What Lies Below film screening a huge success
The Detroit River Canadian Cleanup hosted two screenings of WHAT LIES BELOW at Lakeshore Cinemas on World Water Day, March 22 2017. Students from two local high schools joined us in the morning, and the evening screening was open to the public. This documentary examines the future of Canada's wild fish stocks and the habitats they occupy that are at risk from overharvesting, habitat loss and destruction. What Lies Below explores what local people are doing to ensure the future sustainability of Canada's water and traditional fisheries.

Big thanks to Lakeshore Cinemas for donating the theatre for the student screening! The DRCC would also like to thank the panel members including Ken Drouillard, professor at the University of Windsor, and Karina Richters, the Supervisor of Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change for the City of Windsor for leading some great discussion with the audience. Pete Thomas, Pearl Bradd and Tom Henderson, thank you for all of your support to the DRCC and for assisting with the event and the registration table. Also, a special thank you to Tactile Vision Graphics who generously provided a special thank you card in Braille on behalf of the DRCC for Lawrence. Finally, big thanks to Lawrence Gunther, the film writer and star of What Lies Below, for coming down from Ottawa to celebrate World Water Day and share your film with us! For more photos, please click here.
Join the DRCC in celebrating Earth Day 2017
Earth Day Tree Planting
Sunday April 23rd 2017, Green space near Wyandotte and Florence, 10am to 12pm

Grab your shovels and join the DRCC and the Essex Region Conservation Authority on Sunday April 23rd 2017 to celebrate Earth Day and help plant more than 2,000 native trees and shrubs in the City of Windsor, and Detroit River watershed! While there are some shovels to share, you may consider bringing your own to this free event.

Event happens at the green space near the  Florence & Wyandotte intersection in Windsor. Parking will be available at the Sand Point Beach Parking Lot off Riverside Drive. To see a map of the event, please click here.

Register your Green Team by visiting   www.erca.org/earthday to fill out the online form. Teams of 10 or more receive special recognition!
Earth Day Windsor-Essex
Sunday April 23rd 2017, Malden Park, 4200 Malden Road, 10am to 3pm

Join the City of Windsor in celebrating Earth Day 2017 on Sunday, April 23 from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. at Malden Park (4200 Malden Road). This event is free for the public. There will be over 40 environmental exhibits, including the DRCC; wildflower planting; arts and crafts; a nature scavenger hunt; and many more environmental activities! 

Earth Day is a day on which events are held worldwide to increase awareness and appreciation of the earth's natural environment. The City of Windsor aims to educate residents on environment and sustainability issues using hands-on, interactive methods. Over 45 different organizations participate in this event, designed to provide a voice and venue to environmental causes. Earth Day Windsor Essex has been celebrated since 1989. For general information, call 311. For detailed inquiries, please contact: 

Environment & Sustainability Coordinator
Email:  [email protected]
Phone: 519-253-7111 ext. 3290
Canada-Ontario Action Plan for Lake Erie
With the assistance of many partners, the Ontario government and the Government of Canada have developed a Canada-Ontario draft action plan for Lake Erie to reduce algal blooms and phosphorus loads in Lake Erie. As well as meeting Ontario's commitments under the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health, 2014, the action plan being developed will meet commitments under the Great Lakes Protection Act, 2015; Western Basin of Lake Erie Collaborative Agreement between Ontario, Michigan, and Ohio; and the Great Lakes Commission's Lake Erie Joint Action Plan which included the participation of Ontario, Ohio, Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania. Without reducing the amount of phosphorus entering the lake, we will continue to see extensive algal growth and low oxygen conditions in Lake Erie. Ambitious and aggressive actions to reduce phosphorus loads are needed to restore and protect the lake's water quality and ecological health.

As part of the action plan development process, Ontario posted Reducing Phosphorus to Minimize Algal Blooms in Lake Erie ( EBR# 012-8760) on October 6, 2016, which included proposed actions by Ontario for public comment. Comments received from this posting and from engagement with stakeholders, First Nations, and Métis in 2016 are being considered as part of this draft action plan. The Canada-Ontario draft action plan- Partnering in Phosphorus Control: Achieving Phosphorus Reductions in Lake Erie from Canadian Sources is being led by five federal and provincial government agencies: Environment and Climate Change Canada; Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change; Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; and Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.

Achieving the 40 percent phosphorus reduction targets for Lake Erie will require widespread action and long term commitment. Ontario and Canada invite input and actions from Great Lakes community partners for inclusion in the final action plan, which will be in place no later than February 2018. Comments are requested until May 9, 2017.

Visit www.letstalklakeerie.ca to read the draft action plan and submit comments.
 
Ontario also has also posted it on their Environmental Bill of Rights Registry EBR# 012-9971. 
Upcoming DRCC Projects

In the spring/summer 2017, DRCC partners will undertake monitoring for the Bird and Animal Deformities and Reproductive Problems beneficial use impairment by monitoring Tree Swallows. Coastal wetlands along the river will be monitored again for water quality, vegetation, marsh birds and invertebrates to inform the Degradation of Fish and Wildlife Populations and Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat beneficial use impairments. The DRCC is currently undertaking an assessment of the Degradation of Benthos beneficial use impairment. Also, research is being done to track mercury sources and contaminants in fish within the Detroit River contributing to the Fish and Wildlife Consumption beneficial use impairment.  For more information about research and monitoring activities in the Detroit River Area of Concern, please visit www.detroitriver.ca.

In partnership with Caesar's Windsor CodeGreen and the City of Windsor, the DRCC is undertaking a garbage cleanup this spring at the new City park at Twin Oaks drive. The DRCC is also assisting with two schoolyard native garden plantings projects in April.
2017-2018 Guide to Eating Ontario Fish
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change is pleased to announce the 2017-18 Guide to Eating Ontario Fish is now available both online and in print.  
The Guide provides easy-to-use information about the types and amounts of fish that are safe to eat from more than 2,400 fishing locations across Ontario. Ontarians are encouraged to use the guide to learn:
  • the sizes and amounts of fish you can safely eat
  • how to choose fish with the lowest levels of contaminants
  • how to prepare fish to reduce contaminants
  • special advice for children and pregnant women
 The online version provides an interactive map and location-specific advice, making it faster and easier for anglers to identify fish species and angling destinations with lower contaminant levels.To order a free print version, visit  ServiceOntario, set-up a free account, and then search by publication number 025681 .Please note that the order limit for the guide is 192 copies (eight boxes with 24 copies in each box). If you require more, please contact [email protected] or 1-800-820-2716.
Extra! Extra! Read all about it!   
The Detroit River in the news. Here are some links to articles that may pique your interest. Click the link  to read on.  
Upcoming Events  
Save the date for these great local events! Contact the organizer for more information. 
Science Saturday
Saturday April 8th 2017, Belle Isle Aquarium, 12pm to 3pm, Detroit, MI   
Allow guest speakers to lead you on an interesting science journey at Science Saturday! Lectures will be twenty minutes in length each and are held at 12pm, 1pm and 2pm. Come and learn something new! For more information please e-mail [email protected] or visit their website here for past presentations.
Spring Bird Migration Field Course
Saturday April 8th to May 27th 2017, Point Pelee National Park, 8:30am to 11:30am   
A series of morning field trips to observe the incredible variety of birds that migrate through Southwestern Ontario each fall. Morning field trips (8:30 - 11:30 am) to Point Pelee. * Free entrance to Parks Canada in 2017, click here for details. Cost is $16.00 for each trip except the Big Day birding trip which is $25.00 (10% discount for seniors) (dates are tentative)
  1. Sat April 8 8:30 am meet at Pelee's tip parking lot.
  2. Sat April 22 8:30 am meet at the Pelee Visitor Centre.
  3. Wed May 3 8:30 am meet at the Pelee Visitor Centre.
  4. Wed May 10 8:30 am meet at Pelee's Marsh Boardwalk.
  5. Wed May 17 6:00 am meet at Pelee's Marsh Boardwalk. A "Big Day" birding trip around Pelee and Hillman Marsh!
  6. Sat May 27 7:30 am meet at Pelee Visitor Centre.
More details click here.
A little bird in big trouble: Chimney Swifts talk
Wednesday April 12th 2017, Ojibway Nature Centre, 5200 Matchette Road, Windsor, ON, 7:30pm 
A talk by Liz Purves, Ontario SwiftWatch Coordinator, Bird Studies Canada.
Birds that feed on flying insects while on the wing ("aerial insectivores") are experiencing
widespread population declines across North America. One urban-dwelling aerial insectivore, the Chimney Swift, is experiencing particularly steep population declines across its breeding range in eastern North America, likely because of a multitude of factors. Through the SwiftWatch project, Bird Studies Canada (BSC), its partners, and hundreds of volunteers are working to help Chimney Swift recovery in Ontario and across the country, largely by identifying, monitoring, and promoting stewardship of nest and roost sites. This talk will first provide an introduction to BSC and its broader Citizen Science initiatives, then dive into the current state of Chimney Swifts and the aerial insectivore guild, and lastly share what BSC and Citizen Scientists are doing to help. For more information please contact Carl Maiolani: [email protected]
Stewardship Saturday
Saturday April 15th 2017, Belle Isle Park, 9am to 12pm, Detroit, MI   
Join the DRN and Belle Isle Conservancy for Stewardship Saturdays. For questions or more information please e-mail Laurel Malvitz-Draper, DNR Resource Steward for the Stewardship Unit at [email protected]. *Location: Meet on Central Avenue, just east of Portage Way (FYI, this street is listed as Meadow Rd in google maps*
Earth Day 2017 Student Contest
Submissions must include the student's name, grade, school name, as well as their teacher's name and email address. Submission deadline is April 15, 2017 by 4pm.
In recognition of Canada's 150th birthday, the Essex Region Conservation Authority is asking students to envision what they want our environment to look like in the next 150 years. Students are invited to tell ERCA what they want for the future of our ecosystems. This contest asks students to dream big on what could or should be done! Whether it's solar panels on every home, or forests on every street, we want to hear their vision for the environment well into the future!

Submit entries digitally by email to [email protected] with the subject heading "Earth Day Art Contest" or via mail to:

Essex Region Conservation
RE: Earth Day Contest Entries
360 Fairview Avenue W. Suite 311
Essex, ON. N8M 1Y6
.
DRCC Public Advisory Council and Education and Public Involvement Work Group Meeting
Tuesday April 18th 2017, 4:30pm to 6:30pm, Windsor Airport Conference Room, 3200 County Rd 42, Windsor, ON  
The DRCC Public Advisory Council and Education and Public Involvement Work Group will be meeting on Wednesday April 18th 2017 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. The location for this meeting is still TBD. For those who wish to be involved and learn more about these groups, please contact Claire Sanders, the Detroit River Remedial Action Plan Coordinator at [email protected]. 
Michigan Division WNF&GA 8th Annual Daffodil Day Luncheon
Wednesday April 19th 2017, 11:00am to 2:00pm. Detroit Yacht Club, 1 Riverbank Dr, Detroit, MI 48207, USA  
Speaker: Jenny Rose Carey presenting "Ladies in the Landscape" Currently the director of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's Meadowbrook Farm in Abington Township, Jenny Rose Carey was previously director of the Ambler Arboretum at Temple University, and helped found the Ambler Keystone Branch of WNF&GA. Carey co-authored A Century of Cultivation, celebrating the Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women, and served as research consultant on the WNF&GA's Centennial publication, One Hundred Years of Growing and Giving.

To Register: Tickets for sale now | $38 before March 1; $45 after March 1. You can download the registration form here: http://michdivwnfga.weebly.com/belle-isle-daffodil-project.html

Contact Michigan Division Women's National Farm & Garden Association for more information or any questions! http://michdivwnfga.weebly.com/contact-us.html
Belle Isle Park Advisory Committee Meeting
Thursday April 20th 2017, 9:00am to 11:00am, Belle Isle Nature Zoo, Flynn Pavilion - Near Intersection of Picnic Way & Loiter Way, Belle Isle, Detroit, MI, 48207
Please see their website for past agendas, meeting minutes, and additional information!
ACT Recycling Day
Saturday April 22nd 2017, Devonshire Mall, 9:30am -6:00pm  
Here's your opportunity to start some spring cleaning! Simply visit the drive-thru drop-off located in the Devonshire Mall parking lot, 9am-5pm. Recycle your computers, batteries, phones, DVD players, TVs, gently used clothing, bicycles, tires (limit of 4), microwaves, old medication and more! And be sure to visit the environmental displays in the mall, including DRCC, ERCA, City of Windsor, and Essex Windsor Solid Waste Authority! 
Birds and Wildflowers Hike
Saturday April 22nd 2017, Cedar Creek Conservation Area, 9:00am  
Join experienced birder and nature enthusiast Kory Renaud at Cedar Creek Conservation Area at 9am for a walk that will start at the conservation area and then move to the new Cedar Creek Provincial Park to look at the blooming wildflowers and, of course, the birds! For more information please contact Carl Maiolani [email protected].
Lower Detroit River Cleanup
Saturday April 22nd 2017, Rotary Park, Trenton, MI.  
In late April each year, a flotilla of small boats ferries eager volunteers out to various islands and shorelines in the Lower Detroit River to collect the accumulated debris that has collected over the past year. This event is the Lower Detroit River Cleanup, and is based at Rotary Park in Trenton, thanks to the support of the City of Trenton. Over the years, the Cleanup has removed tons of trash from the lower river. The Cleanup is Riverkeeper Program project, and gives volunteers the opportunity to help make the river cleaner, as well as to get out on the river and to appreciate the need for stewardship of this valuable resource. Volunteers and the trash collected are returned to the park, where lunch is served. View Brochure. For more information please contact [email protected].
Earth Day Beach Cleanup
Saturday April 22nd 2017, Point Pelee National Park, West Beach, 10am 
Celebrate Earth Day with a beach clean-up. Join park staff at West Beach and help clean up the garbage washed up on the beach over the winter. For further information on special events or regular programs call: (519)-322-2365 Ext. 0 or e-mail: [email protected]. 
What's Croaking
Saturday April 22nd 2017, Point Pelee National Park, Visitor's Centre, 7pm 
Visitors will be introduced to the Frogs and Toads that make Point Pelee home and learn how we monitor frogs by participating in a nocturnal survey. After the hike, join members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Windsor-Essex for star gazing from the Visitor Centre parking lot. Park open to midnight. For further information on special events or regular programs call: (519)-322-2365 Ext. 0 or e-mail: [email protected].
Reptiles and Amphibians Exploration
Sunday April 23rd 2017, 1515 Mersea Rd 7 Leamington, 2:00pm
Nature walk and reptiles/amphibians search lead by "snake guy" Steve Marks and property owner David Kraus For more information please contact Carl Maiolani [email protected].
Garlic Mustard Pull
April 29th  2017, Heinz Woodlot (behind former Zellers store), Leamington, ON., 10:00am 
Come on out to the Heinz woodlot and join Peggy Hurst and the Essex County Field Naturalists Club in the removal of invasive garlic mustard. The hard work of volunteers each year is really making a difference; and don't forget, garlic mustard is a pest that you can eat! Meet at 10:00 am in the lot behind the former Zellers store. For more information contact Carl Maiolani [email protected].
OFO Shorebird Nights
May 1st to May 22nd 2017, Hilman Marsh Conservation Area, 3:00pm to 5:00pm 
Join experts from the Ontario Field Ornithologists to watch shorebirds migrating to their Arctic breeding grounds. A great chance to learn from some of the most knowledgeable birders in the province. The diverse and unique habitats of Hillman Marsh attract a wide range of marsh, shore, and field bird species. The shorebird cell water levels are actively managed to create ideal habitat conditions each spring, making it a top birding spot in North America.

This opportunity is offered on multiple dates between May 1 to 22 2017. Please visit www.erca.org/events for more details. Admission fee is $6 per vehicle. Or purchase a Hillman Marsh Spring Pass at www.erca.org/annual-pass
ECFNC Pelee Island Trip
May 6th to May 7th 2017 
Join the ECFNC on their 23rd annual trip to Pelee Island with David Kraus. For more information contact Carl Maiolani [email protected].
Friends of the Homestead Yard Sale
May 7th 2017, 11:00am to 4:00pm, John R. Park Homestead, Essex County RD 50 & Iler Rd, Harrow, ON 
Help the John R. Park Homestead Conservation Area by donating quality items in advance or coming out and treasure hunting on the day! Treasures old and new. There is something for everyone at this giant sale. For more info call 519-738-2029.
Conference on Great Lakes Research
May 15 to 19 2017, Cobo Centre, 1 Washington Blvd, Detroit, MI 48226, USA 
The 60th annual conference on Great Lakes research is scheduled from May 15-19, 2017 at the Cobo Center in Detroit. The focus will be the theme "From Cities to Farms: Shaping Great Lakes Ecosystems." For more information please visit their site here.
Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Green Infrastructure Conference
May 31 to June 2 2017, Cobo Hall, 1 Washington Blvd, Detroit, MI 48226, USA 
Save the date for the first ever Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Green Infrastructure Conference, May 31 - June 2, 2017, at Cobo Hall in Detroit, Michigan. This conference will draw up to 1,000 engineers, landscape architects, water quality professionals, government officials (local, state, provincial, and federal), developers, planners, academia, drain and road agencies, conservation and non-profit organizations, and interest groups from around the Great Lakes basin in Canada and the U.S. For more information please visit their site here.
Job Postings
These postings are for jobs at various locations with varying deadlines. Please click on the job title to view job details. Contact the listed agency in the job ad for more information. 



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The DRCC initiative is a partnership between government, industry, academics, as well as environmental and community organizations that work together to improve the Detroit River ecosystem through a Remedial Action Plan. Our main goal is to remove the River from the list of Great Lakes Areas of Concern.