NSFC Announces Official Winner of Fall/Winter 2010 Photo Contest

CHAPLEAU, [July 2011] – This past September, the Northeast Superior Forest Community invited all residents and visitors of

the Northeast Superior region to capture special moments spent enjoying our local forests and submit their photos for a chance to win prizes (and bragging rights). The organization challenged participants to take pictures of their favorite wildlife, trees, non-timber forest products like mushrooms and berries, scenic views, and cultural or recreational activities in the forest.

After much deliberation and careful judging the NSFC is proud to announce that Denise Godbout has won the photo contest with her submission “Tranquility”. Ms. Godbout, a Chapleau resident has won a beautiful framed print of her award winning picture, which she has decided to display in the lobby of Aux Trois Moulin for all to enjoy. The winning photo was chosen based on votes made by the NSFC’s Board of Directors, which is comprised of the Mayors of six local communities and a representative of the Northeast Superior Regional Chiefs’ Forum (NSRCF). Ms Godbout is pictured below receiving her prize from NSFC board member and Chapleau Mayor Andre Byham.

The goal of the contest was to encourage residents to head outside and enjoy the forest throughout the entire year, and to highlight the fact that the value of the north’s most precious natural resource extends well be

yond its value as a generator of revenue. The NSFC recognizes the importance of all forest benefits and values, including economic, social, recreational, cultural, and aesthetic and hopes that this contest has inspired local residents to do the same.

The NSFC received a number of breathtaking images from amateur photographers living across our region, and even from a few visitors. The organization received images of people planting trees, snapshots of wildlife, scenic views of our lush Boreal forests and thriving wetlands, and pictures of pets and people enjoying nature in various ways.

Clara Lauziere, the NSFC’s General Manager, commented on the submissions, saying “our organization was very impressed to see the many interpretations of our forests that were captured on film and submitted throughout the contest. The diversity of the submissions proves that our forests can be valued for endless reasons, and that for residents living in the north, it is impossible to not feel connected to the forest in some way.”

The NSFC hopes that the contest has helped to further emphasize the importance and value of our local forests and will consider hoding contest such as this one again in the future.