TD Trees Day Along Little River

Gina Pannunzio, Kelly Laforest and Ian Naisbitt (Author)

On Sunday, 22 October, TD Bank sponsored their TD Trees Day program by inviting our Windsor-Essex community to help TD employees plant trees. Groups that participated included: Essex County Nature, Code Green –  Caesars Windsor, Rotary Club of LaSalle Centennial, Essex County Geocachers, University of Windsor Students, the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup, Unifor Local 200 Retirees and the Little River Enhancement Group.

The planting site is located in the Detroit River Watershed in East Windsor’s Little River Corridor Park. This is the same site that our community planted to celebrate Earth Day 2017.

We enjoyed a typical Autumn day: a mostly sunny sky with occasional Cirrus clouds, temperatures in the morning of 12 Celsius increasing to 21 C by noon. There was a slight breeze (23 km/ h), which made the planting pleasurable.

Over 60 eager volunteers participated by digging holes; planting and mulching 300 trees! Volunteers started planting at 9:30 a.m. and the job was completed at 11:15 a.m., before the scheduled end time, Well Done! The species of trees that we planted included Burr Oak, Swamp White Oak, Red Oak, Cottonwood, American Elm, Basswood, Pin Oak, Hackberry, and American Sycamore.

The Little River Enhancement Group would like to thank TD Bank and the Essex Region Conservation Authority/ Detroit River Canadian Cleanup for planning this community event. Our goal to improve the ecosystem health of the Detroit River Watershed has benefited from the TD Tree Day volunteer efforts.

Happy 150^th Birthday Canada 

Happy 125^th Birthday City of Windsor

Gina Pannunzio, Paul Giroux and Ian Naisbitt (Author)

On Saturday, 14 October, the Windsor-Essex community celebrated the birthdays of Canada and Windsor by planting 150 trees. Essex County Nature was invited to participate by Paul Giroux, City of Windsor Forester and Gina Pannunzio, Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA)/ Detroit River Canadian Cleanup (DRCC). Our community partnership also included volunteers from the Little River Enhancement Group (Lil’ Reg) and the Windsor Chapter of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at (AMJ Windsor). This project was funded by the AMJ Windsor, the City of Windsor and the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup.

The planting site is located in the Little River Watershed in East Windsor at Bush Park. There is an existing woodland that is well established in the south end of the park; fortunately, the Ganatchio Trail already runs through it and is enjoyed by local citizens. This tree planting event extended the woodland habitat north to Forest Glade Drive and will provide shade for trail users in the future. As well, planted trees along the Ganatchio Trail will connect the park to the riparian habitat of the Little River valley.

Environment Canada called for a cloudy day with 60 percent chance of showers. High 21. Humidex 25. UV index 3 or moderate. The group appreciated the weather conditions: overcast, with mild Autumn temperatures (15 to 17 degrees Celsius). The volunteers were not phased by the precipitation at the beginning of the event, which did not last. About 50 hardy community volunteers (children, parents and grandparents) participated by digging holes; planting and mulching the trees! Volunteers worked from 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The species of trees that we planted included: (Burr Oak, American Elm, Swamp White Oak, Basswood, Pin Oak, Freeman’s Maple and American Sycamore.)

The planting event was followed by a barbeque sponsored by the AMJ Windsor group, which was greatly appreciated by the volunteers.

Today’s contribution brings the total number of trees planted in the Little River Watershed to 39235!

Volunteers Celebrating Canada’s 150th and Windsor’s 125th Birthdays

September 28, 2017

Media Release

For Immediate Release

FCA Windsor Assembly Celebrates 10 Years of Digging In

Windsor – On Sunday, October 1st, FCA Canada’s Joint Workplace Environment Committee (JWEC) will team up with the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) and the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup (DRCC) to create more meadow habitat in Windsor. Over the past 10 years, Unifor Local 444 and FCA Canada management staff from the Windsor Assembly Plant have planted over 1000 native trees, shrubs, grasses and wildflowers at various sites around the facility for butterflies and other wildlife. With funding support of over $60,000 from the DRCC, planting expertise provided by ERCA, and the muscle of the Windsor Assembly employees, this decade long partnership has contributed significantly to restoration efforts within the Detroit River watershed.

“We at Windsor Assembly take very seriously our local environment,” says Dan Mustac, FCA Windsor Assembly Plant Environment Pillar Lead. “Plantings such as these help maintain and expand the local biodiversity and ensure the beautiful Windsor-Essex flora and fauna are here for future generations to enjoy.”  FCA Canada is committed to greening the community, and this 10^th anniversary planting represents one more step in this endeavor. The JWEC, ERCA and the DRCC are pleased to partner in this ongoing effort. 

The Detroit River Canadian Cleanup implements the Remedial Action Plan on behalf of a community-based partnership between the government (federal, provincial, municipal), local industries, researchers, environmental organizations, and citizens working together to protect, restore, and enhance the Detroit River ecosystem.

For more than four decades, Essex Region Conservation has been sustaining and enriching the environment of the Windsor-Essex-Pelee Island region to ensure it is the Place for Life.

For over 20 years the Joint Workplace Environment Committee has been engaging Windsor Assembly Employees about the Environment and its importance to us all.

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 Digital Media Below: Chrysler Meadow Location and Parking for October 1 Event.

 Media Contacts:      Danielle Stuebing  

                                      Director of Community Outreach Services

                                      Essex Region Conservation Authority

                                      519-776-5209, ext.  352

                                     Lou Ann Gosselin

                                     Head of Communications

                                     Chrysler Canada

                                    Office: 519-973-2253

                                    Cell: 519-984-2600