Watershed News

Please be advised that the parking lot, grounds, and museum at the John R. Park Homestead will be closed to the public on Friday, June 5 as hazard trees as a result of recent wind events are removed from the Fox Creek trail. The site will re-open as usual on Saturday, July 6 at 11am.

Mike and Debbie McMahon of Lakeland Homes are joined by Essex Region Conservation Foundation Chair, and Tim Byrne, ERCA CAO and Foundation Executive Director to receive the Clifford Hatch Conservation Foundation Award Essex Region – The Essex Region Conservation Foundation has recognized local organizations and individuals for their philanthropy at its Donor Appreciation and Awards, held on May 27. “Conservation Foundation Awards have been presented since 2012, honouring thos

Students from Holy Cross Elementary School joined the Collavino family and dignitaries from across the region to celebrate the grand opening of Collavino Conservation Area. Amherstburg – On May 21, nearly 150 guests joined the Collavino family, owners of Prestressed Systems Inc., the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) and Foundation and local dignitaries to celebrate the grand opening of the new Collavino Conservation Area in Amherstburg, Ontario. The conservation

Essex Region – Bird enthusiasts from around the world visit Leamington, Ontario as one of their bucket list destinations each May, and Hillman Marsh Conservation Area is ready to greet these guests from May 1 – 21 at the Shorebird Celebration. The shorebird habitat at Hillman Marsh is unique in North America. The managed wetland cell creates the perfect combination of mudflats to provide nutrition and a resting area for migrating shorebirds. The marsh is managed annual

Windsor – The Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) is inviting guests from across the region to the ENWIN Earth Day Tree Planting Celebration in the City of Windsor on Sunday, April 26 from 10am - 12noon. “ERCA has hosted an annual tree planting in the City of Windsor since 1999,” said Danielle Breault Stuebing, ERCA’s Director of Communications. “Over the past 27 years, nearly forty-thousand trees have been planted in the City of Windsor as a result of this event. W

Leamington– Nature Fresh Farms® announced its continued support of the wetland restoration effort at Hillman Marsh Conservation Area this week in celebration of Earth Month activities. Building on its 2024 investment in wetland rehabilitation, an additional 300 square metres of wetland habitat will be planted with a variety of native species in June as the next phase of this massive project. Some of the species will include Broadleaf Cattail, Blue Flag Iris, Fox Sedge,...

Essex Region – The Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) will hold its regularly scheduled Board of Directors’ meeting at the Essex County Civic and Education Centre on Thursday, April 9 at 6:00 pm. Agenda items include: Proposal for Construction Administration Services related to Hillman Marsh Wetland Restoration and Climate Adaptation Project Watershed Management Activities Report Presentations include the Amalgamation of Conservation Authorities and Changes to t

ERCA offices and the John R. Park Homestead Museum & Conservation Centre will be closed from Friday, April 3 through Monday, April 6. Regular hours will resume Tuesday, April 7. Conservation Areas remain open for walk-through access. Happy Easter to those who are celebrating.

Lakeshore – Contractors for the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) and Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) conducted a prescribed burn of approximately 20 hectares of Phragmites within Tremblay Beach Conservation Area on Sunday, March 29. This work is part of a coordinated effort to manage and restore this ecologically significant wetland. Weather conditions opened a window to conduct the burn over the weekend, and contractors mobilized quickly on Sunday to ensure

Essex Region – As the weather warms, the Essex Region Conservation Authority is reminding users of the Greenway trail system that horses are prohibited from the trail during the spring thaw. “With a spring rains and saturated soils, the greenway trail surface is very susceptible to surface damage from horse hooves. Even a few horses during this critical period can cause significant trail damage that is very expensive to repair,” explains Kevin Money, ERCA’s Director of Cons

Essex Region - On March 10, 2026, the Province of Ontario announced its revised framework for the consolidation of Conservation Authorities. Under this proposed update, Ontario’s 36 conservation authorities will be merged into nine. The Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) will merge with the Upper Thames River, Lower Thames Valley, and St. Clair Region Conservation Authorities to form the new Western Lake Erie Regional Conservation Authority . The Province has identif

Lakeshore - The Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA), in collaboration with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) and other restoration partners, is preparing to conduct a prescribed burn of approximately 20 hectares of Phragmites within Tremblay Beach Conservation Area. This work is part of a coordinated effort to manage and restore this ecologically significant wetland. “Ensuring public and property safety remains the highest priority,” says Kevin Money, ERCA’s