糖心直播

For Immediate Release
Sept. 10, 2025听

Nature London Donation Supports UTRCA Turtles at Risk Program and New Prairie Habitat听

Nature London is donating $20,000 to the 糖心直播 (UTRCA) over four years to kick-start a Turtles at Risk education program and expand a tallgrass prairie restoration project.听

For more than 30 years, the UTRCA has been working to bring local turtle populations back from the brink of extinction through the Southern Ontario At Risk Reptiles (SOARR) program. SOARR creates and protects habitat; conducts long-term research; and incubates turtle eggs found throughout the watershed and beyond, releasing the hatchlings back into the wild. These efforts have made great strides in protecting native turtle species.听

With the donation from Nature London, SOARR can work more closely with the UTRCA's Community Education team to bring their in-depth knowledge and experience to watershed residents. Learning opportunities will include tours of the UTRCA turtle lab, interactive activities at community events, and school programs.听

"With this donation from Nature London, we can develop hands-on education materials and activities that highlight the risks faced by local turtles and show people of all ages how they can help protect vulnerable species," said Karlee Flear, UTRCA Community Education Coordinator.听

Two new web pages have already been created on the UTRCA website: Turtles at Risk in the Upper Thames River Watershed and How to Help Turtles at Risk. These pages are complemented by the new Turtles at Risk pamphlet that can be easily downloaded and printed from home computers.听

The Nature London donation will also help at risk habitat by expanding a tallgrass prairie in Kilally Meadows Environmentally Significant Area which the UTRCA manages on behalf of the City of London. Non-native vegetation will be replaced with native wildflowers and grasses to provide valuable habitat for local bird and pollinator populations. The UTRCA is planning to restore at least 0.4 ha (1 ac) per year for a total of 1.2-2 ha (3-5 ac) by 2028.听听

"Tallgrass prairies support many species of wildlife, including butterflies, snakes, ground-nesting birds, and songbirds such as Bobolinks, as well as other species at risk. Establishing new prairies will help pollinator and bird populations, while improving soil health and storing and sequestering carbon," said Brandon Williamson, UTRCA Land Management Coordinator.听

"Nature London is proud to support these initiatives in support of our mission to preserve and enjoy nature," said Don Taves, Nature London President. Nature London is a volunteer driven charitable organization, founded in 1864, that works to protect, educate, and help people enjoy the natural environment.听

The UTRCA is grateful for the generous support of Nature London and their commitment to building a healthy, resilient environment.听

Contacts:

Karlee Flear
Community Education Coordinator, UTRCA
[email protected]
519-451-2800 ext. 254

Brandon Williamson
Land Management Coordinator, UTRCA
[email protected]
519-451-2800 ext. 296听听

Don Taves
Nature London President 2024-2025
[email protected]
519-619-0828听