June/July 1995
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June/July 1995 |
by Betty Learmouth
In 1989, when the first cleanup of the Old Channel of Little River was carried out by local school children, few could have imagined the impact these initial steps would have on the community. Today the efforts of students, teachers and the community have grown into a vision of an interconnected greenway leading from the mouth of Little River at the convergence of Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River to its source a few miles east of Windsor. The Little River Enhancement Group (Lil' Reg), students and teachers have also been responsible for changing attitudes about the watershed.
The initial effort on the Old Channel was expanded in 1991 based on the belief that a broad vision was needed to address the variety of factors influencing the Old Channel's ecological, cultural and social health. Lil' Reg's approach places direct emphasis on watershed enhancement and greenway development throughout the entire 60 square-kilometer (24 square-mile) watershed. In addition, Lil' Reg has educated students, teachers and the community and published a brochure to encourage others to undertake their own stewardship projects.
Lil' Reg's focus is to involve the community through a public awareness program. Partnerships are continuing to be formed through adoption of the watershed program and launching creative projects along various tributaries to the Little River. After many successful projects on public lands, Lil' Reg has recently expanded its efforts to private lands. Landowners have cooperated with efforts to develop trails and restore water quality and wildlife habitat along drainage ditches for public benefit.
Volunteers for Lil' Reg include teachers, a naturalist, engineers, a policy analyst, a parks maintenance supervisor and a landscape architect and planner. Members represent the eight-school Riverside Habitat 2000 Club, Essex County Field Naturalists, Ministry of Environment and Energy, Essex Region Conservation Authority, the International Joint Commission, Sandwich South Township and the City of Windsor. Lil' Reg meets monthly, but members are actively involved in watershed cleanups, trail development, tree planting, fundraising, media relations and outreach programs on an ongoing basis.
To date nearly $500,000 has been spent on public and private lands by the municipalities and other government agencies. In-kind contributions by individuals and private companies have not been tabulated, but are likely to exceed that amount. Donated materials and equipment contribute to the success of many watershed projects. Lil' Reg focuses on fundraising through raffles, T-shirt sales and barbecues.
An information brochure published by Lil' Reg in partnership with the Windsor's Parks and Recreation Department, Essex Region Conservation Authority and Canada's Great Lakes Health Effects Program, describes the environmental health benefits derived from natural watershed management. Community Stewardship of the Little River Watershed includes benefits drawn from Lil' Reg's years of experience with cleanups, trail development, tree planting, water quality monitoring, biological inventories, fundraising, private landowner contact and promotion and enhancement of the watershed.
To obtain a brochure on this stewardship program, contact Lil' Reg, 399 Woodridge Avenue, Windsor, ON N8N 3A7. Telephone or fax (519)974-6958 (except during July and August); or fax (519)255-7990 or (519)257-6740.
Betty Learmouth is secretary for the Little River Enhancement Group.
Sommaire
En 1989, lorsque les élèves de l'école locale ont procédé au premier nettoyage du Vieux canal (Old Channel) de la rivière Little, très peu de gens auraient pu imaginer l'impact de ces premières interventions sur la communauté. Aujourd'hui, les efforts des étudiants, des professeurs et de l'ensemble de la communauté se sont transformés en une vision d'une voie écologique reliant l'embouchure de la rivière Little à la convergence du lac Sainte-Claire et de la rivière Détroit jusqu'à sa source située quelques milles à l'est de Windsor. Le Groupe d'amélioration de la rivière Little (Lil' Reg), les étudiants et les professeurs ont également influencé les nouvelles attitudes relatives au bassin hydrologique.
In April, the Canadian Wildlife Federation paid tribute to two environmental institutions in the Windsor, Ontario area. Concord Public School was chosen as the site to kick off National Wildlife Week because "it is the most environmentally-friendly school in Canada," according to federation Executive Vice President Colin Maxwell. The memory of pioneering Kingsville naturalist Jack Miner was also honored.
Since 1989, pupils at the school have been working to improve bird habitat by planting trees, shrubs and flowers around their grounds, pioneering an extensive in-school recycling program and working to clean up the Little River and its wetland system. To honor the leader in the school's environmental efforts, Maxwell presented environmental studies teacher Ian Naisbitt with the Canada 125 medal, marking the first century and a quarter of Confederation.
Revised: March 20, 1997
Maintained by Kevin McGunagle,
mcgunaglek@ijc.wincom.net