Popular UTRCA Park Pass Program Continues to Grow  The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA)’s popular Library Park Pass program is underway for another year! The UTRCA has partnered with libraries throughout the watershed to provide day-use vehicle passes for their patrons. Library users can “check out” a day-use vehicle pass from their local library to be used over a three-day period. These passes will allow for day-use entry to Fanshawe Conservation Area in London and Wildwood Conservation Area outside of St. Marys.   The following locations have been provided with 2026 passes:  London Public Library   Municipality of West [...]

Local Student Wins Conservation Award at Thames Valley Science and Engineering Fair  This April, Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) Education staff helped judge the Thames Valley Science and Engineering Fair at Western University in London. For the past 10 + years, UTRCA staff in conjunction with the Lower Thames Valley and Kettle Creek Conservation Authorities have judged and presented the Conservation Award to a Junior Division (Grades 6-8) project that best explores the topic of conservation with a local focus.  This year's winner was Harry Boyd from Matthews Hall school. For his project, Renewable Alternatives to De-Icing Salt, Harry investigated whether [...]

Wildwood and Pittock Dams - More than just Flood Control  If you are a regular visitor to Fanshawe, Wildwood, or Pittock Conservation Area, you may have seen one of the reservoirs being used for its flood control role - storing water to reduce downstream flooding. Did you know that Wildwood and Pittock Reservoirs have a second, equally important, role: increasing downstream flows in the summer and fall?  The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) stores water in Wildwood and Pittock Reservoirs to reduce downstream flooding due to snowmelt or rain, and uses that water to supplement downstream flows in the summer and fall, [...]

UTRCA Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program   Across the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) watershed, farmers and landowners are finding new ways to protect their soil, manage water, and sustain productivity for the long term. Supporting that work is at the objective of a new funding program: the Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program.    What does this program offer? Funding towards establishing native grasslands or perennial cover, planting pollinator strips, shelterbelts and windbreaks to protect fields, strategically retiring fragile or marginal lands, and restoring wetlands.  Reach out to our Stewardship Team to explore what’s possible on your property, and how these solutions can be tailored to [...]

Tree Planting Season Kicks Off  The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) has officially kicked off its 2026 tree planting season. With a strong lineup of funding programs, this year’s efforts are about more than putting trees in the ground - they’re about building healthier, more resilient landscapes for the future.  Across the watershed, nearly 28,000 trees and shrubs will be planted this spring. Of those, 16,500 will be planted directly by UTRCA crews, with the remaining trees and seedlings planted by landowners themselves. Each planting project, whether a windbreak along a field, a new woodlot, or the restoration of a wetland, plays [...]

Source Water Protection and Private Drinking Water Wells  On March 25, the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) hosted a Landowner Workshop for local farmers focused on best management practices. The Thames-Sydenham Source Protection Region was also in attendance, providing water sampling bottles for private wells and sharing information on how landowners can help protect their drinking water at the source.  If you rely on a private well for your drinking water, it is your responsibility to ensure that your water remains safe. Protecting the area around your well is one of the most effective ways to maintain clean, safe drinking water for [...]

Landowner Workshops Recap  The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) Stewardship Team recently wrapped up two successful Landowner Workshops, bringing together farmers, landowners, and environmental partners.  In Thorndale, attendees gathered for our annual UTRCA Landowners Workshop, where the focus was on “stacking” best management practices and exploring both the environmental and economic benefits. Local voices led the way, grounding the discussion in real-world experience. Farmer and agronomist Curtis Gartly shared insights from his fields, while Marilyn and Wayne Flanigan of McCutcheon Farm Drainage addressed one of the most persistent challenges in agricultural: erosion.  Staff highlighted water quality and successful restoration projects [...]

Bald Eagles  Handsome and regal, bald eagles are one of the most recognizable birds in the world. Over the centuries they have become a symbol of courage and strength. These majestic birds can often be spotted around Fanshawe Lake but there are many things you may not know about them.  In the late 20th century, bald eagles were on the brink of extirpation due to hunting, habitat loss and pesticide ingestion. Measures, such as banning the use of DDT (a pesticide that weakened their eggshells causing them to break easily) in the 1970s and other recovery efforts, slowed their decline. Populations recovered and their status was downgraded from “endangered” to “threatened” in 1995 and by 2007, they were removed entirely from the list. They now flourish and their recovery is widely [...]