amelia explains. “And diving into the debate of one larger against multiple smaller ones, it really challenged us to think about what we were going to be writing, what we were going to be presenting to different people.” 

Science in action in the Wetland Centres of Excellence competition 

The group carried out extensive research to analyze different perspectives and priorities that needed to be addressed by their final solution. This was part of an intensive investigation that included interviewing a local farmer. 

“Our solution was one big wetland, but not just conserving one big wetland, but also educating others—other schools, other students, other teachers—about the impacts that one big wetland can have, but also the impacts that little wetlands can have,” Kennedy shares. “Because while one big wetland might be the right decision for our area, it might be better to have smaller ones in different areas.” 

When they learned they had won, the group was stunned—and overjoyed. 

“All three of us were completely overcome, not with just joy, but also a deep, overwhelming sense of relief and gratitude—the kind that washes over you when you realize something you’ve worked so hard for, something you genuinely care about, is finally recognized,” Amelia says. 

Reflecting on the competition, Amelia shares, “Our message to other youth would probably be, don’t underestimate the impact you can have.”