Earth Day theme in 2019 is ‘protect our species’
Ausable Bayfield Conservation encourages people to plant native species this year, help to remove invasive species, enjoy local conservation areas
April is here. That means local residents, and people around the world, will celebrate Earth Day on Monday, April 22, 2019.
The theme of Earth Day 2019 is to “protect our species.” Fitting this theme, you may enjoy local conservation areas; plant a native species of plant at home or work; and mark your calendars to take part in volunteer events taking place soon to remove invasive plants.
To learn more, click this link:
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Have you got your Conservation Dinner ticket yet?
Conservation Dinner Programme now available online; Lots of great bidding items thanks to generous donors, sponsors, artists
To buy tickets to the 30th Conservation Dinner please phone 519-235-2610 or toll-free 1-888-286-2610. To find out more visit abca.ca or conservationdinner.com.
The Conservation Dinner takes place on Thursday, April 11, 2019 at South Huron Recreation Centre at 94 Victoria Street East in Exeter.
The programme is now available for download.
To learn more, or to review the programme, click this link:
The Conservation Dinner is celebrating 30 successful years of support for projects in local communities. This charity auction event includes travel packages and sports memorabilia and general and special raffles and live and special auctions with items of many kinds and art from a number of artists including former featured artists.
“Reaching 30 years of Conservation Dinners is a milestone for the community,” said Jim Beckett, Co-Chair of the Conservation Dinner Committee.
Net profits of the Conservation Dinner are split evenly between community conservation projects of Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation and community conservation projects of Exeter Lions Club.
This charity event supports projects in local communities such as accessible nature trails in Bayfield, Clinton, Parkhill, Lucan, Arkona, Exeter, and Varna; turtle monitoring and events in Port Franks and Ailsa Craig; aquatic habitat studies in Old Ausable Channel at Grand Bend; nature day camps, fishing derby and Owl Prowl; parks and conservation areas busing for students to experience outdoor nature education programs; a $1,000 student environmental bursary benefitting students in local communities; a summer job at Ausable Bayfield Conservation for a senior secondary school student; and more.
To learn more visit abca.ca and conservationdinner.com
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Patterns for streamflow, flooding in different seasons changing differently for rural, urban areas: speaker tells Partner Appreciation Evening
Trevor Dickinson, Professor Emeritus, University of Guelph was guest speaker at Ausable Bayfield Conservation’s annual Conservationist of the Year Award evening on March 21, 2019; Keynote speaker shares data suggesting climate change, urbanization combining to have impact on summer flooding, streamflow in urban areas
Seasonal patterns are changing for streamflow and precipitation in southern Ontario, according to the guest speaker at a March 21, 2019 event. Streamflow and flooding are changing differently in urban and rural watersheds, however, according to the presenter.
More than 70 people attended the evening held at Ironwood Golf Club to honour partners in conservation in Ausable Bayfield watersheds. The guests heard keynote speaker Trevor Dickinson, Professor Emeritus, University of Guelph, speak on Climate Change and Development in Rural Areas: Impacts on Streamflow and Floods in Southern Ontario.
The presenter referred to data collected over the years in two watersheds – one urban and one rural. The rural watershed was Moira River at Foxboro, Ontario (north of Belleville). The urban watershed was Don River at Todmorden (in Toronto, Ontario). Data for the rural watershed found an increase in winter streamflow over the years, a decrease in spring streamflow, and summer streamflow that wasn’t changing much over the past 100 years. The story was different for the “highly urbanized watershed” along the Don River where winter flows have increased, spring flows have decreased, and summer flows have greatly increased in volume.
“As soon as you start urbanizing, as soon as you start putting in roads and start putting in ditches – you start to make it easier for the water to run off (and) the number of (runoff) events generated goes up,” according to the speaker.
In light of the findings in the presentation, the speaker said there is a need for flood forecasting and flood warning systems; to consider how much of southern Ontario should be paved (or not); how to incorporate sufficient green space into future development; to continue to monitor and be aware of changes in weather and climate (both changes that have already been documented in data to date and projected changes predicted by climate models); and to “explore possible impacts on water quality and other environmental conditions.”
To learn more, click this link:
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Frayne's Exeter Toyota makes generous $2,500 donation to Jones Bridge Project for Pedestrian Bridge on the South Huron Trail
Frayne’s Exeter Toyota has helped to make the community safer and more active with a community-minded donation of $2,500 to the Jones Bridge Project for a new pedestrian bridge, and ancillary structures, on the South Huron Trail.
To find out more about the Jones Bridge – Pedestrian Bridge on the South Huron Trail Project visit the web page:
To learn more about the Frayne's Exeter Toyota donation, click this link:
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Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation receives grant from Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont; Funds will be used to support new pedestrian bridge linking South Huron trails
Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont, is pleased to announce that as part of its Corporate Giving Grant program, $2,000 has been donated to the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation. This funding from Corteva Agriscience™ supports the construction of the new pedestrian bridge on the South Huron Trail that links the Morrison Dam Conservation Area trail in rural South Huron with the MacNaughton-Morrison trail in Exeter.
The new pedestrian bridge provides a safer and more scenic environment that will reduce the number of people walking alongside vehicles and heavy machinery on the roadway. Pete Sereda, Pioneer sales representative, endorsed the grant.
“We are proud to lend our support to the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation,” said Jeremy O’Shea, territory manager with Corteva Agriscience™. “This project will help provide a way for people of all ages, including local producers and rural landowners, to be safe and active while accessing the South Huron Trail.”
To learn more, click this link:
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Office closed on Good Friday, Easter Monday
The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) office east of Exeter is closed on Friday, April 19, 2019 for Good Friday and on Easter Monday, April 22, 2019. We are open again for regular business hours on Tuesday, April 23.
Happy Earth Day and Happy Easter.
To keep up-to-date on any interruptions of service please click on the website's Notice of Service Disruptions:
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Allan Rothwell, New Source Protection Committee Member
Dave Frayne, New Source Protection Committee Member
Two new municipal representatives join Ausable Bayfield Maitland Valley Drinking Water Source Protection Committee
Two new municipal representatives have joined the Ausable Bayfield Maitland Valley Drinking Water Source Protection Committee (SPC).
The new committee members are Dave Frayne and Allan Rothwell. Dave represents the West group of municipalities which consists of Bluewater; Central Huron; Perth South; South Huron; and West Perth. Allan represents the East group of municipalities which consists of Howick; Mapleton; Minto; North Perth; Perth East; and Wellington North.
The new members replace two municipal members who have retired from the committee, Don Jones (West) and Mark MacKenzie (East).
To learn more, click this link:
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Pedestrian Trail Bridge Community Working Group to thank donors at Jones Bridge Grand Opening, Ribbon Cutting
Public invited to short ceremony on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at 10 a.m.; Event to recognize generosity of municipality, individual donors, community groups, businesses
Project organizers say the public has been incredibly generous in support for the project to build a bridge to a safer, more active community with the creation of Jones Bridge, a new Pedestrian Bridge on the South Huron Trail.
The community working group, and Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation, want to thank everyone who has supported the project. They are to express their thanks at a Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting for Jones Bridge on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at 10 a.m.
The event will take place rain or shine, starting north of Jones Bridge, at the new stairway built in memory of Brian Clarke. (In the event of heavy rain please go to the Woodland Reflection Shelter).
To learn more, click this link:
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Bayfield-area farmers Koos and Nathalie Vermue recognized for stewardship efforts with Conservationist of the Year Award
Ausable Bayfield Conservation presented annual award at March 21, 2019 Partner Appreciation Evening held at Ironwood Golf Club east of Exeter
Koos and Nathalie Vermue, agricultural producers from the Bayfield area, were honoured by Ausable Bayfield Conservation with the Conservationist of the Year Award at a March 21, 2019 partner appreciation evening.
Abigail Gutteridge, Healthy Watersheds Technician, introduced the award winners, and praised their record of stewardship of the land.
“On one particular visit to the Vermue farm, Koos said to me ‘If you are good to the land, it will be good to you.’ I think that is their philosophy and I think it’s a sentiment we can all get behind,” she said. The presenter spoke to the winners’ positive attitude, their valuable support for research efforts, their soil and nutrient management, and the time they take to educate others.
“A number of the staff, myself included, have been privileged to work with Koos and Nathalie for more than 15 years,” Abbie said. “Any opportunity they have to improve soil health and, in turn, improve water quality they take those opportunities. We are very excited to be able to present this award to them tonight.”
To learn more, click this link:
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Some of former feature artists at charity event to return for Conservation Dinner’s special 30th year
Dinner Committee invites past feature artists to attend 30th Conservation Dinner to be celebrated on April 11, 2019
The Conservation Dinner is celebrating 30 successful years of support for projects in local communities. This charity auction event includes travel packages and sports memorabilia and general and special raffles and live and special auctions with items of many kinds – but art in many media has always been one of the attractions of this charitable fundraiser.
The Conservation Dinner Committee has selected a feature artist each year – in media ranging from painting to ice sculpture to culinary art to metal art to wooden art and carving and more.
This year, to celebrate the 30th Conservation Dinner, the Dinner Committee is inviting past feature artists to attend. Some of the former featured artists are not able to attend but many of them plan to do so to take part in this important benchmark anniversary year.
Jim Beckett, Co-Chair of the Conservation Dinner Committee, said "we felt that inviting former feature artists to return for this special Dinner in 2019 was an appropriate way to recognize this milestone (of reaching 30 years).”
Art from a number of the feature artists will be included in this year’s auction.
There have been 22 different feature artists over the history of this successful community fundraiser which has raised more than $1.1 million for projects in local communities, thanks to artists; donors; patrons and guests; and volunteers.
The Conservation Dinner Committee thanks all the creative people who have been feature artists over the years in media ranging from paintings to ice sculptures to metal art to culinary arts to other creative disciplines. This year’s Dinner will feature works of art by many of these artists chosen in previous years.
To learn more, click this link:
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Exeter Firefighters’ Association and Exeter Lions Club help to make community safer, more active
The Exeter Firefighters' Association and the Exeter Lions Club, along with the support of community members, have helped to make the community safer and more active with a donation of $7,000 to the Jones Bridge Project for the new pedestrian bridge on the South Huron Trail.
The money was raised at the Lions vs. Firefighters Charity Concert and Hockey Game on Saturday, March 16, 2019 at Exeter Arena.
To learn more, click this link:
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Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation welcomes new Chair and Vice Chair
Foundation thanks Past Chair Bob Radtke for his dedicated service as Chair
A new Chair and Vice Chair have been elected to the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation (ABCF) Board of Directors.
Shown in photo, from left to right, are new Vice Chair Charles Miner and new Chair Dave Frayne, accepting the gavel from Past Chair Bob Radtke, who served in the Chair’s role since 2013.
The new Chair and Vice Chair were elected at the Foundation’s meeting on Thursday, March 28.
Since 1974, the Conservation Foundation has worked together with Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority in the Foundation's mission to foster financial partnerships supporting healthy watersheds and its vision of active community partnerships sustaining healthy watersheds.
The Conservation Foundation raises funds for conservation projects in the community at events including the Conservation Dinner and the South Huron Trail Fundraiser Golf Tournament. Foundation activities include support for conservation education programs, the Junior Conservationist program, the Student Environmental Award bursary, Commemorative Woods, a family-friendly fishing derby (with the Exeter Lions Club), accessible trails, and the current Jones Bridge Project for a new Pedestrian Bridge on the South Huron Trail, and much more.
“I would like to thank Bob for his leadership during the past six years and to express my thanks to the board members and staff,” Dave said. “I hope to continue the Conservation Foundation’s legacy with their support.”
To learn more, click this link:
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Bayfield River Valley Trails Association hosting rain barrel sale celebrating Earth Month
Rain barrels help to save money, conserve rain water, capture runoff, protect water
Bayfield River Valley Trails Association (BRVTA) is celebrating Earth Month (April) by kicking off their sale of rain barrels. Local people can use the rain barrels to save money, conserve rain water, and protect local water quality by capturing water runoff.
The trail association has always promoted enjoying the outdoors and creating awareness about water quality and air quality and other environmental issues.
“By using rain barrels, there is less runoff, which reduces flooding and benefits water quality,” said Scott Robeson, a BRVTA member. “As a Blue Community, Bayfield can continue to be leaders in sustainability by demonstrating water conservation and protection through rain barrel use.”
Rain barrels must be pre-ordered online at RainBarrel.ca/Bayfield. You may also contact Roger Lewington at info@bayfieldtrails.com or 519-565-2202 for information about the local rain barrel sale.
Pickup of pre-ordered rain barrels will take place on Saturday, May 11, 2019 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. noon at 35 Catherine Street in Bayfield.
The rain barrels cost $55 each to buy.
Net proceeds from the Truckload Rain Barrel sales support the Bayfield River Valley Trail Association.
Buyers have a choice of colours. Each rain barrel comes equipped with all the parts you need to set it up. Downspout diverters, dispensing hoses, rain barrel stands, and rain tanks are also available at additional cost.
Rain barrels capture and store rainwater collected from a building’s roof through downspouts. This water is diverted from stormwater systems. Diverting water helps reduce flooding, reduce pollutants, and slow down the speed of water entering local rivers and streams. Reducing the speed of water reduces its ability to cause erosion. Collected rainwater can then be used for watering lawns and gardens and washing cars. This can save you money on your municipal water bill, reduce stress on your well, and reduce stress on stormwater infrastructure.
You can help conserve water and protect water quality in your local creeks, rivers, groundwater, and Lake Huron by using the rain barrel.
To learn more, click this link:
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