Students Tackle Erosion and Flooding through Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Students Tackle Erosion and Flooding through Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics An early spring often means rushing water, overflowing creeks, and waterlogged parks. With climate change, the issue of flooding is widely predicted to become more severe and frequent. Students in the Thames Valley District School Board are aware of this problem and are busily brainstorming solutions. This spring, Fanshawe Community Education staff visited 15 Grade 5 classes and eight Grade 3 classes in London and Woodstock to raise awareness of flooding and discuss ways to slow the flow of water using the lens of science, technology, engineering, [...]
Volunteering with Invertebrate Identification
Volunteering with Invertebrate Identification A great way to stay involved with nature during the long winter months is volunteering with the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) to identify the invertebrate creatures in the watershed. Every spring and early fall, invertebrate samples are collected from various locations along the river to help assess its overall river health. Samples collected in the field by trained staff are placed in ethanol to preserve them until analysis in the laboratory. The July 2022 FYI includes a great article to explain this process. Back in the laboratory, I was able to assist [...]
Second Annual EarthFest a Success
Second Annual EarthFest a Success On April 22nd, the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) celebrated Earth Day by participating in London’s second annual EarthFest celebration. Located at multiple downtown locations including the London Public Library Centre Branch, Citi Plaza, and along Dundas Place, the festival welcomed over 2,000 attendees who wandered through interactive displays. There were over 100 exhibitors and artists who shared local approaches to sustainability, ecological justice, and the protection and health of our planet. The UTRCA served on the Festival’s steering committee and coordinated the “WaterZone” area which included displays by the Council of Canadians, [...]
Meet our new Vice Chair
Meet our new Vice Chair At its Annual General Meeting, the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) held elections for its 2023 Board including its new Vice Chair, Sandy Levin. Sandy is a familiar face to the UTRCA as he was Chair of the board in the past. He answered some questions about his role. How will you approach your new role as Board Vice Chair? My role is to assist the Chair, Board and staff to achieve the goals of the organization during a time of many changes to Conservation Authorities Why do you value the work of [...]
A Wet Spring Floods into the Upper Thames River Watershed
A Wet Spring Floods into the Upper Thames River Watershed This spring, the Upper Thames River watershed experienced a drawn-out 10-year flood. A spring flood with this total runoff volume occurs approximately once every 10 years, or has about a 10% chance of occurring in any given year. This year, the spring freshet (i.e., flooding due to snowmelt and rain) spanned three weeks, with the UTRCA issuing eight Flood Bulletins for five separate events between March and April. The first bulletin was issued on March 16th as a strong low-pressure system entered the province, bringing warm air and [...]
Explore the Watershed Report Cards in an Interactive Map and StoryMap
Explore the Watershed Report Cards in an Interactive Map and StoryMap There are two new and exciting ways to explore the 2022 Upper Thames River Watershed Report Cards. The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) produces report cards every five years to report on the environmental conditions in each of the 28 watersheds in the Upper Thames River watershed with a focus on surface water quality and forest conditions. Now, you can use your desktop or mobile web browser to interact and tour the watersheds using an Interactive Map and Story Map! The Interactive Map allows users to [...]
Get Ready for Adventure—Conservation Areas Open on May 1st!
Get Ready for Adventure — Conservation Areas Open on May 1st! Fanshawe, Pittock, and Wildwood Conservation Areas (CAs) will be open from May 1st to Oct 15th, 2023. The possibilities for adventure are endless with hiking and biking trails, camping, fishing, boating, sports, picnic shelters, and special events. Fanshawe Conservation Area Fanshawe CA offers 24 km of hiking trails including the Lake Trail (20 km). As the name suggests, the Lake Trail loops around Fanshawe Lake and is an excellent spot for mountain biking. Park visitors are also able to rent canoes and kayaks to paddle across the lake. [...]
UTRCA Marks Earth Day
UTRCA Marks Earth Day The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) will be participating in several events this Earth Day on Saturday, April 22 including: Earthfest 2023 Celebrate, learn and connect through art, music, games and exploration. Hear from experts on everything from e-bikes to green bins, and so much more. The UTRCA will be setting up interactive and informational displays as part of the Earthfest Festival's WaterZone (situated at the water fountain in Citi Plaza). Visitors will be able to play in our virtual sandbox, watch a flood plain simulation, find where they live in Thames river watershed, and [...]
The Power of Trees!
The Power of Trees! It was no joke when Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) staff worked together with volunteers from Festival Hydro to hand out 300 trees to the public in Stratford on Saturday, April 1st (April Fools) for the Festival Hydro Tree Power Program. This partnership started in 2021 and has allowed Festival Hydro customers an affordable chance to get native hardwood trees for their property. The species of trees offered were as follows: maple, paper birch, hackberry, black cherry, red oak, basswood or tulip tree. UTRCA and Festival Hydro are very excited to provide this opportunity as tree planting provides many environmental benefits including reduced cooling costs, clean air promotion, [...]
Meet our New Chair
Meet our New Chair At its Annual General Meeting, the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) held elections for its 2023 Board including its new Chair, Mayor of Ingersoll, Brian Petrie. Brian was previously Vice Chair and answered some questions about his new role. How will you approach your new role as Board Chair? My approach will be towards ensuring the business of the Board is dealt with in an orderly manner and that staff are given clear direction after healthy discussions of the topics before us. I want to foster a collaborative atmosphere for members, where everyone contributes to their fullest [...]