RIDEAU AND MISSISSIPPI WATERSHEDS, July 31, 2024 – This summer’s weather has been unpredictable at best: torrential rains, extreme heat and even a recent tornado on Christie Lake near Perth. 

With this volatility becoming the norm, planting trees on marginal land or unused fields can help protect your property by reducing erosion, creating windbreaks, improving drainage, providing shade and more. 

And, comparatively at least, it’s not expensive. The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) offers generous tree planting subsidies for rural landowners in the Rideau and Mississippi watersheds with at least 1.25 acres of suitable land. The full-service program includes customized tree planting plans that suit the landowner’s vision and needs, on-site technical advice, ordering and handling of trees, site preparation, tree planting and tending, and survival assessments for five years.

Landowner costs range from $0.15 per tree within the City of Ottawa to between $0.30 and $0.40 per tree outside the city, depending on quantity. 

“It’s an incredibly economical way to protect and improve your property while cutting down on maintenance for idle fields and retired rough pasture,” said Ian Cochrane, RVCA’s forestry manager. “The program keeps your property working without having to do a lot of work yourself.”

Elizabethtown-Kitley farmer Tom Ronan said tree planting has saved him countless hours of bush-hogging since he planted 7,500 trees on several idle fields at the back of his 200-acre property. He’s also saved himself the cost of fuel to run the mowing machine. On top of that, he said it feels good to leave a legacy for future generations.

“By the time these new trees mature, there’s a good chance I won’t be around. But my kids and my grandkids will have an opportunity to enjoy it,” Ronan said. “The trees represent a new growth for the farm. They’ll put some of the scrub land back into use, and it’s helping the environment.”

RVCA’s forestry staff work with landowners across both the Rideau Valley and the Mississippi Valley watersheds. They are now booking site visits for this summer and fall to prepare for tree planting in spring 2025.  

To book your site visit, contact Ian Cochrane at  or visit https://www.rvca.ca/stewardship-grants/tree-planting to learn more.

KARS-ON-THE-RIDEAU, August 1, 2024 – If you’ve always wanted to try Forest School, now’s your chance.Baxter Conservation Area in Kars will offer Summer Forest School Drop-In Days throughout the month of August for both kindergarteners and school-age kids. 

Kids aged 4 to 6 (or turning so before Dec. 31, 2024) can register for half-day sessions from 9 to noon on August 23 and 28. The cost for half-day sessions is $30 per child plus HST.

Kids aged 6 to 10 (or turning so before Dec. 31, 2024) can register for full-day sessions from 9 to 3 on August 9, 14, 26 or 27. The cost for full-day sessions is $55 per child plus HST.

These one-day programs will run out of Baxter’s River Cabin facility on the shores of the Rideau River, and will include forest exploration, outdoor learning and games. 

“This is a great opportunity for kids to spend the day outside and see what Baxter’s Forest School is all about,” said Amy Tenbult, acting supervisor at Baxter Conservation Area. “Learning outdoors and taking risks is so important for child development, and by adding these drop-in days we hope more kids will be able to participate.”

Forest School is an increasingly popular alternative education option in which children spend most of their time outside learning through experiential, hands-on activities that promote curiosity in an active and authentic learning environment. 

Baxter offers regular Forest School sessions in the fall, winter and spring, in which students visit weekly for the entire semester. 

Registration is now open for summer drop-in days. To learn more or to register, visit https://www.rvca.ca/outdoor-education/baxter/new-summer-programs-at-foley-mountain-2.

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NEW Summer Forest School Drop In Days at Baxter!

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

Baxter will be offering Summer Forest School Drop In Days in August 2024 with a summer camp twist! For any families wondering what Forest School is all about, this is your chance to try it out for a day without signing up for an entire session. Since it’s the summer, we’re going to include some summer camp activities throughout the day as well. Come join us for a day in the Forest!

Please submit your request for Forest School Drop-In Days using our Registration Request Form. We are looking forward to welcoming your child(ren) to Baxter Forest School for summer days of exploration, outdoor learning, fun and play.

PLEASE NOTE that filling out this form does not necessarily guarantee a space in the program but begins the registration process. We will send registration packages out on a first-come, first-served basis, including the program handbook and other necessary documents, to complete registration and payment.

Drop In Program Details:

• We are excited to offer programming for the following age groups: 4-6 and 6-10.
• Children are eligible for a session if they meet the minimum age requirement by December 31, 2024. The minimum age requirement is 4 years old for the half day program and 6 years old for the full day program.
• Cost per child is $55/full day or $30/half day plus HST.
• You can register for any number of sessions for your age group.
• Our summer drop-in days will be run out of Baxter’s River Cabin at our group campsite – where Forest School is normally run throughout the school year.
• There will not be swimming at our Summer Forest School Drop-In Days, although water games and alternative ways to cool off will be included in the program, especially during hot weather.
• There are no before or after care options for Summer Forest School Drop-In Days.
• We will consider offering additional program days if there is demand!

Drop-In Days:

Salamanders (4-6 years old)
Half Day: 9 AM – Noon
$30 plus HST

• August 7
• August 23
• August 28

Frogs (6-10 years old)
Full Day: 9 AM – 3 PM
$55 plus HST

• August 8
• August 9
• August 14
• August 26
• August 27

MANOTICK, July 16, 2024 – Invasive species can wreak havoc on our native ecosystems, but a free community workshop aims to help local residents and community groups identify the region's most problematic invaders so they can stop them from spreading even further.

Staff from the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority will host the workshop on Saturday, July 20 at the authority’s headquarters at 3889 Rideau Valley Drive in Manotick. From 9 a.m. to noon, participants can enjoy presentations as well as hands-on displays of invasive plants and animals. 

“The more people know about invasive species and how to stop them, the better,” said Eric Guitard, RVCA’s City Stream Watch Co-ordinator. He said this year’s workshop will include information on up-and-coming invaders, in an effort to get ahead of them. “By reducing the spread, we can give our native species a fighting chance and promote a more balanced and diverse local ecosystem.”

Invasive plants like Himalayan Balsam, garlic mustard, Japanese knotweed and dog-strangling vine can spread rapidly, pushing out native species and leaving gaps in the area’s biodiversity. This can reduce food supplies and resources for other species who rely on the missing native plants. Invasive plants are also often poor substitutes when it comes to erosion and flood mitigation, as their roots generally aren’t as deep or strong.

In the water, invasive aquatic species can have dramatic ecosystem impacts while also measurably changing water quality and characteristics. For example, invasive zebra mussels filter suspended particulates so effectively they can cause distinctly weedier lakes, since sunlight can reach further into the water column.

“It’s a group effort to keep our local environment as natural and functional as possible for everyone’s benefit,” Guitard said. “We’re excited to welcome residents as passionate as we are about making a difference.”

Space is limited. Advanced registration is required by filling out this form or emailing . All are welcome, including community associations, environmental groups, property owners, students and anyone with an interest in learning about invasive species. Light refreshments will be served. 

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WESTPORT, June 24, 2024 – Catching frogs, roaming the woods and exploring the outdoors are what summer is all about, and Foley Mountain has added a new suite of summer programs to help make it happen. 

Family programs such as pond study, bug exploration, survival skills and geocaching will be offered the first Saturday of the month and on four Fridays throughout the summer. Every second week beginning July 16, forest school sessions will be offered Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. 

Unlike school-year forest school programs, all of these programs can be booked one at a time, so residents and cottagers can pick and choose which dates work for them. 

“It’s a chance to try out our programs in a fun and low-pressure way,” said site supervisor and outdoor education co-ordinator Rebecca Whitman. “We hope these programs will help local families get outside and reconnect with nature after a long school year.”

The summer programming schedule kicks off Saturday, July 6 with an Outdoor Survival Skills program for the whole family from 10 to 11:30 a.m. August’s weekend program will feature a beaver pond bonanza on Saturday, Aug. 3.

Forest Fridays will offer similar family programming on July 19, August 2, August 9 and Aug 23. For younger families looking for even more time together on the mountain, Family Forest School will run bi-weekly on Tuesdays beginning July 16, targeting kids ages 2 to 5 and their caregivers.

For kids ready for parent-free programming, half-day Forest Kindergarten will welcome kids ages 4 and 5 for a morning of fun every second Wednesday beginning July 17. Kids ages 6 to 12 can come from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every second Thursday.

Registration is required and will close the Wednesday prior to the program date. Programs may be cancelled if there is not enough interest. Fees vary depending on the program. For full details and to register, visit www.rvca.ca/outdoor-education and follow the links to the Foley Mountain programs, or contact Rebecca Whitman at . 

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New this summer, Foley Mountain Conservation Area will offer an exciting suite of family and children's programming throughout July and August, including summer Forest School sessions for several age groups. Join our qualified and experienced outdoor educators for some summer fun in the forest! Registration is required and will close the Wednesday prior to the program date. Fees vary by program. All program fees are subject to applicable taxes.

Family Programs:

Join us the first Saturday of the month and two Fridays per month throughout the summer for our exciting family programs! All children must be accompanied by an adult. Pre-registration is required by the Wednesday prior to the event.

Submit a Family Program registration request form to get started. Upon completion of the form, we will send you a registration package, including payment instructions. Please note that filling out this form this does not necessarily guarantee a space in the program but begins the registration process.

Summer Forest School Programs:

If you've always wanted to try Forest School, this is your chance! We are offering one-day registrations for our bi-weekly Forest School programs, which are organized by age. You can register for all four sessions for your age group, or one at a time. 

Submit a Forest School registration request form to get started. Upon completion of the form, we will send you a registration package, including payment instructions. Please note that filling out this form this does not necessarily guarantee a space in the program but begins the registration process.