The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) is receiving a $16,000 grant from TD Bank’s Friends of the Environment Foundation.
“Our goal with the funding is to create further accessibility so everyone can take part in our pond studies program. We’re purchasing extendable nets and a dock so everyone can participate now,’ said Elizabeth Travers, community education specialist with the UTRCA.
A three-season dock will be built to make it easier to access the river, which will help the nearly 20,000 students who take part in pond studies annually, said Travers.
“This project had been a while in the making. It’s something that had been top of mind, but it hadn’t been able to go through due to, I think, just a lack of time and energy to really get the ball rolling,” she said.
She added the dock will not only make for easier access but will also limit the harm done by people in the area, protecting endangered species.
The money will also go towards expanding the Species at Risk (SAR) recovery program.
— With files from Christian D’Avino