Here are some of our active and recently completed stewardship projects. We welcome your help to continue this work – to get involved as a volunteer check out the Ways To Give page.
Restoring the Trenton Greenbelt
Lower Trent Conservation is revitalizing a small 0.3 ha section of the Trenton Greenbelt Conservation Area located in downtown Trenton on the bank of the Trent River (across from LCBO). This special urban greenspace is being transformed from a tired lawn into a native wildflower meadow with scattered shade trees, complete with a wide walking trail and resting spots. Visitors will be drawn to enjoy the riverside. Pollinating insects, birds and other wildlife, will benefit from the infusion of native plant diversity. Improved soil health will boost nature-based climate resilience through better water absorption and carbon storage. Funding for this project is provided by Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund, a Government of Canada’s Department of Environment and Climate Change program in partnership with Conservation Ontario, as well as the Great Lakes Local Action Fund, and the Rotary Club of Trenton. Lower Trent Conservation is in partnership with the City of Quinte West, Rotary Club of Trenton, and Alderville Black Oak Savanna, Trees for Life, Nature Conservancy of Canada, and many others.
For more information on the project check out our project overview!
To participate in the public consultation on the landscape design for the space, check out: Community Survey
Please click here to look at the Project Landscape Design!
Watch this short video to learn more about this project and how you can be involved.
Native plant and rain gardens
Starting in 2015, LTC staff replaced a small section of lawn in front of the LTC Administration building with a selection of native wildflowers, grasses and shrubs, suited to dry sandy soils and full sun conditions. Since then, nearly every year, staff have continued to remove more lawn and plant more native species attracting many insects and birds (to prevent bird-window collisions special decals were applied to windows). Most recently we have installed a raingarden with the help of the Bay of Quinte Remedial Action Plan which has grants for landowners interested in creating raingardens in urban areas.
Murray Marsh Natural Habitat Area wetland buffers
Murray Marsh is situated in the heart of the Lower Trent Conservation watershed on the Trent River. Due to its huge size (3,760 ha), diverse habitats, rich biodiversity and hydrological importance, the wetland is designated as a Provincially Significant Wetland and a Life Science Area of Natural and Scientific Interest. LTC owns and manages lands in the Murray Marsh Natural Habitat Area, where it leases out 98 ha as agricultural fields. The Murray Marsh Natural Habitat Area Management Plan (2014) identified the need for buffers to protect wetlands from agricultural impacts and provide habitat for wildlife that depend on uplands in addition to wetlands for part of their life cycles.
Over three years, 15,260 trees (representing 15 native species) were planted creating 13 ha of buffers. The newly treed buffer areas are permanently demarcated with metal T-bar to prevent farm equipment encroachment into the buffers as trees establish. Rodent predation in planted buffer areas is being reduced by ongoing mowing by LTC staff between rows of planted trees.
Funding for this project was secured from TD Friends of The Environment, Forest Resources Canada, Forests Ontario 50 Million Trees Program, Highway of Heroes Living Tribute, Ducks Unlimited Canada and LTC’s stewardship initiatives donations.
