Turtle Hatching Season Winding Down During the 30th Year of Reptile Conservation Program
Turtle Hatching Season Winding Down During the 30th Year of Reptile Conservation Program Based out of the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA), Southern Ontario At Risk Reptiles (SOARR) is one of the longest running and most successful reptile research and recovery programs in Canada. With efforts spanning three decades within the Upper Thames River watershed and beyond, many significant milestones have been achieved over the decades. One of these milestones is our reptile nest protection program. With increasing success each year, approximately 10,000 hatchling turtles have emerged out of incubators at the SOARR lab. This nationally and internationally [...]
UTRCA Website Updates
UTRCA Website Updates The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority’s (UTRCA’s) website has received some much needed updates over the last couple of years. The Parks, Recreation and Natural Areas section has been restructured to make the types of lands the Authority owns clearer. They include the three large multi-use Conservation Areas (Fanshawe, Pittock and Wildwood), smaller day-use Conservation Areas (CAs) and Tracts, as well as other UTRCA Lands (wetlands, floodplains, agricultural lands). Day-use CAs A watershed map is provided showing the location of the eleven small day-use CAs and Tracts within the UTRCA. There is a webpage for each CA and/or Tract that includes a [...]
Thames Valley Trail Association Anniversary
Thames Valley Trail Association Anniversary The Thames Valley Trail Association (TVTA) will hold its 50th Anniversary Celebration at Fanshawe Conservation Area on September 23 and 24, 2023. Members will gather for hikes, keynote addresses, an Indigenous Water Blessing, and plenary discussions on such topics as invasive species, trail management, volunteer recruitment, extreme weather challenges and much more. On Saturday evening the TVTA invites everyone to their celebration gala dinner, which will include a keynote address by Canadian explorer and adventurer, Adam Shoalts. More information below: TVTA Gala Invitation Eventbrite ticket link
O-Serves at Western University
O-Serves at Western University O-Serves is a special day during Western University's Orientation week that introduces first-year students to organizations and volunteer opportunities within the greater London community. This year, the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) partnered with Antler River Rally and the Thames Talbot Land Trust to offer first-year engineering students an on-campus event that included a river cleanup and native pollinator planting. While some students tackled garbage on campus, others planted native plants along the Medway stream at a location where the UTRCA had recently planted live stakes and shrubs as part of an ongoing project [...]
An Exceptionally Wet July in the Watershed
An Exceptionally Wet July in the Watershed July 2023 was one of the wettest Julys on record in the Upper Thames River watershed. It proved challenging for Water Information Management staff to control flows and manage reservoir levels at and below the three flood control reservoirs at Pittock (Woodstock), Wildwood (St. Marys), and Fanshawe (London) Conservation Areas. Staff estimate that the North Thames River above the Forks watershed (including Mitchell, Stratford, St. Marys, and part of London) received 195 mm of rain in July. The Thames River above the Forks watershed (including Woodstock, Thamesford, Ingersoll, and part of [...]
Mark Your Calendars for Tree Power!
Mark Your Calendars for Tree Power! Residents of Perth South and St. Marys are encouraged to mark their calendars for upcoming Tree Power programs. The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) has partnered with both municipalities to once again offer affordable trees to residents. Tree species that will be available include: Autumn Fantasy Maple Downy Serviceberry Native Red Maple Red Oak Sugar Maple Tulip Tree Tree sales for Perth South open on Tuesday, September 5 at 10 am here. Tree sales for St. Marys open on Tuesday, September 12 at 10 am here. [...]
UTRCA Library Park Pass Program Grows in Popularity
UTRCA Library Park Pass Program Grows in Popularity “Our community loves being able to borrow a free UTRCA Day Pass from their library. Demand for the passes continues to grow, with Londoners eager to explore these natural resources. It’s a great partnership for London Public Library,” shared Sarah Kasprzak, Integrated Library System Solutions Specialist with the London Public Library. Beginning in 2019, the UTRCA partnered with libraries in the watershed to offer park passes to library patrons. Using their library card, patrons can “check out” a day pass to gain access to Fanshawe, Pittock, and Wildwood Conservation Areas. [...]
UTRCA Tackles Dog-Strangling Vine, Japanese Knotweed, and Giant Hogweed with Support from the Invasive Species Action Fund
UTRCA Tackles Dog-Strangling Vine, Japanese Knotweed, and Giant Hogweed with Support from the Invasive Species Action Fund The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) has been tackling three invasive plants thanks to a $10,000 contribution from the Invasive Species Centre’s Invasive Species Action Fund. Dog Strangling Vine, Japanese Knotweed, and Giant Hogweed grow throughout the watershed, but are a threat to native biodiversity and a hazard to the community. Dog Strangling Vine is an extremely aggressive plant that outcompetes native vegetation, creating a monoculture unsuitable for most wildlife. Japanese Knotweed can break through concrete and foundations, create visual barriers [...]
A Wet and Busy Summer for Integrated Watershed Management Staff
A Wet and Busy Summer for Integrated Watershed Management Staff The rain has certainly been keeping UTRCA stewardship field staff busy this summer as they perform routine water quality sampling for each major rain event that moves through the watershed. As rain falls and water levels rise, the concentration of nutrients flowing through watercourses, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, fluctuate with the addition of runoff from various sources, including agricultural fields and tile drainage. From a stewardship perspective, it is important to understand the impacts of runoff at the field scale to surface water quality as a whole. [...]
Perth South Township Office Low Impact Development Project
Perth South Township Office Low Impact Development project The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) partnered with the Township of Perth South to implement a Low Impact Development (LID) project at the Township’s Office. The LID was designed to address the recurring flooding of the parking lot, septic bed, and sidewalk caused by stormwater runoff. The project included a 93 square metre rain garden and a 35 metre-long bioswale to capture the stormwater from the parking lot and the workshop building. Grade four and five students from Downie Central Public School assisted in planting 900 native wildflowers in the rain [...]