Our speakers this month will be Crystal Bradford and Liam Kijewski!

Crystal Bradford has a strong appreciation and a genuine passion for the natural environment. As a young girl Crystal sold tadpoles instead of lemonade at the top of her street. Instead of snow removal, the duo run Trash Theatre (www.TrashTheatre.ca) an educational outreach project to teach children in an interactive way about the environment. In 2006 she graduated with an Honours Bachelors Degree in Environmental Studies, Environment and Resource Studies with a specialization in Environmental Assessment from the University of Waterloo. Crystal was an active voting member and past chair/vice-chair for the Woodstock Environmental Advisory Committee (WEAC) and was with the group for over 6 years. In 2006 she won an Energy Ambassador of Canada award for lesson plans she developed while teaching a grade 7/8 enrichment class. Crystal also teaches and develops lesson plans for Eco-Arts at The Button Factory/ Waterloo Community Arts Centre which combines science and the natural world with artistic expression. With her partner Liam, Crystal coordinated Kitchener-Waterloo’s Procession of the Species celebration www.kwprocession.ca. She has also worked as a restoration ecologist and installed green roofs.

Liam Kijewski has been fascinated by plants and working with them from an early age, wandering in his mother’s gardens and exploring the natural areas surrounding. His first paying gig was working in his neighbour’s gardens at eleven. Later he worked for various greenhouses, nurseries, commercial and residential landscaping businesses as well as working for a seed research station and a sod company. He worked locally as a restoration ecologist before starting Wildlife Gardening with Crystal and has since become a Certified Seed Collector. Liam obtained a Recording Engineer Diploma from the Ontario Institute of Audio and Recording Technology (OIART). Concerned with environmental and social issues plaguing the world Liam and Crystal use to host a radio program called Non-Toxic Airwaves that highlights these issues. Liam enjoys making music and using reclaimed goods/ recycled items to create masks and trash instruments. He also teaches and develops lesson plans for Eco-Arts with The Button Factory Arts Centre/ Waterloo Community Arts Centre

Source: https://www.wildlifegardening.ca/about-us-1