Thank you to the Town of LaSalle, Essex Region Conservation and Just Fishin' Friends for helping us host the Detroit River Family Fishing Event!

There were many families and guests in attendance who went fishing on the Detroit River at Front Road Park, learned some techniques from expert anglers and went home with some DRCC swag. This was the first Learn to Fish event since 2018, and we are looking forward to hosting more in the future!

Join the Essex Region Conservation Authority, Windsor Port Authority and the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup for an environmental tour of Sandwich, Windsor on Tuesday August 23 2022 from 6pm to 8pm! Learn about environmental and natural heritage projects that have been implemented through the Remedial Action Plan and projects such as community clean-ups and the Triple Tree Impact Project that have been funded through the Gordie Howe International Bridge Community Benefits Plan.

The tour length will be two hours with a total walking distance of 2.5km. The terrain will include some hills and hard surfaces. We recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes and dressing for the weather. Plan to bring your reusable water bottle, any snacks and a lawn chair, as we will be making stops at some of the public parks in Sandwich. The rain date for this tour is Wednesday August 24 2022, 6pm to 8pm.

The tour size is limited to 25 tickets, so please be sure to register in advance.

Interpreters will begin and end the tour at McKee Park at 3206 Sandwich Street, Windsor, ON, where public parking is available.

Did you know that the City of Windsor's Parks Department plants thousands of trees every year? Through partnership and municipal projects, the City demonstrates its commitment to protecting and expanding the urban forest.

Currently, the City of Windsor has nineteen percent forest cover. Also, tree canopy in Windsor has increased by 7% since 2002.

Through restoration efforts led by DRCC partners including the Little River Enhancement Group, the Essex County Field Naturalists' Club, Essex Region Conservation Authority and others, we have contributed significantly to the increase in forest cover!

This assessment was completed in 2019 and can be downloaded from the

Urban Forest page on their website. Further, you can access the City of Windsor's Open Space and Parks mapping tool through the MappMyCity too. Be sure to select the MyCity Features map and on the Trees in Parks/Facilities and Trees layers to explore!

The City of Windsor is pleased to announce the return of boat tours from Lakeview Park Marina to Peche Island.

The tours were paused due to COVID-19 social distancing requirements but prior to the pandemic, in 2019, approximately 1,300 riders enjoyed a trip to and from the island.

Tours are scheduled to begin the week of July 18, 2022, with pre-registration (highly recommended) opening Wednesday, July 13. Tours will be available every Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday (weather permitting) until early October. Tours begin each day at 10:00 a.m. and the last ride to the island takes place at 2:00 p.m. A maximum of six riders can travel each voyage, with up to two trips crossing each hour.

Tours will leave the marina on the hour and return from Peche Island on the half-hour. Cost for the round trip is $7.75 per person with the exception of children under the age of three who may ride for free.

Anyone interested can reserve a spot by calling (519) 255-1161. Pets and larger personal items such as bikes are not permitted due to safety and capacity concerns. Guests are asked to arrive 15 minutes early to sign a waiver, review a safety video, and be fitted for a personal flotation device (PFD), which is required to wear on the boat.

Back-ups of sewage can occur when the sewer lines are clogged with a build up of fats, oil and greases (FOG). In order to work effectively, sewage systems need to be in proper working order from the drain to the City's treatment plants. Normal sanitary waste can be handled without difficulty. However, FOG waste builds up on sewer walls causing blockages in the sewer system. These blockages can cause problems right in your home and also lead to sewage overflows to the environment. For more information, click here.

Windsor-Tecumseh MP Irek Kusmierczyk says the Ojibwway National Urban Park could be a reality in 2024...fully designated, operational and open!

There are three anticipated phases of this work which includes:

Further to this great news, in May 2022, the federal government announced that ownership of Ojibway Shores (a section of parkland that has been the subject of much wrangling) is being transferred from Transport Canada to Parks Canada! The Ojibway National Urban Park would protect six ecologically diverse local areas including the Ojibway Park, Ojibway Prairie Provincial Nature Reserve, Spring Garden Natural Area, Tallgrass Prairie Park, Black Oak Heritage Park, and Ojibway Shores.

A map showing the six areas that would comprise an Ojibway National Urban Park.Photo by City of Windsor /Windsor Star

Canada and the United States are pleased to release the State of the Great Lakes 2022 Report and the 2022 Progress Report of the Parties, pursuant to the 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA).

The efforts and information from these reports will be discussed at the 2022 Great Lakes Public Forum ......For more information, click here

Registration is now open for the 2022 Great Lakes Public Forum taking place on September 27-29, 2022 in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada! The United States and Canada invite members of the public, organizations, and agencies with an interest or involvement in restoration and protection of the Great Lakes to attend.

The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement calls for Canada and the United States to convene the Great Lakes Public Forum once every three years to discuss the state of the lakes, progress made under the Agreement and proposed priorities to guide science and actions over the next three years. The Forum also provides an opportunity for the public to provide input to the International Joint Commission, who are tasked with advising Canada and the United States with respect to the implementation of the Agreement.

This year’s Forum holds special significance as it falls on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between Canada and the United States.

The Great Lakes Public Forum will be a hybrid event, with opportunities to join in person or virtually. Registration for this event is free! Registration for the in-person event closes Monday, September 5, 2022. Space is limited, so if you wish to participate in person register early.

For more information and to register, visit the event page on binational.net.

A preliminary agenda is available with a detailed agenda to follow. For any questions, please contact the Registration Coordinator at greatlakes-grandlacs@ec.gc.ca.

NOAA Fisheries is recommending more than $14 million in funding to continue our work restoring important habitat for fisheries in the Great Lakes. Much of the funding is provided through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Through this funding, partners will implement 11 projects that will support fisheries, habitats, and communities in Great Lakes ecosystems.

For example, Friends of the Detroit River and several additional organizations will partner with the NOAA Restoration Center and NOAA Heritage Program to develop an outreach project that highlights historic fish habitat loss and fish habitat restoration projects on Belle Isle in the Detroit River ($12,000).

August 9 is the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples - a day to raise awareness and protect the rights of the world's Indigenous Peoples.