Communities for Nature

Doing Good Things for Nature & Your Community!

Communities for Nature creates connections between businesses and industries, schools, and the local community, and improves the environment for everyone.

The UTRCA works with corporations interested in supporting local environmental initiatives. Our staff meet with local partners to identify sites that can be restored, then coordinate community involvement in planting trees, shrubs, aquatic plants, wildflower meadows, and prairies. Projects range from small neighbourhood sites to large multi-year corporate and municipal initiatives.

Communities for Nature benefits nature and local communities by:

Improving water and air quality
Providing wildlife habitat
Protecting endangered species
Increasing biodiversity
Working with friends and neighbours
Providing opportunities for students to get involved in their community, and to learn that their efforts can make a difference
Making our communities better places to live

Communities for Nature offers a choice of three activities: Community Forestry, Aquatic Connections, and Spreading like Wildflowers. These programs can be done separately or in combination, depending on each project’s scope and site design.

Community Forestry

Community Forestry establishes native tree and wildlife shrub communities in parks, along watercourses, and on industrial and commercial properties.
Projects available in April, May and November

We've Been Busy! Here are some statistics on our Community Forestry program in the Upper Thames River watershed, from 1991 to 2011:

Number of trees and shrubs planted - 216,000
Number of students participating - 63,000
Number of community members participating - 26,000
Number of acres planted - 320

Aquatic Connections

Aquatic Connections restores streams and wetlands throughout the watershed by planting native wetland species and bio-engineering.
Projects available from March to June and September to November

Spreading like Wildflowers

Spreading like Wildflowers creates native wildflower meadows and prairies by planting wildflower and grass plugs, and spreading seeds.
Projects available in late May and June

Wildflower planting event video

Contact

Contact , phone 519-451-2800 ext. 252 for more information.