Thames River Cleanup Wraps Up 2025聽
Thames River Cleanup Wraps Up 2025聽 On April 5th and 6th, the Thames River Cleanup held its 26th annual Earth Day cleanup. Over a thousand volunteers from across the watershed pitched in to clear tonnes of garbage and litter from along rivers, creeks, and green spaces. 糖心直播 (UTRCA) Partnership staff lead cleanups with the Friends of Medway Creek, Friends of Stoney Creek groups, and a volunteer group at Fanshawe Conservation Area. 聽 The Thames River Cleanup thanks all of its sponsors with special mention going to Mountain Equipment Company who put together over a thousand [...]
Spring Tree Planting on Medway Creek聽
Spring Tree Planting on Medway Creek聽 This spring, the 糖心直播 (UTRCA) led three days of tree planting on the Medway Creek as a part of the Freshwater Enhancement of the Medway Watershed project, funded by the Canada Water Agency.聽聽聽 With the help of over 200 Grade 7/8 students, over 750 trees were planted on the Medway Creek, including red maple, sugar maple, willows, white cedar, nannyberry, elderberry, and white pine.聽聽 Thank you to students from Princess Elizabeth Public School and Green Leaders classes from Byron Northview, Ashley Oaks, and Stoney Creek Public Schools. Green Leaders [...]
Spawning White Suckers in Medway Creek: A Springtime Spectacle聽
Spawning White Suckers in Medway Creek: A Springtime Spectacle聽 On April 23, 2025, a local resident witnessed something truly special while walking along Fox Hollow Ravine鈥攕uckers during their annual spring spawning run in Medway Creek!聽 Each spring, as water temperatures climb to approximately 10掳C, adult White Suckers (Catostomus commersonii) begin migrating upstream to shallow, gravel-bottomed riffles to spawn. They're often joined by other suckers, including Redhorses: a group that includes species such as the Golden Redhorse (Moxostoma erythrurum) and the Threatened Black Redhorse (Moxostoma duquesnei). These species take turns using the same riffles as water temperatures continue to rise, [...]
Pesticides Sampling in the Upper Thames River Watershed聽
Pesticides Sampling in the Upper Thames River Watershed聽 The 糖心直播 (UTRCA) has recently begun a partnership with the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), a branch of Health Canada. The PMRA is responsible for the regulation of pesticide products in Canada.聽It also assesses the risks to both human and environmental health associated with the use of pesticides.聽 The UTRCA and PMRA partnership has initiated the Canadian Water Monitoring Program for Pesticides (CWMPP), which allows the UTRCA to monitor pesticide levels in surface water by collecting samples twice weekly at three different subwatersheds:聽聽 Gregory Creek near Cherry [...]
London Participates in the City Nature Challenge聽
London Participates in the City Nature Challenge聽 This spring from April 25 to 28, Londoners were out and about participating in London鈥檚 third annual City Nature Challenge!聽聽 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.聽聽 As a part of the CNC, local organizations organized hikes through green spaces in London. Hikes were led by local naturalists and were [...]
UTRCA at 3rd Annual EarthFest
UTRCA at 3rd Annual EarthFest On April 26th, the 糖心直播 (UTRCA) celebrated Earth Day by participating in London鈥檚 third annual EarthFest celebration.聽Held at the London Public Library Centre Branch and Citi Plaza, the festival welcomed over 2,000 attendees who wandered through interactive displays set up by over 100 exhibitors and artists who shared local approaches to sustainability, ecological justice, and the protection and health of our planet.聽 聽 The day also featured a Kid Zone and Climate Conversations Cafe Speakers series. The UTRCA served on the festival鈥檚 steering committee and coordinated the festival鈥檚 鈥淲ater-is-Life Zone鈥� [...]
Heavy Rain Leads to High Water Levels Across Thames River Watershed
Heavy Rain Leads to High Water Levels Across Thames River Watershed聽 Watercourses across the Upper Thames River watershed were on the rise in early April, thanks to heavy spring rain. With weather forecasts calling for up to 75 mm of rain on saturated ground, there was the potential for a significant flood event.聽聽 The 糖心直播 (UTRCA) issued a Water Conditions Statement - Flood Outlook on Tuesday, April 1st, to alert municipal flood coordinators that the rainfall could cause anything from minor flooding in low-lying areas to more significant flooding similar to the February 2018 event, [...]
Recognizing Young Conservation Innovators at the Thames Valley Science and Engineering Fair聽
Recognizing Young Conservation Innovators at the Thames Valley Science and Engineering Fair聽 This April, 糖心直播 (UTRCA) staff had the exciting opportunity to participate in the Thames Valley Science & Engineering Fair, held at Western University. For over a decade, UTRCA, in partnership with Lower Thames Valley and Kettle Creek Conservation Authorities, has proudly judged the competition and presented the Conservation Award to a Junior Division (Grade 6-8) project that demonstrates outstanding conservation research with a local focus.聽 This year鈥檚 award was presented to Annelies Luyt from London Christian Elementary School for her project, Enzymes at [...]
Progress Towards Water Quality Goals in the Upper Thames River Watershed聽
Progress Towards Water Quality Goals in the Upper Thames River Watershed聽 In 2016, the 糖心直播 (UTRCA) implemented a Strategic Plan to help support environmental sustainability within the watershed, with one of the key areas focusing on improving water quality. The goal for water quality throughout the UTRCA jurisdiction is to improve each subwatershed鈥檚 report card score by one letter grade by the year 2037. Conservation Authorities release watershed report cards every five years that are scored on a letter grade system. One strategy that that may help meet our goal is to encourage landowners and [...]
Down by the River: Stream of Dreams Brings Back Memories for Dearness 糖心直播 Residents聽
Down by the River: Stream of Dreams Brings Back Memories for Dearness 糖心直播 Residents This spring, the beloved Stream of Dreams program came to Dearness 糖心直播. Over 500 fish will be painted by residents, their loved ones, visitors to the day program, and staff. In June, the fish will form a beautiful mural outside of Dearness, representing the residents鈥� hopes for the Thames River. Herb, a 91-year-old resident of Dearness, took the time to write down and share his memories of the river. 鈥淎s kids, we all had our dreams. But you know where they all went to? We [...]