• Various tree and shrub planting projects including a public Halloween tree planting event on October 30, 2010 in partnership with the Cedarvale Lodge Retirement community. Along with the planting of more than 500 trees and shrubs around a storm water pond, this event featured bat and bird box building activities and a live animal demonstration from Reptiles at Risk.
• The Lower Maskinonge River Naturalization Project is now underway. This project has the support of more than twenty Keswick landowners who are ready and willing to transform and improve their shorelines. This includes the removal of straight, hardened shore walls and replacement with rocks and native shrubs. These landowners are also installing wildlife features such as bat boxes, turtle nesting mounds and songbird and duck boxes and will be managing the area as a naturalized, no-mow vegetated buffer zone.
• The Boag Road Stream riffle project involved moving ten tonnes of rock into a flat, wide section of the Maskinonge River. Where once the river was flat and stagnant, a burbling riffle now exists oxygenating the water and providing new fish and benthic habitat.
• Over 400 flowering plants were put into the ground by Keswick High School students on Earth Day, 2010. The plant species that were chosen were drought resistant and beautiful native plants that specifically provided habitat for native butterflies. The funds used to pay for a portion of the butterfly garden were raised by the students selling live potted holiday trees.
• With the help of the Ministry of Natural Resources Stewardship Rangers, MRRP coordinated the removal of 24 rotting tires from the river.
• Approximately 4500 woodland plants were rescued from several woodlots that were slated to be cut in the pathway of the Highway 404 extension. These salvaged plants were relocated to several sites across the watershed, including a restoration project with the Chippewas of Georgina Island
• In 2009 and 2010, MRRP held a successful public education event called “Up the Maskinonge, WITH a Paddle” – a free guided public paddle designed to raise awareness of the river and its condition. The third annual event will take place in September 2011 and will highlight works done on the Lower Maskinonge Naturalization Project
• In the rural headwaters of the Maskinonge, members of MRRP are working with landowners to plant vegetated buffer zones along the river banks. We are offering free plants and labour for folks who are willing to create and maintain these vitally important water protection zones
• In addition to these projects, the MRRP is devoted to public outreach and environmental education. This is being accomplished through presentations to schools, attendance at local events and the creation of brochures, banners and signage

We realize that restoring the Maskinonge Subwatershed to a healthier ecosystem is not going to happen through regulation and government action alone. As such, our main goal is to work with the watershed-wide community and landowners in particular, to expand their interest in taking on a stewardship role in their own backyards.  We offer landowners free technical advice and help them to access the funds they need to create and sustain a better environment.

Andee Pelan
Project Coordinator, Maskinonge River Recovery Project (MRRP)
Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA)
120 Bayview Parkway, Box 282
Newmarket, ON - L3Y 4X1
905-895-1281 ext. 244
Cell: 905-955-6184