P.A. Day Nature School Camp
P.A. Day Nature School Camp Wildwood Outdoor Education Centre and the Stratford Perth Museum hosted a wonderfully successful P.A. Day camp on January 31, 2025. 20 children from ages five to 12 attended the day hosted at the museum. The Wildwood team offered a morning of snowshoe skill-building, which included relay games and ended with a 30-minute hike through a beautiful wetland (and Low Impact Development project installed by the [...]
Funding still available for the Upper Thames Phosphorus Reduction Program!
Funding Still Available for the Upper Thames Phosphorus Reduction Program! The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) has a new program aimed at reducing phosphorus in the watershed. The Upper Thames Phosphorus Reduction Program supports landowners who implement agricultural best management practices that reduce phosphorus runoff, improve water quality in the Thames River and Lake Erie, while also boosting soil health and productivity on farms. The UTRCA is offering [...]
UTRCA Board of Directors Elections
UTRCA Board of Directors Elections The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) Board of Directors held its annual elections at the January 28, 2025 Board meeting. Brian Petrie, Mayor of Ingersoll, stepped down after completing his two-year term. Den Trentowsky, Deputy Mayor of West Perth and Deputy Warden of Perth County, accepted the position of Chair having served as Vice-Chair since January, 2024. Other elections included: Vice Chair: Mark [...]
Updating the Southern Ontario Floral Inventory Analysis (SOFIA)
Updating the Southern Ontario Floral Inventory Analysis (SOFIA) Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) staff have updated a unique open-source macro-enabled Microsoft Excel spreadsheet called SOFIA (Southern Ontario Floral Inventory Analysis). SOFIA was written by biologist/ecologist Dan Lebedyk and other staff at the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) a few years ago. It was designed to allow botanists and ecologists to enter floral inventories of natural areas into a [...]
Tree Sales for Private Landowners – Order Before March 1st
Tree Sales for Private Landowners - Order Before March 1st Private landowners in the Upper Thames River watershed can now order and pay for their trees online at the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA)’s shop site. Open until March 1st, 2025, this digital format allows landowners to conveniently browse and purchase a variety of coniferous, deciduous trees and wildlife shrubs to plant next spring. As always landowners are [...]
Step Into Nature Art Contest
Step Into Nature Art Contest 2026 Do you have a budding artist or aspiring poet in your life? We're on the search for artwork to feature in this year's Step Into Nature booklet. This booklet is received by thousands of kids who visit our conservation areas each year. It includes fun nature facts, games, activity pages, and more, and we’re inviting young artists to help bring it to [...]
Pittock Shoreline Wetland
Living Shoreline at Pittock Conservation Area Building shoreline resiliency was the focus of a recent Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks funded project within the Pittock Conservation Area. Staff from the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) enhanced approximately 350 metres of the Pittock Reservoir’s north shore through the addition of a new living shoreline which provides protection from erosion and creates aquatic habitat. Incorporating aquatic [...]
Upper Thames Phosphorus Reduction Program
Upper Thames Phosphorus Reduction Program The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) is excited to offer the Upper Thames Phosphorus Reduction Program to help landowners implement agricultural best management practices (BMPs) that reduce phosphorus runoff, improve water quality in the Thames River and Lake Erie, while also boosting soil health and productivity on farms. We’re offering grants for a wide range of projects, including: Cover Crops Reduced Tillage Subsurface [...]
Seasonal Hunting Opportunities with the UTRCA
Seasonal Hunting Opportunities with the UTRCA The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) provides seasonal hunting opportunities to members of the public on several UTRCA properties for white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and small game. Interested members of the public can apply to hunt with archery equipment or firearms, depending on the property, species targeted, and open seasons, consistent with provincial hunting regulations. Staff use an online lottery to randomly [...]
Investigating the Gizzard Shad Die-off in the Upper Thames River
Investigating the Gizzard Shad Die-off in the Upper Thames River A recent die-off of gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) in the Thames River within the City of London sparked concern among residents and conservationists. First reported in mid-November 2024, the die-off occurred near the Blackfriars Bridge, where a small tributary carrying warmer stormwater empties into the cooler Thames River. This confluence has been a known congregation site for shad in [...]