2003 Activities of
Friends of the Tay Watershed
Ongoing Activities through all or part of year:
1. Promotional activity on the part of the FoTW and other watershed stakeholders in carrying out the recommendations of the Tay River Watershed Management Plan, including (amongst others):
- Development of Discovery Centre concept for the Tay Basin in the Town of Perth
- Encouragement of individual lake associations in developing lake sub-watershed plans
- Dissemination of information on activities and events related to water resources to members of FoTW (information service)
- Continued effort towards a program aimed at improving Tay River water quality in the Town of Perth
2. Participation in related committees and watershed support organizations:
- RVCA's Watershed Watch programme for Christie Lake (8 data collection dates, ending Oct. 6)
- RVCA Steering Committee of Clean/Rural Water Program
- Meetings of the RVCA's Upper Board of the Rideau Watershed
3. Response and assistance to:
- Student environmental program information requests (University of Ottawa, Queen's, Carleton, Trent, and York Universities)
- Enquiries from the community on a range of watershed issues, such as well problems
4. Expansion of linkages with related organizations (eg. Ottawa River Waterkeeper; Jock River Association; watershed lake associations)
5. Maintenance of website, www.tayriver.org
6. Monitoring of EBR postings for permit requests for water, quarries, etc.
7. Participated in planning and implementing regional Envirothon competition for 5 secondary schools
January
| » |
Participation in seminar on Water Quality Protection, presented by RVCA and other conservation authorities (Lombardy) |
| » |
Published newsletter for FoTW members |
| » |
Provided input to Township policy development on groundwater pollution from derelict vehicles (Property Standards By-Law) |
| » |
Attended planning meeting for Lake Management Plans |
February
| » |
Participation in workshop sponsored by the Trillium Foundation on applying for grants (Portland) |
| » |
FoTW Board member participated in Nutrient Management Act seminar (Carleton Place) |
March
| » |
Two FoTW Board members participated in a workshop with the Environmental Commissioner's Office (Kemptville) |
| » |
Presented opinion on floodplain policy of Town of Perth and RVCA, emanating from variance request |
| » |
Presentation to Perth Probus Club on the Tay River watershed |
| » |
Provided input into property standards by-law, Tay Valley Township |
April
| » |
Presented booth at Perth's Maplefest, in cooperation with LL Green |
| » |
Provided written opinion on shoreline development in the Town of Perth |
| » |
FoTW participated in Pitch-In Canada Week; organized the clean-up of a boat ramp on the Tay River at Hanna Rd. (site chosen because of a complaint at the FoTW booth during the Tay Valley Township's open house in 2002) |
| » |
Provided input to Tay Valley Township on budget at a public meeting |
May
| » |
FoTW member attended a 2-day workshop on the new Source Water Protection Act (Toronto) |
| » |
Co-sponsor of the Lake Management Workshop with the Centre for Sustainable Watersheds; presented workshop session on "Volunteers - Getting Them and Keeping Them", in cooperation with FOCA-Perth |
| » |
Input to Town of Perth presentation for the Discovery Centre |
| » |
Provided input to Friends of Ontario Recreational Trails and local business plans for Lanark County trails |
June
| » |
Partnered with LL Green and EcoPerth in the Tay River Shoreline Project, which targeted 50 residences along the Tay River: 25 in Perth and 25 along Christie Lake Road |
| » |
Joined with Perth Historical Society to tour the private Bowes Museum located on the Tay River at Bowes Road |
| » |
Newsletter for FoTW members |
| » |
Attended Shoreline Stewardship Meeting, sponsored by RVCA |
| » |
Participated in meetings involving Stantec Designs for Lanark Highlands and Area for water/sewage/septage |
| » |
Participated in invasive species workshop, Queen's University Biological Station (Stewardship Council sponsor) |
| » |
Attended Ministry of Natural Resources public presentation on Study of Fish Habitat of the Tay River Watershed: Existing Conditions and Opportunities for Enhancement |
July
| » |
Partnered with EcoPerth to present Ecofest in conjunction with the Steward Park Music Festival |
| » |
Cooperated with RVCA in first meeting of stakeholder organizations in the Tay River Watershed Management Plan; presented review of FoTW activities in carrying out the Plan |
| » |
Provided information and arranged media coverage for rowers from Ottawa, Toronto, and Burlington to launch from Last Duel Park (Perth) and row to Ottawa |
| » |
Presented display table and participated in Bobs and Crow Lakes Association Annual General Meeting |
| » |
Construction of artificial loon nesting platforms and signage to accommodate changing water levels on Christie Lake |
August
| » |
Three FoTW Board members attended the inaugural Frontenac Environmental Partnership meeting (Sharbot Lake) |
September
| » |
Two FoTW Board members attended a meeting with Queen's University Professor Kevin Hall to learn more about the research being conducted in the Tay Watershed over the next 4 years by the Centre for Water and the Environment (Kingston) |
| » |
Assisted, through briefings and tours, Professor Roger Needham and students from the University of Ottawa who spent a week in the Perth area preparing for a year-long project for a Geography course in Resource Management and using the Tay Watershed as a case study |
| » |
Presentation on the Tay Watershed to rowing clubs from several cities |
| » |
Six FoTW members participated in the cross-Canada Shoreline Clean-up Project; cleaned up shoreline at Haggart's Dam in Perth (chosen because of a complaint) |
| » |
FoTW partnered with several other area environmental groups in presenting a booth at the conservation area of the International Plowing Match (Carleton Place) |
| » |
Participated in "Stop the Slide" workshop presented by R.E.A.L. (Smith Falls) |
October
| » |
Two FoTW Board members attended the official opening of the Meisel Woods Conservation Area and dedication of Sandi Slater Memorial Walk; this conservation area is the first in the upper Tay River watershed |
| » |
Five members of the FoTW Board participated in Lanark County Visioning exercise to ensure strategic plans include the environment |
| » |
Partnered with CMAG and 5 lake associations to organize all-candidates meetings for municipal elections for the Tay Valley Township and presented candidate questions in TVT and Perth |
| » |
Attended Lanark Groundwater Study Results presentation (Lanark) |
November
| » |
Organization of the AGM |
| » |
Commencement of organization of speakers for winter session |
| » |
Participated in cutting preparations for shoreline planting (with M.A.P.L.E.) |
December
| » |
Held the Friends of the Tay Watershed Annual General Meeting on December 1, 2003 |
|