Peace and Environment News * March 1999

Restoring the Rideau River

by Sandy Garland

Last fall, ECOS (the Environment Committee of Ottawa South) received a grant from the Millennium Bureau of Canada to make our dream of restoring the Rideau come true. Our project, which emphasizes a hands-on, grassroots approach to improving water quality, habitat, and biodiversity, has three related components:

• A "blueprint" for river improvement projects that can be carried out by community groups, school classes, youth groups, and others. We hope that on Earth Day in the year 2000, every community up and down the river will participate, and thousands of people of all ages will have a chance to make a meaningful contribution to improving the river.
• A plan for a Millennium Interpretive Centre that will focus on the natural and social history of the Rideau.
• A permanent Rideau River Management Group that will grow out of the network of partners and contacts formed during the first two phases. This group will serve the much-needed role of advisory and coordinating body for all activities that have an impact on the health of the Rideau within the national capital region.

A workshop at the end of March will bring together some of the people who are interested in the state of the Rideau. The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, the City of Ottawa, and the regional government are helping ECOS organize this event, which will pave the way for the next stages as spring weather allows us to refocus on the outdoors.

For further information, contact Sandy Garland at 730-0714.

Sandy Garland is ECOS 2000 project coordinator.

Converted October 11, 1999 - Lg

To follow up on this article, contact the author or the organizations/individuals mentioned; do not contact the Peace and Environment Resource Centre - we cannot provide follow up or contact information. This article is an archival copy of the printed one in the Peace and Environment News (PEN). Viewpoints expressed should not be taken to represent the opinions of the Peace and Environment Resource Centre, the PEN, or our supporters.

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