UTRCA Helps Plan Mock Flood Events for London and St. Marys Emergency Training Exercises (UTRCA weekly, January 6, 2023)听

In November 2022, the City of London and the Town of St. Marys held their Mandatory Training Exercises under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.听听听

For this annual exercise, emergency service providers within each municipality convened to review a mock emergency scenario and discuss how they would manage a system-wide response. In 2022, the scenarios, for both the City of London and the Town of St. Marys, focused on flooding of the Thames River. As such, 糖心直播 (UTRCA) staff were asked to help plan a realistic scenario as well as partake in the exercise itself.听 听

David Charles, UTRCA Supervisor, Water and Erosion Control Structures and Mark Helsten, UTRCA Senior Water Resources Engineer were instrumental in the planning process. During both exercises, Eleanor Heagy, Communications and Marketing Coordinator, also made a presentation outlining the UTRCA鈥檚 communication protocol during a flooding event. Communication and Marketing Specialists, Emily Chandler and Amy Bumbacco, participated in the exercises to lend their experience with flood communications, and learn the flood response processes of emergency responders. 听

Throughout the full-day exercise in London, the UTRCA disseminated Flood Bulletins outlining flow rates and the expected level of flooding for the mock scenario. Exercise participants then engaged in a role-play activity, taking actions that they would during an actual flooding event including road closures, evacuations, and responding to medical emergencies.听听听

In addition to staff from the City of London and UTRCA, participants included representatives from the London Police and Fire Department, London Hydro, Emergency Medical Services, local hospitals, London Transit Commission, Ontario Works, and Public Health, among others. 听

In St. Marys, participants included Huron Perth Public Health, Perth County Paramedic Services, St. Marys Information Technology, St. Marys Fire Department, St. Marys Public Works, St. Marys General Hospital, Stratford Police, and others. The half-day exercise involved a tabletop activity in which participants discussed the actions they would take in response to flooding that overwhelms municipal infrastructure, including the town鈥檚 floodwall. The exercise was divided into three modules: pre-storm, storm at 24 hours, and post-storm recovery.听听

Participants in both London and St. Marys found the exercises to be of great value. They aided in the examination of current processes, helped to build relationships, and spurred much thought and discussion about how to manage a major flood event.听听

Celebrate the Holidays by getting outside (UTRCA weekly, December 23, 2022)

The 糖心直播 (UTRCA) wishes everyone a happy and healthy holiday season. Visiting a UTRCA property is a great way to stay active and connect with nature during this time and there are many locations to visit throughout the watershed.

• (London), (Woodstock), and (St. Marys) Conservation Areas are closed for camping, but visitors are welcome to hike, bike, and enjoy nature during daylight hours. Please be aware that all washrooms and other facilities are closed and vehicle access may be limited. At Fanshawe CA, the gates on the entrance road (by Fanshawe Dam) will be closed from 4 pm on Thursday, December 22 until 8:30 am on Monday, January 2.
• The UTRCA鈥檚 small Day Use Conservation Areas (CAs) and Tracts are open to the public, free of charge. Each CA is managed or co-managed by a local service club or the municipality, in partnership with the UTRCA. These areas are popular for walking, birding, and cross country skiing.
• Within the City of London, the UTRCA manages 12 Environmentally Significant Areas (ESAs) on behalf of the City. Plan ahead and look at the ESA brochures and trail maps before you head out!

Stay safe this winter! Please stay off of all frozen ponds, reservoirs, or waterways and keep pets off the ice, as well. Don鈥檛 leave litter behind, keep pets on leash, and always stoop and scoop.

Providing natural spaces and recreational opportunities supports the UTRCA鈥檚 environmental target of reaching 1 million people annually with conservation messages through access to UTRCA lands and demonstration of green infrastructure.

Please note, the UTRCA Watershed Conservation Centre as well as Fanshawe, Pittock, and Wildwood Conservation Areas will be closed on Friday, December 23 due to the hazardous weather conditions, and will remain closed until 8:30 am on Monday, January 2.

Treed Buffer Planted on Pittock Conservation Area鈥檚 South Shore (UTRCA weekly, December 16, 2022)

Pittock Reservoir鈥檚 south shore has a new treed buffer, planted by 糖心直播 (UTRCA) staff and school students over the past four years. The buffer is approximately 50 metre wide and 600 m long, and flanks Pittock鈥檚 South Shore Trail and the Lampman-Lock Drain on UTRCA land. The buffer roughly follows the regulation limit, meaning all flood susceptible land is now retired from agriculture.

Buffering watercourses with native plants helps to filter pollutants in runoff, prevent erosion, and provide wildlife corridors. In 2019, two local school groups planted the first section of the buffer through the UTRCA鈥檚 Communities for Nature program. In 2020-2022, UTRCA forestry staff machine planted the remainder of the buffer. Staff鈥檚 family members helped with some of the tree planting during the pandemic.

The species planted include oaks, hickories, White Pine, Sycamore, Tamarack, Black Cherry, and Tulip Tree. In 2021, eight Butternut seedlings were added. The tree survival rate has been very good so far. Staff will maintain the site with mowing and spraying for another couple of years until the trees are tall enough to out-compete the weeds. This project increases the area鈥檚 biodiversity and assists the UTRCA with its environmental target of planting and restoring 1500 hectares of vegetation by 2037. The project was funded by a private donor as well as grants from Forests Ontario and the Clean Water Program.

UTRCA responds to Bill 23 but it鈥檚 business as usual, for now (UTRCA weekly, December 9, 2022)

In late November, the 糖心直播 (UTRCA) Board of Directors sent a letter to Premier Doug Ford outlining its concerns regarding Bill 23, More 糖心直播s Built Faster Act.

The letter states that, 鈥淐onservation Authorities want to do their part to help the Province meet its goal of building 1.5 million homes in Ontario over the next ten years. However, we are writing you to express our strong opposition to the changes proposed in the More 糖心直播s Built Faster Act.鈥�

The UTRCA Board expressed deep concern that some of the proposed changes will:

• Weaken the ability of conservation authorities to continue protecting people and property from natural hazards;
• Reduce our ability to protect critical natural infrastructure, like wetlands, that reduce flooding and droughts and improve water quality in our lakes and rivers; and,
• Place new responsibilities on municipalities related to natural hazards and natural resources that may lead to inefficiencies, uncertainties, and delays in the development review process.

The public is encouraged to before midnight on Friday, December 9, 2022.

Despite widespread opposition from a broad range of sectors, Bill 23 was passed on November 28. While Bill 23 includes changes that may have an impact on the UTRCA鈥檚 permitting role, as well as our work in planning and development reviews, those changes do not yet affect our delivery of these services. This work continues to be “business as usual” until the enabling regulations are implemented.

Read the full UTRCA Board of Directors letter and the background information report.

Library Project a Success again this year (UTRCA weekly, November 25, 2022)

The 糖心直播 (UTRCA) partnered with area libraries again this year to give library patrons the opportunity to visit our Conservation Areas.

The UTRCA provided 2022 Season Vehicle passes to the Childreach Lending Library, London Public Library, North Perth Library, Perth East Library, St. Marys Public Library, Stratford Public Library, and Oxford County libraries.

The passes provide day use access to Wildwood, Fanshawe, and Pittock Conservation Areas, and can be signed out similar to a library book. This initiative began in 2019 with the St. Marys Public Library and has expanded from there.

The program has been very well received by library patrons. One London Library patron shared that, “With the UTRCA pass I check out from London Public Library, my family and I have been spending more time outdoors, enjoying the large forests and meadows so close to the city by accessing hiking and biking trails to bird watch, walk our dog, and experience the fun, but challenging, bike loop around the lake. We love how the library provides access to the green spaces of local conservation areas, giving users an opportunity to immerse themselves in nature.”

The UTRCA hopes to continue the program in the 2023 season. In the meantime, while the campgrounds and facilities are closed at Fanshawe, Wildwood, and Pittock Conservation Areas, visitors can still enjoy the trails during daylight hours! Find out听more about UTRCA parks, recreation, and natural areas to enjoy this fall.

Community Plantings to end the year (UTRCA weekly, November 18, 2022)

The 糖心直播 (UTRCA) has wrapped up a busy year of community plantings, adding trees and plants to two more sites this October.

The UTRCA was pleased to work with Oneida Nation of the Thames and TD Tree Days on October 7. A total of 250 new trees were planted, including pear, apple, peach, white cedar, white spruce, white pine, hemlock, sugar maple, and red maple. Fruit trees planted in previous years were reported to now be bearing fruit! Tree planting visits to the homes of many elders throughout the community also revealed excellent growth in previously planted trees. Funding was provided by TD Tree Days.

Additionally, the M茅tis Nation of Ontario and Thames Bluewater M茅tis Council partnered with UTRCA on October 17 for a community building day. Forty people planted 110 trees along the North Thames River. The planting took place on UTRCA land, next to an area that students had planted in the early 1990s through the Community Forestry program. Attendees took part in a variety of M茅tis culture games and enjoyed a lunch catered by Oneida Nation of the Thames.

Karen Pugh, UTRCA Resource Specialist, helped to organize the events. Karen shared that, “Tree planting with Indigenous communities brings to life the importance of respect for the Earth and each other. We share ceremonies and celebrations, diversity and dignity, and the common goal of improving and enhancing our local environment. We are all borrowers of the land and the challenge for us is to reduce our impact. Community plantings offer an opportunity to link vegetation and people.”

Karen鈥檚 parting message was, 鈥淭hank you to the many valued community partners, funders, volunteers, growers, and special staff at the UTRCA for the last (almost) 35 years of amazing opportunities!”

Tracking Water Quality in Stratford (UTRCA weekly, November 11, 2022)

Earlier this week, volunteers with the Avon River Environmental Association (AREA) collected water samples from the Avon River in Stratford. The group collects samples twice a year to be tested for E. coli as part of their efforts to improve the Avon鈥檚 water quality.

The results are shared with the 糖心直播 (UTRCA) and included in the UTRCA鈥檚 Watershed Report Cards. Every five years, the UTRCA produces report cards that summarize local environmental conditions in each of the 28 watersheds within the upper Thames watershed. These reports summarize extensive environmental information, with the goal of tracking change and guiding local action.

Each of the 28 report cards grades surface water quality and forest conditions, using a province-wide standardized grading system. The report cards also summarize watershed features, provide recommended actions for improvement, and highlight progress made since the previous report cards. Watershed residents can see how the watershed where they live was graded in the 2017 report cards. The UTRCA will be releasing a new edition early in 2023.

The UTRCA has collaborated with AREA and other community partners on several other projects to improve the water quality of the Avon River, including an and a

For more information:

• Avon River Watershed

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Let鈥檚 talk soil health! (UTRCA weekly, November 4, 2022)

糖心直播 (UTRCA) stewardship staff recently met up with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) Soil Team as well as local farmers, Jeremy O鈥橲hea and Belinda Bowman, to discuss all things soil.

The morning began at one of the water sampling stations in the upper Medway Creek subwatershed. UTRCA staff discussed an initiative to improve soil health within the watershed by focusing on one specific agricultural Best Management Practice (BMP): cover crop trials. Between fall 2018 and spring 2022, the UTRCA received funding for landowners in the upper Medway to take part in cover cropping trials which resulted in a surge in the adoption of this farming practice. These trials aimed for farm fields to have approximately 60% residue cover throughout the nongrowing season, to reduce nutrient losses and soil erosion while promoting soil health and structure. While staff are still analyzing the water quality data, we are optimistic about the beneficial potential of this BMP and are always appreciative of local landowners that are interested and willing to try new things.

Speaking of willingness to try new things, Jeremy and Belinda gave a quick tour of their farm and shared their agricultural goals. Their aim is to improve soil health by incorporating both cover cropping and rotational grazing into their farm operation. Rotational grazing has enabled them to cut 5 some farming costs while promoting soil fertility and forage production. Of course, the OMAFRA Soil Team could not resist grabbing a shovel and taking a look at their soil! Thank you to Jeremy and Belinda for being so welcoming and sharing your farming practices and goals with us. All in all, it was a very interesting and informative morning to share ideas about soil health and the many ways it can be achieved.

Installing LUNKERS for Fish Habitat on Medway Creek (UTRCA weekly, October 28, 2022)

Approximately 12 metres of wooden fish habitat structures has been installed along a bend on Medway Creek near Thirteen Mile Road, in Middlesex Centre. The wooden cover structures, also referred to as Little Underwater Neighbourhood Keepers Encompassing Rheotactic Salmonids (LUNKERS), are set just beneath the water鈥檚 surface. They are constructed of oak hardwood which, so long as it stays wet, will last for many years. The LUNKERS are located on the outside of a bend where the natural water movement will scour the area clear of sediment, making it the perfect hiding spot for fish.

Over time, the bank will become vegetated with grass and shrubs, which will shade the stream through this reach. Funding for this work was through Environment Canada鈥檚 EcoAction Community Funding Program.