Friends of Stittsville Wetlands receives two-year funding from Ottawa Stewardship Council
Lookout over a portion of the Goulbourn Wetland Complex, a provincially significant wetland, at the headwaters of Poole Creek, along the TransCanada Trail just west of Stittsville. Photo by Brian Beattie.
Stittsville, ON – The Friends of Stittsville Wetlands, a volunteer, community-based organization with the mission to “protect, restore, regenerate, and rewild Stittsville’s Wetlands for future generations,” continues to build momentum in its second year as it receives a two-year grant from the Ottawa Stewardship Council.
The Ottawa Stewardship Council (OSC) presented the Friends of Stittsville Wetlands (FoSW) with a $7000 grant. This two-year funding will further assist FoSW in building its capacity to protect the Goulbourn Wetland Complex, a provincially significant wetland on Stittsville’s doorstep that is threatened by continuing development pressures and policy changes by the Province of Ontario in late 2022.
The cheque was presented on World Water Day – an annual United Nations Observance held on March 22nd every year since 1993 to highlight the importance of fresh water. This international day advocates for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.
Left to right: Volunteers of Friends of Stittsville Wetlands including Maurice Albert and Chia, Lynda Cronin, Susan Waters, Rudy Stavinga, Treasurer, Bruce Dudley, Vice President, Grace Dhaliwal, Cally Abraham, Laura Dierker, Terry Swaine, Past Treasurer, Stittsville Councillor Glen Gower, Janet Stavinga, President, and Janet Mason, Chair of the Ottawa Stewardship Council.
The portion of the Goulbourn Wetland Complex of particular interest to the Friends of Stittsville Wetlands is located immediately west of the urban boundary of Stittsville and north and south of the TransCanada Trail. As these lands are privately owned, the protection and restoration of these wetlands will require the development of partnerships, through property acquisition and/or the implementation of other conservation tools. The Friends of Stittsville Wetlands have begun initial engagement efforts with some of the major landowners, with additional outreaches to be undertaken over the coming year.
The Goulbourn Wetland Complex, covers over 906 hectares within the Mississippi River and Rideau River watersheds. It is composed of swamps, marshes, and fens. It provides a home to Species at Risk, including Blandings Turtles, Snapping Turtles, and over 150 species of birds (eBird), including four Species at Risk. This wetland also serves as a habitat for a variety of species, including Northern Spring Peeper, bullfrog, muskrat, raccoon, beaver, mink, red fox, coyote, white-tailed deer, and red squirrel.
The headwaters of Poole Creek, which runs through the heart of Stittsville, are found within that portion of the Goulbourn Wetland Complex within the Mississippi River watershed. The upper portion of Poole Creek west of Stittsville Main Street is considered a cold or cool water stream –and one of only two in Ottawa. It is recognized as a crucial and rare aquatic habitat.
The headwaters of Flowing Creek are found within the Rideau River watershed’s portion of the Goulbourn Wetland Complex. Poole Creek and Flowing Creek’s long-term health and diverse functionality depend on the overall health of their headwaters, found within the Goulbourn Wetland Complex.
Stavinga, President of FoSW, former Mayor of Goulbourn, and former Ottawa City Councillor stated, “This two-year funding from the Ottawa Stewardship Council will allow the Friends of Stittsville Wetlands to further advance our wetland advocacy efforts, including building partnerships with property owners, increasing public awareness of the importance of wetlands and strengthening community action to protect them.”
“The OSC supports FoSW’s mission to protect these critical wetlands that offer us so many benefits. They support wildlife and biodiversity. They offer a place of beauty to walk in nature. They sequester carbon. They filter water before it enters Poole Creek and Flowing Creek. And they provide resilience to extreme weather by storing and releasing water during flooding and drought,” said OSC Chair Janet Mason.
“This funding from the Ottawa Stewardship Council is a great way to show continued support for a local organization that is dedicated to advocating for the protection of our wetlands,” said Stittsville Councillor Glen Gower. “It is also the commitment of the community towards the success of the Friends of Stittsville Wetlands. Congratulations!”
Rideau-Jock Councillor David Brown stated, “It is encouraging to see that the great work of the Friends of Stittsville Wetlands will continue to grow. I am deeply grateful to the Ottawa Stewardship Council for supporting Friends of Stittsville Wetlands’ efforts to protect, restore, regenerate, and re-wild the vital wetlands that are the lifeblood of our local ecology.”
Funds for FoSW came from a reserve held by OSC that it received in 2014 from Waste Management as part of its community compensation for the landfill on Carp Road. “OSC is glad that the compensation funds continue to be used for environmental stewardship in Stittsville that benefits all residents and wildlife,” stated Mason.
About Friends of Stittsville Wetlands
The Friends of Stittsville Wetlands are a volunteer, community-based, not-for-profit corporation with the mission to protect, restore, regenerate, and rewild the fragile and ecologically significant wetland, known as the Goulbourn Wetland Complex, in proximity to Stittsville. The wetland is accessible via the TransCanada Trail – Canada’s national trail and the world’s longest network of multi-use recreational trails. The organization became incorporated on January 1, 2024.
Through the development of collaborative partnerships with the private sector and non-governmental organizations at the national, provincial, and local levels the Friends of Stittsville Wetlands are working to ensure the protection, restoration, regeneration, and rewilding of the Goulbourn Wetland Complex – for those species that call them home, for ourselves, and for future generations.
About the Ottawa Stewardship Council
The Ottawa Stewardship Council is a volunteer, non-profit organization that promotes and supports environmental stewardship projects in Ottawa. The OSC uses a P-4 model – public, private, plural partnerships – to work with the City of Ottawa, businesses, schools, communities, and other environmental organizations. OSC has used over $20,000 of the compensation fund for projects in Stittsville, mainly in partnership with Sacred Heart High School for environmental education and stewardship in Kemp Woodlands.
The Friends of Stittsville Wetlands and the Ottawa Stewardship Council are members of the Nature Network, a federated member group of about 150 member groups across Ontario under the auspices of Ontario Nature, providing a powerful collective voice for conservation.
For more information contact:
Janet Stavinga
President and Chair
Friends of Stittsville Wetlands
friendsofstittsvillewetlands@gmail.com
www.FriendsofStittsvilleWetlands.com
Janet Mason
Chair
Ottawa Stewardship Council
ottawastewardshipcouncil@gmail.com
www.ottawastewardship.org