Community conservation in southern Manitoba

In January the Manitoba A Rocha Team welcomed a large turnout to their first Nature Talk of 2010: “Managing the Water’s Edge”. Discussion focused on Riparian zones (the green zones along rivers) and their sustainable management.  Marilena Kowalchuk, Riparian Program Co-coordinator for Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation, explained the importance of these areas as wildlife habitat and Cliff Greenfield addressed practical ways the public can act to restore Deadhorse Creek which flows through Morden.The discussion was timely and the audience engaged as many the attendees were property owners along this creek.A Rocha also invited representatives from the Morden Town Council to field questions on how the town of Morden is working with the Conservation District to address conservation issues on the creek.

The evening proved to be a springboard for follow up action planned for this summer, beginning with a tour of the Deadhorse Creek by Cliff Greenfield (Manager of the Pembina Valley Conservation District).From there a plan will be made to restore sensitive areas with appropriate native plants.The A Rocha team was very pleased to be able to facilitate a night of such practical community conservation discussion and planning.