September 21, 2009
I would like to thank everyone who participated in Peche Island Day 2009! It was absolutely wonderful seeing so many people interested in visiting this beautiful island park on the Detroit River. I hope everyone enjoyed themselves...I know I did! We look forward to seeing you at Peche Island again next year.
Remember, we love to hear from you! Please email
your environmental events/news or newsletter suggestions. Depending on
timing, we can include your event in our newsletter or on our events calendar.
Natalie Green, RAP Coordinator
postmaster@detroitriver.ca
The DRCC is a community-based partnership between government, industry, academics, as well as environmental and community organizations that work collectively in helping to improve the health of the Detroit River. Our key goal is to implement the Canadian Remedial Action Plan (RAP) in order to restore the beneficial uses and remove the River from the list of Great Lakes Areas of Concern.
Did you know??
...that
Peche Island was once a homestead for early French settlers, a
retirement property for Hiram Walker, a developer's dream tourist
attraction that ended in ruin, a Provincial Park, and finally a City of
Windsor park?
For more interesting Peche Island facts, please visit:
Over 300 people visited Peche Island!
Thank you to our many volunteers, boat sponsors and drivers, canoe paddlers, and those who attended Peche Island Day 2009. We couldn't have had such a wonderful event without you!
This year, 343 people (and 3 dogs) boarded a boat or paddled the Montreal canoe across the Detroit River to visit this beautiful island park owned and maintained by the City of Windsor. While waiting at Lakeview Park Marina to board their boat, some visitors even had the opportunity to see a short-shinned hawk up close! Once on the island, visitors were able to join a guided tour of the island or explore it on their own. Some used the opportunity to meet up with friends and family to enjoy a picnic lunch and take photos (see below).
The Detroit River Canadian Cleanup owes a special thanks to the following organizations for their important role in Peche Island Day 2009:
- BASF Inc.
- Citizens Environment Alliance
- City of Windsor
- Essex County Field Naturalists' Club
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research (University of Windsor)
- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
- Windsor-Essex County Canoe Club
Peche Island Day is an annual event hosted by several of the DRCC's member organizations to celebrate Peche Island's history and ecology as part of the Detroit River. It's also an opportunity for people to visit the Island which is only accessible by boat.
Phil Roberts (ECFNC) with a sharp-shinned hawk.
Participants begin their journey across the Detroit River
in the Montreal canoe with members of the Windsor-Essex County Canoe Club.
Photo credit: Glen Garant
Boarding the BASF boat at 10 am.
The view from Peche Island.
Photo credit: Glen Garant
Waterlife: the epic journey of our water
Did you know that the Great Lakes provide the Earth
with 20% of its surface fresh water? Over 35 million people who live in the
Great Lakes Basin are lucky to have access to such a precious resource and rely
on it for survival; however, humans have subjected the Great Lakes to years of
pollution and degradation. Waterlife
is a documentary about the state of the Great Lakes and follows its water on
its journey from northern Lake Superior to the Atlantic Ocean.
Join the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup (DRCC) in partnership with the City of Windsor on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 for a free screening of the Waterlife documentary
at SilverCity Windsor (4611 Walker Road, Windsor). Doors open at 7:00 pm and the movie
will begin at 7:30 pm.
Registration is required to attend and seats are limited! Today (Sept. 21) is the last day to register! Maximum 4 seats reserved per caller.
Please
dial 3-1-1 (if you live in Windsor) or 519-255-2489 (outside of
Windsor) to reserve
your seat! Once you have registered, your ticket(s) can be picked up at
SilverCity Windsor (at the DRCC table) on the night of the event.
To view the official Waterlife trailer, visit:www.ourwaterlife.com
To download the poster, click here.
For more information about the event, contact
Natalie Green of the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup at 519-982-3722 or postmaster@detroitriver.ca.
Financial
support is kindly provided to the DRCC by Environment Canada and the
Ontario Ministry of the Environment. Funding for this event was also
provided by the City of Windsor.
Save the Date...
for these upcoming events
Dive into our Area of Concern: Detroit River Information Session
Monday, September 28, 2009 - 7 pm to 9 pm
Do you want to learn more about the research and projects in the Detroit River Area of Concern? If so, join the Local Council of Women of Windsor (LCWW) and the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup on Monday, September 28, 2009 (7-9 pm) at the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research (GLIER) for an evening of interesting presentations and an opportunity to learn about the Detroit River.
GLIER is located at 2990 Riverside Drive West, Windsor, Ontario (Map).
Street parking is free after 6 pm but is very limited. Please walk, bike, or car-pool to the seminar. Additional pay-and-display parking in the area is a short walk from GLIER and is available for $1.25/hour.
Click here to download the poster.
For more information, contact Margaret Jennings (LCWW) at 519-250-0705 or Natalie Green 519-982-3722.
Holiday Beach Hawk Festival
September 12-26, 2009
Experts on the Hawk Tower at this globally significant Important Bird Area assist with hawk identification daily. On weekends, attend for banding demonstrations, wild hawk releases and talks. Many special features during the September 19/20 weekend also include workshops and seminars for experts and novices alike, dragonfly hikes, hands-on kid's activities, bird banding and monarch butterfly tagging demonstrations. Visit www.erca.org for more information.
Windsor Chapter of Peregrine Foundation Holds Fundraising Event
Sunday, October 4, 2009 - 1 pm to 5 pm
The Windsor chapter of the Peregrine Foundation of Canada will be holding a fundraising event at The Grove Gallery near Harrow. Hosted by Vaughn Snelgrove, Director of The Grove Gallery, this event will be an opportunity for the public to learn more about one of the most amazing raptors to grace our skies, namely the peregrine falcon. Presentations will be provided by representatives of the Windsor chapter of the Peregrine Foundation of Canada and educational videos will also be available. Two official limited editions of 'The Peregrine' for Peregrine Foundation of Canada will be unveiled at this event. As well, a silent auction will be held for one beautiful framed limited edition canvas print. All proceeds of the silent auction will go towards future stewardship efforts of the Peregrine Foundation of Canada and its Windsor chapter. Light refreshments will be available free of charge, and a barbecued lunch will be available for sale.
The Grove Gallery is located at 4011 Hickory Acres Dr., off Concession 4 between Walker Road and Arner Townline. For more information, please contact Dennis Patrick, Peregrine Watch Site Coordinator, at 519-969-1137, or Vaughn Snelgrove, Director of The Grove Gallery, at 519-738-0715.
Ojibway Nature Reserve Family, Youth and Adult Programs
Various Dates
A cost may be associated with certain programs. Visit www.ojibway.ca/events.htmor call 519-966-5852 for more information.
- Oct 12: Ojibway Fall Festival - 12 pm to 4 pm - Free Admission
- Oct 15: Mushrooms and digital photography (Adults 16+) - 6:30 to 8 pm $6/pp
Caring for our Coast Forum 2009:
Envisioning a Lake Erie Community Stewardship Trail Network
October 22-23, 2009
Join the Carolinian Canada Colalition and Parks Canada at Pelee Days Inn and Point Pelee National Park on October 22 and 23, 2009. This event will launch a major new initiative, the Lake Erie Community Stewardship Trail Project, to promote enjoyment and understanding of the diverse coastal zone. Can conservation, recreation and tourism work together to make a difference on a significant landscape? This conference will explore eco-friendly ways to link these sectors and recover species at risk on Canada's ecologically diverse southernmost coastline.
For more information on this forum or to register, visit Carolinian Canada's websiteor call 519-433-7077.
Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement - Biennial Meeting
October 7-8, 2009 - Windsor, Ontario
Free registration is open now! For more details and information, visit: http://meeting.ijc.org
Environmental Job Postings
(note: the links will expire after the deadline closes.)- Insect Rearing Assistant - Dept. of Natural Resources
Deadline: Tuesday, September 22, 2009 - Water Resources Engineer - Nickel District Conservation Authority
Deadline: Monday September 28, 2009 - Supervisor of Aquatic Resources - Grand River Conservation Authority
Deadline: Monday, September 28, 2009 - Project Coordinator - Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (Sudbury)
Deadline: Monday, October 5, 2009
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email: postmaster@detroitriver.ca |