THE CURRENT

A monthly newsletter to keep you informed about the Detroit River.

Message from the RAP Coordinator

Many great spring events to keep your calendar full this month. Please stop by the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup & City of Windsor booth at Malden Park on April 26th for EARTH DAY and some fun water-related conservation activities!

The DRCC office will be closed April 3 - April 6. Happy Easter!

As always, we love to hear from you. If you have any upcoming events, questions, or feedback, please email postmaster@detroitriver.ca.

Claire Sanders

Remedial Action Plan Coordinator

Detroit River Canadian Cleanup

Eat Safe Fish!

The 28th edition of the Guide to Eating Ontario Fish (2015-2016) has been released by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. Covering 2,370 locations across Ontario - including the Canadian waters of the Great Lakes - this guide includes:

sizes and amounts of fish you can safely eat
how to choose fish with the lowest levels of contaminants
fish you should not eat (including special advice for children and pregnant women)
how to prepare fish to reduce contaminants
different contaminants found in Ontario fish

This edition of the Guide has been updated with ~150 new locations, and with new data for 239 locations, including several locations in the Detroit River. Additionally, consumption advisories now include categories for 12, 16 and 32 meals per month, to highlight fish with very low contaminant levels. Fish consumption advice is also available through an interactive map (www.ontario.ca/fishguide). This Google-based map displays all the lakes and rivers from the guide with their corresponding advisories, making it faster and easier for anglers to identify fish species with lower contaminant levels. Wallet cards are available too!

For more information contact: The Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program

Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change

www.ontario.ca/fishguide

fishguide@ontario.ca

416-327-6816 or 800-820-2716

Binational.net: Areas of Concern Annex

Binational.net is a collaboration between the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Environment Canada to provide a single window on joint work undertaken by the Governments of the United States and Canada in support of achieving the purpose of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

The 1987 Protocol to the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement led to the identification of 43 Areas of Concern (AOC) within the Great Lakes Basin. Following the Protocol, a Remedial Action Plan was developed for each AOC and restoration efforts began. Over the last two and a half decades, 7 AOCs have been "delisted" and two have been designated as "AOCs in recovery." Significant progress continues to be made at the remaining 34 AOCs, and restoring these areas is of high priority.

For an overview of the Areas of Concern Annex, key commitments made by Canada and the U.S., and information regarding implementation, visit http://binational.net/annexes/a1/ .

Save the Date: Black Oak Heritage Park Cleanup!

The Detroit River Canadian Cleanup, the Essex Region Conservation Authority, the City of Windsor, and the Windsor Port Authority are hosting a cleanup event at Black Oak Heritage Park and are looking for volunteers to help!

Location: Black Oak Heritage Park (Map and additional details to come!), Windsor.

Date: Sunday, May 24, 2015
Time: 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Description: Dress for the weather. Cleanup will take place rain or shine!

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

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.

The St. Clair and Detroit: A tale of two rivers, Part IX (March 9)
Hard work has Belle Isle looking good (March 21)
Downriver steel mill added to Superfund list (March 24)
Detroit port authority plans to trial international pedestrian ferry (March 25)
The St. Clair and Detroit: A tale of two rivers, Part X (March 26)

Upcoming Events

Save the date for these great local events! Please ensure you contact the organizer for more information.

13th ANNUAL SMOGFEST

April 11-30, 2015

Milk Coffee Bar, 68 University Ave. W., Windsor

Smogfest is a month long art exhibition/silent auction, put on by the Citizens Environment Alliance, that raises awareness about our region's poor air quality and its effect on our health and environment. Smogfest will run the entirety of April and art will be displayed at Milk Coffee Bar.

FRIENDS OF CEDAR, MILL, AND WIGLE CREEKS MEETING

April 7, 2015: 7:00-9:00pm

Camp Cedarwin in the Peach Lodge, 1495 Arner Townline/County Road 23, Essex

For more information, contact Caroline, ERCA Outreach Coordinator: cbiribauer@erca.org

ESSEX COUNTY FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB MEETING

April 8, 2015: 7:30pm

Ojibway Nature Centre, 5200 Matchette Road, Windsor

Tammy Brown, Point Pelee National Park Biologist, will speak about snake and savannah restoration work in the Park. Light refreshments will follow. Everyone is welcome to attend!

NATIONAL WILDLIFE WEEK FESTIVAL

April 11-12, 2015: daily 11:00am-4:00pm

Jack Miner Homestead, 360 Road 3W, Kingsville

The Jack Miner Migratory Bird Foundation celebrates National Wildlife Week with workshops, vendors, children's activities, duck and goose calling contests and the Jack Miner 150th Rockin' Birthday Bash Saturday Night, featuring Bigg Wiggle and The Rock Farm Band. Fish in the trout pond, sit in on a photography workshop or an ice fishing seminar by Quinte Hard Water Specialists, and have lunch served up by the 2nd Kingsville Scouts while taking a break from the scavenger hunt. Watch a retriever demonstration by the Essex Hunting Retriever Club and Gander Ridge Retrievers, feed the birds, build a birdhouse, drop into the museum, and visit the historic Jack Miner house. There's so much to see and do!

For more information, call 519-733-4034 or visit www.jackminer.ca.

FRIENDS OF RIVER CANARD MEETING

April 16, 6:30-8:30pm

Villanova High School Library, 2800 County Road #8, LaSalle

For more information, contact Caroline, ERCA Outreach Coordinator: cbiribauer@erca.org

FRIENDS OF RIVER CANARD COMMUNITY CLEANUP

April 18, 2015: 9:00am-noon

River Canard Park, LaSalle

Located approximately 1/2 km west of the Canard River bridge, near the intersection of Malden Road and County Road 8. Students can earn community service hours! For more information, contact Caroline, ERCA Outreach Coordinator: cbiribauer@erca.org

CAROLINIAN CANADA COALITION'S GO WILD - GROW WILD 2015

April 18, 2015: 10:00am-6:00pm

Agriplex Arena, Western Fair District, London, ON

Want to know the best ways to enjoy Carolinian Canada? Come pick up a list of hiking trails, chat with expert paddleboarders about their favourite spots, buy native plants from trusted vendors, learn some tips to make your gardening easier, sample some local wine, and check out a workshop or exhibit where the whole family can learn something to inspire your next adventure!

Anyone who enjoys the outdoors and appreciates what this Ecoregion has to offer will appreciate this event! Learn more here: http://gowildgrowwild.ca/expo2015

ESSEX COUNTY FIELD NATURALISTS' OUTING - POINT PELEE SPRING BIRD WALK

April 25, 2015: 8:00am

Point Pelee National Park, Leamington, ON

Meet Field Naturalists' Club member, Kory Renaud, at 8:00 a.m. in the Visitor Centre parking lot. The group will hike the trails at Point Pelee in search of early spring migrants including waterfowl, warblers and other songbirds. We'll also keep our eyes out for spring wildflowers and budding trees. Everyone is welcome to attend!

EARTH DAY TREE PLANTING

April 26, 2015: 10:00am-12:00pm

Little River Corridor (for a map, go here), Windsor

Dig out your shovel and join us in planting hundreds of trees to celebrate Earth Day and help continue to make our community a little greener. Make fun nature crafts and enjoy other Earth Day themed activities. Register your Green Team here. For more information, contact Danielle at dstuebing@erca.org.

EARTH DAY AT MALDEN PARK

April 26, 2015: 10:00am-3:00pm

Malden Park, 4200 Malden Road, Windsor

Earth Day is the annual celebration of the environment and a time to assess the work still needed to protect the natural gifts of our planet. Make sure to check out the DRCC booth at this year's event! The Essex County Field Naturalists' Club will also be attending the event, holding their annual Earth Day Bake Sale. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/EarthDayWindsorEssex.

10th EARTH DAY DINNER

April 27, 2015: 6:00pm

Canada South Science City, 930 Marion Avenue, Windsor

Please join us for the 10th Earth Day Dinner, our annual fund-raising celebration. Earth day contest winners will also be awarded. Exact place TBA. For more information, call 519-973-3667.

FRIENDS OF THE HOMESTEAD YARD SALE

May 3, 2015: 11:00am-4:00pm

John R. Park Homestead, Harrow

Help the Homestead by donating quality items in advance or coming out and treasure hunting on the day! Treasures old and new. There is something for everyone at this giant sale. For more information, call 519-738-2029 or contact the Homestead at jrph@erca.org.

Job Postings

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.

Marsh Services Attendant - Friends of Point Pelee, Leamington, ON (Closing Date: not specified)
General Labour - Kelso Conservation Area, Conservation Halton, Milton, ON (Closing Date: April 5, 2015)
Forestry/Operations Technician - Essex Region Conservation Authority, Essex, ON (Closing Date: April 10, 2015)
Summer Nature Interpreter - High Park Nature Centre, Toronto, ON (Closing Date: April 10, 2015)
Staff Consultant/Senior Hydrogeologist - Klohn Crippen Berger, Vancouver, BC (Closing Date: April 23, 2015)
Manager, Water Resources and Environment - Klohn Crippen Berger, Vancouver, BC (Closing Date: April 27, 2015)
Animal Presenter - Little Ray's Reptile Zoo, Hamilton, ON (Closing Date: April 30, 2015)
Lead Wilderness Counsellor - Tim Horton Children's Foundation, Whiteshell, MB (Closing Date: May 11, 2015)
Editor - Rapid Media, Ottawa Valley, ON (Closing Date: May 31, 2015)
Various opportunities at Ontario Conservation Authorities

Stay Connected

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.