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A monthly newsletter to keep you informed about the Detroit River.
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Message from the RAP Coordinator
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Issues surrounding the water quality in Lake Erie hit the national news in a big way this month. While we all need to sit up and pay attention, it's easy to feel discouraged and disheartened when faced with such overwhelming issues. But change can happen and the Detroit River is an excellent example. We have already re-designated one Beneficial Use Impairment this year and two others are being recommended by the DRCC for re-designation, Aesthetics and Beach Closures. A bi-national effort to restore fish habitat has successfully returned the Lake Sturgeon to the Detroit River and, through many habitat restoration projects throughout the watershed, we have increased the natural cover. The City of Windsor has been progressive in pursuing award-winning technology to divert millions of litres of untreated sewage from being discharged into the river. As individuals, we can all have an impact on our shared water resources. Visit DRCC's "How Can You Help" page to learn more about the specific actions you can take to protect and restore the Detroit River and our surrounding water bodies.
As always, we love to hear from you. If you have any upcoming events, questions, or feedback, please email postmaster@detroitriver.ca. Thank you, Claire Sanders, MSc., BEd. Remedial Action Plan Coordinator Detroit River Canadian Cleanup |
What's All the Buzz About?
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As interest in pollinators and native plants begins to grow, the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) invited the public to a Native Garden Tour on Saturday August 23. Six gardens were highlighted during the tour and naturalists were on hand at each garden to answer questions about local native plants and pollinators. "The tour provided an opportunity to get up close and personal with native plants from our region and with the bees and butterflies that depend on these plants for food, shelter, and nesting sites," said Caroline Biribauer, Outreach Coordinator for the Essex Region Conservation Authority.
This tour was part of a year-long grant project funded by TD Friends of the Environment Foundation. The project aims to provide opportunities for the public to connect with nature through community gardens and to encourage people to invite pollinators, such as the monarch butterfly, into their backyard by incorporating native plants into their landscape.
Click HERE to learn more about why DRCC loves native plant gardens or contact Caroline Biribauer to get a copy of ERCA's Guide  to Local Native Plants, How to Build a Rain Garden, or Ontario's Invasive Plant Council's Grow Me Instead guide.
They're on their way to Mexico! Monarch Butterfly migration has now begun so keep your eyes open for them. For more information about Monarch Butterflies or to report an observation to help track them, check out this link: Monarch Butterfly Journey North.
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Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup Sept 1 - Oct 31, 2014
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GCSC, presented by Loblaw Companies Ltd. and a joint conservation initiative of Vancouver Aquarium and World Wildlife Fund, calls on Canadians to cleanup shorelines in their communities. It's the perfect opportunity for teachers and students to get their gloves dirty, their feet wet and make our aquatic ecosystems cleaner, healthier and safer for all living things. Discover curriculum-linked activities for K-8 and a site coordinator manual for 9-12 on their website.
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Windsor's Community Museum Biked the River!
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Windsor's Community Museum's Walter Petrichyn led a bike tour of the Detroit River in August. The goal of this bike ride was to create an engaging activity for people to learn about the history and current remediation efforts in the Detroit. This event was based off of the DRCC's exhibit "Saving Our Strait: Restoring our River Together" at the Windsor's Community Museum, currently on exhibit until the end of the year. The bike ride had three stops: above ground the Windsor Riverfront Retention Treatment Basin, at the Ambassador Bridge on the Riverside Trail, and at the HCMS Hunter location in Sandwich Towne. At each stop, a guest speaker delivered a short, engaging talk to the group about their role in the remediation of the Detroit River. Talks included information about the Area of Concern designation, the exciting new progress the City of Windsor has made in wastewater treatment, how river contaminants can affect fish, which fish species are safe to consume and finally, the process of conserving the Naval Reserve's property in Sandwich Towne the Windsor Port Authority's role in Detroit River conservation efforts.
Big thanks to Walter and Windsor's Community Museum for spearheading this project, which we hope we can continue in future years. And special thanks to our speakers that day: Karina Richters, Environmental Coordinator at the City of Windsor, Ken Drouillard, Professor at the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research at the University of Windsor, and Peter Berry, Harbour Master, Windsor Port Authority.
 | Dr. Ken Drouillard gives a talk about his research on contaminants and fish consumption on the shores of the Detroit River (Photo by W. Petrichyn)
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We hope that you find the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup (DRCC) newsletters and announcements to be interesting, timely, and relevant!
We would like to continue to provide you with these electronic communications to keep you informed and involved with the health of our river. In anticipation of Canada's anti-spam legislation, we are examining the process by which we collect email addresses. From time to time, we advertise events for local not-for-profits and charities and would like to continue to do so. Therefore, over the next little while we will ask you to confirm your interest in receiving our emails.
As always, you may withdraw or opt out of such communications immediately by clicking unsubscribe at the bottom of this newsletter.
If you have any questions please contact us by phone 519-982-3722 or email.
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Extra! Extra! Read all about it!
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The Detroit River in the news....here are some relevant, external links to news articles that may pique your interest. Click on the link to read on.
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Save the date for these great local events! Please ensure you contact the organizer for more information.
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FRIENDS OF THE DETROIT RIVER: FALL DINNER CRUISE
September 4, 2014: 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Rivard Plaza, Detroit
Although some communities are farther away from the river than others, Friends of the Detroit River believe all area residents have a stake in the river's health and count on its annual Fall Dinner Cruise to help keep the organization running.
The cruise alternates between the upper and lower river each year. This year, cruisers will board the Diamond Belle from the Rivard Plaza in Detroit for a ride out on the upper Detroit River. The boat, which holds about 250 passengers, leaves the dock promptly at 6 p.m. Sept. 4 and will return about 9 p.m. Free parking is available.
Tickets for the group's biggest fundraiser of the year are $50 each, or $90 a couple. A limited number of tickets are still available. For tickets call 734-288-3887 or visit www.detroitriver.org.
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ESSEX COUNTY FIELD NATURALISTS' MEETING
September 10, 2014: 7:30pm
Ojibway Nature Centre
5200 Matchette Road, Windsor
Have you ever wondered what happens to water and other substances when they are flushed down our drains and toilets? It shouldn't be a mystery. The City of Windsor and the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup initiative have partnered to create a wastewater video to help de-mystify the topic, and educate viewers. Everything we put down our drains can have a big impact on our home and our environment. For example, there are many household items that are branded as 'flushable' that really shouldn't be put down the toilet. Same goes with old, expired medication-wastewater treatment plants were never designed to remove those substances from water. Join City of Windsor Environmental Coordinator, Karina Richters, and Detroit River Canadian Cleanup Remedial Action Plan Coordinator, Claire Sanders, for a screening and discussion of the short video "Wasterwater: Where Does it Go?"
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FESTIVAL OF HAWKS
September 13, 14 and 20, 21, 2014: 9:00am - 3:00pm each day
Holiday Beach Conservation Area
6952 County Road 50, Amherstburg
Live raptor shows, banding demonstrations, free workshops and hikes. Bird identification, adopt-a-hawk programs, nature crafts and activities. Learn about the spectacular migration at Holiday Beach, ranked as the top hawk watching site in Canada by Audubon Magazine, and the third best in all of North America. Special features this year include two advance-tickets-only events: an Egret Evening at Holiday Beach on September 13th, and an Evening with Joel Greenberg, Passenger Pigeon expert and author at Cooper's Hawk Winery on September 18th. For more Hawk Festival visit: www.erca.org or email kives@erca.org
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 These postings are for jobs at various locations with varying deadlines. Please click on the job title to view job details. Contact the listed agency in the job ad for more information. Note: the links will expire after the deadline has passed. - Stormwater Management Specialist - Lake Simcoe Region CA, Newmarket, ON (Closing Date: September 5, 2014)
- Coastal Wetland Biologist Intern - Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, London, ON (Closing Date: September 11, 2014)
- Manager, Major Gifts - Nature Conservancy of Canada, Toronto, ON (Closing Date: September 14, 2014)
- Risk Management Official - Kawartha Conservation, Lindsay, ON (Closing Date: September 14, 2014)
- Management Biologist - Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry - Various Locations (Closing Date: September 17, 2014)
- Biologist - EcoTech Environmental, Merrickville, ON (Closing Date: October 24, 2014)
- Safe Water Operations Program (SWOP) Coordinator- Municipality of Red Lake, Ontario (Closing Date: Dec. 19, 2014)
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311-360 Fairview Avenue West, Essex, ON· 519-92-3722 postmaster@detroitriver.ca www.detroitriver.ca
The DRCC initiative is a partnership between government, industry, academics, as well as environmental and community organizations that work together to improve the Detroit River ecosystem through a Remedial Action Plan. Our main goal is to
remove the River from the list of Great Lakes Areas of Concern.
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