ESCARPMENT MAGAZINE | Fall 2016 - page 26

26
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CA
SUMMER
2016
Anotherof thecurrent focusesof theWa-
tershed Trust is Silver Creek. Being
nearlyas healthyas it was 1000 years
ago, it is rare in its resilience to thearea
developments. Out of a need tomain-
tain theconditionofSilverCreek, theSil-
ver Creek Stewardship Initiative was
developed tobringawareness and ed-
ucate landowners about the best ways
they can do their part. Currently, the
biggest way to improve thiswatershed
is streamside planting. Insteadof mow-
ing rightup to thecreek, it isencouraged
that vegetation be left along-side the
water soas tocombat erosion. It isalsoadvised that fertilizeruseor re-
movingcreekwaterbeavoided tokeepSilverCreekhealthy.
Theotherwatersheds haveexperienced, or are threatenedwith, com-
mercial and residential development that affects the land, floraand
fauna that defines theecosystem. Someare inneedof protectionand
others requireenhancement, but ineither case it is necessary that they
be sufficientlycared for.Although theyvary in size, all thewatersheds
areequally important inmaintaining the landandactivities that attract
visitorsand inhabitants to the region.
TheBlueMountainWatershedTrust ispartneredwithotherassociations
including environmental education programs, land conservation
groups, and local, provincial, and national environmental advocacy
groupswhich includeStop theDrop, Elephant Thoughts and Environ-
mentNetworkofCollingwood.
TheWatershed Trust is also involved in
many local citizen groups that work to
protect all aspects of our wild local
areas. Through thepartnerships, various
events have been held to raise aware-
nessand funds tohelp theorganizations.
Last yearCollingwoodheldviewings for
the ‘Be the Change’ film series which
showed 6 films throughout the year as
wellashosting livemusicandsupporting
local businesses. On October 1
st
, the
Foundationhosted ‘See theSalmonRun’
alongsideElephant Thoughts—the firstan-
nualevent—to raiseawarenessabout the
migrationof Rainbow Trout andChinookSalmon that occurs inSilver
Creek. Theseeventsandpartnershipsare incrediblyhelpful inbringing
thepublic to the issuesand showing themdirectlyhow theycanhelp.
“The biggest impact can bemade through education” says Rebecca
Ferguson, leader of the Silver Creek Stewardship Initiative. Toget in-
volved in theorganization, it is important toeducateand raiseaware-
ness. Therearemanyways tobeapart of this valuableorganization
through various volunteer positions. As our areadevelops it becomes
increasingly important tomaintainandenhance the natural stateand
healthof our local watersheds—it is our duty to keep them frombeing
loved todeath. Formore informationon theWatershedTrust, or todo-
nate, visit
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Thegoalsof theWatershedTrust are
theprotection,wiseusemanagement
andenhancementof: surfaceand
groundwaterqualityandquantity,
significant resourceareas—wetlands,
woodlands, groundwaterdischargeand
rechargeareas, fishandwildlifehabitat,
andnatural linkagessuchas ravines,
valleysandstreamcorridors.
envi ronment
{
{
Weneed thenatural
world: helpusprotect it.
Ourareaof interest iscomposed
of independentwatersheds that
originate in theNiagara
Escarpment, aUNESCOWorld
BiosphereReserve.
Thewatercoursesdraindirectly
intoGeorgianBayand include
SilverCreek, BlackAshCreek,
TownlineCreek, PrettyRiver,
BatteauxRiver, IndianBrookand
theBeaverRiveraswell assmaller
streams. Ourareaof interest
formsa rectilinearshapebounded
by theGeorgianBayshoreline to
thenorthand thehighlandsof the
NiagaraEscarpment to thesouth–
anarea totalingapproximately
90,000hectares.
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