April 18, 2019 – The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) is pleased to announce that students from South Perth and Little Falls Schools will help plant native trees and wildlife shrubs at the Cade Tract on Thursday, April 25th!
Barnby Cade and his family donated this 32 ha (78 acre) Perth South property to the UTRCA in 2016.
“On April 25th, we will be planting trees to convert a small hay field to woodland,” explained Cathy Quinlan, Terrestrial Biologist at the UTRCA. “This future forest will bolster the existing woodland habitat on the property and protect water quality in the Sommerville Drain and nearby North Thames River.”
“This year’s naturalization plans also include converting two hay fields to native tallgrass prairie,” Quinlan continued. “This will provide habitat for grassland birds such as Bobolink, and maintain the vista across the valley.”
Funding for the tree planting event has been provided by Nature London and TD Friends of the Environment Foundation
The Cade Tract is located west of the Town of St. Marys, at 4695 Perth Road Line 5. The property is open to the public for walking and is a great opportunity to explore nature close to home.
The Cade Tract includes floodplain meadows, a mature maple woodlot, and a hawthorn thicket on the valley slope. In 2007, the UTRCA worked with the landowner to remove a small dam and reservoir to improve the watercourse, which has some cold water stream characteristics.
Map of Cade Tract Naturalization Plan
Video about the Cade Tract
Photo of Barnby Cade at the Cade Tract
Contact: Steve Sauder, Marketing Specialist