The application period for the Maumee AOC Advisory Committee (MAAC) will end on January 9th and the Committee will be formed soon, with the first meeting held before March. Check MaumeeRAP.org for the application, latest updates, and announcements.
Please mark your calendars for the U.S. EPA Annual AOC Conference, coming to Toledo on March 11th-12th at The University of Toledo. More details will be announced soon.
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The Restoring Ottawa River Wetlands and Habitat Restoration project at Camp Miakonda has finally come to a close after many years. The project set out to restore stream habitat, reduce erosion, enhance wetlands, and improve upland habitat along the Ottawa River. After years of planning, preparation, construction and follow up education, Partners for Clean Streams, Boy Scouts of America, US Army Corps of Engineers and various other partners are thrilled with the restoration features and natural responses to the structures that were installed. Monitoring has reached a close as EnviroScience collected, measured and recorded insect populations and plant growth around the area of restoration. All results point to a healthy, thriving environment. As quality fish species return to Lake Sawyer, eager Boy Scouts prepare their fishing lines for the next season of camping.
The educational component of this project benefits both young and older scouts, as well as environmental professionals through advanced workshops. The educational benefits will continue well past the life of the grant. Last summer, eight educational signs were installed around the project area highlighting the work that was done, historical significance of the site, native wildlife, and activities for scouts to do. There are several other additional types of educational materials that scouts can use to complete various requirements for badges. One set of materials is an activity guide highlighting various activity stations on the educational signs around the project area. The activity guide will come in handy for summer camp or groups completing requirements at camp. Another helpful resource is macro invertebrate kits that can be borrowed and used for evaluating insects living in the tributaries and Ottawa River. All these educational components for the Scouts at Camp Miakonda center around our restoration project and expand how campers can interact with the river, lake and streams for years to come.
Check out the finalized fact sheet and pictures from throughout the project. PCS will continue to work with the camp to maintain the structures, encourage education and build upon the partnership that has been established throughout the years.
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It is cold outside and if this winter is anything like last winter, it will get colder. And snowier. And have more ice. More than ever, your water (frozen and liquid) needs protecting! Water can get polluted easily in the winter months especially from snow and ice removal by using de-icers. Snow and ice melting products, known as de-icers, can have negative environmental impacts when melted snow and ice carry the chemical to our ditches, streams and rivers. Overuse of certain products, such as salts, can also damage driveways and vehicles, and can be a hazard for pets. Not all de-icing products are equal in terms of cost, environmental impact or effectiveness. What can you do?
1. Shovel early, shovel often. De-icers work best when there is only a thin layer of snow or ice that must be melted. Remove as much snow as you can during the storm if possible. Use a hoe or other tool to scrape or chip off ice from the surface before de-icers are applied.
2. If you have a chronic problem with ice forming, determine the source and divert the melting snow away from your sidewalks and driveways to an area where the ice won’t be a problem.
3. Shovel early in the day, the sun will warm the surface and help melt new snow and prevent the need for de-icers.
4. Shovel or plow your driveway and sidewalks before spreading de-icer.
5. Shovel before you drive a vehicle on the driveway to reduce packed snow.
6. Limit the use of de-icers, especially those with the most negative impacts.
7. Make sure to purchase your de-icing product well before the storm hits. Otherwise, you will be looking at empty shelves, and have few, if any, environmental choices to make at the store.
8. Many de-icers will not work in extremely low temperatures. Make sure you are getting the correct product for the situation.
9. Do not use fertilizers for snow and ice removal. Fertilizers are very poor at ice melting and removal and increase nutrient runoff to streams.
10. Do not try to use sand to melt snow or ice. It will only increase traction, which can be very helpful in certain situations.
Remember that when the snow and ice melt, it carries everything along into the nearest ditch or stream, often via storm drains. The chemicals you pour on your sidewalks can have detrimental effects on nearby plants, animals and water systems. Think carefully about nearby kids, pets and landscaping that could be affected by the de-icing products. Keep your own safety in mind. Our waterways are our drinking sources. Your rivers will thank you when the snow and ice melt.
Information was provided by Snow, Road, Salt and the Chesapeake Bay by Tom Shuler, Center for Watershed Protect. For more information, check out the Salt article at http://danedocs.countyofdane.com/webdocs/pdf/lwrd/lakes/Salt_Article.pdf
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Join us for our 13th Annual Youth Patch Day Workshop! Learn about local fresh water systems and fulfill requirements for various environmental related Cub Scout or Girl Scout requirements. The Workshop will include new hands on activities about water quality, fishing line recycling, local wildlife, storm drains, drinking water and more. The Workshop will be held on Sunday, March 8th, 2015 from 1-4:30pm for children Kindergarten through 5th grade. The cost is $5.00. It will be held at the University of Toledo Student Union in the Ingman Room, #2520, with free parking. Preregistration is required by February 27th but spots fill up fast so register early to insure your spot. We will ask for names of the participants upon confirmation of registration. Registration flyers are available from the Boy Scouts and Girl Scout offices, by calling Partners for Clean Streams at 419-874-0727, emailing [email protected] or visiting our website at www.PartnersforCleanStreams.org.
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