UTOPIA, Ontario – The Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) received $138,777 from Environment Canada’s Environmental Damages Fund. This funding will be used to improve water quality in rivers and lakes, restore habitat, plant trees and reduce farm runoff.
“I am very excited for this opportunity,” said Shannon Stephens, NVCA’s Healthy Waters Program Coordinator. “It helps address current issues in our watershed, such as bacteria and phosphorus levels in our rivers and lakes, and building resilient habitat to benefit both plants and animals.”
These projects will take place on public and private lands throughout the entire Nottawasaga Valley Watershed over the next three years. Approximately 43.5 hectares of forests will be planted along 3.2 kilometres of streams. This will improve water quality in the surface and ground levels, reduce flooding and create fish habitat.
With this funding, wetlands will also be created to enhance biodiversity hotspots and reduce flooding. Collingwood Coastal Wetlands and the Minesing Wetlands will also be more protected from invasive Phragmites.
For farmers, there will be opportunity for projects like cover crops, farmland stream buffers and windbreaks to divert 120 kilograms of phosphorus, and 20 tonnes of soil per year from the streams in the Nottawasaga Valley Watershed.
“We’ve worked with some exceptional farmers and landowners in the past,” continued Stephens. “They are the stewards of the land. I look forward to working with even more people in this community to improve the environment in our watershed.”
Farmers, landowners and volunteers who are looking to do conservation projects can contact Shannon Stephens at 705-424-1479 ext. 239 or email [sstephens@nvca.on.ca]sstephens@nvca.on.ca
Supplement information - Past project samples
Livestock fencing built to separate highland cows from streams and wetlands.
Two students from St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School volunteering at a tree planting project
Buffer fencing that filters runoff
Source : NVCA