Conservation Corner: A bright new year of conservation

Wallace and Isabelle Black helped improve the water quality in Egbert Creek by fencing livestock out and planting trees. The NVCA Healing Waters Program and the Environmental farm Program helped by providing grants and technical advice. submitted photo

Traditionally, the turn of the year is a time for reflection and renewed resolutions. It has been quite a year! Some of you may know that aside from writing these incredibly swanky and inspiring columns, (shameless selfpromotion was my New Years resolution), I have the pleasure of coordinating the Healthy Waters Grant Program at the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority.

The best part is working with all the volunteers and landowners. The commitment of people to help protect our environment is truly inspiring! Landowners, like Wally Black, helped protect water quality of a cold-water trout stream by fencing cattle out of Egbert Creek. This spring the Black family is following up with a tree planting in the newly protected riparian area. Funding was jointly provided by the Authority's Healthy Waters Program and Greencover Canada. The Black family has farmed here since 1872. Wally says "I should have done this ages ago. It was the perfect opportunity."

Concern for the environment consistently ranks high in opinion polls. Moving concern to action is key. Common barriers that stand in the way are lack of funds and know-how. Over the past 12 years, the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority has worked very hard to remove these barriers through our Forestry, Healthy Waters Grant, and Community's River Restoration Programs.

Our Healthy Waters Grant Program provides grants to landowners like Ralph Giffen. When asked about his project, Ralph laughs and says, "I put eavestroughs on my barn before my house, and the house needs them! Without the grants I couldn't have done that." Ralph's barneaves will help keep clean water clean; stopping it from running through the barnyard and picking up contaminant's, (like fecal bacteria), and then infiltrating into our groundwater.

In 2006, the Healthy Waters Program granted a total of $23,000 to eleven landowners for environmental projects and provided technical advice to many projects. Last years projects included; decommissioning 3 wells, installing eaves on 2 barns, protecting over 2km of stream from livestock, a grassed waterway and many tree plants. Additionally, we helped fund the ongoing river restoration work on Beeton Creek in partnership with the New Tecumseth Streams Committee. As well as many other projects supported by dedicated volunteer environmental groups.

Last year also marked the launch of the 3-year "Caring for the Moraine" project supported by the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation. In our watershed, we contacted over a hundred landowners, many which invited us for an educational site visits or attended a workshop. We also worked with Catherine Allen to plant over 8 acres of forest and enhance 230m of streamside habitat on her property.

Our Forestry Program worked with eighteen landowners to plant an amazing 56,000 trees last year! Granting about $25,000 to help defray the cost of planting to the landowner. In 2007, we hope to out-do ourselves and are planning to plant about 70 thousand trees!

All these projects show how communities can work together with amazing results! The NVCA's programs are funded by our wonderful member municipalities, Canada- Ontario Agreement, MNR, Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation, Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Christian Farmers Association, Trillium Foundation, Greencover, and TD Friends of the Environment Foundation. Without their support none of these programs could happen.

From all of us at the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority, a gigantic thank you to all who have worked to protect our groundwater, streams, lakes, wetlands, and habitat for fish and wildlife! To the landowners we have yet to meet: we hope to see you in the New Year!

"Conservation Corner" is a monthly column that looks at the theory, practices, technology and benefits of land & water stewardship. The NVCA is your public agency dedicated to the preservation of a healthy environment. As your partner, the NVCA provides the expertise to help protect our water, our land and our future.

For comments or suggestions about this column or the Healthy Waters program, please contact Shannon Stephens at the NVCA at (705) 424- 1479 ext 239 or e-mail us at sstephens@nvca.on.ca or visit our website at www.nvca.on.ca.