Mini Forest at Fanshawe Conservation Area听

On October 20, the 糖心直播 (UTRCA) in partnership with the London Environmental Network (LEN) planted a mini forest at Fanshawe Conservation Area! With the help of community volunteers and students from Western University's Dirty Nature Writing Course, 300 native trees and shrubs were planted within 100 square meters.听听

Earlier in June, the UTRCA and LEN, along with the help of volunteers, completed site preparations on this area which was then simply a patch of mowed grass. Site preparation included laying down cardboard, mulch, and compost to kill the grass and provide a nutrient rich soil to plant in this fall.听

The trees and shrubs planted in the mini forest are all native to the London area and will provide shelter and food to local wildlife. Species planted include Eastern White Pine, Black Cherry, Bitternut Hickory, Pagoda Dogwood, Nannyberry, Witch Hazel, Yellow Birch, and more.

Apart from the wildlife benefits that mini forests provide, they also aid in water conservation by:听听

• Storing water from rainfall and snowmelt and then releasing it slowly into groundwater,
• Regulating rainfall through evapotranspiration (the combined processes through which water is transferred to the atmosphere from open water and ice surfaces, bare soil, and vegetation that make up the Earth's surface),
• Preventing erosion by stabilizing soil and reducing sediment that runs off into local waterways, and听
• Filter sediment and nutrients from water.听

This mini forest was possible thanks to RBC, Green Communities Canada, the City of London, Enbridge, Thriving Communities, TRY Recycling, and Waste Connections of Canada.听听

For more information, please contact April Scholz, Community Partnership Specialist.听

For more photos, visit 听

Replacing Dock at Westminster Ponds’s South Pond

As part of ongoing efforts to enhance accessibility and public enjoyment of the Westminster Ponds Environmentally Significant Area (ESA), the 糖心直播 (UTRCA), working on behalf of the City of London, completed the replacement of the floating dock at South Pond in Spring 2025.听

The previous dock, which had become undersized and outdated, was removed in Fall 2024. A new, modern floating dock system was purchased from Canada Docks and installed in May 2025. Constructed from durable aluminum and composite materials, the new dock measures approximately 8 by 24 feet and is accessed by a 4 by 16-foot ramp equipped with aluminum handrails. The dock complies with Accessibility for Ontarians Disability Act (AODA) standards and features two benches, offering an accessible and welcoming space for visitors to relax and enjoy the pond.

We鈥檙e excited to provide this improved amenity within the Westminster Ponds ESA and hope the community enjoys this refreshed access point to nature.听

London Participates in the City Nature Challenge听

This spring from April 25 to 28, Londoners were out and about participating in London's third annual City Nature Challenge!听听

The City Nature Challenge (CNC) is an international effort, encouraging people to find and document plants, animals, and fungi in their cities! Using iNaturalist, the CNC is a bioblitz-style competition, where cities are in friendly contest with each other to see who can make the most observations of nature.听听

As a part of the CNC, local organizations organized hikes through green spaces in London. Hikes were led by local naturalists and were focused on a variety of topics, including birdwatching, insects, biodiversity, and a Water Blessing led by Chippewas of the Thames First Nation!听听

The UTRCA led a family nature walk through Fanshawe Conservation Area and over 20 community members learned all about local insects, plants, and aquatic species. The Friends of Medway Creek led a family nature walk through the Medway Valley Heritage Forest in partnership with the Museum of Ontario Archaeology and, although it was a chilly day, we learned all about local species such as trilliums!听

In 2025, Londoners excelled and even beat our stats from last year, coming 3rd in Ontario, 8th in Canada, and 38th globally (out of 669 cities worldwide)! Together, we recorded 5,012 observations and 841 species from 184 observers!听

Missed the City Nature Challenge in 2025? Don't worry, we'll be back again in 2026! In the meantime, become an iNaturalist expert and download the app to your phone. We're looking forward to seeing which species you observe!听

Thank you to TD Friends of the Environment Foundation for supporting this project!听

If you have any questions about the City Nature Challenge, please reach out to April Scholz, Community Partnership Specialist, scholza@thamesriver.ca听