Lake Simcoe funding could help farmers, rural landowners

By Heidi Riedner Georgina Advocate

The area’s local conservation authority plans to parlay $3 million in federal funds into $14 million in key watershed projects during the next three years.

The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority received more than $3 million from the first round of funding under the Conservative government’s Lake Simcoe South-eastern Georgian Bay Clean-Up Fund (LSGBCUF) announced last week.

If you have property along a river or stream bank, you may be able to protect your property and save money while doing it since three of the four programs being funded are geared to providing grants to private landowners.

“We’re always looking for private landowners willing to undertake environmental improvements to their properties,” the LSRCA’s manager of watershed stewardship, Phil Davies, said.

“While many of the projects we engage in are on public land, private landowners are also eligible to take advantage of funding. If it creates an environmental benefit to the watershed, it’s of interest to us,” he added.

Agricultural or rural landowners who have streams or rivers running through their properties will most likely be able to participate in projects.

While the LSRCA’s programs are also evolving to recognize the reality of urban living and its impact on the environment, projects that urban residents will be able to take advantage of will be announced later this year.

In the more immediate future, however, $279,000 will go to the Maskinonge River Recovery Project to continue naturalization of the shoreline.

In addition, $2.4 million has been set aside for CONRVS — a watershed-wide phosphorus reduction granting program.

The program provides financial grants to private landowners to address a variety of projects focused on the most stressed parts of the watershed, to reduce phosphorus inputs into the lake as well as increase water filtration into the ground.

An additional $355,000 is slated for the Oro-Medonte area for various environmental projects identified through the 2010 Oro Moraine watershed report card and a physical inventory of best management practices conducted along streams in the area.

The Scanlon Creek Revitalization program will receive $31,000 to help efforts to restore the area to its natural state, to enhance water quality and encourage better fish habitat.

“We attribute our success in securing funds to many factors, not the least of which is that we’re able to demonstrate value for money,” said LSRCA Chairperson Debbie Bath, who is also a Durham Regional Councillor and neighbouring Brock Township’s Deputy Mayor.

“We have proven success in finding partners to leverage the money we receive … We give full credit to our partnerships; they are the key to our success.”

To ask about how you can protect your property and save money while doing it if you have property along a river or stream bank, contact the LSRCA at 905-895-1281.

You can also be the first to join the LSRCA’s Maskinonge River celebration and tree planting being held Saturday, May 31 at Belhaven Hall, located at 25202 Warden Ave. in Keswick beginning at 10 a.m.

The LSRCA is one of 36 conservation authorities in the province addressing the protection and management of water and other natural resources.

In addition to a number of key projects and programs aimed at shoreline naturalization, improved water quality/fish habitat and phosphorus reduction, the LSRCA’s Landowner Environmental Assistance Program (LEAP) can offer financial and technical assistance to private well owners on upgrading, repairing or decommissioning wells.

The new pilot program for 2014 now includes funding for establishing a rain garden on your property

Visit lsrca.on.ca or call 905-895-1281 for program and service information.