Lake Simcoe Conservation Area celebrates new wetland at Rogers Reservoir

Yorkregion.com
October 31, 2018
Simon Martin

The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA), partners and community members came together Oct. 27 to celebrate a newly constructed wetland at Rogers Reservoir Conservation Area.

“We’re excited to celebrate the completion of this significant project,” said Mike Walters, LSRCA’s chief administrative officer. “The Rogers Reservoir wetland is the first project to be completed under our new Ecological Offsetting Program -- a program that’s essential for LSRCA to maintain and improve the health of Lake Simcoe.”

 

Through LSRCA’s permitting process, the Ecological Offsetting Program requires funding support from developers. Funds that are collected under the program are then applied to projects that will either create or restore natural heritage features within the watershed. The program’s effectiveness lies in the fact that the funding model requires projects that offset the impacts of development on a 2.5:1 ratio -- meaning LSRCA can add or restore more natural features than were removed during development.

Since December 2017, staff, contractors and community groups including York Bassmasters and Delta Waterfowl, worked together to create and enhance the one-hectare seasonal wetland. The new wetland now includes multiple habitat features for turtles, shorebirds, songbirds and other wildlife, as well as a viewing platform where visitors can admire the surrounding beauty. The wetland also offers an outdoor classroom, where educators can bring their students to learn about the environment.

“This project significantly increases the ecological value of the conservation area, and over the next two years we have more plans to enrich the property, including meadow enhancements to attract a variety of grassland bird species like eastern meadowlark and bobolink -- both of which are threatened species in Ontario,” Brian Kemp, general manager of conservation lands at LSRCA, said.

Many features included in the project are aimed at giving animals a sanctuary, including a turtle sandbar and a snake hibernation site. Animals you might see in the wetland include wood ducks, snapping turtles, painted turtles, green frogs, spring peepers, mayflies, water boatmen and dragonflies.

There is an education component to the project: rocks have been set up to create an outdoor classroom around the wetland.

Students from Holland Landing Public School will be able to access the site by using a path coming from its property.