Hydro One And The City of Peterborough Plant 500 Trees In Ashburnham Memorial Park To Restore Urban Canopy From Last May's Derecho

During Canadian Environment Week, Hydro One and the City of Peterborough helped plant 500 trees at Ashburnham Memorial Park on the heels of the one-year anniversary of the derecho on Wednesday morning.

Jenn McCallum, co-founder of the Ashburnham Memorial Stewardship Group, her dog Blitz and her group of volunteers helping Hydro One and The City of Peterborough plant 500 trees in Ashburnham Memorial Park to help restore the city’s urban canopy after last year’s derecho. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Several volunteers from the Ashburnham Memorial Stewardship Group were on site also lending a hand. Councillors Joy Lachica, Gary Baldwin and Kieth Riel were also in attendance for the event.

Students were originally invited to aid in the tree planting but the air quality conditions were deemed unsafe for the kids to participate.

Hydro One had worked around the clock in order to restore power and help offset any damage caused by the storm. It inspired the company to do something positive for the community according to Teri French, Hydro One executive vice president.

“After the May long-weekend storm last year, I saw first-hand the devastation to the community of Peterborough,” she said. “Responding to this initiative, this tree planting provides such a great benefit for the community and the environment.”

The trees came from Hydro One’s community investment team which was able to supply the funding.

French says this tree planting is more important than ever now than ever before considering the benefits they give and seeing the latest weather conditions in Peterborough and beyond.

“Climate change especially over the last couple days, I think we've realized the importance that providing an urban canopy provides for communities,” she explained.

The City also ran a tree giveaway on Wednesday afternoon shortly after the event. All 250 trees were given away as the City thanked everyone who came out to pick one up according to a Twitter post.

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Tree Canada, LCBO and Otonabee Conservation Work to Enhance Habitat at New Peterborough Animal Care Centre

20 volunteers planted over 150 trees and shrubs at the new Peterborough Animal Care Centre on Friday; made possible through a $10,000 grant from Tree Canada’s Community Tree Grant program and support from project sponsor LCBO.

Local LCBO employees and volunteers from Otonabee Conservation joined staff and volunteers from the Peterborough Humane Society. Pine Needle Farms also came in advance of the event and installed large trees on the property, located at 1999 Technology Drive.

Over 150 native species were planted, including Dogwood, Pussy Willow and Ninebark. These trees and shrubs will support natural diversity, help to mitigate climate change, and help to filter rainwater that flows to the stormwater retention pond and from the adjacent parking lot.

“Partnerships like this one with LCBO along with Tree Canada, Otonabee Conservation, and the 20 plus volunteers that came out to lend a hand with this initiative, makes such a positive impact on our new Centre, while also supporting our environment.” shared Shawn Morey, executive director of Peterborough Humane Society. “It truly means the world to us to see our community come together and put their own sweat and effort into this project.”

Tree Canada is the only national non-profit organization dedicated to planting and nurturing trees in rural and urban environments, in every province across the country. To date, with their partners and sponsors, they have planted more than 84 million trees. Nurturing urban and rural forestry not only sustains Canada’s proud heritage of biodiversity and natural beauty, but also creates a healthier, more sustainable environment for all.

“The protection of our urban forests is as crucial as ever, and it is through partnerships such as these that we can positively influence the health of urban trees and the communities that rely on them,” said Nicole Hurtubise, CEO of Tree Canada. “Through the support of LCBO and Otonabee Conservation, together we can grow better places to live for Canadians one tree at a time.”

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Residents in the Otonabee Region Watershed Plant Over 12,000 Trees This Spring

This year Otonabee Conservation’s Tree Seedling Sales program received 109 orders from property owners across the watershed, and residents ordered over 12,075 native trees and shrubs that were planted throughout the region.

Meredith Carter, Manager of Watershed Management Program (left) and Candace Clark, Watershed Biologist (right) take inventory of tree seedlings as they were distributed to local residents who purchased bulk tree seedings through Otonabee Conservation this spring. photo courtesy of otonabee conservation.

Each year, Otonabee Conservation encourages landowners to enhance their property, increase biodiversity and mitigate climate change impacts by planting trees. The Conservation Authority offers a wide selection of native tree and shrub species for landowners to purchase at affordable prices, thanks to a subsidy provided by Forests Ontario.

“Trees play an important role in maintaining a healthy and resilient natural environment. Trees provide shade that can provide cooling for our homes, watercourses, and greenspaces,” explains Meredith Carter, manager of the Watershed Management Program at Otonabee Conservation. “This year, many people are replacing trees that were damaged or destroyed in the May 2022 Derecho, while others were planting trees to enhance their property. These are all great reasons to plant trees, and the seedlings planting this spring will sequester over 2.5 million kilograms of Carbon over their lifetime.”

Mitigating climate change is one positive outcome of planting trees. Trees also provide clean air, and spending time in forests has physical and mental health benefits. Landowners also plant trees to protect water quality in rivers and streams, provide habitat for birds and other wildlife, and add to the health of our communities by purifying the air and enhancing the environment that surrounds us.

Each year, Otonabee Conservation’s Tree Seedling Sales are available starting in January. Otonabee Conservation also works with local landowners and community partners throughout the year to plant trees on private and public properties.

For more information, visit the website.

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Fleming College and EaRTH District Consortium to Develop Sustainable Technology Sector

Fleming College has joined a leading consortium of post-secondary institutions to help develop the region’s clean, green sustainable technology sector.  

Photo courtesy of EaRTH District, website.

The Environmental and Related Technologies Hub (EaRTH) District is made up of five institutions within the eastern GTA, including Fleming College, Trent University, The University of Toronto Scarborough, Ontario Tech University and Centennial College.  

The goal of EaRTH District is to advance green solutions to fuel sustainable communities and help combat the adverse effects of climate change through clean technology.   

“This consortium is a natural fit for Fleming College, given our research and teaching expertise in areas of the environment, conservation and sustainability in our School of the Environment and Natural Resources,” said Fleming College President Maureen Adamson. “Fleming is looking forward to working within this group to leverage that expertise and create a positive economic impact for the businesses and industries within our region.”  

Fleming’s main area of contribution will include its three world-renowned research centres.  

The Centre for Innovative Aquaculture Production (CIAP), based out of Fleming’s Frost Campus, has been a leading researcher in the investigation, analysis, and development of sustainable aquaculture production. Initially launched as a way to study the restoration of wild fish populations, CIAP is now leading applied research for both commercial and sustainable aquaculture development.  

Fleming’s Centre for Advancement in Water and Wastewater Technologies (CAWT) has been tracking and researching wastewater challenges around the globe. CAWT’s state-of-the-art analytical laboratories are equipped with an exceptional range of equipment capable of everything from microbial analyses to large, big-picture projects.  

The Centre for Advancement in Mechatronics and the Industrial Internet of Things (CAMIIT) is the leading regional hub for industrial and academic research projects. Scientists, faculty researchers, engineers and technologists at CAMIIT work in both the public and private sector to develop innovative solutions to create a smarter and more sustainable world.  

An EaRTH District study projects that the eastern GTA will generate $8.4 billion in total output, $1 billion in taxes and create more than 4,000 jobs over the next two decades.  

For more information on the EaRTH District, visit the website.

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Rotary Club of Peterborough Awards Nearly $10,000 To Advance Environmental Innovation

The Rotary Club of Peterborough and Cleantech Commons hosted the inaugural Rotary Environmental Innovators Awards Thursday evening, recognizing a number of local environmentalists.

Photos courtesy of the Rotary Club of Peterborough.

The Rotary Environmentalist Innovators Fund (REIF) announced the first recipients of the 2023 Rotary Environmental Innovators Award at the event, hosted by Camp Kawartha.

"The response to our call for environmental champions has been phenomenal," said Rotarian Graham Wilkins, who is leading the REIF initiative. "The high-calibre applications we received are a testament to the environmental leadership and collaboration within our community. We look forward to bolstering our support for initiatives to address society's most pressing environmental challenges in new innovative waves.”

Three environmental innovators were awarded $3,000 each towards initiatives addressing environmental issues affecting the Peterborough region.

Carlotta James, Monarch Ultra: The Monarch Ultra raises awareness about the decline of monarch populations through its long-distance running events, social media channels, the media and partnerships with schools, non-profits and municipalities. This vear, they are planning Peterborough's first-ever Monarch Butterfly Festival and Race to bolster monarch butterfly conservation efforts. The organization is also planning festivals and races in the USA and Mexico.

Craig Onafrychuk, Baxter Creek Watershed Alliance (BCWA): A collaborative community initiative, the BCWA is dedicated to conserving and enhancing the local watershed. The Alliance is working with community stakeholders and government to monitor ecological systems in the Baxter Creek watershed, educate the broader community and implement innovative conservation initiatives to protect the natural heritage through landowner stewardship plans and conservation agreements.

Dylan Radcliffe, creator of a drone for large-scale environmental restoration projects: Dvlan has created a drone that broadcasts high-value tree and tallgrass seed with precision over large areas to help restore essential ecosystems. The drone operates autonomously with limited operator intervention and can be constructed with tools commonly available in school or library makerspaces. The intention is to release the project as an open-source design - a relatively new concept in the environmental sector.

"Helping start-ups and entrepreneurs bring their innovative green technologies to the market is at the heart of Cleantech Commons," said Martin Yuill, Cleantech Commons Executive Director. "Initiatives such as REIF are the launchpad for many high-impact advances that will move society forward while protecting the environment.”

Given the applicants' exceptional ingenuity and commitment to environmental conservation, two additional finalists received $300 each for their initiatives:

Zachary McCue, REPWR: REPWR designs and builds renewable energy systems for the intermodal shipping network, which provide clean power for the shipping industry and lower greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impact.

Christa Plumley, Ava&Ziva: As a sustainable clothing brand, Ava&Ziva strives to reduce the environmental impact of the clothing industry by using deadstock fabric for its high-quality, small-batch garments.

The REIF partners have exciting plans for the coming months, including ramping up their fundraising efforts, networking, mentorship opportunities for applicants and introducing a youth award.

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City of Peterborough to Operate a Community Bio-Blitz Starting Friday

Peterborough is taking part in a community bio-blitz from Friday to Monday as part of the City Nature Challenge competition, announced by The City of Peterborough on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

The City describes a bio-blitz as a ‘survey that identifies wildlife with the goal to understand the biodiversity of a location,’ according to a press release. Nature observations made are uploaded using the iNaturalist app and posted to the Peterborough event page. All natural areas in the city are eligible for nature sightings.

At the end of the bio-blitz, wildlife observations will be tallied to determine the winning communities in Canada.

On Saturday, the City of Peterborough and Peterborough Field Naturalists will host a bio-blitz at Jackson Park from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

It features family-friendly nature walks for residents to learn how to make nature observations while exploring the park. Walks will be approximately one hour, with the first tour at 9 a.m. and the last at 2 p.m., with a break at noon. Guided tours start at the event base camp booth located near the Jackson Park pond and Pagoda Bridge. Residents can also participate in wildlife surveys throughout the park.   

A tree will be planted in Jackson Park to celebrate the event as part of the City of Peterborough’s Urban Forestry program.

More information is at peterborough.ca/bioblitz.

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Total Burn Ban Lifted for Selwyn Township

On Monday, Selwyn Township Fire Department has lifted the Total Burn Ban which was issued April 11.

photo courtesy of selwyn township.

Burn barrels are not permitted in the Township and open air burning is not allowed in built-up areas. Burn permits are still required for any fire that is not a campfire or outdoor fireplace.

To purchase a burn permit visit the Bridgenorth Fire Hall (833 Ward Street).

For more information, contact the Township of Selwyn Fire Department at (705) 292-7282.

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Photos: Volunteers Make Jackson Park A Little Greener With Earth Day Cleanup

Gunther Schubert (left) and Ken Clare (right) give up their day by cleaning up litter throughout Jackson Park and Jackson Creek Trail on Earth Day held on Saturday. All photos by David Tuan Bui.

Several local community volunteers picked up litter along Jackson Park and Jackson Creek Trail during Earth Day on Saturday morning into the afternoon.

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Jackson Creek Environmental Remediation Update

The City of Peterborough announced that conditions have greatly improved on Jackson Creek at the outlet to Little Lake after environmental remediation work to contain and cleanup an oil sheen discovered on March 16.

file photo.

Monitoring March 18 through to the 20 reflected that the remediation efforts have been successful in containing and removing contamination.  

The source of the contamination has not been determined, but investigation and remediation efforts continue. There is historical contamination in the area. 

The City is working with the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks to investigate and to consider additional intermediate and longer-term measures. 

When the oil sheen was discovered on March 16, the City immediately took action to contain and clean up the contamination. 

Last fall and earlier this winter, the City undertook environmental remediation efforts on a nearby City-owned property that was approved by the Ministry of the Environment after an oil sheen appeared on Jackson Creek at the outlet to Little Lake in August. The source of that contamination was unknown, however, the City took precautionary measures to prevent contamination from its property.  

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Fleming College Students Tree Create Urban Forest Management Plan For Lindsay Golf and Country Club

The fairways are looking a little greener at the Lindsay Golf and Country Club as Urban Forestry Technician students from Fleming College are completing a tree inventory and creating an urban forest management plan for the golf club on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of FLeming College.

The plan helps the golf club decide which trees to plant and where they will go on the course.

The club’s tree population is predominantly Ash-most of which are infested by the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive species that has significantly impacted urban and forested canopies across Ontario according to Fleming College. The insect is the cause of the trees becoming dead or dying and needing to be removed and replaced.  

The club anticipates planting 20 to 25 trees per year over the next several years.

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