Continuing the vision of Charles Sauriol

Charles Sauriol, C.M.
(1904-1995)

Charles Sauriol began his journey towards conservation long before it was part of the public consciousness. The Don was still brimming with fish, farmland was alongside its banks, and the parkway was decades away. As a boy at the turn of the century, he would camp in the Don Valley with his Boy Scout Troop. As a teen he began writing entries into his journals about the vast wonders of nature before him, there for all to enjoy, a haven from the city within the city.

As time went by, Charles watched much of the valley he loved become engulfed by urban sprawl. "Something must be done or Canada will be paved from shore to shore," He said.

And so he devoted his life to conservation, joining with others who loved the land as he did in an effort to let future generations enjoy what he was able to. In 1987, at the age of 83, Charles received the prestigious Order of Canada for a lifetime devoted to keeping our country green.

"As the years go on and the population increases, there will be a need of these and more lands, and in life where so much appears futile, this one thing will remain. In essence, those who continue to support the work of conservation can say, I have lived here, I have done something positive to ensure that its natural beauty and natural values continue"