Hello FOMR!
Summer is flying by and it has been a while since an update so here it is – your summer 2025 update!
Although we’ve been quiet for a few months, good things for the Mad River are in the works. Here’s the highlights:
2025 upcoming restoration work:
- The third phase of the NVCAs habitat restoration work on the Mad River at Carruthers Park is coming up! It is scheduled to start in mid to late August. The focus this year is to better channelize the river above the newly installed vegetated rock buttress. Laura described this season’s work as follows:
“This August we will be completing a third phase of this project, where we will restore the multi-channel pattern of the river. This area was historically mechanically altered into a single, straight channel with a bulldozer, which contributed to erosion, disconnected the river from its floodplain, and degraded habitat. We will restore side channels and their habitat and reestablish river-side forest cover. “
Funding and Support:
- The NVCA has been working away to secure the funding required to complete its habitat restoration work on the Mad River and across the greater Nottawasaga watershed, and with our help as community partners, has been able to secure funding from multiple sources including Clearview municipality, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Fund, EcoAction, WWF, Lake Huron Georgian Bay Local Action Fund, HJ McDonald Foundation, other funders and donations from the public.
Website Launch:
- In efforts to pick up some momentum (and think longer term) about our fundraising abilities as a community group, FOMR is happy to announce that we are working to create a simple website! This will be our landing page going forward, something to share with people who wish to support the work, as well as share the work that has been completed thus far.
- This effort has been spearheaded by John Gordon and supported by J.W. Gordon Custom Building. Huge thank you to John for moving this along and for Gray Bruer who is the designer, We will keep you posted once it is live and up and running!
Video:
- Lastly, I wanted to share this awesome video that Laura shared with us. Fred and Laura joined the geomorphology experts at GeoMorphix Ltd who helped design our FOMR improvement project, and created a film about our work! Friends of the Mad River is of course mentioned! This film has been submitted to the Society for Ecological Restoration’s Film Festival. Feel free to share the link. There are some really great explanations about this work and why it is so important for the River (not to mention the sick drone shots !) Definitely worth the watch.
Volunteer and Donate:
There will be opportunities for our volunteers to get out and do some tree planting and live staking this fall at the site, so I will keep you all posted once we have some dates. If you would like to volunteer this fall for tree planting and revegetation, please contact lwensink@nvca.on.ca
As always, should you wish to donate to the implementation of this project, donations can be made at NVCA’s Canada Helps page by selecting “Mad River Enhancement” https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/nottawasaga-valley-conservation-authority/
Thanks for your continued support in protecting our watershed!
