New Spring Extended Season at Fanshawe and Wildwood Conservation Areas  Based on the success of the extended season in fall 2023, the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) has added an extra four weeks of day-use access to Fanshawe and Wildwood Conservation Areas (CAs) this spring. Effective Monday, April 1st, the extended season will run until Tuesday, April 30th.   “We received such great feedback about the extended season this past fall, we wanted to add one to the spring season. We have been seeing a steady increase in day-use visitors to our Conservation Areas, and many of these guests [...]

UTRCA at the London Farm Show  The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) has had a booth at the annual London Farm Show for over 50 years. This year, our booth showcased a range of topics including the Thorndale Demonstration Farm, Drinking Water Source Protection, Water Quality Monitoring, Fish of the Thames, and Agricultural Resiliency. Additionally, forestry staff collaborated with other Southwestern Conservation Authorities at the neighbouring booth to jointly promote tree planting programs. With over 20,000 visitors annually, this show serves as a valuable opportunity for UTRCA staff to connect with local landowners, industry experts and other exhibitors.  [...]

Do you know what’s in your water?   The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority made a notable appearance at the London Farm Show during the first week of March. Representing Thames-Sydenham and Region, our Drinking Water Source Protection team shared Best Practices for Private Well owners. At the event, we distributed well water sample collection kits to owners of private drinking water systems, encouraging them to test their drinking water.   While municipal drinking water systems require Source Water Protection, private drinking water systems do not. Instead, owners of private systems are directly responsible for protecting their own water sources. Proactively [...]

Robins – the Harbingers of Spring  It happens every year – someone happily announces that they saw their “first spring robin.” For many, the American Robin is considered to be a harbinger of spring; a joyous sign that warmer days are just ahead. Winter sightings of robins are much less common, leading many to assume they are absent.  So it’s understandable when people are confused and concerned when they see a robin in the middle of January. Did this bird forget to migrate south? The answer is both yes and no.  Although some robins fly south to avoid winter, [...]

UTRCA at Heritage Fair and Family Literacy Day Events!  On Saturday, February 10, Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) Community Partnerships staff participated in Heritage London’s Heritage Fair, which celebrated London’s rich history, culture, and heritage through an exploration of “100 Objects and Hidden Gems.” Held at the London Public Library’s Central branch, the UTRCA booth highlighted one of London’s most treasured wetlands: Sifton Bog. Visitors to our booth learned about the history of Sifton Bog and the importance of wetlands to ecological health and flood control. Our interactive flood model was a hit with all ages, as was [...]

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 [...]

Ecological Values and Agricultural Drains  A "hats-off" to Erin Carroll, our Aquatic Biologist, for her part in the research article "Ecological Impacts of Management Practices in Agricultural Drain Networks: a Literature Synthesis".  With over 80% of the Upper Thames River watershed being agricultural land-use, it is important that we better understand the relationship between our municipal drains and ecological resources, and the best management practices used in maintaining them. This project was a collaboration between Healthy Headwaters Lab, Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research and Department of Integrative Biology, the University of Windsor, the Traditional Territory of the Three [...]

Adapting Surface Water Quality Monitoring for Climate Change  Monitoring and reporting on watershed conditions have become increasingly important. Stressors such as climate change have been having greater negative impacts on natural resources, including water quality and, therefore, must be monitored.   The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) has been accepted into the Ontario Resource Centre for Climate Adaptation (ORCCA) Staff Capacity Program. The program provides direct capacity support to Great Lakes basin and Ontario communities towards the completion of a climate change adaptation-focused initiative.  Over the next year, the UTRCA will work with ORCCA to review our surface [...]