The Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority (LTVCA) stewardship department has received a $40,000 grant through Wildlife Habitat Canada (WHC) for watershed-wide wetland restoration.
Funding will support wetland projects created between April 1 of this year and March 31, 2021 to benefit all member municipalities.
This grant, combined with other funding partner donations and landowner contributions, will support wetland projects.
Depending on the size, wetland excavations can vary from $6,000 to $20,000, with the average size costing between $6,000 and $8,000.
The best way for an interested person to find out more about wetland restorations on their property is to contact local stewardship staff at the LTVCA who will review the wetland restoration program with them.
“The generous grant from Wildlife Habitat Canada will be instrumental in completing wetland creation and restoration work in the Lower Thames watershed, providing valuable natural infrastructure that will help with flood control and water quality. These wetland projects will also build and increase the amount of natural cover in the watershed, providing habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife,” Peter Moddle, LTVCA Land Stewardship Technician, said in a media release.
The LTVCA watershed is between two migratory bird trajectories for the Atlantic and the Mississippi, with wetlands playing a vital role in our landscape.
Migratory birds depend on wetlands for habitat, and an area for staging and breeding. Unfortunately, 72 per cent of southwestern Ontario’s wetlands have been lost and 90 per cent of the Carolinian forest has been cleared for rural or urban development.
“This funding will enhance our climate change resiliency and ultimately benefit all Canadians,” Greg Van Every, LTVCA Environmental Project Co-ordinator, said.
