He's back! After a brief lapse from having his popular column published, David Hawke will be joining the OrilliaMatters team to continue providing his insights and stories about nature and the outdoors.
Hawke wrote a weekly newspaper column for 28 years that appeared in the Orillia Packet & Times, Barrie Examiner, Collingwood Bulletin and Midland Free Press.
David's career path is a winding one (“My resume is almost a small novel,” he jokes) yet has always been connected in some manner to the outdoors. Starting as a naturalist working for the Canadian Wildlife Service at the Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre (Midland) in the late 1970s, then swinging over to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources-held Tiny Marsh Provincial Wildlife Area, he has led thousands of school children into the world of nature.
A three-year stint with the Ontario Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs allowed him to experience leading the 4-H organization and become involved with the children who live the farm life. This was meaningful as Hawke spent all his school vacation time on the farms of his grandparents and uncles.
Becoming disillusioned with government work and the slashing of good programs, Hawke became an eco-tourism manager for local resorts. Starting with Bayview-Wildwood Resort (Port Stanton) he later was recruited as Parkland Manager for Taboo Resort (Gravenhurst). “If you want a stressful but rewarding job, try being a parks and rec manager for a resort … a lot of guests feel that since they paid to be here, your nature walks and facilities have to match the glossy brochure – every time! And when it does, the newly-opened eyes of the guests can be quite remarkable.”
Since his time as a resort program manager he has worked as a water technician with the Severn Sound Environmental Association. Whether poking around small streams or plying the open waters of Georgian Bay, every day gave Hawke new experiences and insights to both the functioning of the natural ecosystems as well as the pressure that our ever-growing society is putting on the environment.
Now, he is employed with The Couchiching Conservancy land trust organization, in the position of Stewardship Program Manager. “Everything I’ve done in the past, every contract, every experience, comes into play with this position. Farm management, interacting with people, biology, report researching and writing, working outdoors, or giving a persuasive presentation to an organization, they all help me do the task at hand.”
Hawke’s writing has garnered him awards over the years, including Best Book 1995 from the Outdoor Writers of Canada for his coffee-table style book, Wetlands. This same organization has also awarded him Best Newspaper writing and Best Magazine writing awards.
Coming 'back' to writing for an Orillia-based publication is a logical step for Hawke. When he started in 1989 under the editorial guidance of the late Sally Gower (who produced the still talked-about Huronia Sunday), and then working with a series of editors and newspaper ownerships, he has always kept his message simple: discover what Nature's doing in your own backyard, because it’s always awesome.
Hawke is also well known for his nature photography and has a solo show opening at the Orillia Museum of Art and History on March 24. Entitled Landscape Moments, the 24 photographs will highlight a moment in time of many of our local vistas. He will be at the gallery to chat with you in the afternoon.
David Hawke's column will be appearing each Sunday morning in OrilliaMatters, starting this Sunday Enjoy!
