It’s been a cold but bright and beautiful winter to enjoy all the nature and community within our ‘hood (rinks & trails have been amazing!). I found myself exploring more of the Stillwater Creek areas within our neighbourhood and it made me wonder about how we interact with and support this beautiful natural habitat and environmental jewel that provides us with so many benefits. With Spring around the corner, now is a perfect time to consider the water in our environment, including our and its impacts.
Consider Alternative(s) to Salt Use
With quick melts & freezes, we can be tempted to use more salt for walkways. While it is important to stay safe, road salt can cause lasting damage to ecosystems including our local watershed and wildlife. Instead, see if you can use more environmentally friendly options including using sand or grit, wearing grips on boots, &/or using walking/ ski poles. For more info on the environmental impacts of road salt, see the linked article from our local Ottawa Riverkeepers.
Concerned about the Spring thaw for your house?
We are fortunate to have such soulful homes in our neighbourhood. Sometimes that can come with a few home maintenance concerns. Check out this article about how to prepare your home with a few easy steps.
Rainwater Management
For residents who want to manage and optimize rainwater in and around their property, check out the City of Ottawa’s Rain Ready information on home basics like downspouts, splash pads or extenders. I love their ideas for a rain garden and integrating your downspout into your garden design.
Flood Concerns for Waterfront Owners (rivers, creeks, wetlands, or streams)
With our close proximity to the Ottawa River, if you live on or frequent the waterfront, check out the Ottawa River Regulation and Planning Board on water levels, river condition forecasts and upstream impacts. For those with homes on the water, take this summer to create natural, resilient shoreline buffers to protect your property from erosion, improve water quality and provide critical wildlife habitat.
Check out our local Rideau Valley Conservation Authority’s Shoreline Naturalization Program and learn more about this subsidized program.
Coming Up:
- Interested in a community garden at a local park? Great for those with smaller or non-optimal growing outdoor spaces! Take our 1 minute survey to let us know if and how you might participate in this.
- Pollinator patches & biodiversity. Tree canopy regeneration project. Naturalize and make your yard edible. Bird safety & appreciation.
Interested in learning, doing, and speaking up more about green issues that impact us right here? Join us on the CBLCA Environment Subcommittee Facebook page or email: cblcaenvironment@gmail.com.
Next meeting (Zoom): Thursday February 24th at 7:45-8:45pm.
Andi Plitz,
CBLCA Environmental Subcommittee chair.
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