UTRCA Inspiration Award (UTRCA weekly, February 24, 2022) Erin Mutch, Learning Coordinator for the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB), is this year’s recipient of the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) Inspiration Award! The award is presented to a teacher, group, or school that, through their actions, projects, or programs, encourages watershed residents to take an interest in the natural environment, create connections with nature, and contribute to its preservation. https://youtu.be/vf8o9WzQr3c The UTRCA Board of Directors presented the award to Erin at the 2022 Annual General Meeting on February 17. Erin is an accomplished environmental education leader [...]

Great Backyard Bird Count (UTRCA weekly, February 18, 2022) The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) encourages you to get involved in the Great Backyard Bird Count on February 18 to 21. Launched in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) was the first online community science project to collect data on wild birds and to display results in near real time. Community science engages members of the public in collecting data, which can be used to increase scientific knowledge and inform decision making. Birds Canada joined the project [...]

New Campsite Reservation System for Fanshawe, Pittock, and Wildwood Conservation Areas (UTRCA Weekly, February 11, 2022) The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) has launched a new and improved online reservation system for the 2022 camping season. The new Camis 5 reservation system for Fanshawe, Pittock, and Wildwood Conservation Areas went live on February 1, offering customers a fresh look and feel to the online experience. The new system provides greater access to online services and a better overall customer experience when campers are booking their campsites. Karen Sockett, Conservation Area Clerk, explained the appeal of the new site, saying, [...]

West London Dyke Reconstruction Project (UTRCA Weekly, February 4, 2022) The West London Dyke stretches nearly 2.4 kilometres along the North Thames River from Oxford Street to the Forks of the Thames, and then west along the main Thames River to Cavendish Park.  The City of London owns the dyke and the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) undertakes major maintenance as part of its flood control program. Construction of the original West London Dyke began in the late 1880s. By the early 1900s, the dyke had been reinforced, extended, and raised at least twice. The dyke was overtopped [...]

Specialized Tool Required to Measure Extreme Flows (UTRCA Weekly, January 28, 2022) In the Upper Medway Creek subwatershed, a late September 2021 rainfall event of 75 mm produced higher-than-normal stream flows for the time of year. UTRCA Conservation Services staff are monitoring the creek as part of a targeted subwatershed project that is studying the impacts of Best Management Practices, such as cover crops, on water quality. To calculate the amount of nutrient runoff from the watershed, staff need to take measurements to correlate water levels to flow rates under a range of conditions. This level-flow relationship is called [...]

Winter Nature School at Fanshawe Conservation Area (UTRCA Weekly, January 21, 2022) Community Education staff are excited to once again offer their outdoor Nature School program at Fanshawe Conservation Area. This nature-based, outdoor education program was first offered in the fall of 2021 in response to the pandemic and it has returned thanks to its popularity. Fanshawe Nature School takes place in a beautiful forest where staff created different areas including a “Gathering Spot” where the Opening and Closing Circles are held. Other free play areas included an outdoor kitchen, an obstacle course made out of logs and rocks, [...]

Learn outdoors this winter (UTRCA Weekly, January 14, 2021) Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) staff are busy preparing for the return of Nature School next week. Located at Wildwood Conservation Area, near St. Marys, Wildwood Nature School is offering two different outdoor education programs in January and February of 2022. Children aged 18 months to five years, along with an accompanying adult, can participate in “Falcons and Fledglings” on Thursday mornings, from 9:30 – 11:00 am. (*Please note: Wednesday session is full.) Children aged six to 11 years old can join the new “Snowy Owls” program on either [...]

2021 Year in Review (UTRCA Weekly, January 7, 2021) As we settle into the New Year, the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) is reflecting on some of its achievements in 2021. Watershed residents continued to take enjoy the physical and mental health benefits offered by the outdoors, and we welcomed more than 160,000 visitors to Fanshawe, Pittock, and Wildwood Conservation Areas. While the camping season was closer to normal than the previous year, covid precautions and restrictions still impacted our operations. Hundreds of students and community volunteers usually take part in many of our land stewardship projects. Despite [...]

Protecting Conservation Area Infrastructure (UTRCA Weekly, December 24, 2021) Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) staff carried out a small project in mid-November to protect the Munro pedestrian bridge at Wildwood Conservation Area. Park staff had noticed that bank erosion had undercut adjacent trees and was impacting the bridge abutment, as can be seen in the photo below. To help stabilize the severely eroded and undercut stream bank, Conservation Services staff placed several tonnes of river stone upstream of and under the bridge (bottom photo). A step-pool sequence was also constructed along the reach, due its dynamic characteristics [...]

Climate Change challenges UTRCA Reforestation Efforts (UTRCA Weekly, December 17, 2021) While spring tree planting activities often get all the attention, summer and fall maintenance is just as important to ensure newly planted trees survive. Planting a seedling is just the start -- vegetation control over the next two to three years is critical to ensure planting success. With tree and planting costs on the rise, maintenance becomes that much more important. Each year, Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) forestry staff work closely with landowners to ensure this happens. If vegetation control isn’t done after planting, newly planted [...]