UTRCA Board of Directors Elections聽
UTRCA Board of Directors Elections聽 The 糖心直播 (UTRCA) Board of Directors held its annual elections at the January 28, 2025 Board meeting. Brian Petrie, Mayor of Ingersoll, stepped down after completing his two-year term. Den Trentowsky, Deputy Mayor of West Perth and Deputy Warden of Perth County, accepted the position of Chair having served as Vice-Chair since January, 2024.聽聽 Other elections included:聽聽 Vice Chair:聽 Mark Schadenberg, Councillor City of Woodstock聽 Source Water Protection Striking Committee/Committee Liaison:聽 Sandy Levin, City of London Citizen Appointment聽 Hearing Committee聽聽聽 Dean Trentowsky, Deputy Mayor of West Perth and Deputy Warden [...]
聽Updating the Southern Ontario Floral Inventory Analysis (SOFIA)
聽Updating the Southern Ontario Floral Inventory Analysis (SOFIA)聽 糖心直播 (UTRCA) staff have updated a unique open-source macro-enabled Microsoft Excel spreadsheet called SOFIA (Southern Ontario Floral Inventory Analysis).聽 SOFIA was written by biologist/ecologist Dan Lebedyk and other staff at the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) a few years ago. It was designed to allow botanists and ecologists to enter floral inventories of natural areas into a system that quickly tabulates, analyzes and automates the information. It generates statistics and charts on the quality of the site, as well as many other indices including wetness and rare [...]
Tree Sales for Private Landowners聽– Order Before March 1st
Tree Sales for Private Landowners - Order Before March 1st Private landowners in the Upper Thames River watershed can now order and pay for their trees online at the 糖心直播 (UTRCA)鈥檚 shop site. Open until March 1st, 2025, this digital format allows landowners to conveniently browse and purchase a variety of coniferous, deciduous trees and wildlife shrubs to plant next spring. As always landowners are encouraged to order as soon as they are able for the best availability as some sizes and species sell out quickly.聽聽 Trees are made available through the Tree Planting on [...]
Step Into Nature Art Contest
Step Into Nature Art Contest 2026 Do you have a budding artist or aspiring poet in your life? We're on the search for artwork to feature in this year's Step Into Nature booklet. This booklet is received by thousands of kids who visit our conservation areas each year. It includes fun nature facts, games, activity pages, and more, and we鈥檙e inviting young artists to help bring it to life again this year. Between Feb. 11th and 28th, 2026, children age 7-12 are invited to submit a drawing or poem about their favourite thing to do when visiting Fanshawe, [...]
Pittock Shoreline Wetland聽
Living Shoreline at Pittock Conservation Area Building shoreline resiliency was the focus of a recent Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks funded project within the Pittock Conservation Area. Staff from the 糖心直播 (UTRCA) enhanced approximately 350 metres of the Pittock Reservoir鈥檚 north shore through the addition of a new living shoreline which provides protection from erosion and creates aquatic habitat. 聽 Incorporating aquatic habitat into the project using fallen woody material and river stone offers additional benefits. Due to the nature of Pittock Reservoir's sandy soils, much of the reservoir's shoreline suffers [...]
Upper Thames Phosphorus Reduction Program
Upper Thames Phosphorus Reduction Program The 糖心直播 (UTRCA) is excited to offer the Upper Thames Phosphorus Reduction Program to help landowners implement agricultural best management practices (BMPs) that reduce phosphorus runoff, improve water quality in the Thames River and Lake Erie, while also boosting soil health and productivity on farms. We鈥檙e offering grants for a wide range of projects, including: Cover Crops Reduced Tillage Subsurface Phosphorus Placement Soil Testing聽and Nutrient Planning Erosion Control Livestock Watercourse Fencing Clean Water Diversion Tree Planting Innovative Projects If you already implemented these practices this past fall or plan to [...]
Seasonal Hunting Opportunities with the UTRCA聽
Seasonal Hunting Opportunities with the UTRCA聽 The 糖心直播 (UTRCA) provides seasonal hunting opportunities to members of the public on several UTRCA properties for white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and small game. Interested members of the public can apply to hunt with archery equipment or firearms, depending on the property, species targeted, and open seasons, consistent with provincial hunting regulations. Staff use an online lottery to randomly select successful applicants for most of the properties. A lottery is not needed for Ellice and Gads Hill Swamps due to their large size and ability to accommodate higher numbers [...]
Investigating the Gizzard Shad Die-off in the Upper Thames River聽
Investigating the Gizzard Shad Die-off in the Upper Thames River A recent die-off of gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) in the Thames River within the City of London sparked concern among residents and conservationists. First reported in mid-November 2024, the die-off occurred near the Blackfriars Bridge, where a small tributary carrying warmer stormwater empties into the cooler Thames River. This confluence has been a known congregation site for shad in recent years. The die-off involved over 100 fish exhibiting lethargy, circular swimming, and visible hemorrhaging. University of Guelph graduate student James Clare is investigating the cause, with support from the [...]
New Safety Feature at Fanshawe Conservation Area
New Safety Feature at Fanshawe Conservation Area Visitors to Fanshawe Conservation Area may have noticed some construction underway on the reservoir near the dam in late 2024. In December, a safety boom was installed in the reservoir to enhance public safety. This essential addition is in accordance with the Canadian Dam Association (CDA) guidelines. The safety boom creates a visible barrier to prevent reservoir users from getting too close to the dam and the surrounding turbulent water zones. Safety booms are intended to reduce the risk of accidents, protect recreational users like boaters and swimmers, and increase awareness of [...]
Assisted Migration for Trees聽
Assisted Migration for Trees Assisted migration is an adaptation tool. It involves collecting seed or genetic material from one location and moving it to an area where the climate, either now or predicted for the future, is similar to what the genetics were exposed to in their original location. As weather and climate patterns change, trees need to adapt to and with these changes. Certain trees and their genetics that are local to the Thames River watershed and have been able to adapt to our climate in the past, may not be able to adapt to these changes now [...]