2011 Annual Report - Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority

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Looking Back on 2011 . . .
Another year has passed at the Foundation and we are pleased to share
updates on the critical projects that are working to protect and preserve the
Lake Simcoe watershed. We know we have a responsibility to keep the natural
areas of our community vibrant and thriving—and we do this, together with you
as our important partner. Thank you!
We’ve had many exciting events happen in the last year—including new
programs and partnerships that will sustain our fundraising as we move
forward. We gained almost 200 new donors and welcomed back almost 100
in 2011. We were very fortunate to receive $100,000 from the RBC Blue Water
Project which was used to support the George Richardson Stormwater Pond
Project in Newmarket. This kind of support is vital to the long-term health in
the East Holland subwatershed. Our continued grant from the Ontario Trillium
Foundation also assisted us to open the Discovery Play Garden for children at
the Scanlon Creek Conservation Area in Bradford.
We held almost 30 events in 2011, which is more than any other year! Thanks
to our 22 sponsors and almost 400 attendees, we raised more than $100,000
at our 23rd Annual Conservation Gala. It was a wonderful evening, as we were
also celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Authority. In total, fundraising
programs of the Foundation allowed us to give $300,000 to support the priority
programs and projects.
We present this annual report for you, the 400,000 residents of the Lake
Simcoe watershed, and tens of thousands of cottagers who visit us in the
summer months. We all live, work and play in this area and for that reason, its
long-term sustainability is important to every one of us. We’re happy to share
more about our 2011 accomplishments in the following pages. If you have any
other questions about our work, or would like to make a suggestion about ways
that we can further impact our natural environment, please do get in touch.
Sincerely,
Debby Beatty,
President
Cheryl Taylor,
Executive Director
OUR MISSION
To raise funds from
private individuals
and organizations to
invest in conservation,
restoration, research and
education projects of
the Lake Simcoe Region
Conservation Authority,
to ensure a healthy Lake
Simcoe watershed today
and tomorrow.
OUR VISION
Our vision is of a
community that works
together to respect
and support a healthy
ecosystem. Lake Simcoe
and its rivers and streams
will be cleaner, the land
greener and its natural
features protected for
future generations to
enjoy.
A warm welcome to two new
honourary board members: John
Sibbald, owner of The Briars,
and George Connell, a long-time
supporter of the Foundation.

Bird Banding Making an Impact
Our Bird Banding initiative continued in 2011, with professional bird bander, Nigel Shaw
at the helm. A Passerine banding station was run for a second consecutive spring at the
Scanlon Creek Conservation Area, which allowed for the collection of important data as well
as exciting educational programs for the public. Birds like Raptors, Turkey vultures, Canada
geese, Mallards, Ospreys, Bald eagles, Passerines, Robins and Sparrows were tracked
and banded to help the LSRCA achieve a better understanding of our local environment as
well as the life expectancy of birds and their breeding habits.
Bird conservation is critical to the richness and diversity of our planet, and a program like
this one could not happen without support from our donors. The impact the program leaves
is huge. In fact, the young daughter of an Authority staff member attended a bird banding
workshop last fall and was so impressed that she did her school speech on the experience!
As well as exciting weekend Owl Banding workshops for the public, day and overnight
banding classes were held for school groups—giving a unique opportunity to educate
young people on the importance of tracking the migratory habits of our local bird
populations. Participants in the presentations were able to hold and release birds after the
banding process, and some even made the decision to adopt the birds they held!
Twenty-five birds were adopted last year through the Adopt a Bird Program, including
Owls, Hawks and Passerines. Money raised through these adoptions has helped to answer
questions about the survival and life of our local birds.
“The 2011 season produced some interesting discoveries.
The Passerine Project produced double the birds we caught
in 2010, and a couple of interesting captures. We managed
to catch and band a pair of Pine warblers, and re-trapped
the female a week later, carrying nest material. This is good
breeding evidence for this species at the Scanlon Creek site.
We also re-trapped 12 birds from 2010, some had probably
wintered in the conservation area, others were birds that would
have migrated south and returned to the area to breed.
The Owl Banding Workshops were a great success. We banded
80 Northern Saw-whet owls and one Long-eared owl. We also
trapped four owls that had been banded elsewhere, and four
of the birds we banded were trapped at other banding stations
to the south of us. A bird we banded in 2010 was also found
in Northern Quebec this spring. I am hoping we can continue
this program in the future, adding valuable information to the
ecology of bird life in the Lake Simcoe Region.”
- Nigel Shaw, certified bird bander
Northern Saw-whet owl
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Memorial Tree Program Growing Strong
The Memorial Tree Program, which was started in 2010, continues to gather momentum as more funeral homes get
involved in the effort to raise awareness and funds. Last year, $20,000 was raised to support our restoration and
protection programs. As well, many memorial trees were planted in high priority areas in the East Holland subwatershed.
Two new community partners were welcomed into the program in 2011: the Innisfil Funeral Home in Stroud, and the
McClelland and Slessor Funeral Home in Barrie. In January of 2011, representatives from both these funeral homes
signed on to make a donation to the Foundation as a way to honour each of the families they have served that year.
The money these partners donate will fund local protection and restoration projects that will create a living legacy and
pay lasting tribute to the memory of each family’s loved one. Also in partnership with the Foundation, these groups have
established a namesake Memorial Grove at the South Innisfil Arboretum in the Luck Conservation Area in Innisfil. Each
year, one large tree will be planted in honour of the families they have assisted. These funeral homes will also give family
members who have lost a loved one, the chance to purchase their own individual tree to be planted in the grove as a
memorial.
The Memorial Tree Program has already been responsible for planting thousands of trees in critical areas of restoration
across the Lake Simcoe watershed. Each tree represents a lasting memorial that will have a huge impact on the
sustainability of our community.
McClelland and Slessor Funeral Home and Innisfil Funeral Home at their
Memorial Grove at South Innisfil Arboretum
“When Ms Taylor approached
us with this wonderful
community-focused option, it
was an easy decision for us.
The families we serve have
local roots and so should the
trees that we plant.”
-Stuart Clarke, Funeral
Director at McClelland
and Slessor (Footprints
magazine, Summer 2011)

Success at George Richardson Park!
The Foundation provided funding to support dozens of environmental restoration projects
carried out by LSRCA in 2011, but the largest was the completion of the third and final
phase of the restoration in George Richardson Park in the fall of 2011. The work in George
Richardson Park is an important part of the Foundation’s Watershed for Life campaign.
The Park contains a pond the size of a soccer field with a drainage area many times
larger. The previously existing pond did not address water quality, and did not help reduce
phosphorous levels in Lake Simcoe. Because it also has a stream running through it, the
pond negatively impacted our cold water fish habitats, water quality and oxygen levels.
The first phase of this project was finished in March 2010 and included the installation of a
red sand filtration system. The final steps involved retrofitting the stormwater management
facility on town-owned lands. In September 2011, construction began on the creation of a
sediment forebay (permanent pool) and main cell, the creation of a flow splitter to connect
the by-pass stream channel and extensive landscape restoration.
We supported the exciting community tree planting event, hosted by our partner, LSRCA
was held on Earth Day May 6, 2012. The event saw hundreds from the community out to
plant trees in the Park and celebrate the completion of the restoration work. It also offered a
chance to formally thank all the project partners and the RBC Blue Water Project for making
a two-year grant of $100,000 in support of the project. This initiative has greatly bolstered
on-going efforts to improve the health of the watershed and will help reduce phosphorous
loads into Lake Simcoe by 23kg annually.
“Community Involvement and donor support is critical to projects like this one. We must
pull together to make things like this happen. We must all take pride in the natural areas of
our community.”
-Brook Piotrowski,
Environmental Project Coordinator, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority
Excavatiing the main cell of the stormwater pond.
Creating a stone covered berm between sections of the pond.
Installing a red sand filter.
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A New Natural Playground for Kids
On July 24, 2011, we celebrated a very important opening. Thanks to a generous grant from the Ontario Trillium
Foundation and a number of generous community donors, we opened the Discovery Play Garden for children. This
exciting natural play environment is located beside the picnic pavilion in the Scanlon Creek Conservation Area—a 300
hectare park that also offers walking trails, an off-leash dog park and an overlook over the Holland River Valley.
The Foundation believes that re-vitalizing this space will have a great impact on our environmental and personal health.
More specifically, this new play area for young people to explore will help to get our children back outside playing in the
sand, water and trees. And with the increased use of computers and electronic games in the last generation, this type of
initiative is desperately needed. Children are just not as connected to nature, or as physically active as they once were,
and new outdoor areas to play offer an important solution to this problem.
Staff worked with contractors Sustainable Trails and Bienenstock Natural Playgroups to help bring our vision of a
children’s play area to life. The play area includes a giant rock to climb on, a sandbox, a “forest” of wacky posts to play
in, as well as slides and drums. We plan to expand this natural playground, with more musical instruments, obstacle
courses, rope climbers and a log house and furniture for quiet play. This next phase of development, as well as the
overall re-vitalization in Scanlon Creek, will happen with continued community support.
The Discovery Play Garden at Scanlon Creek Conservation Area
“I see [the Discovery Play
Garden] as an answer to all
those computers, and all
those children who spend
hours indoors. The creative
process requires unlimited
time and a great many
possibilities.”
- MPP Julia Munro (Innisfil
Examiner, July 29, 2011)

Bringing Health to our Community
One of our goals is to play a bigger role in boosting the health of those living in our watershed. It’s been
proven that being outside in nature can enhance people’s mental and emotional health. An appreciation
for nature and its benefits will help them to value and support our work. Public relations initiatives that
promote this idea will help to bring added health benefits to everyone. By highlighting the many outdoor
spaces available to help people become more active, we can also ensure that more community residents
are out enjoying the conservation areas that we work so hard to protect.
A key accomplishment in 2011, was a feature that appeared in Beingwell magazine in Fall 2011. Beingwell
is the magazine of the Southlake Regional Hospital Foundation and enjoys a large following of past and
current patients, visitors and supporters. We harnessed the size of Southlake’s audience to get out a vital
message to our community: the importance of getting outside and being active to our general health.
Brian Kemp, LSRCA’s General Manager, Conservation Lands, was quoted in the article entitled “Parks:
A prescription for better health.” The article spoke of a “parks prescription” that doctors are now handing
out. Where, instead of prescribing their patients medication, the doctor gives the patient detailed
instructions about the location of local greenspace and the names of trails that he/she could walk on.
Advocates say that these types of prescriptions strengthen the connection between the health care
system and public lands, promote a healthy lifestyle and also the stewardship of natural areas. This article
is only the beginning of the number of ways that we will get the word out about the benefits of spending
time in the natural spaces in our community, as well as protecting the ecological health of our watershed.
“We are hoping that local doctors
are going to grab on to the idea
that there is a pharmacy they can
send their patients to, and in this
case the pharmacy is a whole lot
of greenspace in the Lake Simcoe
watershed.”
-Brian Kemp, General Manager,
Conservation Lands, Lake Simcoe
Region Conservation Authority
(Beingwell magazine, Fall 2011)
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2011 Financial Summary Aknowledgements
2011 REVENUE: $532,431
WHERE DID IT COME FROM?
Foundations and Grants: 29%
General Donations: 43% Events: 28%
2011 DISBURSEMENTS TO AUTHORITY: $256,929
WHERE DID IT GO?
Scanlon Creek Conservation
Area Re-Vitalization: 10%
East Holland Restoration Projects: 78%
Education Programs: 12%
ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENDITURES: $266,098
The Conservation Foundation would like to thank our incredible volunteers. Your
continued guidance and dedication to a healthier watershed is greatly appreciated.
2011 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OUR EXECUTIVE
Debby Beatty, President
Dr. David Ouchterlony, 1st Vice President
Andrew (Sandy) Robinson, 2nd Vice President
Brad Rogers, Secretary / Treasurer
OUR MEMBERS/DIRECTORS
Thomas Connell
William Carey
Alan Chapple
Timothy Crooks
Ernie Crossland
Bobbie Drew
Virginia Hackson
John McCallum
Janice Robinson
Gayle Wood (ex-officio)
OUR STAFF
Cheryl Taylor, Executive Director
Judy Milner, Development Officer
Brenda Winter, Project Coordinator and Community Outreach
Yvette Kramer, Event Coordinator
Best wishes to outgoing Board Member James Vigmond
Thank you for your dedicated support.

Donor Recognition
ECO-CHAMPIONS
($250 - $999)
1173009 Ontario Inc.
1798460 Ontario Inc.
John Adams
Barbara Bamford
John Bathe
Beacon Environmental Ltd.
Kenneth R. Beatty
Joanne Best
Bianchi Auto Centre Ltd.
BMO Investments Inc.
Earl and Esme Bogoch
Bruce C. and Nancy Bone
Bradford Print Shoppe
Jackie Burkart
Peter J. Burtch
Ian and Margaret Clarke
Linda J. Clipsham
Caroline Connell
William and June Coward
Timothy V. and Roz Crooks
Anthony and Joy DeWerth
Britton and Nancy Doherty
Rae and Shael Dolman
Clifford Dresner and Bonnie Fowler
Norah Dunning
Craig and Dr. David Ellis
Albert and Gail Farrell
Bruce Ferguson
Giant Tiger Stores Limited
Phillip Gilbert
Paul and Vicki Hand
Mark Harris
Paul and Ursula Higgins Jr.
Brian Hudson
Innisfil Lions Club
Angelo and Sandy Iocca
Renee Jarrett and Nick Saccone
John Eek & Sons Ltd.
Brian and Susan Kemp
Sonia Labatt Labatt
Bruce and Judith Langstaff
Donald and Lorraine Lawson
Jocelyn Lee
M.W. Becker Funeral Home Ltd.
Manulife Financial
Arthur R. and Briget W. McMurrich
Walter and Marylou Montanera
North York Chevrolet Ltd.
Geoffrey Peat
Andee Pelan
John T. and Mitzi Pepall
Pet Valu Canada Inc.
R.J. Burnside & Associates Limited
William P. Redelmeier
Douglas G. Reid
John and Anne Marie Ritchie
Janice Robinson
Mary Jane Sarjeant
Scotiabank
Joel and Adrienne Slan
Gary and Janis Soren
John and Betty Speakman
Timothy and Laura Stanford
Jan and Kathleen Tesar
The Lloyd and Gladys Fogler Foundation
Robert and Diana Tweedy
Harry and Anne Walker
John A. Wardrop
William Prager Limited
W. David and Shelagh Wilson
Gayle and Doug Wood
Kelin Zhao
Bernard and Gabrielle Zweerman
ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS
($1,000-$4,999)
002165243 Ontario Inc.
Donald Bainbridge
Edward Bertram and Judy Brundridge
Betty and Chris Wansbrough Family
Foundation
William Carey
Robert Casper and Jennifer Wardrop
Dr. Suzanne Caudry and Uzi Zarum
Century 21 Heritage Group Ltd.
Hugh and Carolyn Cleland
Commuity Foundations of Canada
George and Sheila Connell
Thomas G.G. Connell
John and Catherine Dale
Larry and Joyce Dare
Mayor Geoffrey Dawe
DGMF Investments Inc.
Environment Canada
Jonathan and Roberta Fidler
Georgia Gulf Royal Group, Inc.
Jack Gibbons
Wendy Gilbert
Donna Green and Mike Sanderson
Groundswell Urban Planners
Virginia I. Hackson
Edythe Hall
Nick and Beryl Hamilton-Piercy
Michael Higgins and Bruce McCartney
Bryce and Connie Hunter
Gordon and Doreen Lak
William and Jean C. Lawrence
Brian and Joannah Lawson
Wayne and Beverley McLeod
North Newmarket Lions Club
Roger Oatley
Drs. David and Donna Ouchterlony
Raymac Corporation
Andrew and Judy M. Robinson
Running Room Canada Inc.
John and Melissa Shannon
Spectra Aluminum Products Ltd.
James and Carolyn Swan
Marcella and Joe Tanzola
The Lawrence and Judith Tanenbaum
Family Foundation
Quig Tingley and Margot Franssen
John H. Tory and Barbara Hackett
James L. Vigmond
WG5 Bravewolf Land Holding Limited
Mary Grace Wright
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Donor Recognition
NATURE LOVERS
($5,000-$9,999)
James C. Baillie
Century 21 Heritage Group Ltd.
Ivanhoe Cambridge II - Vaughan Mills
The McLean Foundation
WATERSHED HEROES
($10,000-$49,000)
Bill and Karen Barnett
David R. and Deborah Beatty
Debby Beatty
Helen McCrea Peacock Foundation
Magna International Inc.
Royal Bank of Canada Foundation
The Ontario Trillium Foundation
Uplands Foundation
TREE MEMORIAL PARTNERS
Innisfil Funeral Home Limited
McClelland & Slessor Funeral Homes
Roadhouse and Rose Funeral Home
GEORGE RICHARDSON
CONSERVATION DINNER
SPONSORS
PLATINUM
Sharon West Landowners Group Inc.
GOLD
Casino Rama
GOLD (continued)
Cortel Group
Rice Commercial Group
SILVER
GHD Inc.
Great Gulf Group
Green Earth Village
Holland Landing Landowners Group
Miller Thomson LLP
MMM Group
BRONZE
Azimuth Environmental Consulting Inc.
W.F. Baird & Associates Coastal
Engineers Ltd.
R.J. Burnside & Associates Limited
Fidelity Investments
Fieldgate Developments
Green Lane Landowners Group
Imbrium Systems
Lake Simcoe Living
Minto Communities (Toronto) Inc.
Preston Group
SCS Consulting Group Ltd.
TRIBUTES
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
DR. DAVID OUCHTERLONY from
Alicja and Mariusz Michalak
John and Patricia Snyder
THOMAS CONNELL from
Lol, Peter and John Lee
We also recognize the many donors who have given smaller amounts, as well
as those who wished to remain anonymous. Every gift makes a difference
IN MEMORIUM
DOLORES CATHERINE PEARCE from
Anne Hamilton
MATTHEW BAKER from
Erica Erna Baker
BEATRICE HELEN MICKELSON from
Theresa Bos
Gina Casey
Tom Hogenbirk
Lake Simcoe Region Conservation
Authority
BERIS ERWOOD from
Dr. Michael Moran
CHRISTOPHER LUKE ZWEERMAN
from
Bernard and Gabrielle Zweerman
MARGARET MARIN from
Janice Robinson
IN HONOUR
VICTORIA HAND from
Timothy and Laura Stanford
IAN AND HELEN CARTER from
Bruce W. Ferguson
DAVID AND BONNIE COLLACUTT
from
Barrie Huronia Probus Club
DEBBY AND DAVID BEATTY from
Cindy Blakely
Judy K. Galloway
Jay and Barbara Hennick
Sonia Labatt
Claude Lamoureux
W.M. Pigott
James and Mary Roberts
Ian and Nancy Robinson
Nicola A. Speakman and David
Higgins
Dr. Alfred G. Wirth
DEBBY BEATTY from
Charles M. Beatty
Kenneth R. Beatty
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
DEBORAH AND JOHN, SUSIE AND
FRED from
Dave, Andrea, Ben and Mason
BRENDA AND JULES from
Heather Henderson
JOHN EATON, MARLENE
JOHNSTON, CATHY MORTON AND
TARA ROY-DICLEMENTE from
Staff at Royalpark Homes
TO ALL OUR CLIENTS from
Groundswell Urban Planners - Brad
Rogers, Kerigan Kelly, Lucila Sandoval
and Mike Sciberras

Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority
FOCUSED FUTURE & FRUITFUL PARTNERSHIPS = A WATERSHED FOR LIFE
2011, our 60th anniversary, was another year of incredible progress in our watershed!
Since our creation in 1951, the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority has made significant advancements in
the protection and restoration of our lake and watershed. However, without the support of our communities, municipal
and government partners and the Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation, these accomplishments wouldn’t have
been possible.
Today, more than ever, the support of the Foundation is necessary for us to continue the groundwork for a healthier
watershed.
Focused on our future, 2012 will be a year dedicated to strategic priorities that continue to strengthen our organization
and our conservation efforts. Some of the plans for 2012 include: working to build new and unique funding partnerships;
expanding our communication and outreach activities to increase knowledge and understanding of how our human
activities are connected to the health of our watershed; continuing our role as leaders in the protection of our drinking
water sources and; redesigning our Landowner Environmental Assistance Program (LEAP) to bring more stewardship
work into our urban communities – making a real difference where it counts!
Now in our 7th decade, I’m confident that we’re on the right track. With the continued support of our closest partner,
the Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation and its generous donors, I believe we’re closer to achieving our collective
vision of A Watershed for Life. Together, creating a vibrant and life-sustaining legacy.
Virginia Hackson,
Mayor of East Gwillimbury and Chair of LSRCA
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The Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation
120 Bayview Parkway, Box 282
Newmarket, Ontario, L3Y 4X1 Charitable
No.: BN 11900 3317 RR0001
Established in 1973, The Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation is a registered environmental charity working to help
restore and protect the land and water of the Lake Simcoe watershed. The Foundation accomplishes this by raising
funds in support of the valuable conservation programs and projects of the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority.
Cover picture of Scanlon Creek Conservation Area and many others, courtesy of Jim Craigmyle Photography.