Town of Richmond Hill Community Stewardship Program Environmental Services Division November 19, 2011 Environmental Advisory Committee Symposium
Richmond Hill s s Organization Office of the C.A.O. Community Services Corporate & Financial Services Planning & Regulatory Services Environment & Infrastructure Services Natural Environment Presentation Title Date Slide Number Other Details
Richmond Hill s s Significant Natural Features Headwaters of the Rouge, Don and East Humber River originate in Richmond Hill 8 species listed under the Ontario Endangered Species Act &/or the Canadian Species at Risk Act, R.S.O. 1990 6 Provincially Significant Wetland Complexes 7 Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest 6 Kettle Lakes (including the largest on the ORM)
Protection for Our Environment Policies and plans have been put in place to protect the Town s natural features Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan Three different Watershed Plans (Rouge, Humber & Don River Watershed Plans) Greenbelt Plan Town of Richmond Hill Official Plan Protect and enhance natural environmental systems, functions and resources over the long term Incorporate and promote sustainable development practices and initiatives
Community Stewardship Program Working with the community to increase environmental awareness and provide handson assistance to protect and enhance the Town s natural areas. Annual capital account $150,000 Partners approach the Town with ideas for environmental restoration on Town land To qualify for a project, the partner must contribute at a 2:1 funding ratio (Town: Partner) involve community engagement or local environmental restoration
2011 Partnerships Evergreen Community Greening Town $55,000 : Evergreen $55,000 (estimate ytd) York Region Community Tree Planting Town $4,400 : York Region $7,500 Toronto & Region Conservation Authority Watershed Tree Planting Town $48,000 : TRCA $24,000 Ontario Streams Stream Rehabilitation Town $30,000 : OS $15,000 Ontario Stewardship Rangers Stewardship and Invasive Species Removal Town $4,000 : OSR $2,000
Community Greening with Evergreen 2011 Official Earth Day Celebration in Richmond Hill Workshops on community gardening, harvest celebration Establish a butterfly garden Ecological restoration & stewardship In Total: 355+ volunteers (5 diff school groups) 2 garden workshops 1 harvest celebration 50 bags of invasive species removed 1800 trees, seedlings and wildflowers planted
Community Tree Planting with York Region 2011 Saigeon Trail Community volunteers Twickenham Park St. Theresa de Lisieux Eco Club Humber Flats Eco Park Community volunteers Heron Pond Richmond Hill Scouts Group Timber Valley Ave Community volunteers Mill Pond Park Community volunteers Phyllis Rawlinson Park Toronto Chinese for Ecological Living Group & Community volunteers In Total: 2,645 trees, shrubs and saplings 345 volunteers 15 bags of invasive species removed
Watershed Tree Planting with TRCA 2011 Facilitate riparian and valleyland tree and shrub planting: Don Watershed Woodlot Management Rouge Watershed Woodlot restoration East Humber Watershed Naturalization of the Fontainbleu Park In Total: 2,915 trees and shrubs planted Eg. Selwyn Road & Gamble Road
Stream Rehabilitation with Ontario Streams 2011 Don Watershed Live staking, garbage clean up, invasive species removal, debris clearing and bank protection, fish barrier mitigation, gabion barrier crossing Patterson Creek before Rouge Watershed Stream restoration planting, garbage clean up along Rouge River Headwaters In Total: 2,550 trees and shrubs and live stakes planted 104 volunteers after
Invasive Species Removal with Ont. Stewardship Rangers 2011 Phyllis Rawlinson Park Invasive species removal and mulching at the native tree nursery Hunter s Point Wildlife Park Maintenance of the butterfly garden stewardship & mulching In Total: 120 bags of invasive species removed before after before after
Community Stewardship Program Achievements Since 2008 we have: Planted 56,500 trees and shrubs Engaged 5,144 volunteers Held 177 stewardships events Delivered stewardship projects that have a combined project value of $1,004,625. Raised $350,164 of matching partner contributions
What s s Next 2012 Partnerships: Evergreen Community Greening Toronto & Region Conservation Authority Watershed tree planting Ontario Streams Stream rehabilitation Ontario Stewardship Rangers Stewardship & invasive species removal York Region Greening Strategy Other Community stewardship & planting projects
Thank you! Azadeh Rashvand, B.Sc., M.E. Sc., EPt Natural Environment Coordinator arashvand@richmondhill.ca Tel: 905 771 5509