Uxbridge receives two enviro-healthy awards
Lisha Van Nieuwenhove
The Township of Uxbridge is pretty eco healthy, according to the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA), and it’s receiving awards for being so healthy.
Last Tuesday evening, at its 43rd annual Conservation Awards ceremony, the LSRCA celebrated 23 individuals, businesses, and groups who are working to improve the environment; the Township of Uxbridge and the Rotary Club of Uxbridge each received one of these awards.
The Township was given the Healthy Water Award, which recognizes outstanding projects that enhance, support, or protect water quality within the Lake Simcoe watershed.
The Township earned this distinction for its South Balsam stormwater pond upgrade project. The Township installed 67 pre-treatment devices in existing catch basins to prevent sediment scouring and capture debris for easy removal during routine maintenance.
“This cost-effective, low-disruption approach extends the pond’s lifespan and protects the watershed’s health, benefiting aquatic ecosystems and water quality,” explains the LSRCA in the announcement of the awards.
The Rotary Club of Uxbridge plants native trees and plants at its first mini-forest site in the Fields of Uxbridge.
“This project reflects our Township’s commitment to sustainable infrastructure and keeping our water clean through stormwater ponds,” said Mayor Dave Barton.
The Rotary Club of Uxbridge received the Healthy Community Award for its recent ‘mini forest’ projects, along with the other initiatives it undertakes to be environmentally conscious.
The mini forests (one is currently growing well at the Fields of Uxbridge) are based on the Miyawaki Method. Six hundred native trees and shrubs were planted in a compact space, with the help of 80 volunteers. This project will help boost biodiversity, improve soil health, and sequester carbon.
In June, the Rotary Club’s annual Wing and Pizza Night fundraiser was uniquely waste-free — only one bag of garbage had to go to the dump, thanks to reusable materials, and clear sorting stations. It also hosts scrap metal and e-waste collection days to help the community. “This is a small win worth celebrating,” said Dr. Mike Banh, chair of the Rotary Club of Uxbridge’s environmental action committee.
The Uxbridge Rotary Club has a number of planting events coming up before the winter settles in, and it welcomes members of the wider community to join in.
On Oct. 25, between 9 a.m. and 12 noon at the King Street parkette, 600 native trees and shrubs will become pocket forests. A pocket forest is a densely planted community of native trees and plants in an area smaller than the size of a few parking spots. These pocket forests tend to grow faster, sequester more carbon, and promote more biodiversity than conventionally planted urban trees.
On Nov. 1, Mini Forest 2.0 will happen at the Fields of Uxbridge. Also happening between 9 a.m. and noon, volunteers are invited to help plant an area the size of a tennis court.
Volunteers are asked to register; contact uxbridgerotaryclub@gmail.com for links and more information.