RIDEAU VALLEY, June 3, 2024 – In many ways, 2023 was the Year of the Bridge for the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority.

In its recently released annual report, it’s clear that 2023 was an extremely busy and productive year for all departments as they built bridges both real and figurative across the watershed.

In the most literal sense, staff completed the construction of two much-needed accessible pedestrian bridges at Baxter Conservation Area and Chapman Mills Conservation Areas, which will benefit the community for decades to come. 

But staff also spent time connecting with valued partners, expanding their knowledge of the watershed and ensuring the RVCA’s services remain relevant, valuable and accessible to everyone who calls the Rideau Valley home. 

Throughout 2023, RVCA staff: 

• Welcomed more than 8,100 students to outdoor education programs at Baxter and Foley Mountain conservation areas;
• Planted 214,030 trees in partnership with private landowners, with $484,000 in external grant support;
• Funded 211 clean water projects on rural and farm properties, providing $642,935 in landowner grants; 
• Naturalized 1,719 metres of shoreline with more than 9,300 native plants, including more than 1,000 planted at Last Duel Park in Perth;
• Sampled 39 lakes and 119 stream sites for surface water quality;
• Surveyed 361 stream sections to assess aquatic habitat conditions;
• Completed a once-in-a-decade Watershed Conditions Report to bridge the gap between data collection and scientific analysis;
• Began data collection for new flood mapping on several upper watershed lakes and initiated the development of a new hydrologic model of the watershed;
• Accepted 199 hectares of conservation land donations from local landowners; 
• Processed 319 Section 28 permit applications (with 98% approved or on hold), issuing decisions for all but 2 within provincial timelines;
• Reviewed 1,952 planning applications, providing natural hazard comments to municipalities;
• Processed 944 septic permit applications (usually within half the provincial timeline) and re-inspected 651 septic systems around lakes. 

“I am so proud of our staff as they continue to provide quality conservation services to our watershed municipalities, residents and partners,” said RVCA General Manager Sommer Casgrain-Robertson. “We are committed to bringing value and expertise to all of our partners, and 2023 was a great example of that.”

To read the full report online visitwww.rvca.ca or contact the front desk at 613-692-3571 to request a hard copy. 

RVCA is one of Ontario’s 36 Conservation Authorities responsible for furthering the conservation, restoration, development and management of natural resources in the watershed. Through the provincial Conservation Authorities Act, the RVCA is responsible for protecting people and property from natural hazards like flooding and erosion and managing natural resources within the Rideau Valley.

Learn more at www.rvca.ca. 

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RIDEAU VALLEY, May 28, 2024 – With this year’s spring planting behind us, now’s the time to secure your spot for the 2025 season. Whether you want to plant trees on your idle or marginal land or plant shrubs to naturalize your shoreline, RVCA is now booking site visits to get the process started.

The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) offers generous grants to help landowners protect and enhance the watershed’s natural resources: tree planting is subsidized to between $0.15 and $0.40 per tree, while shoreline naturalization costs may be covered up to 90%.

Tree planting and shoreline naturalization projects support a thriving watershed by slowing down and filtering stormwater runoff, reducing erosion, mitigating floods and storing carbon to reduce the impacts of climate change. And there are benefits for the landowners, too: depending on the project, they may see reduced property maintenance, increased privacy, lower heating and cooling costs, fewer nuisance geese and increased property value. 

“It’s really a win-win for everyone,” said RVCA Forestry Manager Ian Cochrane. “These projects become a legacy that landowners can gift to the next generation in the form of a clean environment, thriving biodiversity and a beautiful natural place to visit.”

The RVCA plants more than 200,000 native trees across the Mississippi and Rideau Valley watersheds every year, and approximately 10,000 native shoreline trees, shrubs and flowers around Rideau Valley lakes and rivers. 

Site visits ensure eligibility and will allow staff to craft a custom planting plan to suit your needs. Once your project is booked, staff will order the plants and work towards the 2025 spring planting season. Staff will also return for several years to ensure the survival of your project and refill where necessary.

To book a tree planting site visit contact Ian Cochrane at . To book a shoreline naturalization site visit contact Meaghan McDonald at . 

Tree Planting Eligibility: 

Our large-scale tree planting program is available to all landowners in the Rideau Valley and Mississippi Valley watersheds, provided they meet minimum planting requirements. Outside the City of Ottawa, landowners must have at least 1.25 acres of suitable land and must order at least 1,000 trees. Within the City of Ottawa’s portion of the MVCA and RVCA watersheds, tree planting minimums have been lowered to 500 trees for 2025. This means Ottawa properties with 0.62 acres (0.25 hectares) of suitable land or more may now be eligible to participate. 

Shoreline Naturalization Eligibility: 

All lake- and river-front landowners within the Rideau Valley watershed are eligible for subsidized shoreline naturalization along the “ribbon of life” where land meets water. Staff work with landowners to create a custom plan that preserves their water access and views while adding a natural buffer along the shore. Landowners can choose to do the planting themselves or have RVCA staff assist. 

Learn more about our stewardship programs at www.rvca.ca/stewardship-grants. 

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Thanks to a generous grant from the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation (TD FEF), a series of displays now dot the popular and accessible Fiddlehead Trail, beginning at the Interpretive Centre. Each case offers a single page of the featured story, allowing families to read together as they move along the trail. Fun activities and challenges that relate to the story also encourage kids to dive deeper into the natural world around them.

“This is such a wonderful addition to our trail network,” said Baxter Site Supervisor Andrea Wood. “Any way we can engage families while getting them outside in nature is a huge win for everyone.”

The Storybook Trail’s first featured book is A Log’s Life by Wendy Pfeffer, which follows the fate of an oak tree that has fallen in a storm. As the giant log slowly returns to the soil, new life springs forth in its place. 

“The book ties in perfectly with what kids will see happening in the forest around them as they walk the trails,” Wood said. “It’s another way to spark their curiosity about the natural world.”

The Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation helped facilitate the TD FEF grant after a temporary version of the Storybook Trail was installed during the COVID-19 pandemic to safely engage families on site. It proved extremely popular.

“We are so thankful to TD Friends of the Environment for their ongoing support of our outdoor education programs,” said Foundation Director Diane Downey. “Kids are the future, and our partners are helping us invest in them.”

The Storybook Trail’s featured book will change with the seasons. The trail is open dawn to dusk year-round. Parking is $8 per day or $55 for an annual pass. 

Learn more about Baxter Conservation Area and plan your visit: https://www.rvca.ca/conservation-areas/fee-required/baxter