New Educational Programs and Events Coming Soon Thanks to TD Friends of the Environment
Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) staff are thrilled to have received two grants from TD Friends of the Environment!
Wildwood Community Education staff have received a grant for over $6,000 to develop and implement a pilot water systems program. This subject area was chosen for the grant due to inquiries from teachers about local water systems content for the grade eight curriculum.
The “Forces of Nature” pilot program will enable six grade eight classes to spend the day at Wildwood Conservation Area participating in hands-on learning opportunities related to water systems and the local impacts of climate change on the Thames River watershed. Participating schools will also have a rain gauge installed at their school and receive training by UTRCA staff on precipitation data collection for our Community Precipitation Monitoring Project (Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network). A follow-up package will be created for teachers to use the Community Precipitation Monitoring Project data as part of a cross-curricular project (Math, Science, and Social Studies areas of study).
A second grant of over $10,500 was received in partnership with the Dorchester Mill Pond Committee and Friends of Medway Creek to host two community events in the spring of 2024. Both events will focus on celebrating the natural spaces that provide countless benefits to our communities and highlighting the UTRCA Watershed Report Cards.
These events are the beginning of a series that we plan to host across the entire watershed. These initial events will focus on the Dorchester and Medway Creek watersheds and will be hosted at Dorchester Mill Pond and the Medway Valley Heritage Forest in collaboration with the Museum of Ontario Archaeology. Both events will feature guided hikes, hands-on environmentally based activities, litter cleanups, pollinator plantings, and more!
Many thanks to TD Friends of the Environment Foundation for your continued support!
For more information, contact Erin Dolmage, Community Education Technician, about the Wildwood water systems program, or Linda Smith, Community Partnerships Specialist, about the 2024 community events.