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Our 30th Anniversary celebration was held on October 21, 2009 at the Lindsay Golf and Country Club with over 125 people from across the region.

In a room filled with balloons, flowers and photos from the past, we heard from Ontario Minister of Natural Resources Donna Cansfield, MPP Rick Johnson, Kawartha Conservation’s Inaugural Chairperson David Murray, Pollution Probe’s Dr. Quentin Chiotti and local municipal leaders. There was also a silent auction to help raise funds for Durham East Cross Forest Conservation Area.

Presenters:

Keynote Address: Honourable Donna Cansfield, Minister of Natural Resources presentation

Dr. Quentin Chiotti, Director of Atmospheric Issues and Senior Scientist, Pollution Probe presentation

David Murray, Inaugural Chair of Kawartha Conservation presentation


Congratulatory remarks from:

  • MPP Rick Johnson
  • Mayor Ric McGee, City of Kawartha Lakes
  • Mayor Marilyn Pearce, Township of Scugog
  • Mayor Larry O’Connor, Township of Brock
  • Councillor Ron Hooper, Municipality of Clarington
  • Alex Ruth, Township of Cavan Monaghan
  • Reeve Tom Flynn, Township of Galway-Cavendish & Harvey
  • Virginia Hackson, Vice Chair and Treasurer, Conservation Ontario
  • Dave Watson, Interim President, Friends of Kawartha Conservation
  • Kathleen Cooper, Treasurer, Friends of Kawartha Conservation

 

Message from the Chair of Kawartha Conservation
Jim McMillen

I am pleased to celebrate this important milestone in the history of Kawartha Conservation—our 30th anniversary.

As we look back over the past 3 decades, Kawartha Conservation has played an important role in protecting the very things that make this region a great place to live, work and visit.

As we move forward, we will continue to focus on protecting the abundant supplies of good, clean water in our rivers, lakes and wells, and the significant natural features that are vital to the health of our environment.

I would like to thank our keynote speaker, Minister of Natural Resources Donna Cansfield; Dr. Quentin Chiotti from Pollution Probe and Inaugural Chair Dave Murray for their presentations; our member municipalities, staff and the Friends of Kawartha Conservation for their contributions to the celebration; and everyone who is here with us today. I would also like to thank all of the businesses and artists who made donations to our silent auction, to help raise funds for the protection and rehabilitation of Durham East Cross Forest Conservation Area.

Let us recognize our accomplishments, as we reunite with friends and colleagues, and reaffirm our commitment to conservation.


Message from the Chief Administrative Officer of Kawartha Conservation
Rob Messervey

Residents and cottagers within the Kawartha Lakes region are blessed with magnificent landscapes, lakes and waterways. As Kawartha Conservation’s new CAO, I am privileged to now work within this geography to help sustain and enhance our natural environment for the benefit of everyone.

I congratulate those who had the vision and fortitude to pursue the establishment of Kawartha Region Conservation Authority and set its early course. In 30 remarkable years, the conservation authority has accomplished much to be proud of.

We now have the responsibility to build upon those successes and work diligently to ensure we all have access to clean and abundant water supplies and a healthy landscape, which support recreational opportunities, agriculture and a robust local economy.

We cannot accomplish much on our own. Our continued success depends on your interest, your involvement, and your commitment to a healthy environment.


(l to r) MPP Rick Johnson, Minister Donna Cansfield, Kawartha Conservation Vice Chair Donna Villemaire and Kawartha Conservation Chair Jim McMillen



Quentin Chiotti, Pollution Probe, talks about sustainable watershed management



David Murray, Kawartha Conservation's Founding Chairperson, describes how education was a key focus of the organization in the 1980s

A brief history

The idea behind conservation authorities came about in the 1940s out of concern for problems such as flooding, erosion and the loss of natural areas. Discussion between the province of Ontario, municipalities and local groups concluded that the management of natural resources should involve the local community, be based on a watershed, and be done through partnerships. Based on these guiding principles, the Conservation Authorities Act was passed in 1946. Today, there are 36 conservation authorities in Ontario, of which Kawartha Conservation is the youngest.

Kawartha Region Conservation Authority, later known as Kawartha Conservation, was formed in October 1979 after local citizens began to recognize in the late sixties the need to manage the environment and started to advocate for the creation of a conservation authority.

Twenty-two municipalities had partnered to form Kawartha Conservation. While the watershed boundaries are the same as in 1979, the twenty-two municipalities have since undergone amalgamation and now number six.

For many years, our headquarters were located in Heritage House in Fenelon Falls. Eventually, we outgrew this space and built in 1992 our present administrative centre in Ken Reid Conservation Area.

Ken Reid Conservation Area was our first acquisition in 1981. We later opened Pigeon River Headwaters Conservation Area in 1991, Windy Ridge Conservation Area in 2004 and Durham East Cross Forest Conservation Area in 2009. We also began managing Fleetwood Creek Natural Area in 1989 on behalf of Ontario Heritage Trust.

In the early days, staff looked after the health of our watershed by providing input to the municipal land use planning process, acquiring and managing conservation lands, flood forecasting and warning, private land stewardship initiatives and an education program.

In the mid 1990’s, dramatic funding cuts by the provincial government required significant cuts to service. This prompted the formation of the Friends of Kawartha Conservation in 1996 to help fund conservation initiatives.

We began regaining environmental management opportunities in 2000, as amalgamation saw municipalities take a leadership role in the environment.

Today, Kawartha Conservation plays an important role in the protection of our natural resources through environmental management plans, land use planning, private and public land stewardship, flood and low water response, drinking water source protection and environmental monitoring.


Silent Auction

Our thanks to the numerous businesses and artists who donated items for a silent auction and draw in support of Durham East Cross Forest Conservation Area.

 

 


 

 

“Leading the way to abundant, clean water within a healthy landscape”

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