The St. Clair Region Conservation Authority (SCRCA) held its 2024 Annual General Meeting on February 22nd in Florence at the Dawn-Euphemia Community Centre. Prior to the business portion of the meeting, Authority Chair, Pat Brown reflected on the Authority’s achievements over the past year.
“The SCRCA experienced many successes in 2023,” said Brown, “I’d like to thank our Board of Directors and staff for your hard work and dedication to the Authority.”
“I would also like to acknowledge our partners. Because of your support and collaborations, together, we will realize our vision of a healthy and sustainable natural environment in the St. Clair Region.”
The meeting included a special presentation by Dr. Catherine Febria, Canada Research Chair, Assistant Professor and Director of the Healthy Headwaters Lab at the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research at the University of Windsor, who highlighted the role of partnerships, science, and stewardship in the Sydenham River watershed.
The annual meeting marked the release of the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority’s 2023 Annual Report which highlighted the work the Authority staff and Board completed over the last year. Of note in 2023, the Authority:
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- Reached almost 22,000 students through the Authority’s Conservation Education program by offering traditional field trips to the Lorne C. Henderson Conservation Area, webinar-style programming, and schoolyard programs.
- Continued shoreline protection works along the St. Clair River and Lake Huron shorelines in collaboration with St. Clair Township and the City of Sarnia.
- Issued over 200 permits under Ontario Regulation 171/06, Development, Interference with Wetlands and Alterations to Shorelines and Watercourses, and commented on over 200 Planning Act
- Celebrated the release of the 10,000th turtle hatchling by the SCRCA Biology department since the beginning of the Captive Hatch and Release turtle program in 2016.
- Planted over 70,000 trees and implemented 41 stewardship projects throughout the watershed.
- Completed several upgrades to trails and other amenities at local Conservation Areas to improve visitor experience and accessibility.
- Continued to meet the legislative requirements prescribed under the new regulations issued through the Conservation Authorities Act.
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Conservation Awards were presented during the meeting to celebrate and acknowledge the contributions of community members and organizations to the health of the St. Clair Region.
Hillside School – Kettle and Stony Point First Nation
For the past four school years, Hillside School has partnered with St. Clair Conservation’s Education Team to provide students with hands-on, outdoor, land-based, learning opportunities. Hillside School offers a Land-Based Education program to ensure students understand their roles, responsibilities, and relationship toward the natural world.
The success of this program is dependent on all the staff at the school – the Ojibwee teachers, classroom teachers, classroom support staff, and administration. Working together with St. Clair Conservation, each classroom visits a nearby forest for ‘bushwalks’ once every three weeks. During each bushwalk, the students experience holistic lessons on various subjects. Lessons contain a blend of western-science, Ojibwee language, and traditional knowledge. Students at Hillside School, the next generation, benefit immensely from this on-the-land learning.
Centre Ipperwash Community Association
Members of the Centre Ipperwash Community Association embody their vision for projects, which states “By coming together to share, work, and play, the quality of life within our community can be improved.”
Many members head out to Ipperwash Beach almost daily to walk the shoreline. While out on their walks members are geared up with gloves, buckets, and pickers to collect garbage they come across to ensure that the beach remains both aesthetically and environmentally clean.
St. Clair Conservation partners with the Association to host the annual Ipperwash Beach Cleanup which happens the Saturday after Labour Day. Many members participate year after year and because of their daily garbage pickup, the Authority’s September cleanup event is always much easier than expected, considering the busy crowds that visit the beach every summer.
Elections were held for the 2024 positions of Authority Chair and Vice-chair. Pat Brown, representing the Township of St. Clair was re-elected Chair of the SCRCA while Lorie Scott, who represents the Municipality of Lambton Shores was re-elected Vice-Chair.
