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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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The DRCC is a supporting member of the St. Clair-Detroit River System (SCDRS) Initiative. SCDRS Partners share a common vision: the restoration of portions of southern Lake Huron, the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, the Detroit River, and western Lake Erie to a thriving ecosystem with science-based management and broad social support that provides environmental services for the region and the Great Lakes basin. To learn more about monitoring, research, and restoration taking place, please visit the SCDRS website.
As always, we love to hear from you. If you have any upcoming events, questions, or feedback, please email [email protected].
Claire Sanders
Remedial Action Plan Coordinator
Detroit River Canadian Cleanup
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DRCC's SOS Exhibit on Display Again!
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The Detroit River Canadian Cleanup is excited to take part in the Windsor Jewish Community Centre's Water Festival! Visit the centre between November 12-26 to see their water-themed international art exhibit and the DRCC's SOS: Saving our Straight - Restoring Our River Together! exhibit. Or, join us for one of these two great events:
Thursday, November 12th: Opening Night, 7:30pm - Windsor Symphony Orchestra plays Handel's Water Music and HNM Dance Company performs! Tickets $20. For more information and to purchase tickets online, visit the JCC website.
Sunday, November 15th, 2pm: Free Movie Screening - Join us for a screening of Mysteries of the Great Lakes and a short discussion about the Detroit River Area of Concern. EVERYONE WELCOME! Please RSVP by calling the JCC at 519-973-1772.
Location: 1641 Ouellette Avenue, Windsor.
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State of the Strait Conference, 2015
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Coordinating Conservation in the St. Clair-Detroit River System
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Eastern Michigan University - Student Center
The State of the Strait is an international one-day conference that brings together government managers, researchers, students, environmental and conservation organizations, and concerned citizens to assess ecosystem status and provide advice to improve research, monitoring, and management from Lake St. Clair to the western basin of Lake Erie. The theme for the 2015 conference is, "Coordinating Conservation in the St. Clair-Detroit River System."
There is a need to prioritize research, monitor effectiveness, and adaptively manage coastal systems throughout the Great Lakes. The same is true in the St. Clair-Detroit River System, where diverse partnerships are contributing to the conservation, protection and enhancement of the region through research, planning and prioritization frameworks, as well as on-the-ground action that, if applied in a coordinated manner, could more effectively address regional needs and develop conservation solutions that equally enhance socioeconomic values. The 2015 State of the Strait will explore current efforts and new ways to maximize the effectiveness of conservation efforts being conducted by multiple agencies and organizations, and how we can amplify effectiveness through coordination and by incorporating socioeconomic factors into region conservation planning.
Admission to the conference is free but registration is required, as space is limited. For more information about the conference, visit www.stateofthestrait.org. Display space is available for conference sponsors and vendors.
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Ontario Strengthens Environmental Protections for the Great Lakes
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New Legislation Passes to Keep the Great Lakes Clean, Swimmable and Fishable
On October 7, 2015, Ontario passed the Great Lakes Protection Act which will strengthen the province's ability to keep the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River clean, as well as to protect and restore the waterways that flow into them.
Passing the Act enables the province to address significant environmental challenges to the Great Lakes, including climate change, harmful pollutants and algal blooms. The Act will also:
- Establish a Great Lakes Guardians' Council to provide a collaborative forum for discussing and gaining input on issues and priorities relating to the Great Lakes.
- Allow the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change to set environmental targets and enable communities to address local problems.
- Require the establishment of monitoring programs on a number of water quality indices where needed, as well as regular public reporting.
- Require consideration of Traditional Ecological Knowledge in decisions made about the health of the Great Lakes if offered by First Nations or M�tis communities.
- Enshrine Ontario's Great Lakes Strategy, the province's action plan on the Great Lakes, as a living document to be reviewed every six years and reported in the legislature every three years.
Protecting the Great Lakes for future generations supports the government's plan to build Ontario up. The four-part plan includes investing in people's talents and skills, making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario's history, creating a dynamic, innovative environment where business thrives and building a secure retirement savings plan.
Quick Facts
- The Great Lakes basin is home to 98 per cent of the province's population, 95 per cent of the province's agricultural lands, 80 per cent of the province's power generation capacity and 75 per cent of the country's manufacturing sector.
- Ontario has 10,000 kilometres of Great Lakes and St. Lawrence shoreline, the longest freshwater coastline in the world.
- Since 2007, Ontario has invested more than $140 million into 1,000 local Great Lakes protection projects that have dramatically reduced the most harmful pollutants, restored some of the most contaminated areas and engaged hundreds of partners and community groups to protect and restore the health of the Great Lakes.
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Local Farmer Wins Canadian Farmer-Rancher Pollinator Award
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Comber - David Ainslie, a Comber area farmer, has been chosen as the recipient of the 2015 Canadian Farmer-Rancher Pollinator Conservation Award. The award, presented by the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC), The Canadian Federation of Agriculture, and the Canadian Grassland and Forage Association, recognizes individuals who have contributed significantly to pollinator protection, conservation, and issue outreach resulting in increased awareness of the importance of pollinators and pollination.
To read more about the conservation and restoration work David has been involved with, visit http://www.producer.com/2015/10/farmer-awarded-for-providing-pollinator-habitat/.
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| | David Ainslie, recipient of the 2015 Canadian Farmer-Rancher Pollinator Conservation Award, at his farm in Comber. |
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 The Detroit River Canadian Cleanup is on Instagram, a social media site that allows users to share photos and videos. View our account here.
If you have photos taken within the Detroit River watershed, or of the Detroit River itself, please share them with us! The DRCC would love to share those photos via social media or in our newsletter, with your permission.
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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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LAKES ERIE/ST. CLAIR BINATIONAL PUBLIC FORUM
November 6 & 7, 2015
Best Western Plus, Leamington Hotel and Conference Centre, 566 Bevel Line Road, Leamington
Attend the Lakes Erie/St. Clair Binational Public Forum to learn more about the work being done to protect the lakes and to have your voice heard! The meeting will include presentations from Canadian and U.S. agencies, including Environment Canada and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. The meeting will be held at the Best Western Plus, Leamington Hotel & Conference Centre (formerly known as the Pelee Motor Inn). There is no fee to attend the meeting. If you would like to register, please contact Nora Pond at [email protected] or 519-451-2800 ext. 221. For more information, visit http://www.lakeerieforum.org/.
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BASKET WEAVING WORKSHOP
November 7, 2015: 9:00am-4:00pm
John R. Park Homestead, 915 County Road 50, Harrow
Join the Friends of the John R. Park Homestead for a lesson on basket weaving. In this session, best suited for intermediate weavers, you'll make a Rolling Pin Basket. The $60 fee includes all materials and friendly instructions. The full-day workshop includes snacks and drinks, but please bring a lunch and mug to use. A supply list will be provided after registration. To register, call 519-738-2029 or e-mail [email protected].
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HARVEST MOON
November 7, 2015: 7:00-10:00pm
John R. Park Homestead, 915 County Road 50, Harrow
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KOI WRANGLE
November 7, 2015: 10:00am-noon
Belle Isle Aquarium, 900 Inselruhe Avenue, Detroit
Help the Belle Isle Aquarium transfer the fish from their summer home in the pond to their winter home in the Aquarium! Bring a new 5-gallon bucket or large Rubbermaid tote for transferring fish - bring lids if available. Support volunteer operations by donating supplies that help to keep the Aquarium sparkling all year long. For a list of suggested donation items, click here.
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OWL HIKE
November 7, 2015: 7:00pm
Holiday Beach Conservation Area, Amherstburg
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AMHERSTBURG RIVER LIGHTS WINTER FESTIVAL
November 14-December 20, 2015
270 Dalhousie Street, Amherstburg
Come out to the annual Amhersburg River Lights Festival, set along the Detroit River! Tree lighting ceremony, fireworks, canon firing, costumed carolers and dancers, hot chocolate, classic holiday films, carriage rides, gingerbread warming house, & more. Free admission. For more information, visit www.riverlights.ca.
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ESSEX COUNTY FIELD NATURALISTS' 31st ANNUAL DINNER
November 14, 2015: doors open at 5:30
Fogolar Furlan Club, Dante Costa Hall, 1800 North Service Road, Windsor
Celebrate 30 years of the ECFNC and Citizens Environment Alliance on Saturday, November 14. Paul Pratt will present, "Exploring the Brazilian Rainforest: Images of the bold, the beautiful and the bizarre." Come out for a fun evening of food, friends, and photos as Paul Pratt takes us through some of the amazing things he has seen. There will be a silent auction, door prizes, cash bar, and a great meal. Reconnect with old friends, make new friends, and have fun! Tickets are $35 each and can be purchased before November 9th at the Ojibway Nature Centre, the CEA office or Pelee Wings Nature Store, or from Club members, JoAnn Grondin and Carl Maiolani.
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SUPER SANTA RUN
November 14, 2015: 4:00-8:00pm
Navy Yard Park, Amherstburg
Come out and walk or run 5 km dressed as Santa! Get a free Santa suit and stay for the Amherstburg River Lights Festival. Adults $35, children $20. Proceeds benefit the Essex Region Conservation Foundation. Find out more and register online here.
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DECORATING BEE
November 28, 2015: 10:00am-noon
John R. Park Homestead, 915 County Road 50, Harrow
Join the Friends of the Homestead as we deck the halls. Learn to make holiday decorations from natural greens and help to hang it at the Homestead. There is no fee for this event, but pre-registration is required. Register online here. For a map to the homestead, go here.
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LIGHT UP THE AQUARIUM
December 4, 2015: 5:30/6:30-9:30pm
Belle Isle Aquarium, 900 Inselruhe Avenue, Detroit
The Belle Isle Conservancy invites you to, "Light Up The Aquarium, A Glass Act Holiday Fundraiser"! There will be a reception, silent auction and live entertainment. Tickets range from $65/person to $250/person. Please RSVP by November 23; a limited number of tickets will be sold at the door. For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.
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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.
- Terrestrial Monitoring Technician - Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, various locations across Ontario (Closing Date: November 3, 2015)
- Conservation Projects Manager - Stanley Park Ecology Society, Vancouver, BC (Closing Date: November 4, 2015)
- Marine Campaign Coordinator - Ecology Action Centre, Halifax, NS (Closing Date: November 6, 2015)
- Restoration Project Lead - Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, Welland, ON (Closing Date: November 6, 2015)
- Stewardship Project Assistant - Maitland Valley Conservation Authority, Wroxeter, ON (Closing Date: November 6, 2015)
- Conservation Programs Specialist - Ducks Unlimited Canada, Barrie, ON (Closing Date: November 13, 2015)
- Executive Assistant - Oceana Canada, Toronto, ON (Closing Date: November 13, 2015)
- Maintenance Operator - Ontario Water Works Association, Middlesex Centre, ON (Closing Date: November 13, 2015)
- Outdoor Educator - Long Point Region Conservation Authority, Tillsonburg, ON (Closing Date: November 13, 2015)
- Senior Conservator - Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON (Closing Date: November 13, 2015)
- Wading Bird Technician - University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (Closing Date: November 13, 2015)
- Chalet Maintenance Attendant - Conservation Halton, Burlington, ON (Closing Date: November 15, 2015)
- Natural Heritage Technician - Credit Valley Conservation, Mississauga, ON (Closing Date: November 15, 2015)
- Transit Operator - Conservation Halton, Burlington, ON (Closing Date: November 15, 2015)
- Various opportunities at Ontario Conservation Authorities
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