HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2012-07-12, Page 11THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 12, 2012. PAGE 11.
The Auburn Horticultural Society
facilitated a Rural Land Stewardship
Project in September of 2011 and
were the recipients of a RBC Blue
Water Project grant awarded on June
8, 2012 on RBC Blue Water Day.
Auburn is located beside the
Maitland River, which is habitat for
several species at risk and is
important to Huron County’s
tourism industry. Auburn has a long
history of community activism
through volunteer groups in the
village with the Auburn Lions Club,
Women’s Institute, the Playground
Committee and the Auburn
Horticultural Society (chartered in
1950). Auburn has a unique
municipal structure as the village
consists of three municipalities –
North Huron, Central Huron and
Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh.
The Auburn Horticultural Society
is a member of the Ontario
Horticultural Association – a
volunteer charitable organization
whose mission is to provide
leadership and assist in promotion of
education and interest in all areas of
horticulture and related
environmental issues in Ontario,
through an expanding network of
horticultural societies dedicated to
the beautification of their
communities.
The Stewardship Project provided
education to residents in a village
setting on environmental issues,
providing information and resources
to improve awareness of
environmentally sustainable
practices, creating community pride
in a clean environment, promotion
protection of sustainable resources,
planting native species and creating
a culture of water stewardship.
The group’s goal was to have 20
households participate in the pilot
project, through promotion in the
media, posters and word of mouth.
This represents about 25 per cent of
the village. Participants who also
had rural farmland completed the
additional pages in the Rural Land
Stewardship workbook. In order to
be successful, participants partnered
with local environmental agencies
for funding and technical support.
They presented their project to
Huron County Water Protection
Steering Committee as well as the
Source Protection Committee for
Ausable Bayfield Maitland Valley
(Drinking Water Source Protection)
and received strong support.
The pilot project consisted of a
workshop divided into two-to-three-
hour sessions. Day one of the
workshop, led by Horticultural
Society members and Maitland
Valley Conservation Authority
(MVCA) staff, participants reviewed
the Rural Landowner Stewardship
Guide, provided by Ausable
Bayfield Conservation Authority
(ABCA). Participants were guided
through a review of their wells, fuel
storage, Source Water Protection,
water testing, and septic systems.
Landscaping using native plants and
trees, instead of invasive species and
the use of rain barrels were
encouraged.
Participants returned home to
complete their review of the
environmental practices, risks and
challenges on their properties.
On day 2 of the workshop, support
was provided to complete the
workbook and answer questions.
Action plans were developed by
each participant to improve the
environmental practices on their
properties. If applicable,
applications for Huron Clean Water
Fund and Source Water Protection
grants were completed, with
assistance from Doug Hocking
(MVCA).
Each participant received a sign to
promote environmental protection,
and these signs are visible on 20
properties throughout the village
and community. Also available were
native trees, recognizing the value of
trees needing to be replaced, as well
as use of native species. Native
shrubs for each participant were also
available, given that not all
properties in a village can support a
tree, but native flowers can replace
grass. Each participant had the
option to purchase a rain barrel from
our local Auburn Bay Co-operative
at a greatly reduced rate to better
manage storm water and reduce the
use of groundwater for watering.
At the end of the project,
participants were successful in
meeting their co-op performance
measures for the pilot program.
They had 20 Action Plans
developed, total of 33 trees were
planted, 20 native shrubs (Cersis
Canadensis – Redbud), 10 rain
barrels were purchased with co-
payment by participants, nine
inquiries related to Source Water
Protection funding and requests for
information, 3 participants with
rural farmland expressed interest in
creating wetlands or re-foresting
marginal land. Water sampling
bottles were handed out from Huron
County Health Unit.
The Action Plans identified such
measures as
• Eavestroughing to manage storm
water on the lot better (direct away
from weeping bed or storm sewer)
• Water testing (bacteria and
metals, fuels)
• Improved composting
techniques
• Maintenance and pumping of
septic tanks
• Insulating homes for energy
efficiency
• Improved recycling at home
• Managing Hazardous Waste
better (eg - most did not realize that
small batteries can go to
Holmesville Landfill site)
• Drainage issues (eg - ponding
water near septics, ‘mystery’
drainage issues).
Many participants commented on
how much they had learned as they
developed their action plans. Some
confirmed that they were doing a
good job, but also identified areas
that they needed to improve.
The workshop was deemed to be atremendous success by the localagencies worked with. TheSoutheast Shore of Lake Huron
Committee (a partnership of
Ministry of the Environment,
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture,
Food and Rural Affairs, Bruce,
Huron and Lambton Counties, and
local Conservation Authorities)
promoted the project in their
Healthy Lake Huron newsletter. The
project is also featured in the
Sustainable Huron project by the
County of Huron Planning
Department.
The Auburn Horticultural Society
have been asked to work with other
villages to facilitate the workshop,
and are in preparation to host a
workshop in the village of
Dungannon.
In summary, the signs are quite
visible and make a clear statement
about pride in the community. This
was a pilot project for village
stewardship, and has provided
incredible value for the money, with
just the environmental education
alone.
None of this would have been
possible without the support of RBC
Blue Water Project grant, and the
Huron Clean Water Program grant,
and the hard work and determination
of the Auburn Horticultural Society,
and the residents of the Village of
Auburn. It was a very worthwhile
project which continues to support
the goal of creating a culture of
water stewardship, so that people
have fresh water today, and
tomorrow, protecting the
environment and water supplies. The
group thanks the RBC Blue Water
Project grant and Huron Clean Water
Program for supporting them in this
very worthwhile project.
Knitting store tied up
Working with water
The Auburn Horticultural Society was awarded a $1,500 grant from the RBC Blue Water
Project on Friday to spend on source water protection. The grant was awarded through the
Land Stewardship Sustainable Healthy Futures Source Water Protection program in
association with RBC and the Huron Clean Water Project. Members of the society applied for
the grant last fall. From left: Land stewardship participant Dave Clark, RBC Senior Accounts
Manager and Auburn Horticultural Society member Cathy Fisher, Marjorie Wise, Goderich
RBC Branch Manager, Society President Karen Redmond, Society member Jacqui LaPorte,
Society member and land stewardship participant Cathy Carter, Emily Andrews and Society
member Shirley Andrews. . (Shawn Loughlin photo)
Councillor Brock Vodden was
hoping that North Huron Council
could, on behalf of a would-be local
business person, grease the wheels
on the renovation project holding up
the opening of the new store.
“I’m concerned about the halting
of work at the building just north of
Blyth Memorial Hall,” he said. “I
know this isn’t strictly in [Chief
Building Official Dave Black’s]
area, but the work has been stopped
due to an electrical problem.”
Vodden said that there was a kind
of stalemate in the situation that,
because of problems with an
electrical inspection, other work
couldn’t be completed until an
electrician could be found and fix
the issues. The original electrical
contractor apparently left the job site
and has not been seen since
according to Vodden.
“The tenant is frustrated and was
promised that, in April, she could
open,” he said. “It’s really
unfortunate that, with the theatre
starting, this all fell through. It
would be nice to have the business
running and looking good next to the
hall.”
Black explained that the problem
fell under an Electrical Safety
Authority (ESA) mandate and the
situation is likely identical to what
someone would be facing if he had
to close a job site.
“It’s the owner’s responsibility to
fix the issues,” he said. “I know it’s a
tough position, but this is an issue
between the owner and the ESA and,
beyond the fact I’ve discussed
this with the owner, I’m not
involved.
“My hands are tied as to what I
can do and I think council’s hands
are tied as well,” he said.
Vodden said that he hoped that
there was some way they could help,
but understood that it was out of
their hands.
Horticultural Society honoured with grant
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The Citizen
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stories and memories from years past.
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519-887-9114
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NEWS
FROM AUBURN
By Denny Scott
The Citizen