Community Science in the summer (UTRCA Weekly, July 22, 2022) The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) invites you to get outside this summer and take part in the Community Nature Project! This project encourages people to make observations about the animals and plants they see in the Upper Thames River watershed – including in their own backyard - and log them at iNaturalist Canada. iNaturalist is an on-line platform where anyone can record and share biodiversity information, learn more about the local environment, and connect with other naturalists. iNaturalist is collecting lots of useful information for the UTRCA. [...]

Bugs tell the Water Quality story (UTRCA weekly, July 15, 2022) The spring benthic sampling season has come and gone, with many people not knowing it was happening or even what it is. Ontario’s Conservation Authorities monitor the health of watercourses in our watersheds in a number of ways, and one program involves sampling benthic macroinvertebrates – the “bugs” that live along the bottom of streams, rivers, and ponds. There are three components to the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority’s (UTRCA) benthic sampling program: collecting benthic invertebrates from the bottom of a watercourse, identifying those bugs (usually under a [...]

First GREENFest! Celebrates Students’ Hard Work (UTRCA weekly, July 8, 2022) GREEN Leaders classes from across the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) came to Fanshawe Conservation Area on May 24-27, to participate in GREENFest!, a weeklong event hosted by Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) Community Education and Partnerships staff. Start.ca sponsored the event and provided volunteers each day. Karlee Flear, Community Education Supervisor, explained the GREEN program: Over the course of the school year, UTRCA staff have been working with 18 Grade 7 and 8 GREEN classes to identify local environmental issues and implement sustainable solutions. Their [...]

Tree Planting using Plastic Mulch at Irwin Farm (UTRCA weekly, June 24, 2022) Bill and Carrie Irwin recently had staff from the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) help them with planting trees on their farm property in Dorchester. The Irwin family has owned and operated the farm over three generations. The farm is certified organic and, after selling a neighbouring property, the Irwins had to establish a 25 foot buffer around their property to maintain this certification. To help establish the buffer, Bill and Carrie reached out to the UTRCA’s Clean Water Program. Through a partnership with Forests [...]

Have Your Say about Drinking Water Source Protection (UTRCA weekly, June 17, 2022) The Thames-Sydenham and Region Source Protection Plan is a science-based plan aimed at protecting sources of local municipal drinking water. The plan determines areas where these drinking water sources are vulnerable, identifies potential threats, and develops plans to deal with the threats. Staff with the drinking water source protection program have started public consultation on an update to the Source Protection Plan and related Assessment Reports. This effort is part of a five year review as outlined in the provincial Clean Water Act. The public is [...]

Pine Plantation Restoration project (UTRCA weekly, June 10, 2022) Visitors to the Watershed Conservation Centre in Fanshawe Conservation Area may notice part of the pine plantation near the parking lot has been removed. The work is part of an ecological restoration project that Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) staff have been working on, with funding from the Invasive Species Centre, Nature London, and UTRCA. The plan is to transition the overly dense pine stand into a more open and diverse pine-oak-hickory savanna and tallgrass prairie habitat. Cathy Quinlan, UTRCA Terrestrial Biologist, said “This is a highly visible [...]

Perth Children’s Water Festival a Success (UTRCA weekly, June 3, 2022) The first in-person Perth Children’s Water Festival was a great success with more than 500 people in attendance! The event was held at Stratford’s Falstaff Family Centre on Sunday, May 29. Families were able to participate in several hands-on, educational booths being run by community organizations to learn about the importance of water and its conservation. The City of Stratford had its hydro-vac and fire trucks on site for children to tour. Community education staff from the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) led a Stream of Dreams [...]

Children’s Water Festival events back in person! (UTRCA weekly, May 27, 2022) The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) is happy to be back hosting Children’s Water Festival events in person. “We're so excited to be able to gather again outdoors to celebrate water in our community!” says Linda Smith, UTRCA Water Festival Coordinator. After shifting to online activities due to the pandemic, UTRCA staff are holding events both in person and online this year. Perth Children’s Water Festival, Sunday, May 29 (Stratford) Families are invited to the Perth Children’s Water Festival event on Sunday, May 29, from [...]

Communities for Nature is back! (UTRCA weekly, May 20, 2022) In a typical year, approximately 10,000 trees and shrubs would be planted through the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority’s (UTRCA) “Community Forestry” program. Through this program, local schools and community members join UTRCA staff to plant native trees and wildlife shrubs in municipal parks, along watercourses, and on industrial and commercial properties. Not surprisingly, the pandemic had a big impact on this program, as well as the other programs in our Communities for Nature initiative – “Spreading Like Wildflowers” and “Aquatic Connections.” Now, after two years of pandemic-related public [...]

Local author, Jon-Erik Lappano, joins UTRCA for outdoor events (UTRCA weekly, May 13, 2022) The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) held Nature Nearby events in Mitchell and St. Marys on Saturday, May 7, featuring local author and Governor General Literary Award recipient, Jon-Erik Lappano. The inspiration for the Nature Nearby activities and inquiry-based explorations of the natural world came from Lappano’s latest book, Martin and the River, which features the North Thames River. Lappano jumped at the chance to take part in UTRCA’s family friendly programming. “From a young age, I have found meaning and connection in nature, [...]