Feature

Turkeys make a comeback 1Turkey facts 2Citizen birders 2Eagle eyes 2

Watershed Awards

Green Legacy 3

What’s happeningNew GRCA chair 4Second wave of planning 5Chickadee feeling 6Ice fishing 6Pinehurst derby 7Thank you 8

Calendar 8

Cover photoTwo eastern wild turkeysin winter. The snood isthe flap of skin thathangs over the turkey'sbeak and the carunclesare growths in the throatregion. The beard is thetuft of feathers thathangs down from thechest area. Photo by John Dykstra

Grand RiverConservation

Authority

The Grand:A Canadian

Heritage River

Turkeys make a comebackBy Janet BaineGRCA Communications Specialist

What bird living in the Grand River area hasa beard, snood and caruncles?

Wild turkeys of course. They were eradicated from this area, the

province and many states by 1909 due to unregu-lated hunting and the loss of native forests thatwere cleared for agriculture. Now they are backin the Grand River watershed by the thousands.They are especially noticeable in winter, becausethey gather into large groups and move aroundtogether in their quest for food. At night theyroost in trees.

“The reintroduction of wild turkeys is a realsuccess story,” says Art Timmerman, manage-ment biologist with the Ontario Ministry ofNatural Resources. Eastern wild turkeys fromseveral states including Missouri, New Jerseyand Tennessee were released at 15 sites in theGrand River watershed between 1986 and 2002.

This was carried out by the Ministry of NaturalResources, the Ontario Federation of Anglers andHunters and the National Wild TurkeyFederation, an American organization with sever-al local chapters.

First Grand River release in 1986The first release in 1986 was near Glen Morris

south of Cambridge. By 1989, the number ofturkeys had increased to the point that the firstspring turkey hunt in the Grand River watershedwas held. The first fall hunt took place in 2009.The Ministry of Natural Resources keeps track ofthe numbers harvested during the hunting season.Wildlife Management Units 80 and 87, which arewithin the Grand River watershed, reported aharvest of 577 wild turkeys last spring. Duringthe spring hunt only male (bearded) wild turkeyscan be harvested.

But before this successful reintroductioncame many years of failed attempts, because thefirst turkeys to be released were not truly wild.

THE GRAND STRATEGY NEWSLETTER Volume 16, Number 1 - Jan-Feb 2011

Share the resources - Share the responsibility2

Ontario’s turkey release program bene-fited from the experience of other pro-grams that had already taken place southof the border, Timmerman says.

While driving past Shade’s MillsConservation Area on the outskirts ofCambridge just after Christmas, a flockof 10 wild turkeys were seen crossingthe road. A resident of Grand Valleyreports that he has a group of turkeys athis feeder regularly during winter andanother person saw 20 parading aroundnear Breslau. On Highway 24, just eastof Guelph, a group of turkeys has beenspotted so often this winter that carpool-ers have started to call the area “TurkeyFields.”

Improved turkey habitatTurkey habitat has improved —

turkeys need forested areas and theyhave also have adapted well to agricul-ture. They eat the waste grains after theharvest season and during the winter.Due to the influences of forestry, agri-culture and milder climatic conditions,the range of wild turkeys in Ontario isnow considerably larger than it wasthought to be historically. Conversely,the intensification of agriculture in someparts of southern Ontario has preventedthe birds from uniformly filling theentire landscape of their former range.

Two young male turkeys.Photo courtesy of the National Wild

Turkey Federation

DID YOU KNOW?

• Nests are shallow depressionsformed mostly by scratching, squatting,and laying eggs rather than by purpose-ful construction.

• Hens lay a clutch of 10 to 12 eggsduring a two-week period, usually layingone egg per day.

• Wild turkeys have excellent visionduring the day but don’t see as well atnight.

• They can run up to 40 km/h andcan fly as fast as 90 km/h.

• There are five subspecies of turkeyin North America, but only the easternturkey is native to Ontario.

• There are now an estimated 90,000turkeys in the province.

• A male, called a tom or a gobble,can be up to four feet tall at maturity andweigh more than 20 pounds, while amature female, called a hen, may benearly as tall but is usually lighter,weighing between eight and 12 pounds.

• Ben Franklin proposed the turkeywould make a better symbol for theUnited States than the bald eagle. Eagleswere scavengers which would take a fishfrom a hawk, while turkeys are coura-geous, he said.

One of the turkeys about to be releasedin the Grand River watershed.

Photo courtesy of MNR

Citizen birders wanted

The GRCA is interested in hearingabout sightings of rare and unusual

birds that in the Grand River watershed,especially in or near GRCA property.

The GRCA website has a checklist of192 bird species that can be found in thewatershed.

There is also a rare birding form forreporting unusual species. Check theBirding section of www.grandriver.ca.

Do you have eagle eyes?

If you are one of those folks whoenjoys getting up before dawn to go

outside and scan the sky for eagles, con-sider joining the eagle monitoring pro-gram.

Interested birders are needed to jointhe eagle watch in the area of GuelphLake and Belwood Lake. Eagles areknown to be in these areas, but no one iscurrently monitoring them regularly.

The eagle watch is on the followingSaturdays: Jan. 29, Feb 12 and 26 andMarch 12 and 26.

The central and southern GrandRivers are already well covered by vol-unteer eagle watchers. If you are inter-ested in monitoring eagles in these areas,contact Tony Zammit attzammit@grandriver.ca or call him at519-621-2763 ext. 2246.

Bald eagles now live year round in theGrand River watershed.

Photo by Lara Fox

Some turkey facts

GRAND ACTIONS • JAN/FEB 2011 3

the Grand River watershed. It is headingtowards 30 per cent forest cover, whichis recommended by EnvironmentCanada for a healthy watershed. Eachyear Green Legacy plants 1,000 moretrees than the initial 150,000 and thetally was up to 156,000 in 2010.

The county has operated a tree nurs-ery at Little Tract County Forest inPuslinch Township just east ofCambridge since 2006. This former farmnow has four greenhouses and a largewalk-in cooler. Trees are also grown out-side. The trees are a variety of nativespecies and include seedlings as well assaplings. Interestingly, the property wasplanted with trees during an earlierreforestation project in the 1940s.

Green Legacy has school programsthat fit with the provincial curriculumfor students, but goes beyond this toinclude nature walks and other activities.A total of 6,000 students assisted GreenLegacy this year. Those from kinder-

garten to Grade 3 grow trees from seedsin their classroom, those in Grade 4 to 6help at the greenhouse and older stu-dents plant trees each spring. All schoolsin the county are invited to participate inthe program.

“The Green Legacy is a communitydriven program. Its success would not bepossible without all of our partners andvolunteers,” said Rob Johnson, GreenLegacy tree Nursery manager. “Togetherwe are all making Wellington County alittle greener.”

People need to learn why trees areimportant first — so they learn that treesprovide shade, help clean the air andwater, keep soil on the land and helpmitigate the challenge of climate change.In fact there are many ways that treesboost the environment, biodiversity andthe economy. Research even shows thata visit to a forest can boost a person’simmune system.

People of all ages are reconnectingwith nature by learning about and plant-ing trees. Some individuals come to thenursery regularly, but other volunteersare from the community, including thecorrectional centre, exchange studentprograms, and half-way homes. Even the2,600 Girl Guides from across Canadawho were at Guelph Lake for a jam-boree this summer came to volunteer atthe Green Legacy nursery. They arebuilding skills and a better understand-ing of the environment.

All the trees are free. Landowners

A Green Legacy volunteer at work in the tree nursery.

Green Legacy has planted more than a million trees Wellington Green Legacy started in

2004 with the simple idea that itwould plant 150,000 trees in WellingtonCounty that year to help celebrate thecounty’s 150th anniversary.

The anniversary is long gone, butGreen Legacy has continued to growand plant trees to become what thecounty believes is the largest municipaltree planting program in North America.On Oct. 3, it celebrated the planting ofits one millionth tree. Green Legacy alsoreceived a 2010 Grand River WatershedAward, given by the GRCA to organiza-tions and individuals that have made anoutstanding contribution to conservationthrough environmental work.

“The Green Legacy program is mak-ing a difference by not only plantingmore than 150,000 trees annually, butalso by engaging the hearts and minds ofthousands of volunteers,” said TraceyRyan, supervisor of conservation servic-es at the GRCA. “The County councilshowed tremendous foresight in devel-oping this program.” It was also recog-nized by the United Nations.

Wellington County has 17 per centforest cover, which is about average for

WatershedAwards

Tree planting for Green Legacy.

Share the resources - Share the responsibility4

GRCA board electsfirst woman chairJane Mitchell, a member of Waterloo

Regional Council from the City ofWaterloo, has been elected chair of theGrand River Conservation Authority.

She was elected by the GRCA boardof directors at a meeting on Thursday,defeating Vic Prendergast of Brantfordand Lorne Boyko of Haldimand County.The 26-member GRCA board is com-posed of representatives appointed bythe municipalities within the GrandRiver watershed.

Mitchell is the first woman to chairthe GRCA. She has been on the boardsince 2003 and has been first vice-chairsince 2007. Mitchell, a partner in a webdesign firm, has a master’s degree inlibrary and information science andworked as a university librarian. Prior toher election to regional council she wasa member of the Waterloo RegionDistrict School Board.

Prendergast was acclaimed first vice-chair of the board. Jan d’Ailly of

Waterloo was acclaimed second vice-chair. Elections are held for all threepositions at the first board meeting ofthe year.

In her acceptance speech, Mitchelltold the board that “the health and safetyof our river system, both in water quan-tity and quality, is a pressing issue as weprepare for the effects of climate changeand population growth.”

She noted that the GRCA is workingwith municipalities, First Nations and

federal and provin-cial agencies todevelop a WaterManagement Planthat will outlineactions to be takenover the next 25years to addresswater quality, watersupply and floodingissues.

“We need to havedefined goals and objectives for thewatershed, then a plan to fund it,” shesaid. “We also must have ways of report-ing back and measuring our success inmeeting our outcomes.”

She said it will be important to workwith the provincial and federal govern-ments to ensure the GRCA has enoughmoney to fulfill its mandate, particularlywhen it comes to maintaining criticalflood-control infrastructure such as damsand dikes.

Prendergast, a representative of theCity of Brantford, moves to first vice-chair after 10 years as second vice-chair.A board member since 1999, he is aretired management consultant and hasbeen involved with many communityorganizations including BrantfordGeneral Hospital, the Alzheimer Societyof Brant and Tourism Brantford.

D’Ailly, who is serving his first termon the board as a representative of theRegion of Waterloo, was acclaimed sec-ond vice-chair. He served on Waterloocity council from 2003 to 2010. D’Aillyis chief executive officer of a companythat develops clean energy from waste.

He has also served as a board memberof the Canadian Clay and Glass Galleryand the K-W Symphony.

Twelve of the 26 board members arenew this year as a result of municipalelections and changes to appointments.These 26 people represent 32 localmunicipalities and 7 upper tier regionsand counties. Smaller municipalitiesshare one representative while largerones have several.

Each member takes an active role inguiding the activities of the GRCA.

can attend workshops and are alsoreferred to Conservation Services of theGRCA and other conservation authori-ties if they need advice on where andhow to plant trees.

Green Legacy is funded by local gov-ernments.

“It is an honour for the County’sGreen Legacy Program to receive thisaward from the Grand RiverConservation Authority,” saidWellington County Warden JoanneRoss-Zuj. “The GRCA has been anactive partner and supported the GreenLegacy since the beginning. Strong part-nerships are essential to the success ofthis program.”

To see a video about this and otherawards, visit www.grandriver.ca andcheck the Watershed Awards section.

Jane MitchellWHAT’SHAPPENING?

The Grand River ConservationFoundation is gratefully accepting

donations in memory of Allan RossHolmes of Guelph, who passed awayJan. 20, 2011 in his 73rd year after acourageous battle with cancer.

Holmes served as CAO of the GRCAfrom 1991 to 2000.He set up thisendowment fundwhen he retired. Heremained an activevolunteer with theGrand RiverConservationFoundation until hisdeath. Income from

this fund will be used according to thewishes he outlined to his family.

“Allan will be fondly remembered asa leader with great passion, commitmentand integrity,” said GRCA CAO JoeFarwell, adding that Allan will be sadlymissed.

In September Allan received the high-est honour awarded by the GRCA - the2010 Honour Roll Watershed Award forhis significant contribution to conserva-tion during his lifetime. A story abouthim appeared in the September-Octoberissue.

Donations can be made online atwww.grcf.ca or by calling 519-621-2763, ext. 2372.

Allan Holmes

Allan Holmessadly missed

GRAND ACTIONS • JAN/FEB 2011 5

By Katherine BalpatakyGRCA Communications Specialist

High population growth, intensiveagriculture and climate change are

putting greater stress on the Grand Riverwatershed than ever before.

That’s why the GRCA is updating the1982 Grand River Water ManagementPlan. The update will be drafted by theend of 2012. The recommendations willthen be implemented by the GRCA andpartner agencies. The process is beingled by a steering committee of municipalrepresentatives, provincial and federalagencies and First Nations, and is sup-ported by expert working groups. It willset out common objectives and measura-ble targets for the next 25 years ofgrowth and development.

“An updated plan and framework isimportant to the City of Guelph,” saysCameron Walsh, general manager ofwastewater services for Guelph. “Notonly in support of informing criticalinfrastructure decisions, but also in seek-ing to balance multiple, and sometimescompeting water functions while aimingto preserve the natural and cultural her-itage of the Grand River system.”

The first newsletter for this project isincluded with this issue of GrandActions.

The three challenges addressed in the1982 plan were to provide enough waterin a reliable and efficient manner,improving water quality and reducingflood damages. This is also the focus ofthe new plan.

But individual community actions arenot enough to ensure that the GrandRiver, its tributaries, connected ground-water systems, and flows to Lake Erieremain viable and healthy for genera-tions to come. Coordination is needed toensure that these efforts are mutuallysupportive and that tradeoffs related toeconomic cost and other environmental

Second wave ofwater managementplan for the Grand

effects are considered in this planning. Meetings aimed at identifying priority

areas for improvement will allow expertsfrom across the watershed to share andevaluate the wealth ofinformation thatalready exists. Pullingtogether these studieswill provide clarityabout trends in growthand economic devel-opment, as well as cli-mate vulnerabilities,measures to enhanceinfrastructure and opportunities toincrease water conservation.

“There is a long history of coopera-tion between upstream and downstreamcommunities in the Grand RiverWatershed,” says Lorrie Minshall,Project Director of the WaterManagement Plan at the GRCA, whowill coordinate the process. “And a will-ingness to put planning to action.”

The GRCA will lead the process, andengage those in the community who areinterested in the plan. This includesenvironmental organizations, the farm-ers, business leaders and others. It willensure that the final recommendations

will be relevant and practical, and willlead to commitments for action. But theultimate success of the WaterManagement Plan will depend on theparticipation and willingness of all par-ticipating agencies to contribute and findcommon ground.

Fortunately the plan builds on a histo-ry of success. Severe flooding in 1974signalled the need for the original WaterManagement Plan and was one catalyst.An impressive 84 per cent of the 26 rec-ommendations in that plan wereachieved.

Although the current challenges ofclimate change, population growth andagriculture are less obvious than themassive flood of 1974, they are a con-cern for communities. The updated man-agement plan has the advantage of over75 years of collaboration and researchbehind it. Motivation for the next roundof recommendations will come fromrecognition of the value to the watershedcommunities, the economy, and the nat-ural environment.

Meetings between city officials andstakeholder groups are ongoing andupdates will be posted on the GRCA’swebsite at www.grandriver.ca/WMP.

Cameron Walsh

Above: 1919 Blair train derailmentdue to an ice jam on the Grand River.The GRCA donated a series of oldnegatives to Doon HeritageCrossroads.At right is a photo of the clean upcrew clearing ice off the tracks afterthe derailment.

Share the resources - Share the responsibility6

ounce, or less than two loonies. Chickadees fluff their feathers to

keep more insulating air within andspend the winter nights huddled in afamily group. On very cold nights, theylet their body temperature fall by as

much as 8 C. to loseless body heat.

But now, freneticactivity rules thechickadees as the stu-dents approach. Thebirds must consumeenough energy tocombat the cold ofwinter. I carefully

place protein-rich sunflower seeds ontop of toques and on outstretched hands.The students are startled once againwhen the chickadees land on them,choose a seed, then whir away to peck itopen on a nearby branch.

Formerly filled with chatty, edgyenergy, the entire class falls silent withwonder. In a world seemingly ruled byvideo games and shopping malls, chick-adee encounters at GRCA nature centresdemonstrate the connection that kids

have with the natural world.When you are out for a walk in the

woods, bring some bird seed. If you putit in your outstretched palm or on top ofa hat and wait quietly, the chickadeeswill often accept your offering. It some-times takes only a few minutes. Greatplaces to do this are Starkey’s Loopsouthwest of Guelph and DicksonWilderness Area south of Cambridge.The best time to feed chickadees fromyour hand is mid-December to March.

This is one of the many experientiallearning opportunities available at thenature centres operated by the GRCA,where experiencing the natural environ-ment is a lesson learned. Form moreinformation, check the Nature Centrespage of www.grandriver.ca.

Ice is nicefor winter fishingBy Janet BaineGRCA Communications Specialist

Have you ever driven past a lake orreservoir in the dead of winter and

wondered what inspires people to sit ona windswept frozen lake to ice fish?

“I've asked myself that too,” saysDerek Strub, the superintendent ofBelwood Lake Conservation Area nearFergus and an ice fishermen. “We live inthe north and we have three months ofthe year when we might as well get out-side and enjoy winter. It's exciting tohave the possibility of catching dinner,as opposed to sitting inside and waitingfor winter to pass. If you dress appropri-ately its actually nice and peaceful outthere.”

A summertime fisherman who nor-mally casts from shore can walk acrossthe ice and fish in different locations.Cold is not necessarily an issue onwarmer winter day when the sun is shin-ing or when you are inside an ice hut.

During ice fishing season, the park'sphone rings off the hook and a couple ofhundred people stake out their spot atBelwood on the weekends. It's a big lakewith lots of species of fish, including

A student feeds a chickadee at the Guelph Lake Nature Centre.

Dan SchneiderGRCA Senior Resource Interpreter

In the crisp silence of a winter morn-ing, a class of Grade 7 students fol-

lows me through a sunlit forest. The snow carpet reveals a tapestry of

animal movement. Last night a mink hadloped along the creek, furtively search-ing for mice, voles or any food to sus-tain it through the most challenging ofseasons. A rabbit had crouched quietlyunder a protective shrub before bound-ing away, perhaps startled by a foxwhose tracks punctuate the snow nearby.

High drama for sure, but these stu-dents are more impressed by what ishappening now. As their naturalistguide, I lead them through the trees tothe bird feeding station. The students arestartled by the shriek of a blue jay, thena brilliant red cardinal, followed by thetapping of a downy woodpecker.

As we creep closer, most of the birdswithdraw, but not a flock of black-capped chickadees. They actually seemglad to see these two-legged invaders.The chickadees weigh under half an

Dan Schneider

Students have chickadeeseating from their hands

GRAND ACTIONS • JAN/FEB 2011 7

Natural Resources and are available atsome hardware and fishing stores as wellas through Service Ontario. You musthave an Outdoors Card that is valid forthree years and a validation sticker forthe current year to fish.

If you don't have a fishing license,you can go ice fishing on the FamilyDay long weekend (Feb. 19-21), becausethis is also Ontario Family WinterFishing Weekend. These are the onlythree days that Canadian residents canfish in Ontario without a licence.

It is important to remember that fishdo not survive for very long out of thewater. So have your camera ready for avery quick picture, then drop the fishback into the water.

Guelph Lake used to offer ice fishing,but it has not been available there since2007.

(There is also a week during the sum-mer when no license is required and thisyear it is July 2-10.)

“They may catch 30 or 40 fish in anouting and take home six or eight fordinner,” Parkinson says. “How manythey catch depends on the day and theskill of the angler. One fellow here yes-terday caught about 50 or 60 fish,”Parkinson said.

For more information, check WinterActivities on www.grandriver.ca.

perch, pike, walleye and a variety ofpanfish. The panfish (bluegill, blackcrappie and pumpkinseed sunfish) aresmall fish.

The GRCA offers ice fishing at twoother locations. Pinehurst Lake nearParis is usually the first to open becauseit is a kettle lake and freezes over earlyin the winter. Panfish are available there.Pinehurst has been open for ice fishingfor three years. It is a small lake andattracts fewer people for fishing, but itwell protected and on the circuit for icefishing enthusiasts. Most people catchand release the fish, but some may takehome enough for dinner.

Shade's Mills in Cambridge has pikeand some perch as well as panfish. Thisyear, Shade's Mills has fishing huts forrent by the half-day or full-day, but peo-ple can also bring their own pop-up hut,or just sit out in the sunshine during niceweather.

Ice thickness is monitored by conser-vation area staff and they open whenconditions allow.

On Tuesday, 34 students fromElementary School Two in Xi'an, a cityof China, tried their luck at ice fishing atShade's Mills Conservation Area. Thereis not much snow where they are fromand they were delighted with the experi-ence. They even caught a pike. (Seephotos:http://www.facebook.com/grandriver-conservation)

It doesn't take much special equip-ment — only an auger ($60-100), a shortrod or even a line on a stick and theright bait. If you don't have an auger,arrive mid-morning and you will likelyfind an abandoned hole or two left by anearly riser or someone who has movedto a different location. Or, you canpolitely ask to borrow an auger fromsomeone nearby, says Scott Parkinson,superintendent at Pinehurst and an icefishing enthusiast.

It is important to remember thatCanadians between 18 and 65 years oldneeds an Ontario fishing license andthese are issued through the Ministry of

Top three photos: Students fromElementary School Two in Xi'an, a cityin China, try ice fishing for the first timeat Shade’s Mills Conservation Area inJanuary. Bottom: Some perch caught at BelwoodLake Conservation Area.

Derby at Pinehurst Feb. 19

The second annual Ice Fishing Derbyat Pinehurst Lake Conservation Area

is Feb. 19 between 8:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. This is a Catch and Release Panfish

Derby. Tickets are available in advanceor on the day of the event for $18 peradult and $10 per child (14 and under).There are lots of great prizes to be won.It is held during Ontario Family WinterFishing Weekend so you don't need tohave a license. Last year about 125 peo-ple participated, and about a quarter ofthem were trying ice fishing for the firsttime. For more information about the icefishing derby, ice and fishing conditions,please call Pinehurst at 519-442-4721 ore-mail sparkinson@grandriver.ca.

Share the resources - Share the responsibility8

About Grand ActionsThis newsletter is produced bi-month-

ly by the Grand River ConservationAuthority.

Do you want to subscribe or changeyour subscription?

If you would like to receive thisnewsletter either by mail or e-mailplease send your contact information.There is no cost to subscribe. Pleaseensure your contact information is com-plete and up-to-date.

Do you want to search for a pastarticle?

Current and back issues are availableonline at www.grandriver.ca.Multiplecopies may also be available for groupsor schools.

Do you want to submit to GrandActions?

Deadlines for submissions are the15th of February, April, June, August,October and December. Submissionsmay be edited for length or style.Photosand event information is also welcome.We do our best to publish items, but weare not able to guarantee publication.

Contact information:Janet Baine, Grand Actions editorPhone: 519-621-2763, Ext. 2302E-mail: jbaine@grandriver.ca

E-mails and forms are coming indaily and we appreciate your inter-

est in taking the time to help keep ourmailing list up-to-date.

We especially thank the many donorswho are returning forms to us along witha donation. Through this annual cam-paign, donations ranging from $10 to$200 are given by readers. Thank you!

It is a great inspiration for the staff atthe GRCA.

The Grand Strategy Calendar

Heritage Day Workshop, Friday, Feb. 11, Breslau 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thetheme for the 2011 Heritage Day Workshop is Culturally Created Communities:Rooted and Growing in the Townships. The workshop is at the BreslauCommunity Centre at 200 Woolwich Street South. Visit the Heritage DayWorkshop section of www.grandriver.ca for program and registration form.

Oral Traditions Along the Grand, Tuesday, Waterloo Regional Museum,10 Huron Road, Kitchener, Feb. 15, 7:30-9:30 p.m. The Iroquoian Creationstory will be shared in "Ojibway Storyteller" Aaron Bell's unique and memo-rable way. Hopefully, listeners will leave with an open heart, open mind andopen spirit!. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for seniors and students. Formore information or to purchase tickets call 519-748-1914.

Second Annual Ice Fishing Derby, Pinehurst Lake Conservation Area,Saturday, Feb. 19, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Tickets for this Catch and Release PanfishDerby are available in advance or the day of the event for $18 per adult and $10per child (14 and under). For more information, check the ice fishing story.

The Return of Bigfoot, Feb. 27, 2 to 4 p.m., Guelph Lake Nature Centre.This is your last chance to strap on snowshoes and join us for an afternoon ofgreat family fun. Remember that snowshoes are limited so please call the NatureCentre at 519-836-7860 to reserve space. Cost is $10/adult, $5/child, $25/familyof 4.

Deadline to order trees from the GRCA is March 1, 2011. This is for treesto be planted by landowners themselves. orders must be for 200 seedlings or 20saplings or more.For more informa-tion, check the Forestry section ofwww.grandriver.ca, e-mail barm-strong@grandriver.ca or call 519-621-2763, ext. 2250.

Down by the old mill stream,Wednesday, March 23, 7:30 p.m.,St. Jacob’s Visitor’s Centre. WarrenStauch will talk about the mills andmill ruins in the Grand River water-shed. This meeting is being held bythe local chapter of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario.

It's for the Birds, , Saturday, March 27, 2 to 4 p.m., Guelph Lake NatureCentre. A short hike to look for winter birds that will include a stop at thechickadee tree. Afterwards, build a birdhouse that you can take home. Cost is $5per person and $10 fee/bird house. Bring a hammer and lots of muscle power.Birdhouses are limited so please call 519-836-7860 to register!

March Break Environmental Day Camp at Guelph Lake Nature Centre,and Laurel Creek Nature Centre, March 14-18. Please visit www.grandriv-er.ca or call Guelph Lake Nature Centre at 519-836-7860 or Laurel CreekNature Centre at 519- 885-1368 for more information.

Note: Events at the GRCA’s conservation areas and nature centres are listedin the calendar section at www.grandriver.ca.

A big thanks to ournewsletter readers

A new plan for the Grand

The Grand River flows through the heart of one of therichest, most diverse regions in Canada. Historically, the

economic vitality of the Grand River watershed has beenbased on the area’s abundant natural resources.

Much has been done in the past 100 years to protect andimprove the natural environment. Many of those improve-ments came about through the implementation of variouswatershed management plans.

However, the 21st century has brought new challenges.

Population growth, intensive agriculture and climatechange are all placing stress on the natural system, withimplications for the continued health and prosperity of ourcommunities.

A new plan to address existing and emerging issues isbeing developed by a broad group of agencies and organi-zations responsible for water issues in the Grand Riverwatershed.

Three key issues

These issues are:

● Ensuring a sustainable water supply for communitiesand ecosystems;

● Reducing potential flood damages; and

● Improving water quality to maintain river health andreduce the Grand’s impact on Lake Erie

The last comprehensive review was the 1982 Grand River

The Grand River at Dunnville, just upstream from Lake Erie.

Basin Water Management Study with 22 recommendationsfor action. Improvements included construction of dikes inBrantford and Cambridge, development of new watersources for the Region of Waterloo and Guelph, sewagetreatment plant upgrades and other measures.

New study underway

Now, work has started on an action plan for the next 25years and beyond. Representatives of the GRCA, municipal-ities, First Nations, provincial ministries and the federal gov-ernment are working together to direct the developmentof a new Water Management Plan for the Grand Riverwatershed.

Their goal is to create a new action plan by the end of2012 to be implemented by the partner agencies.

No. 1 – January 2011

www.grandriver.ca/wmp

N e w s l e t t e r o f t h e G r a n d R i v e r W a t e r s h e d – W a t e r M a n a g e m e n t P l a n

Managing the project

The project is guided by a Steering Committee made upof representatives of the organizations and agenciesresponsible for water issues.

The Steering Committee provides direction and guidancefor the project. Committee members also raise understand-ing and awareness of the effort within their own agencies,acting as champions of the project.

Underneath the Steering Committee is a Project Team oftechnical experts assisting the steering committee.

They work with Program Director Lorrie Minshall to man-age the studies and technical investigations.

Members of the Project Team also participate in WorkingGroups set up to examine specific elements of the project:water quality, water supply, flood control, Lake Erie issuesand communications. The advice of outside experts willalso be sought.

Partners

The Steering Committee and Project Teams include:

● Grand River Conservation Authority

● Municipalities

● Six Nations of the Grand River

● Mississaugas of the New Credit

● Environment Canada

● Fisheries and Oceans Canada

● Ministry of Natural Resources

● Ministry of the Environment

● Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

● Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure

● Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing

Involving the watershed community

The goal of the Water Management Plan is to protect andimprove the water resourcesimportant to the future ofwatershed residents and theircommunities.

Therefore, it’s important thatthey be involved in the process.

A process is being developedto engage members of thepublic and key organizations insetting objectives for the WaterManagement Plan and devel-oping ideas that can be incor-porated in it.

Check our website (see below)where information on activities and events will be postedas it becomes available.

Where to get more information

More information on the Water Management Plan can befound at the Grand River Conservation Authority website atwww.grandriver.ca/wmp

The website includes an overview of the project, key doc-uments that provide a more detailed look at the work,background reports, technical studies and more.

The website will be updated regularly with minutes,reports, news about public events and other information.

Program Director Lorrie Minshall

Lorrie Minshall brings more than 30 years experiencein water issues to her job as Program Director for the

Watershed Management Plan.

She has a degree in water resources engineering fromthe University of Guelph and a mas-ters of business administration fromMcMaster University.

She has spent her career at theGRCA working in the areas of waterresources planning, flood forecastingand warning, reservoir operations,policy development and land useplanning.

Prior to taking on this job, she was program directorfor the drinking water source protection program creat-ed to implement the Ontario Clean Water Act.

Minshall

Flooding remains an issue in some communities.

Future water supplies will bepart of the study.

N e w s l e t t e r o f t h e G r a n d R i v e r W a t e r s h e d – W a t e r M a n a g e m e n t P l a n