WORK PLANNING, COMMUNICATIONS AND PROJECT LISTING FOR 2013 AND BEYOND

Environmental:

Continue to monitor phosphate hot spots on the French River and determine causes and possible remedies.

Fisheries:
Continue with spawning bed rehabilitation and dam removals.

Tree Planting:
Continue to plant buffer zone around Municipal Landfill site with community partners.

Communications
Continue to improve communication and environmental education to the general public through media and public meetings.

Shore Line Restoration:
Start a new program of shoreline restoration using flower bed plants to filter runoff to the French River.

Community Partnerships:
Continue to foster partnerships with local high school École Secondaire de la Rivière-des-Français, MOE, MNR, Municipality, Businesses and other Environmental Stewardships.

January 2010

Fisheries Management

The Ministry of Natural Resources completed the sampling of fish from 3 parts of the river as planned in November

Detailed information from this study will be available early in 2010 – stay tuned.

We thank the MNR for their support and continuing efforts to help improve the fishing experience on our river.

The Stewardship council will begin to study identified spawning sites in late April and then develop and implement activities to rehabilitate or enhance these locations.

New Web Site….. www.frenchriverstewardship.ca

We now have a new web site containing much more information about our activities, our volunteers, and our projects.

The site includes a ‘members only’ section where we post copies of our membership meeting minutes and other material for the exclusive use of our membership.

Members will receive ‘how to access’ information in a mailing early in 2010.

Please visit us frequently as we will update the information on a regular basis.

Lagoon Project

We are pleased to report that the Municipality has requested a Sudbury engineering firm to prepare a septage plan. The primary purpose of the septage plan is to provide a tool and source information for determining total septage generated currently, current system capacity, future 20 year treatment capacity needs, and how these needs can be best met.

The study will also look at minimizing effluent impact on receiving waters. Although only a first step, we see this as a positive and proactive beginning.

Water Sampling and blue green algae

In the fall of this year we completed the third year of our three year sampling project. The project saw volunteers collect over 180 samples during the spring to fall period. The results of our 2009 samples are expected from the Ontario Lake Partner Program by April of 2010 at which time we will issue a final report. A select few sample sites will be continued in areas where water quality and blue green algae blooms are of concern.  Finding solutions to these critical water issues will require support from all government levels and the local community. Please plan to attend our public and members meeting this summer for a more complete update on our efforts to date.

Thank You

You Stewardship Council thanks all those who have supported us through memberships and donations and hard work. We encourage you to contact us with questions and suggestions, to learn more about our waterways and ways you can help to improve our water quality.

www.frenchriverstewardship.ca

As winter approaches and our water turns to ice, your Stewardship Council is busy preparing for some activities in 2009.

Water testing was completed at 14 locations on the French River in 2008 and samples were taken from early in April to mid October – at least 5 times from most locations, some as many as 9 times.

A more comprehensive testing program was also undertaken for 2 locations in Ranger Bay as we recognized the heavier population density and felt we should try and get more data from this area.

As we receive the results of this program, we expect to have a better understanding of our current water quality levels, can compare this year’s findings with previous data, and begin to see some trends in the changes, specifically in the level of phosphates in the water.

At least one more year of similar testing will be needed to establish solid base line measurements throughout our system.

Over the winter we are busy planning the following:

Tree planting rogram with the local schools for late May or early June 2009.

More comprehensive testing program for the river system for 2009

Education program about the various logos used to identify products used in your home and garden

Proceeding with Incorporation as a charitable organization – targeting to have this in place for the 2009

Plans for the 2009 Public Meeting – will be held in July!!