News

September 07, 2021

New plaque honours Joe Slater, caretaker of Meisel Woods

CROW LAKE, Sept. 7, 2021 – A new plaque at Meisel Woods Conservation Area pays homage to one of the park’s earliest and most earnest caretakers: Joe Slater. Joe and his wife Sandi moved to the village of Crow Lake around 1999 to enjoy a quiet retirement outside the big city. They quickly became good friends with their neighbour, Dr. John Meisel, who owned 130 acres of pristine Precambrian Shield surrounding a small lake. John graciously welcomed the couple to enjoy walks on his informal trails that followed the lake (called Bass or Beaver Lake depending who you ask), which they…

Published in Media Release

August 31, 2021

Volunteers pick up sampling slack in wake of COVID-19

WOLFE LAKE, Aug. 31, 2021 – If he’s being honest, Gordon Moore is looking forward to getting back to normal. Before the pandemic, the Wolfe Lake Association’s water quality director had a pretty good gig with the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority: about once a month, RVCA staff showed up with their equipment and he drove them around the lake in his pontoon boat so they could collect their samples. RVCA staff did all the work, while he enjoyed a day on the water with pleasant company and some interesting conversations. These days, it’s a different story. With the spring’s COVID-19…

Published in Media Release

August 24, 2021

July-August 2021 Around the Rideau Newsletter now available!

Nature for All planking on $25,000 for Baxter bridge project — Plank by plank, together we can bridge the gap in accessibility at Baxter Conservation Area. Nature For All has launched its public Plank by Plank campaign to raise $25,000 for the 1,000 wooden planks required to build a new boardwalk and bridge at Baxter — read this story and more, click here. If you enjoyed this story, why not read the rest of the Around the Rideau newsletter, or better yet, subscibe and the next edition will be waiting for you in your inbox! Subscribe here.

Published in Other News

August 10, 2021

Despite recent rain, minor low water conditions continue

(WCS-LW - 3/2021) August 10, 2021 – Despite recent rain, the Rideau Valley Water Response Team is maintaining a MINOR low water status for the Rideau River watershed after officials met to discuss conditions on Tuesday, August 10. Watershed residents and businesses are encouraged to continue to voluntarily reduce their water usage by 10 percent. This is especially important for those who have permits for taking water from surface or groundwater sources and all residents on private, communal or municipal wells. There is less of a concern for residents of urban Ottawa because the City of Ottawa central drinking water system draws from the…

Published in Watershed Conditions Statements

July 26, 2021

Bloom and grow as a volunteer for Perth butterfly garden

PERTH WILDLIFE RESERVE, July 26, 2021 – “Being outside and listening to the birds, you’re working in the garden and it’s just a really healthy place to be.” That’s as peaceful as a job description can get, and volunteer gardener Karen Hunt hopes it will attract new, young volunteers just as her group’s garden has attracted all manner of birds, bees and butterflies over the past 15 years. Karen is one of a dozen core volunteers who have been nurturing the butterfly garden at Perth Wildlife Reserve since it was installed at the conservation area in 2005. It began as an…

Published in Media Release

July 06, 2021

‘Minor’ Low Water Conditions Persist in Rideau Valley Watershed

(WCS-LW - 2/2021) July 6, 2021 — The Rideau Valley Low Water Response Team is maintaining a MINOR low water status for the Rideau River watershed after officials met to discuss dry conditions on Tuesday, July 6. Watershed residents and businesses are encouraged to continue to voluntarily reduce their water usage by 10 percent. This is especially important for those who have permits for taking water from surface or groundwater sources and all residents on private, communal or municipal wells. There is less of a concern for residents of urban Ottawa because the City of Ottawa central drinking water system draws from…

Published in Watershed Conditions Statements