Brower Youth Awards

Robin Bryan

Winnipeg, MB

Robin lives in close proximity to the world’s largest single land storehouse of carbon and most abundant source of fresh water, the boreal forest of the East Shore Wilderness Area in Manitoba, Canada. It has been his mission to simultaneously preserve this valuable area and prevent the mismanagement of public land by putting an end to logging activity within the boundaries of provincial parks in Manitoba. While completing his degree at University of Winnipeg, Robin led the campaign against logging in Manitoba’s provincial parks. In order to accomplish his goal, Robin organized rallies, spoke with elected officials, delivered classroom presentations about the issue, fundraised tirelessly, organized volunteers to write and collect letters to the government and managed countless other feats of activism.

In 2008, Robin was rewarded for his efforts when the Manitoba Legislative Throne Speech banned logging in four of the five parks with logging operations. Says Robin: “I began to realize just how much is at stake both locally and globally if the ecology of this province isn’t protected in historic proportions. I also began to realize just how unregulated and destructive industrial logging and mining have been in Manitoba. If I didn’t begin to dream big, act fast, and lead by example, I felt that I would have to sit back and watch a historic opportunity to stand up for public lands and protect the second largest wild area in the biosphere pass me by.” Robin’s efforts to hold industry accountable and defend natural areas continue unabated to this day.

Profile Film

Award Acceptance Speech