News from: May 2016

Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) and its many partners gathered on June 23 to celebrate the official opening of its newest conservation area. The new Motts Mills Conservation Area is a small but beautiful site that sustains a significant piece of wetland habitat and is home to the recently decommissioned Motts Mills Dam.

“Thanks to the RVCA, Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation (RVCF) and many special partners, a crucial piece of wetland and local history is now protected in public ownership,” said Lyle Pederson, RVCA Chair and member of the Motts Mills Restoration Committee. “We are celebrating several achievements today and acknowledging the commitment, dedication and vision of many partners.”

The 2016 Rideau Valley Conservation Authority tree planting season is complete with some 230,000 trees being planted across the watershed. RVCA is proud to be working with Forests Ontario to help deliver the province’s promise of 50 million trees by 2025.

“We saw over 90 thousand trees planted in the City of Ottawa which is quite impressive,” said Scott Danford, RVCA Forestry Program Manager. “The remainder was planted throughout the upper and middle watershed thanks to our participating property owners.” The RVCA offers private landowners tree planting programs that help landowners get technical advice, planting plans and funding for trees. “We have numerous community-minded partners providing funding to projects to help reduce landowner costs,” says Scott Danford. “We offer planting programs that make it easy and affordable for landowners. At 15 cents a tree — it's a great deal.”

The Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Committee is in need of a new Chair. Under Ontario’s Clean Water Act, a Source Protection Committee representing multiple stakeholders is required for each source protection region in Ontario. The Source Protection Committee oversees the drinking water source protection program and the composition ensures that a variety of local interests are represented at the decision making table.

How healthy is the Middle Rideau? Readers can learn all about it in the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority’s (RVCA) Middle Rideau Subwatershed Report. This information-loaded report summarizes the subwatershed’s health by looking at four indicators: forests, wetlands, shorelines and water quality. This is the second subwatershed report for the Middle Rideau and compares baseline information that was collected in 2008. Changes are small, but understanding how to prevent cumulative long-term changes is essential.