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Nominate person, business, farm, or group in community for Conservationist of the Year Award
Ausable Bayfield Conservation has celebrated seven decades of partnerships (1946 to 2016) in its 70th anniversary year. For more than 30 of those years, we have honoured local Conservationists of the Year. The annual award returns in 2017.
The nomination deadline is Tuesday, January 31, 2017.
To learn more or to nominate visit this page: Conservationist of the Year
 We have presented this award since 1984. We invite you to nominate a person, farm, business, or organization doing positive work in the local watershed community. “I would like to thank all the municipalities and individuals who have nominated someone for this award in past years,” said Brian Horner, General Manager and Secretary-Treasurer. “I also invite you to consider nominating a person, farm, business, or organization for the coming year.”
The award is to be presented on Thursday, March 16, 2017 at Ironwood Golf Club, 70969 Morrison Line, 2 km east of Exeter.
Family Day events to include snowshoeing, Lions Club's Family Breakfast, skating, and more
The Friends of the South Huron Trail plan to bring back free family snowshoeing for the Family Day Holiday Monday in 2017.
Family Day WinterFest South Huron takes place on Holiday Monday, February 20, 2017.
 Thousands of people have come to the South Huron area since 2010 for this popular winter festival.
For more information visit familydaywinterfest.ca or the Ausable Bayfield Conservation website.
Some events are at South Huron Recreation Centre and some events are at MacNaughton Park as well as other Exeter and area locations. Most events are free. Visit familydaywinterfest.ca to find out about new events as they are added, to find out times and locations, and to find out which events are free and which ones require admission. Keep posted as well to the growing list of generous sponsors. Some events depend on snow but there are indoor events as well and “snow or no snow, WinterFest is a go!”
Give the gift of community this Christmas season with Conservation Dinner tickets
The Conservation Dinner Committee invites people to ‘give the gift of community’ by buying a Conservation Dinner ticket as a gift this Christmas season.
To purchase a ticket or to donate to the 2017 Conservation Dinner, visit the Ausable Bayfield Conservation office east of Exeter at 71108 Morrison Line (just south of Highway 83) or phone 519-235-2610 or toll-free 1-888-286-2610 or email info@abca.on.ca.
To order tickets, to donate, or to find out more, visit the Conservation Dinner web page at abca.on.ca or visit the Conservation Dinner website at conservationdinner.com.
 The 28th Conservation Dinner is to take place on April 6, 2017 at South Huron Recreation Centre in Exeter. Tickets are $75 each. Patrons receive a charitable gift receipt, for income tax purposes, for a portion of that amount.
This popular community fundraiser supports accessible trails; community parks; conservation areas; outdoor nature education for children and youth; commemorative woods to remember loved ones and improve forest conditions; recreation through fish stocking and a family-friendly fishing derby for the young and the young at heart; job opportunities for young people; and other community projects including the pedestrian bridge project to give people an alternative to walking on the roadway in order to go from one trail to another.
Healthy Headwaters Wetlands Initiative enters tenth year in 2017
The Healthy Headwaters Wetlands Initiative is entering its tenth year in 2017. Since 2008, local landowners have completed more than 60 wetland projects through the program. “We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the landowners who have protected natural areas and completed stewardship projects in the past,” said Angela Van Niekerk, Wetland Specialist with Ausable Bayfield Conservation. “Landowners have restored almost 240 acres of local wetlands through their efforts since this program began in 2008.”
 In addition to the wetlands, local landowners have also planted more than 255,000 trees, shrubs and plants into wet areas and watercourse buffers. “We often find that landowners have an area of their property where water collects,” said Van Niekerk. “That could be an ideal place for a wetland.”
To find out more visit this link: Wetlands Page
To find out more about possible wetland projects on your property visit the Ausable Bayfield Conservation website or phone 519-235-2610 or toll-free 1-888-286-2610.
2015-2017 Update of the Shoreline Management Plan 2000
We would like to thank the more than 200 people who provided written comments on the Draft Consultant Recommendation Report.
 The comment period which began on September 1, 2016 ended on December 1, 2016. Written comments that were received during those 90 days will be provided to the Board of Directors and will be considered as development of local shoreline management policies is expected to begin in 2017.
The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) Board of Directors confirmed through an approved amended motion at a Special Meeting in Exeter on November 3, 2016, that the Board does not agree with the draft shoreline management development guidelines proposed by the consulting team in the draft Consultant Recommendation Report. More than 270 interested people, including shoreline residents, attended the Special Meeting at the South Huron Recreation Centre in Exeter. We thank everyone who took the time to attend the Special Board Meeting.
The Board unanimously approved an amended motion that:
"Resolved that the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority Board of Directors declares that it will not implement the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority Shoreline Development Guidelines of Section 7.8 in the report (pages 113-117) and does not endorse the underlying principle of ‘managed retreat’ and the outright prohibition of all shoreline protection works, and further, that the Board of Directors continue to endorse the use of policies as contained in the 2000 Shoreline Management Plan and the Board of Directors direct staff to provide options to re-engage the public to update the 2000 Shoreline Management Plan.”
To learn more visit the Shoreline Management web page.
To receive updates about the 2015-2017 Update of the Shoreline Management Plan 2000, please subscribe to the free electronic newsletter specific to shoreline management: Subscribe now
Visit Low Water web page for low water advisories
At the time of this newsletter, Ausable Bayfield watersheds are in a low water advisory condition and the ABCA area is likely to remain in a low water condition throughout the winter months.
For current low water advisories, you are invited to visit the low water page at: Low Water Advisories
 You are also invited to visit the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry site: Low Water and Drought
When the Water Response Team issues a low water advisory there is a call for voluntary reduction in water use of 10 per cent (Level 1) or 20 per cent (Level 2). In the case of a Level 3 low water advisory there may be mandatory water use restrictions.
For ways you can conserve water visit this page: Water Quantity and Water Conservation
Office closes December 23, 2016 at noon
Staff members of Ausable Bayfield Conservation will be enjoying a break with their families over the holiday season. The Ausable Bayfield Conservation office at 71108 Morrison Line, 2 km east of Exeter, closes at noon on December 23, 2016 and re-opens on Monday, January 2, 2017 at 8:30 a.m.
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