The Watershed is Full of Wonders
When you’re in the Credit River Watershed, there’s always something new to discover. Whether that’s spotting a species of bird for the first time or exploring a new trail, we’re lucky to have amazing parks, wildlife and ecosystems. To celebrate the many wonders of the watershed, here are six facts to remember:
1. Birding is a Great Hobby
Many of us can name the classic calls of cardinals, gulls and blue jays but did you know there are over 260 species of birds in the Credit River Watershed? The diversity of habitats at our parks attracts a variety of birds all year long. No matter what time of year you go birding, you’re sure to see and hear from the wonderful creatures above.
2. Hike Towards a Goal
At our parks, we have over 60 kilometres of trail to explore. Trails range from easy to challenging depending on your comfort. With 2023 just getting started, we challenge you to explore all 60 kilometres of trail by the end of the year! Learn more about trails at our parks.
3. We Know about Monitoring
To keep the watershed thriving for future generations, we monitor 14 groundwater sites, 92 stream sites, 30 forest sites and 30 wetland sites. All this monitoring is possible because of our Integrated Watershed Monitoring Program (IWMP). Explore stories from this program by visiting our storymap.
4. We’re Proud of our Plantings
Ontario’s forests contain more than 70 million hectares. We’re working hard planting trees in the Credit River Watershed. In fact, over the last 10 years, our Forestry team has planted over 470,000 trees and shrubs in our conservation areas, and on private landowner and municipal properties.
5. Add a Touch of Green to Your Special Day
Did you know you can celebrate your love in nature? You can host your wedding at Terra Cotta, Belfountain and Island Lake Conservation Area. Learn more about our outdoor wedding packages.
6. We’re Three Years Away from Something Exciting
The Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area (JTLCA) has been highly anticipated for over eight years. What started off as a dream has evolved into an incredible project unlike any other. Our restoration staff have been hard at work over the past five years. In partnership with Toronto Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), we have completed almost 1,000 metres of stream restoration, 1,600 metres of new shoreline along Lake Ontario and created approximately 17 hectares of new conservation land made up of wetlands, forests, meadows and beach. We have planted 27,034 trees and installed 74,507 wetland plants.
At CVC, we continue to work hard to protect, connect and sustain the Credit River Watershed. If you’re interested in learning more about our watershed, check out how we’re planning for the future in our latest watershed plan.
Have you discovered something new in the watershed? Share with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
By Kimberley Laird, Associate, Marketing and Communications
Thank you so much for this informative and uplifting article. Good things ARE happening in our local, beautiful world. Happy New Year!
Planting over 470,000 trees and shrubs is commendable.
However, what data is there on the survival rate of those plantings?
What mechanisms are there to evaluate effectiveness?
How many of those 470,000 individuals have survived to be viable today?
Hi there, thanks for your question. For larger scale planting sites, we conduct survival monitoring in the first year, second year and fifth year after planting. For our smaller planting sites, we conduct survival monitoring the year after planting and also work with landowners to determine longer term survival and provide infill and tending. In addition to this, for some select sites we conduct photo monitoring each year for a 10 year period. After these monitoring periods CVC still provides support to continually manage these plantings to ensure they develop into the desired forest cover type. Overall CVC plantings have an average survival rate of 84%.