Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
A late spring heat wave is prompting the Region of Waterloo to remind residents of the need to conserve water when possible as the annual water conservation bylaw takes effect. On Friday, the region said during these heatwaves it is important for residents to adhere to using outdoor water only when needed and only on their designated watering day.
The temperature has been in the thirties in London this week, which according to CBC's climate dashboard, that's approximately 10 C above average. It follows a very dry May. Hodgins said it's important to recognize that if the leaves coming off your tree are falling in clumps, it's likely the work of thirsty squirrels looking for moisture in the juicy leaves or flushing out their nests. "Clusters of five or six leaves are squirrels. Individuals leaves falling are a symptom of a tree conserving water," Hodgins said. She said vulnerable species of trees right now are silver maples, willows and London plane trees, or Sycamores.
If you have spare land in Niagara in need of some trees, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) is looking for you. “Trees for All” is an initiative that sees the NPCA partner with local community groups, environmental agencies and government organizations. Landowners can apply for the grant to help Canada reach its goal of planting two billion trees.
After buying the farm, by the mid-1970s, Dobson had assembled his own herd of beef cattle. He noticed that the water in the stream that crossed his property was declining in quality and quantity. The banks had eroded and the elm trees nearby had died of Dutch elm disease. He planted a tree buffer along the stream and added solar-powered pumping systems. Some of the trees are now 30 or 40 feet tall. The water is cleaner, which leads to healthier, happier cattle and more wildlife. “Now the banks are more like a sponge,” he says. “If there’s a heavy rain, it goes into the ground, The water is cleansed of nutrients and slowly released.
Sharp recommends a good soaking for larger trees about every 10 days to two weeks that reaches 20 to 25 centimetres into the root zone. Following Capital Regional District watering restriction guidelines, that’s about an hour using a sprinkler or soaker hose. Too much watering might cause root rot and fungus problems, said Sharp, who also recommends surrounding the trees with coarse mulch, such as wood chips, that shades the soil and slows evaporation. People can also help trees by avoiding compacting the soil around the base. “It’s really important to limit traffic around trees, like playgrounds and vehicles, because water just runs off and doesn’t get to the roots,” he said.
The federal government’s plan to plant up to 320 million trees a year to meet the prime minister’s target to put an extra two billion trees in the ground by 2030 has been met with sharp criticism from opposition members including the New Democrat’s natural resources critic, Charlie Angus (NDP — Timmins-James Bay). Marie-Claude Bibeau, minister of agriculture and agri-food, said the national tree planting program “will engage farms groups across the country and help farmers manage soil erosion, improve water management, provide habitat for pollinators and other wildlife, and shelter for livestock.”
On Monday, May 17, notice was posted that extraction below the water table and changes to the rehabilitation in the site plan for Durham Stone and Paving Inc. Feversham had been approved. Details posed on the Environmental Registry of Ontario website said that the consultation was open from Nov. 12 to Dec. 27, 2019. Local gravel extraction operations are sources of employment through the region, including Southgate, which also has pits, especially in the former Egremont area.
