The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) Board of Directors celebrated another successful year with the release of their 2016 Annual Report. The report highlights numerous on-the-ground projects that happened throughout the Rideau watershed that drains over 4,000 square kilometres in Eastern Ontario.

For over 50 years RVCA, along with its many volunteers and partners, has been working to protect and enhance our local environment. Year after year, conservation authority staff, municipalities and partners continue to have a positive impact on the health and resilience of our watershed. Today’s investment in local watershed health will ensure a sustainable future that supports local communities, economies, tourism and recreation.

“We are pleased to see so much valuable, relevant work being done throughout the Rideau watershed,” said Sommer Casgrain-Robertson, RVCA General Manager. “We strive to provide the best programs and services to our watershed municipalities and their residents. We are pleased that for every $1 from our member municipalities, RVCA is able to convert that into $2 through grants, fundraising and unique partnerships. We bring the work back to our communities.”

Highlights for 2016 include:

• $681,000+ in grants distributed to landowners who undertook stewardship projects
• 225,865 trees planted (5.68 million planted since 1984)
• 62,000 visitors annually to conservation areas
• 5,000+ students experienced RVCA Outdoor Education Programs
• 1,332 Planning Act applications received (minor variances, site plan control, subdivision applications, etc.)
• 1,154 hours from 295 volunteers invested in Ottawa’s City Stream Watch program to research and clean up city streams
• 634 applications for new or replacement septic systems received
• 360 hours donated by 25+ volunteers to help monitor and sample Watershed Watch lakes
• 287 applications received for work along wetlands, shorelines and waterways (Section 28, Conservation Authorities Act)
• 218 septic re-inspections completed in participating municipalities
• 118 stream sites sampled to monitor water quality (biology and chemistry)
• 53 shorelines naturalized (5.1 kilometres) through the Shoreline Naturalization Program
• 42 kilometres of trails maintained for public use at local conservation areas
• 39 lakes monitored for nutrients, E.coli and other parameters
• 14 stream clean ups and 10 invasive species removals on tributary streams
• 10 flood warnings and 13 drought messages issued release of the Middle Rideau Subwatershed Report and 10 catchment reports

For your copy of the RVCA 2016 Annual Report, visit www.rvca.ca or call 613-692-3571 or 1-800-267-3504 for a hard copy. To see what’s in store for 2017 take a look at our 2017 Budget and Work Plan which is also available online at our website.