River Resilience Rendezvous 

On Sunday, February 25, staff from the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) and the Lower Thames River Conservation Authority (LTVCA) participated in the River Resilience Rendezvous at the Oneida Community Centre in Oneida Nation of the Thames. This event was open to all members of the Oneida community, and staff from both authorities gave presentations and had booths with information on aquatic species, aquatic sampling techniques, and flood plain mapping. UTRCA Education staff Tom Cull and Aliena Hoskins led a native fish species art project where participants learned about the types of native fish found in the Thames River while creating fish art.

Erin Carroll, UTRCA Aquatic Biologist, gave a presentation on the diversity of aquatic species (insects, mussels, and fish) found in the Thames River and how these species are interconnected. For example, she demonstrated how some aquatic insects can engineer the river ecosystem to make it more livable. Caddisflies use silk to create shelters and to anchor themselves to rocks on the bottom of the river. The result is that these animals stitch together the river bottom. Such modifications can decrease flows upstream and downstream, oxygenate the water, and make the stream bed less prone to erosion. Ultimately, the habitat is improved for other aquatic animals, helping life in the river to flourish.