Cedar Creek Watershed Strategy (2012-13)

In 2011, a Cedar Creek Collaborative formed consisting of the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority, City of Woodstock, Townships of Norwich and South-West Oxford, and the Oxford County Trails Council. The goal was to develop a long-term, community-driven strategy to improve the environmental conditions of the Cedar Creek Watershed. Funding was received from the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

The projects goals were:

  • Involve the Cedar Creek watershed community in improving the health of their local environment, through public meetings, the formation of a Local Advisory Committee (LAC), and implementation of enhancement projects.
  • Increase the level of knowledge about the state of the natural and cultural resources in the Cedar Creek watershed.
  • Develop the Cedar Creek Watershed Strategy document.
  • Develop an Action Plan that will address environmental problems in the Cedar Creek watershed.
  • Identify resources to implement the Action Plan.
  • Broadcast the project results through local education and outreach.
  • Initiate the implementation of watershed strategy recommendations.
  • Plan for long-term implementation of the watershed strategy.

The development of this strategy will draw upon the local community’s knowledge, support and passion at all stages. All community meetings will be held within the watershed, at local and accessible facilities. Community meetings will be held at the times of the day that facilitate maximum community attendance, and be open to the public. All community meetings will be held at facilities that are accessible to the physically disabled. Community meetings will be advertised in the local media, on websites, and through posters and mail outs.

The action plan developed through this process will guide the activities of the local advisory committee for years to come through the implementation of restoration projects. The committee will be supported by members of the collaborative and by UTRCA technical staff, and will have the capacity to access thousands of dollars of funding for future projects. The committee will provide a long-lasting link between the community and the resources of the collaborative.

The collaborative anticipates that this project will improve the water quality grade from a ‘D’ to a ‘C’ in five years, and we will see an improvement in all water quality indicators over that time frame.

For More Information

Contact Brad Hertner, Community Partnership Specialist