Save the Leopard Frog

For Immediate Release:
Thursday, November 29, 2007

Toronto, November 30, 2007 - Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) today announced the launch of its "Save the Leopard Frog" campaign. This public education program will promote environmental awareness among Sheridan  and Cooksville Creek residents about the important role they play in the protection and preservation of local wildlife and water resources.

Human impact and pollution continue to harm wildlife and water quality in the community and threaten the health and habitat of local species, including the Northern Leopard Frog. Once hardy in numbers, the leopard frog population has been significantly reduced in the Sheridan and Cooksville Creek areas over the last few decades.

"It's time we recognize that we are all part of an ecosystem, that our actions have consequences on the plants, animals and water resources that surround us," said Pat Mullin, Chair of the Board of Directors of Credit Valley Conservation and Councillor for the City of Mississauga . “If we want to protect the leopard frog and begin improving and preserving the natural resources we are so privileged to have in our community, we must act now.

The 'Save the Leopard Frog' campaign will use a variety of community-based advertising and marketing initiatives to educate residents about the effect their everyday household tasks have on local water sources. The first wave of the program will promote awareness for greener alternatives for three common seasonal activities including: fertilizer use, pool draining and the use of melting snow agents including sodium chloride.

"We are confident the 'Save the Leopard Frog' campaign will help residents realize they can have a very real and significant impact on the state and health of our local water resources and the species that inhabit them," said Rae Horst, CAO of Credit Valley Conservation. "We want to demonstrate that it really can be easy to be green."

A survey of more than 300 residents in the Sheridan and Cooksville Creek area captured benchmark attitudes and awareness toward common household activities and their impact on local water sources. Of the eight behaviours measured, residents rated not picking up pet waste and the use of pesticides as the most serious threats to their local environment. They rated water use behaviours, including lawn watering, pool draining and car washing among the least serious offenses.

Conservation Authorities are a provincial/ municipal partnership. The CVC was established by an Act of the province in 1954 with a mandate to protect all natural resources other than minerals in the area drained by the Credit River . We have been working for over 50 years with our partner municipalities and stakeholders to protect and enhance the natural environment of the Credit River Watershed for present and future generations.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Bernadette Fernandez,
Communications Specialist
905-670-1615 ext 240