Fishing survey underway
We're interested in knowing what fish people catch and eat from the Detroit River. Your input will provide valuable information to Detroit River Canadian Cleanup (DRCC) staff to help guide future research, education and outreach, monitoring and remediation efforts in the Detroit River and its watershed. 

Participants will receive a $5 Tim Horton's gift card (while supplies last) for their time. Take the survey now!
Registration for the State of the Strait closes November 5
The State of the Strait is an international one-day conference that brings together government managers, researchers, students, environmental and conservation organizations, and concerned citizens to assess ecosystem status and provide advice to improve research, monitoring, and management in the region stretching from Lake St. Clair to the western basin of Lake Erie.                                                                                                                                                           
The theme of this year's conference is "Reporting on Indicators of Ecosystem Health" and registration is free. The meeting will be held at the University of Windsor.
                                                                                                                                                    
For more information about the State of the Strait conference, including registration and location, please visit www.stateofthestrait.org. Display space is available for conference sponsors and vendors, and poster presentations are still being accepted. 
Detroit River restoration projects highlighted
The DRCC attended the Great Lakes Restoration Celebration, hosted by the Alliance of Rouge Communities and held at The Henry Ford in Dearborn on October 18, 2019. As part of this celebration, a book was created showcasing the organizations contributing to Great Lakes Restoration in Southeast Michigan and some of their restoration projects.

The DRCC and our projects are featured in the book, and a copy can be downloaded from here.
US sediment remediation update
The DRCC Public Advisory Council hosted US colleagues who provided a presentation on the progress of sediment remediation efforts on the American side of the Detroit River. The presentation highlighted the projects American partners are tackling to improve sediment quality, which improves overall ecosystem health of the river system. 

In 2012, a comprehensive study took place by multiple partners where data was compiled about known contaminants at 65 locations in the Detroit River. The study characterized sediment on the US side of the river, including the quantity of contaminants at these sites. This project provided a basis for the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy to create a prioritized list of sediment remediation projects. 

The estimated total quantity of sediment that needs to be remediated from the U.S side of the Detroit River is approximately 6,673,338yd3. Generally where sediments were present in the nearshore, they were contaminated, and contaminants were highest near historical industrial and municipal outfalls. Some of the remediation work has begun and progress is being made, but partners and funding opportunities need to be identified for large scale remediation to occur. Thanks again to our US counterparts for this presentation outlining the progress they've been making on the US side of the river! Find out more in this news article from Great Lakes Now. 
Detroit River coastal wetlands assessed
Since 2011, researchers have assessed the condition of coastal wetland habitat and communities at selected sites in the Detroit River watershed from 2011 to 2018. Researchers looked at water quality, submerged aquatic vegetation, aquatic macroinvertebrates and breeding marsh bird communities. Here's what they found:
  • Three of five coastal wetlands sampled on the DR for water quality were in good condition. Over time, these assessments have shown that water quality has generally improved.
  • Submerged aquatic vegetation in DR coastal wetlands was considered good in 2018.
  • Aquatic macroinvertebrates ranged from the low end of 'good' to 'very good' at different DR coastal wetlands.
  • Breeding marsh bird communities in the coastal wetlands has been generally poor for the last eight years of sampling. However, scores did improve in 2017 and 2018 following a four year decrease from 2013 to 2016.
The research was also conducted in summer of 2019, so stay tuned for updated results! This information will help inform our populations and habitat BUIs.
Detroit River watershed community tree plantings
Greening Gignac Park 
 
The City of Windsor got a little greener on October 9 as more than 30 volunteers gathered to plant 50 large trees at Gignac Park. Volunteers included students from the Odette School of Business, staff from Price Waterhouse Cooper, the Windsor Police Service and members of the community. The trees were funded by local entrepreneur and philanthropist Sam Sinjari.  
TD Tree Days Windsor

The Detroit River Canadian Cleanup, Essex Region Conservation, TD Friends of the Environment, Little River Enhancement Group, Caesars Windsor CodeGreen and the City of Windsor planted over 350 trees in the Little River watershed on Saturday October 26, 2018.
WindsorEssex Community Foundation - 2019 Vital Signs Report
The WindsorEssex Community Foundation
2019 Vital Signs Report is here! The seventh report published by the Foundation on the Windsor-Essex Region. The Vital Signs Report combines national, provincial, and local data with residents' views of important issues. The Vital Signs Report is used as an educational resource to engage the Windsor-Essex community in ongoing dialogue so we can make our community an even better place to live, work, play and grow.  
 
Read the report to find out what makes Windsor-Essex a great play and let's start a conversation!  
Survey: Healthy Parks, Healthy People
Share your feedback on how we can improve access to and raise awareness of nature's health benefits. The Government of Ontario wants to hear from health care providers, environmental organizations, educators, the tourism industry and people who visit their provincial parks about their awareness of the relationship between nature and human health. Your feedback will be used to help improve Ontario Parks' programs, policies and partnerships. Take the survey here!
Extra! Extra! Read all about it!   
The Detroit River and Great Lakes 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 organizers for more information. 
Jr. Egrets Capture Nature on Camera  
November 2 2019, 1pm to 3pm, Ojibway Nature Centre, 5200 Matchette Road, Windsor 
Learn nature photography with local experts! Go on a 'take nothing but pictures' scavenger hunt and celebrate with snacks and apple cider. This event is free, please bring a camera if you have one, some are provided. For more information please visit here.  
A Green Carpet event with Diana Beresford-Kroeger 
November 3 2019, 5pm to 9pm, St. Clair College, 2000 Talbot Road West, Windsor, ON 
Join the Pelee Island Bird Observatory in welcoming Diana Beresford-Kroeger, a world-recognized author, medical biochemist and botanist. She has a unique combination of western scientific knowledge and the traditional concepts of the ancient world. Orphaned in Ireland in her youth, Beresford-Kroeger was educated by elders who instructed her in the Brehon knowledge of plants and nature.Told she was the last child of ancient Ireland and to one day bring this knowledge to a troubled future, Beresford-Kroeger has done exactly that, To Speak for the Trees. For more information and to register, click here. 
Fall Owl Prowl 
November 5 2019, 7pm to 10pm, Holiday Beach Conservation Area, 6952 County Road 50, Amherstburg, ON
Learn about the owls of southwestern Ontario, their adaptations, physiology and more. Weather permitting, attendees will also walk through Holiday Beach Conservation Area on a guided hike, looking and listening for owls. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Tickets are $10 per person. For more information, please contact Samantha Keller, Environmental Educator, at [email protected]. To register click here.  
Friends of Cedar, Mill, Wigle Creeks Monthly Meeting  
November 5 2019, 7pm, Camp Cedarwin, Peach Lodge, 1495 County Rd 23, Kingsville, ON
Join ERCA staff at Ruscom Shores Conservation Area and experience a unique opportunity in the tallgrass prairie! Get close and personal with the native wildflowers and grasses, and help collect seed for future restoration projects. Registration is required as space is limited. Please register here . 
ECFNC 35th Annual Dinner  
November 9 2019, 5:30pm, Serbian Centre, Kosovo Hall, 6770 Tecumseh Road east, Windsor, ON 
Join the Essex County Field Naturalists Club at their 35th annual dinner. Experience the entire life cycle of thunderstorms with an exciting and educational presentation. See how they form and develop into powerful lightning and windstorms. Watch an Ontario supercell tornado from start to finish as it cuts a path through the countryside near Arthur, Ontario, as well as two other tornadoes to hit our Province. A very powerful presentation explaining the effects storms have in Ontario. Doors open at 5:30pm, dinner is at 7pm. For more information and to purchase a ticket click here.  
Thought Leaders Speaker Series - Dr. Gerald Kutney Discussion Panel 
November 13, 6:30 to 8:30pm, Libro Centre, 3295 Meloche Rd, Amherstburg, ON
Dr. Kutney is the author of Carbon Politics and the Failure of the KYOTO Protocol. He holds a PhD in Chemistry and is a consultant and media commentator on the climate crisis. His topic is "What do you do when science issues a warning...but no one listens?". His talk will be followed by a panel discussion with ERCA General Manager Richard Wyma and University professor of Environmental Law, Patrícia Galvão-Ferreira. This event is being put on by the Amherstburg Community Foundation. Click here for tickets and more information.
Super Santa 5K Run/Walk  
November 16, 8am to 5pm, Amherstburg, ON 
Walk or run 5km dressed as Santa! Limited early bird rates for adults and children. Free Santa suit with registration! Stay for the Amherstburg River Lights Festival. Proceeds go to local conservation projects happening throughout the region. All participants will receive a full Santa Suit - jacket, pants, hat, beard and belt. Remember to keep your Santa Suit for the following years to receive an entry fee discount. Click here for more information and to register. 
Fall Thrilling Thursdays 
November 21, 6pm to 7:30pm, Ojibway Nature Centre, 5200 Matchette Road, Windsor, ON 
Ojibway Nature Centre will be open in the evening to offer the Wildlife in Winter program. Fee is $7.50/adult, $6/child.  
Paint Party in the oTENTik Village  
November 22, 23 2019, 7pm, Point Pelee National Park, 1118 Point Pelee Dr, Leamington, ON
Calling all artists and wannabe artists! Point Pelee National Park is excited to host its first-ever overnight paint party. Julie from Julie's Paint Party will be here to guide you and your friends through the creation of your very own Point Pelee themed painting. Gather your friends and prepare for an epic sleepover in their oTENTik village. Stay for one night to create one painting, or stay for two nights to create two different paintings. Art supplies included. For more information please contact  [email protected].
Deck the Holidays Workshop
November 23 2019, 2pm to 4pm, John R. Park Homestead, 915 Essex County Rd, Essex, ON 
Ring in the holiday season with a hands-on wreath making workshop using natural materials from the forest and farm. Registration fee includes all materials, expert instruction, and a hot beverage. Please bring work clothes, gloves and hand pruners. Pre-registration for this event is required.
Dark Sky Nights with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada 
November 30 2019, 7:30pm to 11:59pm, Point Pelee National Park, 1118 Point Pelee Dr, Leamington, ON
Explore the park on your own after dark and experience the dark skies of Point Pelee. You will have the opportunity to stay late and see what goes on after dark. Note that there are no formal programs on these evenings. Visitors can pick up a seasonal star chart at the gate upon arrival. The park is open until midnight, unless otherwise stated. For more information please contact  [email protected].
Fall Birding
Various dates and times, Ojibway Nature Centre, 5200 Matchette Road, Windsor, ON 


The Detroit River Canadian Cleanup 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 goal is to remove the Detroit River from the list of Great Lakes Areas of Concern.