News & Stories
February 21, 2025 – For someone who’s hiked the Perth Wildlife Reserve “more times than I can count,” being elected Chair of the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority’s board of directors is “very exciting.”
Perth councillor Gary Waterfield was elected to the one-year term at the RVCA’s board meeting on January 23, 2025. Past chair and North Grenville councillor Kristin Strackerjan was elected Vice Chair.
“This role is very much aligned not only with my lifestyle, but with my values and what’s important to me,” said Waterfield, who describes himself as an avid hiker and kayaker, with an interest in urban planning and municipal governance. He also sits on the board of the Perth and District Union Library and is an active member of the Friends of the Tay Watershed and the Rideau Trail Association.
“I’m passionate about what the RVCA is all about; its mission and its vision,” Waterfield added. The RVCA is one of 36 conservation authorities in Ontario responsible for furthering the conservation, restoration, development and management of natural resources under the provincial Conservation Authorities Act. With a watershed draining more than 4,000 square kilometres across 18 member municipalities – from its headwaters in Central Frontenac all the way to Rideau Falls in downtown Ottawa – the RVCA protects people and property from natural hazards like flooding and erosion while conserving the wetlands, forests and natural areas that reduce their impacts.
RVCA general manager Sommer Casgrain-Robertson congratulated Waterfield, who has been a board member for two years.
“We know that he will bring passion, experience and vision to the role," said Casgrain-Robertson, adding her thanks for the outgoing Chair. “We thank Councillor Strackerjan for her strong and steady leadership during a busy two years.”
Waterfield, a retired human resources consultant, said one of his priorities as Chair is to increase staff interaction with the board of directors, so directors can better promote the value of the RVCA and its diverse programs.
“The average citizen knows conservation authorities play an important role in developing our communities safely and sustainably,” Waterfield said. “But there are many other valuable RVCA programs that we can promote as well, such as stewardship opportunities and watershed monitoring.”
Waterfield said his personal goal is to visit all 11 conservation areas operated by the RVCA by the end of his term.
To learn more about the RVCA or to access meeting minutes and agendas, visit www.rvca.ca/governance.
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The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority is seeking feedback from the public on its mandatory hazard management programs, as part of the development of a Watershed-Based Resource Management Strategy required under Ontario Regulation 686/21.
All residents, landowners, municipal partners, agencies and businesses in the Rideau Valley are invited to complete a survey on the delivery and improvement of mandatory programs and services including Flood Forecasting and Warning, Drought or Low Water Response, Land Use Planning advisory services and application of development regulations in natural hazard areas.
Natural hazard areas include river or stream valleys, unstable soils or bedrock, areas affected by flooding, erosion or dynamic beaches, and wetlands.
The survey is open until November 18, 2024. Survey results will be used to prepare an interim Watershed Management Strategy, which will be followed by more extensive stakeholder and public consultation in 2025 to inform a more detailed and comprehensive Watershed Management Strategy. Next year’s Strategy will dive deeper into RVCA’s work and will encompass all programs and services as the RVCA prepares a new Strategic Plan.
For more information contact
After three successful seasons as ALUS Lanark, the environmental stewardship program for farmers will now be available to all agricultural properties within the Rideau Valley and Mississippi Valley watersheds.
The expanded ALUS Mississippi-Rideau program will help farmers complete ecosystem projects such as reforestation, windbreaks, riparian buffers, wetland projects, grassland and pollinator habitat, delayed cut/grazing, and clean water projects. Farmers are eligible to have project costs covered in part or in full, and they may be eligible to receive annual payments for the ecosystem services they’ve added to their property.
The program is jointly administered by the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) and the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) as part of their broader complement of stewardship programs and grants. Under ALUS Lanark, a total of 44 projects created 320 acres of habitat enhancements on 19 properties. By expanding the reach of the program, it will accelerate those successes and spread them across the region for the benefit of all.
The new ALUS Mississippi-Rideau program will cover 8,500km2 which encompasses 31 municipalities and is home to approximately 986,000 people. In this region, agriculture is the backbone of many local communities and farmers have been stewards of the land for generations. ALUS recognizes the value of their stewardship efforts and provides financial support to enable farmers to continue producing food and commercial goods while protecting and enhancing habitat, biodiversity and clean water.
“We’re thrilled to expand this partnership with ALUS to reach even more farmers across the watershed,” said Sommer Casgrain-Robertson, General Manager of the RVCA. “We’ve seen a steady uptake from Lanark farmers, and there is a growing interest across the watershed. We’re grateful to local farmers for all they do, so we’re excited to provide additional incentives so they can complete more conservation projects that improve the health of our watershed, our communities and local farmland.”
MVCA’s general manager said partnerships like this help farmers to pursue Environmental Farm Plans (EFP) and related projects during tough economic times.
“The farmers know these projects can enhance their operations including their water management, and ALUS makes it possible to take the leap,” said Sally McIntyre, MVCA’s General Manager.
ALUS Mississippi-Rideau will continue to be guided in its decision making by a Partnership Advisory Committee (PAC) to ensure local priorities are addressed by approved projects. Fifty per cent of the committee are local farmers who, in partnership with the other committee members (local elected officials, environmental experts, etc.), will determine which projects are prioritized for ALUS funding.
About ALUS
ALUS (originally an acronym for Alternative Land Use Services) is a charitable organization that sustains agriculture and biodiversity for the benefit of communities and future generations. ALUS provides direct financial and technical support to a network of more than a thousand farmers and ranchers who deliver ecosystem services in more than 30 communities across Canada, such as cleaner air, cleaner water, carbon sequestration, erosion control, flood mitigation, pollinator support and wildlife habitat. Learn more at ALUS.ca.
Public consultation is now open for several policy amendments to the Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Plan. Proposed policy changes apply to the management of road salt, fuel tanks, agriculture, pesticides, fertilizers, chemical storage, snow storage and other potential drinking water threats near municipal wells or intakes.
The Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Plan is a locally developed plan to keep our municipal drinking water safe and clean. It is required under the Clean Water Act, 2006.
This Plan is overseen by the Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Region, and has been in effect since 2015. This plan contains policies for activities that have been determined to be significant drinking water threats (as determined by the Technical Rules under the Clean Water Act, 2006) in areas near municipal groundwater wells and surface water intakes. It is currently undergoing an update to align with recent legislative changes from the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks. The updates will only apply to a select number of properties located within designated drinking water protection zones.
Drinking water sources in the Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Region include groundwater drawn from aquifers underground, and water drawn from the Ottawa River, Rideau River, Tay River and Mississippi River. The Source Protection Plan sets out policies that use a variety of tools to protect municipal drinking water sources from contamination. These tools include education, risk management planning, prohibition and land use planning. Visit the Source Protection Region’s local website at www.mrsourcewater.ca to find out more.
The Source Protection Region is required to consult with the public on the proposed changes. Digital copies of the proposed updates can be found at www.mrsourcewater.ca/en/consultation, or hard copies can be viewed by appointment at the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority headquarters in Manotick. Members of the public can provide feedback on the proposed changes until November 22, 2024.
If you have questions or wish to provide comments about the proposed changes, please contact Marika Livingston at 613-692-3571 ext. 1148 or
RIDEAU AND MISSISSIPPI WATERSHEDS - This summer’s weather has been unpredictable at best: torrential rains, extreme heat and even a recent tornado on Christie Lake near Perth.
With this volatility becoming the norm, planting trees on marginal land or unused fields can help protect your property by reducing erosion, creating windbreaks, improving drainage, providing shade and more.
And, comparatively at least, it’s not expensive. The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) offers generous tree planting subsidies for rural landowners in the Rideau and Mississippi watersheds with at least 1.25 acres of suitable land. The full-service program includes customized tree planting plans that suit the landowner’s vision and needs, on-site technical advice, ordering and handling of trees, site preparation, tree planting and tending, and survival assessments for five years.
Landowner costs range from $0.15 per tree within the City of Ottawa to between $0.30 and $0.40 per tree outside the city, depending on quantity.
“It’s an incredibly economical way to protect and improve your property while cutting down on maintenance for idle fields and retired rough pasture,” said Ian Cochrane, RVCA’s forestry manager. “The program keeps your property working without having to do a lot of work yourself.”
Elizabethtown-Kitley farmer Tom Ronan said tree planting has saved him countless hours of bush-hogging since he planted 7,500 trees on several idle fields at the back of his 200-acre property. He’s also saved himself the cost of fuel to run the mowing machine. On top of that, he said it feels good to leave a legacy for future generations.
“By the time these new trees mature, there’s a good chance I won’t be around. But my kids and my grandkids will have an opportunity to enjoy it,” Ronan said. “The trees represent a new growth for the farm. They’ll put some of the scrub land back into use, and it’s helping the environment.”
RVCA’s forestry staff work with landowners across both the Rideau Valley and the Mississippi Valley watersheds. They are now booking site visits for this summer and fall to prepare for tree planting in spring 2025.
To book your site visit, contact Ian Cochrane at
Invasive species can wreak havoc on our native ecosystems, but a free community workshop aims to help local residents and community groups identify the region's most problematic invaders so they can stop them from spreading even further.
Staff from the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority will host the workshop on Saturday, July 20 at the authority’s headquarters at 3889 Rideau Valley Drive in Manotick. From 9 a.m. to noon, participants can enjoy presentations as well as hands-on displays of invasive plants and animals.
“The more people know about invasive species and how to stop them, the better,” said Eric Guitard, RVCA’s City Stream Watch Co-ordinator. He said this year’s workshop will include information on up-and-coming invaders, in an effort to get ahead of them. “By reducing the spread, we can give our native species a fighting chance and promote a more balanced and diverse local ecosystem.”
Invasive plants like Himalayan Balsam, garlic mustard, Japanese knotweed and dog-strangling vine can spread rapidly, pushing out native species and leaving gaps in the area’s biodiversity. This can reduce food supplies and resources for other species who rely on the missing native plants. Invasive plants are also often poor substitutes when it comes to erosion and flood mitigation, as their roots generally aren’t as deep or strong.
In the water, invasive aquatic species can have dramatic ecosystem impacts while also measurably changing water quality and characteristics. For example, invasive zebra mussels filter suspended particulates so effectively they can cause distinctly weedier lakes, since sunlight can reach further into the water column.
“It’s a group effort to keep our local environment as natural and functional as possible for everyone’s benefit,” Guitard said. “We’re excited to welcome residents as passionate as we are about making a difference.”
Space is limited. Advanced registration is required by filling out this form or emailing
Catching frogs, roaming the woods and exploring the outdoors are what summer is all about, and Foley Mountain has added a new suite of summer programs to help make it happen.
Family programs such as pond study, bug exploration, survival skills and geocaching will be offered the first Saturday of the month and on four Fridays throughout the summer. Every second week beginning July 16, forest school sessions will be offered Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Unlike school-year forest school programs, all of these programs can be booked one at a time, so residents and cottagers can pick and choose which dates work for them.
“It’s a chance to try out our programs in a fun and low-pressure way,” said site supervisor and outdoor education co-ordinator Rebecca Whitman. “We hope these programs will help local families get outside and reconnect with nature after a long school year.”
The summer programming schedule kicks off Saturday, July 6 with an Outdoor Survival Skills program for the whole family from 10 to 11:30 a.m. August’s weekend program will feature a beaver pond bonanza on Saturday, Aug. 3.
Forest Fridays will offer similar family programming on July 19, August 2, August 9 and Aug 23. For younger families looking for even more time together on the mountain, Family Forest School will run bi-weekly on Tuesdays beginning July 16, targeting kids ages 2 to 5 and their caregivers.
For kids ready for parent-free programming, half-day Forest Kindergarten will welcome kids ages 4 and 5 for a morning of fun every second Wednesday beginning July 17. Kids ages 6 to 12 can come from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every second Thursday.
Registration is required and will close the Wednesday prior to the program date. Programs may be cancelled if there is not enough interest. Fees vary depending on the program. For full details and to register, visit www.rvca.ca/outdoor-education and follow the links to the Foley Mountain programs, or contact Rebecca Whitman at
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