WeCARE Helping Some Fish Get A Leg - 'er Fin - Up

The West Credit River is home to a heritage population of brook trout; a key indicator species for cold clean water. In the headwaters of the West Credit the movement of brook trout has been blocked in some locations by barriers and on-line ponds. At Wellington Road 22 a culvert was installed higher than the bed of the river creating another barrier to fish movement. With the help of volunteers, the project partners in the West Credit Appreciation, Rehabilitation and Enhancement project (WeCARE) created a ‘rocky ramp’ on Saturday August 12th, 2006. The rocky ramp was constructed to raise the river bed gradually to meet the culvert. Trout Unlimited Canada – Greg Clark Chapter and Credit Valley Conservation provided technical expertise in the design of this structure in order to gain the necessary permissions. The project will be funded by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Community Fisheries and Wildlife Involvement Program (CFWIP) and contributions from the Izaak Walton Fly Fishing Club, Imperial Oil, and R & B Construction Services Inc.. Along with creation of the rocky ramp, volunteers planted native tree and shrub species along the stream banks to stabilize the banks and provide shade for the river.

	The river bed before the creation of the Rocky Ramp.
	A Rocky Ramp was constructed to raise the river bed gradually to meet the culvert.

Friends of the Credit : Stewardship Forum and Awards Dinner

Take advantage of the wonderful fall colours this season at the Stewardship Forum and Awards Dinner being hosted by CVC on October 21, 2006 at Erin Centre 2000. This years participants can expect to:

• Celebrate the Friends of the Credit Conservation Award Winners

• Enjoy the colours of the season on a bus tour that will explore the west and upper Credit River. The tour will also visit project sites by the West Credit Appreciation, Rehabilitation and Enhancement project (WeCARE) and other community partners.

• Learn about and talk to potential funding organizations and foundations for Peel, Wellington and Halton.

• Network with numerous groups and environmental leaders, representing naturalists, fishing organizations, the farming community, municipalities, agencies and a variety of other community organizations.

Those interested in attending will be charged a $10.00 fee, which will include the bus tour and dinner.

For more information, contact Heather Yates at 1-800-668-5557 or hyates@creditvalleycons.com.

CVC Welcomes New Staff Members

Aviva Patel

Aviva Patel joins CVC’s Natural Heritage team as their new Terrestrial Specialist. Her efforts will be spent developing CVC’s Terrestrial Ecosystem Enhancement Model (TEEM). The goals of this project are:

1) To identify lands in the Credit watershed that are important for ecosystem functions such as nutrient cycling, provision of habitat for wildlife, and maintenance of water quantity and quality;

2) To develop an enhanced understanding of land and water interactions;

3) To provide an integrated decision-making tool that identifies lands for restoration and protection; and

4) To assess future impacts on the watershed’s terrestrial ecosystems.

Prior to joining CVC, Aviva managed research on the conservation biology of salmon; evaluated OMNR’s State of the Forest Report indicators for valuing our natural resources; compared scientific and public perceptions of forest health; and studied the ecology of keystone plants and their pollinators.

Judi Orendorff

Judi Orendorff joins CVC’s Land and Conservation Areas team as their new manager. She will be responsible for land management inventory and planning, land securement, the Greenlands Strategy, the Conservation Areas Strategy and Central Services. In addition, Judi has responsibility for CVC’s new Education Strategy and the Foundation.

Judi has over twenty years of experience with the Ontario Public Service, most recently with the Ministry of Natural Resources. She has held progressively responsible positions in operations, policy and program development and research.

Dan Stuckey

Dan Stuckey is CVC’s new Education Coordinator. He will be responsible for developing an overall CVC Education Strategy which will engage watershed residents, local non-government organizations, and industry and youth in meaningful and life-long learning experiences to help conserve the watershed resources, reduce the impacts of urban sprawl in the Credit River Watershed and enhance environmental literacy in the region.

Growing up in a small Southern Ontario rural village bordering the southern edge of Wye Marsh, Dan was provided with ample opportunities to explore and learn about the natural world. These early interests in nature lead to his active involvement in fishing, hunting and helping the local trapper with his trapline. Picking up that first set of binoculars really set in motion a keen interest in nature viewing, particularly birds.

On completion of high school Dan enrolled in Seneca College’s Historical/Natural Interpretive Services course which provided a great base to begin a career as an interpretive naturalist. Contract positions with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Canadian Wildlife Services and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority lead to a full time position at the Kortright Centre for Conservation as Fish and Wildlife Theme Coordinator. Dan’s career at TRCA spanned 20 years and included several positions in environmental education development and delivery.