Town of LaSalle Councillor Ray Renaud has been acclaimed the Chair of the 2006 Board of Directors. “I am excited as I look forward,” said Renaud. “We have some unprecedented opportunities ahead of us, and I look forward to working together to achieve the environmental priorities that have been set by this community.”

Retired from DaimlerChrysler Canada, Renaud has served as a LaSalle Councillor for nine years. In LaSalle, he currently sits on the Plan Review Committee, the Strawberry Festival Committee and the Personnel Committee. He was appointed to the ERCA Board in the year 2000, where he chairs the Personnel Committee.

Renaud lives in LaSalle with his wife Joyce. He has three adult sons, and enjoys spending time with his two grandsons, especially in the region’s natural areas.

Former ERCA Chair Tom Wilson from the City of Windsor was acclaimed as Vice Chair.

Source Water Protection has been identified as the first line of defence in protecting Ontario’s drinking water. The Province of Ontario introduced the Clean Water Act in December of 2005, and identified that Conservation Authorities would be charged with the responsibility of coordinating Source Water Protection Plans for Ontario’s watersheds.

Source Water is the untreated water that we find in our rivers, lakes and streams. It can also come from underground aquifers that are used to supply wells. Source water protection means protecting both the quantity and the quality of these water resources...for present and future needs.

Development of Source Water Protection Plans is expected to take place over several years, with significant involvement from municipalities, stakeholders and the community. The first step will be identifying water protection issues, assessing risks to drinking water, ranking these risks and setting priorities. Next, risk reduction objectives will be set, and options evaluated. From this information the Plan will be made. Implementation and monitoring will be the final and ongoing steps.

The Essex Region Conservation Authority will host an Introduction to Source Water Protection Public Presentation on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 from 7:00pm – 8:30pm at the Essex County Civic & Education Centre, 360 Fairview Avenue West, Committee Room C and the public is invited to attend to learn more about protecting our drinking water at its source.

There have been serious and longstanding concerns about the sustainability of the shoreline in Southeast Leamington. It was determined that a study was required to develop a comprehensive sustainability strategy for the floodprone areas of Southeast Leamington.

On November 30, 2005, a public presentation was held to present the first phase of the report. A copy of this report is available online at www.erca.org. From our homepage, click on the ‘Conserving our Land’ link, and you will find all available information about the Sustainable Management Strategy for Southeast Leamington to date. Alternatively, if you do not have internet access and would prefer that we mail you copies of the information, please contact us and we will be happy to do so.

The Sustainable Management Strategy for Southeast Leamington has been progressing, and a second public presentation is scheduled to present the findings to date. This public presentation will be held on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 at 7pm at the Roma Club, 19 Seacliff Drive, Leamington.

By partnering with private landowners, the Essex Region Conservation Authority will restore more than 200 acres of habitat this spring. Of this total, seventy-four acres will be restored using the ‘pit and mound’ technique which ERCA first piloted in 2004.

The pit and mound technique relies on heavy equipment to create an uneven topography. This mimics the conditions of a natural forest and provides a diversity of moisture and sunlight conditions. This helps the more rapid establishment of planted seedlings and nuts.

"This process is extremely cost effective and helps us move forward more quickly toward the goal of 12% natural areas coverage," explains Matthew Child, Coordinator of Habitat and Aquatic Resources. "We are also able to use a greater diversity of tree species because of the variety of moisture conditions."

As well, restoring hydrology to the site with the pit areas confers an immediate wildlife benefit. Frogs, toads, dragonfly, butterflies, deer were all observed within the months following restoration of the first site.

Thursday, April 6, 2006, 7-9 pm Essex Civic Centre, Council Chambers, 360 Fairview Avenue West, Essex

The Friends of Mill-Wigle Creeks invite you to the 2006 Pesticide Forum. Confirmed speakers include Jamie Munger from Munger Landscape Inc, Don Sadler, Executive Director of Parks for the City of Windsor, and Dr. Sicheri, Medical Oncologist at the Windsor Regional Cancer Centre.

Come out and learn before you apply pesticides this spring! Pick up helpful handouts including lots of home remedies and best management practices. All are welcome, and admission is free!

Earth Month is fast approaching and the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA), in partnership with Earth Day Canada, and our sponsor, Sunoco and the Suncor Energy Foundation, invites everyone to come out on Sunday, April 23, 2006 12 noon - 4 p.m. to help plant 1000 native trees and shrubs at Malden Park in the City of Windsor.

There will be lots to enjoy, including learning about how trees help our environment, meeting a live owl up close, and a barbecue. Kids can crawl in a Giant Caterpillar, participate in Nature Crafts, a Nature Scavenger Hunt, and try a Bald Eagle Obstacle Course to win cool nature stuff! You will then be able to take the free Transit Windsor Shuttle Bus to more Earth Day 2006 Celebrations at Ojibway Park where you can experience amazing Earth Day exhibits, fabulous environmental entertainment and much more.

You can start getting involved right now by registering at least 10 members of your business or community group for the Green Team Challenge and you’ll receive a Certificate of Participation at the event! For the kids in the community we have launched an exciting Sunoco Earth Day 2006 Writing Contest with great prize packages to be won. For further information, see www.erca.org or contact Phil Darrell-Smith by email at pdarrellsmith@er ca.org or call (519) 776 5209 ext. 398.

As the days are getting longer, the staff at Holiday Beach Conservation Area are gearing up for opening day. Holiday Beach is one of ERCA’s most popular conservation areas, featuring a beautiful sandy beach, several kilometers of nature trails, transient and seasonal campsites, and special events throughout the year. Skylights are currently being installed in park buildings, washroom facilities are being revamped, and general cleanup and trail grooming will soon be underway.

“Installing skylights will not only help to improve energy efficiency within the conservation area operations, but will also help to create a warmer and more inviting atmosphere,” explains Kevin Money, Coordinator of Conservation Areas.

There are several seasonal campsites still available, but Park Superintendent Richard Rivest notes that they generally sell out early in the season. “Holiday Beach Conservation Area provides a vacation-like atmosphere that doesn’t require traveling long distances,” he says. “With beautiful treed campsites, we have lots of families who book in for a weekend get-away, as well as those that spend the entire summer vacationing with us.”

Holiday Beach will celebrate its opening weekend on April 22 & 23. For more information, or to reserve a campsite, contact us at 519-736-3772.

Kick off March Break week with Essex County’s only maple syrup festival! On Sunday, March 12th from 11am - 4pm, visit the the John R. Park Homestead and Conservation Area. Costumed guides will be boiling the sap down in an iron cauldron, finishing syrup in the 1850's kitchen and making maple taffy on the snow.

More maple fun will follow through the March Break! Attend one of the Homestead’s “Maple March Break for Families” Programs on Tuesday, March 14th and repeated again on Friday, March 17th at 1:30pm sharp. See the trees tapped and lend-a-hand with the maple chores. Sample some pure maple sugar in the 1842 kitchen and get hands-on in this fun and educational program for the whole family. Family Admission is only $15.00

You can also attend our exciting “Maple Moon” evening program on Tuesday, March 14th at 7:00pm. Help make maple syrup by the light of the moon, twist taffy on the snow and join the barn dance. A star-gazing session and legend telling will also be featured, weather permitting. Pre- registration is required for this program. Admission is $7.00 per person.

The Homestead is located at 915 County Road 50, east of Colchester- a 45 minute drive southeast of Windsor. Call (519)738-2029 or email jrph@erca.org.

• Cooking with a crock pot on low often uses less energy than the oven.
• Computers and other household electrical appliances use electricity even when they are not in use. Instead of leaving on standby, power off. A computer monitor uses 60% of the power used by a computer.
• Increase your lighting efficiencey - compact flourescent bulbs are four times more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs and provide the same lighting.
• Using heat in your dishwasher’s drying cycle uses twenty percent of the machine’s total electricity use! Save this by turning off the drying cycle manually and let the dishes drip dry.
• Set your fridge between 2 - 4 C (36-40 F) for optimal food storage and energy conservation.

Source: www.enwin.com

Sunday March 12 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Maple - First Taste of Spring
John R. Park Homestead
Make maple taffy in the snow, and see syrup made the pioneer way. Meet a forester.Maple products for sale.

Tuesday, March 14 & Friday March 17 1:30 p.m. sharp (same program repeated both days)
Maple March Break for Families
John R. Park Homestead
Discover the magic maple tree with games and hands- on activities. Make and taste maple sugar.

Tuesday, March 14 7:00 p.m. (pre-registration is required T: (519) 738-2029)
Maple Moon
John R. Park Homestead
Join us for a sugaring-off party! Help collect sap and boil it down by moonlight. Make taffy on the snow, join in the barn dance, linger for star gazing and legends. $7.00 per person. Maximum registration 30.

Date to be confirmed.
Holiday Beach Trout Derby
Holiday Beach Conservation Area
Throw out a line and see if you can hook "the big one." The Trout Derby is on, the pond is stocked, and the fish are hungry. The only question is - who will reel in the trophy? $10.00 per permit. per fisherman.

April 23 12 noon - 4 p.m.
Sunoco Earth Day 2006
Malden Park, Windsor
Join the Essex Region Conservation Authority and its partners in planting 1000 trees to celebrate Earth Day! Take part in a nature scavenger hunt and many other family orientated activities, courtesy of the Suncor Energy Foundation. Email us at pdarrellsmith@er ca.org or call (519) 776 5209 to enter your organization or business in the Corporate Challenge! Be sure to also visit the Windsor-Essex Earth Day Celebrations at Ojibway Park. Admission is free. Check out the Sunoco Earth Day 2006 Writing Contest.

Sunday, May 7 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Giant Yard Sale
John R. Park Homestead
Treasures of old and new. Free admission.
Beginning of the Homestead's extended summer hours.

Saturday, May 13 & Sunday May 14 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Hillman Shore and Songbird Celebration
Hillman Marsh
Join expert naturalist to celebrate shore and songbirds as they migrate through the internationally renowned shorebird habitat, and songbirds and shorebirds up close and personal as they are banded by experts. Not to be missed!. $6.00 per vehicle. Call Bev for information at 776-5209 ext. 308.

Sunday, May 21 1:30 p.m.
Parade of Horse Breeds
John R. Park Homestead
Learn the history of fifteen breeds - from tiny ponies to giant draught horses. Pat the horses and chat with their owners.

Thursday, July 27 12:30 p.m. shotgun start
Essex Region Conservation Foundation 20th Annual Fundraising Golf Tournament
Ambassador Golf Club
Golfers, sponsors and auction donors are invited to participate in this enjoyable event in support of the protection and restoration of the region’s most vulnerable and important natural areas. Contact: Phil Darrell-Smith at pdarrellsmith@er ca.org or call (519) 776 5209 ext. 398 or visit www.erca.org for further details and a registration form. Find out more about the Essex Region Conservation Foundation.

email: admin@erca.org

phone: 519 776 5209

web: http://www.erca.org