The St. Clair Region Conservation Authority (SCRCA) celebrated a year of environmental progress, community partnerships, and watershed stewardship at its 2026 Annual General Meeting held Thursday in Newbury at the Royal Canadian Legion – Branch 583.

Prior to the business portion of the meeting, Authority Chair, Greg Grimes reflected on his first term as Chair and thanked fellow Board Members and staff for their leadership and dedication, particularly as Conservation Authorities prepare for regional consolidations in 2026.  

“Serving my first year as Chair has been both an honour and a privilege. I want to begin by sincerely thanking my fellow Board Members for their guidance, collaboration, and support throughout the year,” said Grimes, “I also want to recognize the exceptional work of our staff. Every day, they bring their expertise, professionalism, and dedication to protect our watershed and our communities. Even as the broader policy environment evolves around us, they continue to deliver effective, locally informed, watershed-based programs and services.”

The meeting marked the release of SCRCA’s 2025 Annual Report, showcasing significant achievements across the watershed, including:

• • • Engaging more than 12,500 students in conservation education programs.
    • Issuing 19 flood bulletins to provide municipalities with timely, science-based flood forecasting information.
    • Planting over 50,000 trees and completing 248 stewardship and best management practice projects.
    • Issuing more than 200 permits and reviewing over 200 Planning Act applications to support safe and resilient development.
    • Collaborating with coastal communities to address shoreline erosion along the St. Clair River.
    • Completing updated Master Plans for A.W. Campbell and Coldstream Conservation Areas to guide sustainable operations and long-term planning.

The Authority also completed the first full year of the Sydenham Phosphorus Reduction Initiative (SPRI), a program funded by the Canada Water Agency to reduce phosphorus entering the Sydenham River and ultimately Lake Erie. Staff collaborated closely with agricultural producers to implement stewardship and best management practice projects, installed targeted monitoring sites to better understand phosphorus movement, and engaged students in learning about the complex balance between environmental protection and maintaining viable farming operations.  

The meeting featured a presentation by PhD candidate Dominique Rumball from the University of Toronto – Scarborough, who shared her research on evaluating the effectiveness of wetland restoration efforts for aquatic species at risk, with a particular focus on the Spotted Gar, an endangered fish found in only a few wetlands along the north shore of Lake Erie and eastern Lake Ontario.

Two Conservation Awards were presented during the meeting to recognize outstanding environmental stewardship.

Dominique Rumball

Dominique Rumball is a PhD student at the University of Toronto specializing in freshwater ecosystems. Dominique’s research focuses on improving the recovery of aquatic species at risk and addressing important knowledge gaps in restoration ecology.

Since 2021, Dominique has been a valued collaborator with the SCRCA, supporting the Authority’s Aquatic Species at Risk monitoring programs. She has played an integral role in the coastal wetland restoration project for the endangered Spotted Gar at the Keith McLean Conservation Lands near Rondeau Bay, a property owned by the St. Clair Region Conservation Foundation. Her scientific knowledge, strong work ethic, and genuine commitment to conservation have made her an invaluable partner.

Dominique’s impact extends beyond her research. Education is another area where she excels. She enthusiastically shares her research and passion with community members, often right along the wetland shoreline!

Dominique is also the author of a children’s book, “Finding a Forever Home: The Adventures of Giigoonh the Spotted Gar” which introduces young readers to the importance of protecting freshwater habitats and species at risk. If that weren’t enough, Dominique donates $1.00 from every book sold back to the St. Clair Region Conservation Foundation to support species at risk programming. 

Dominique is not only an emerging leader in the scientific community but a committed steward of Ontario’s natural heritage. 

Derrick Leclair

Derrick Leclair is a Certified Crop Advisor and a driving force behind the success of the Sydenham Phosphorus Reduction Initiative in the southern portion of the St. Clair Region watershed. 

Through his soil sampling business, R&K Farms, Derrick has become an invaluable partner in advancing soil health and responsible nutrient management across the watershed. He has connected farmers to SCRCA stewardship programs, particularly the Sydenham Phosphorus Reduction Initiative, also known as SPRI.

The majority of landowners who have participated in the Authority’s 4R Nutrient Management and Alternative Phosphorus programs were referred directly through Derrick’s efforts. Because of his support, nearly 2,500 acres of agricultural land have adopted improved nutrient management practices and enabled the SPRI program to distribute close to $50,000 in funding to landowners.

Derrick’s dedication, leadership, and commitment to soil conservation strengthens not only individual farms, but the entire St. Clair Region watershed. 

Elections were held for the 2026 positions of Authority Chair and Vice-chair. Greg Grimes, representing the Village of Point Edward, was re-elected Chair of the SCRCA, while Pat Brown, representing the Township of St. Clair, was elected Vice-Chair.