Stewardship and tree planting specialists at the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority (SCRCA) are hard at work planning for the 2024 season and are looking to engage landowners interested in implementing projects on their properties.
“Stewardship and tree planting initiatives provide many benefits for both the environment and the property in general”, said Jessica Van Zwol, Healthy Watershed Specialist at the Authority, “We can assist landowners and provide both technical and financial support for a number of different projects.”
The St. Clair Region watershed consists of over 80% agricultural land. Stewardship and tree planting projects implemented on farmland not only improve habitat for many plants and animals to thrive, including Species at Risk, but can also help reduce soil erosion, protect rural water quality, increase crop yields, and potentially reduce the amount of fertilizer needed to ensure a successful harvest. The Authority supports a variety of projects including wetland creation, tree planting, cover crops, erosion control structures, and planting riparian buffers.
“The success of our tree planting and stewardship program is really due to the commitment of landowners throughout our watershed,” explained Jeff Sharp, SCRCA’s Conservation Services Specialist, “Since 1980, we have planted over 4 million trees and created 100 hectares of wetland thanks to property owners taking on naturalization projects.”
Interested landowners are welcome to connect with Authority staff who can help manage projects from start to finish and answer questions related to funding sources and grants that are available to offset eligible project costs. Presently, funding is available through the SCRCA for several stewardship projects including the creation of shallow wetlands, the planting of riparian buffers to separate agricultural fields from watercourses, the installation of erosion control berms and grassed waterways in farm fields to slow runoff, and the installation of fencing and alternative water sources to limit livestock accessibility to local waterways.
For more information and to discuss potential projects, contact Jessica Van Zwol, Healthy Watershed Specialist ([email protected]; (519) 245-3710 Ext. 241) or Jeff Sharp, Conservation Services Specialist ([email protected]; (519) 245-3710 Ext. 217).
