The 70th Annual General Meeting of Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) was held virtually on Jan. 25.
Rob Baldwin, the CAO, addressed participants thanking staff for their perseverance, ability to adapt and to stay positive in 2020. He said, “While we were ensuring that our staff remained safe and healthy through the pandemic, we didn’t allow COVID-19 to prevent us from also caring for the health of our watershed, and the proof is in the many successes we achieved throughout 2020.”
Notable successes include a 42 percent increase in the number of visits to the conservation areas overall. Scanlon Creek is one of LSRCA’s most popular areas and it saw a 70 percent increase in park visitors in 2020 compared to 2019. This is despite the conservation areas being closed for nine weeks in the spring with the emergence of the pandemic.
If unfamiliar with the lay of the land at Scanlon Creek, it is possible to download the free Avenza App to a smartphone and follow a Scanlon Creek map and track where you are.
The LSRCA website describing the top 10 restoration projects in 2020 says that despite the pandemic, the restoration team completed over 50 projects across the Lake Simcoe watershed. It goes on to say, “From stormwater retrofits, engineered wetlands and permeable pavement, to reforestation, meadow enhancements and online pond removals, we continue to make critical on the ground improvements.”
Although there were no major restoration projects completed in 2020 at Scanlon Creek, there is restoration work scheduled there in 2021/22. This work will help remove a fish barrier, and a second project involves erosion control after two large trees came down, taking the bank with it and leaving a massive scar. The latter will be fixed using bioengineering.
There is an ongoing project to raise funds for a new Nature Centre at Scanlon Creek, the Connect Campaign. “Joining the Connect Campaign you can help build a new environmental hub where our entire community—young and old—will have the opportunity to reconnect with nature once again,” according to the Scanlon Creek website.
A major Connect Campaign fundraiser, “Roughin’ It for a Reason” took place in September, sponsored by Cabela’s. Thirty-five campers participated (in their own backyards), including Frankie “Flowers” Ferragine. There was a schedule of online entertainment for campers to tune into that night including a virtual Cabela’s Cookout, campfire story and live music. Over $40,000 was raised.
Being outside and with nature is always important to the health of individuals, as is having a healthy watershed in which to live. It is fortunate people in the Lake Simcoe watershed have areas to visit in order to exercise, learn, engage and relax in natural areas. The increase in visitors to LSRCA conservation areas is an indication of how strong that need is, particularly in highly stressful times.
Besides actual visits to natural areas, the LSRCA website and Facebook pages received increased traffic in 2020. “Outdoor Learning with LSRCA” is a Facebook Group created in April of 2020 that anyone can join and is separate from the LSRCA Facebook page. It is designed to provide easy access to nature-based learning resources to help keep children learning (and occupied) during school closures. It currently has over 1200 members.
Parents/educators can access tools and resources for outdoor learning here.
Rosaleen Egan is a freelance journalist, a storyteller, and a playwright. She blogs on her website rosiewrites.com
