Fanshawe CA Mini Forest Community Science Project 

This October, Western's Masters of Environment and Sustainability (MES) class joined Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) staff for a community science project at Fanshawe Conservation Area (FCA). 

Thanks to a grant from Nature London, UTRCA staff were able to begin developing a new community science program focusing on biodiversity in London and the broader Thames River watershed. This funding allowed for a pilot project to be completed this fall. 

The day began with a tour of the Watershed Conservation Centre, which is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified building, and a presentation about conservation authorities before students headed to the mini forest in the FCA day use area. 

To help improve biodiversity and ensure success for the mini forest, students completed aftercare on the planting, including tasks such as weeding, removing invasive species, re-mulching, removing dead trees, and planting 10 new trees. Students also piloted a new data collection tool for the UTRCA called Cit Sci. Divided into groups, students walked along hiking trails, collecting data about the presence of invasive species. 

Thank you to Nature London for funding this project and the MES class for their hard work! 

Learn more about Fanshawe's mini forest, here. 

For more information, contact April Scholz, Community Partnership Specialist