Students at St. Julia’s Catholic Elementary School learn about the Credit River Watershed

In October, CVC was approached by a teacher with a request. As part of the curriculum component “Interactions with Ecosystems,” she was looking to engage her students in a hands-on, practical exercise. Ideally, this exercise would raise the students’ awareness of the ecosystems in the area, and the role and sensitivity of the Credit River. As a result, on Friday November 11th, Lindsay Stroud (Education Technician) and Kari Van Allen (Natural Heritage Ecologist) paid a visit to the grade 7 students of St. Julia’s Catholic Elementary School in Meadowvale.

The grade 7 students took part in two activities. In the first, students were introduced to the Credit River and the concept of a watershed. By reviewing the water cycle, students realized that water falling onto their schoolyard eventually makes its way into the Credit River system. Through some quick math the students found that on average 12,324,280 kg of water fell on their schoolyard each year! The students also identified ways in which the water may become contaminated or polluted as it flows to the river.

In the second activity, students learned about what terrestrial monitoring is, what kind of monitoring activities CVC is involved with, and how one might go about conducting such a field study. Students were then asked to complete a survey of a small plot in a forest near the school. They counted trees, snags and dead wood, looked at soil texture and moisture, and discovered used nests, fungi, and woodpecker holes. One curious student even located a small mammal bone!

An enjoyable time was had by all. The students got to explore the outdoors and in the process, they gained a better understanding of the processes that are occurring in the environment around them.

CVC recognizes Friends of the Credit

Left to Right: Mary Shields, CVC Board Member, Anna Przychodzki, Gary Mascola, Lorraine Symes, Audrey Oswald, Kirsten Burling, Rae Horst, CVC General Manager, Jessika Corkum (seated) and Stephanie Crocker (seated)

For almost 20 years, the Friends of the Credit awards have recognized those individuals, landowners, community groups, small businesses and corporations, and municipalities and agencies who have made a significant contribution to natural resource management in the Credit Valley watershed. The awards are presented on behalf of the Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) Board of Directors and recognize first-time projects, or those that have extended over multiple years.

In order to be considered for an award projects must: involve a long-term benefit; contribute to an environmentally healthy river; and try to represent cooperation with other agencies and groups.
The Award of Excellence is the most prestigious conservation award to be won. It recognizes an individual or group that has made an extraordinary contribution to the conservation of the watershed. The project or activity must represent an unusual level of commitment, such as a lifetime of personal service to watershed conservation that has achieved exceptional results.

The Award of Distinction is presented to those outstanding individuals or groups whose projects and/or activities reflect a significant contribution to the conservation of the watershed. The project or activity provides long-term benefits and is related to CVC program objectives. The project should also reflect a relatively significant contribution of personal time and or resources.

The Certificate of Merit recognizes nominations that are consistent with the overall purpose of the conservation awards program, i.e. to improve the health of the river.

CVC would like to congratulate the Award recipients, consisting of: Kirsten Burling and Audrey Oswald, City of Mississauga - Community Services, Peel Environmental Network, Lorraine Symmes, Eugene Furgiuele, Gary Mascola, Cantox Environmental, Everygreen Foundation, Ecosource Mississauga, Dave Rutherford, Stephanie Crocker and Anna Przychodzki.

This year the Awards were preceded by a Stewardship Forum that provided participants an opportunity to learn more about CVC's Watershed Report Card and Water Budget, preview important scientific studies and network with several groups including naturalists, fishing organizations, municipalities, agencies, farming communities and a host of other community organizations.

The Awards Committee consisted of three of CVC's Board Members –– Joan Robson (Halton Hills) George Carlson (Mississauga), and John Hutton (Brampton).