RRCA
Backyard Conservation Champions Showcase Stewardship Projects in New RRCA Video Series
With the help of native trees, shrubs, wildflowers, habitat structures, and expert guidance, the Raisin
Region Conservation Authority (RRCA)’s 2023 Backyard Conservation Project assisted 50 local
landowners with implementing naturalization projects on their properties’ grounds and shorelines.
“Within urban and suburban settings, smaller-scale naturalization projects can have a significant
collective impact on water quality, regional tree cover, flooding and erosion resilience, and biodiversity,”
says Vincent Pilon, RRCA’s Communications Specialist. “The Backyard Conservation project was
enthusiastically received by the community and will continue to inspire property owners to keep
environmental sustainability and resilience in mind when designing their yards and shorelines.”
Residents curious to see examples of backyard naturalization projects can now view a recently
launched video tour series on the RRCA’s website at rrca.on.ca/BYC. Some of the featured projects
include an urban forest in a downtown backyard, the conversion of a manicured front lawn into an
attractive pollinator haven, and the maintenance of healthy riparian buffers.
“No matter the size of your property, you can still make good stewardship choices and have a positive
influence on your community and the greater environment,” says Pilon. “While this project has now
come to a successful conclusion, we encourage residents to take advantage of other RRCA initiatives,
such as our Over-the-Counter Tree Program, which offers select native shrub and tree species to
residents at low cost thanks to subsidies from Forests Ontario.”
Applications to the spring seedling edition of the program opened earlier this month. Available tree
species include pin cherry, bitternut hickory, sugar maple, bur oak, black elderberry, tamarack, and
more. In the fall, the RRCA also offers a potted stock edition of the program. Residents are encouraged
to subscribe to RRCA’s monthly newsletter at rrca.on.ca to be notified in advance when the next fall
program form becomes available. For larger projects, a full-service planting program is also offered.
The Backyard Conservation Project has received funding support from the Government of Ontario.
Views expressed are those of the RRCA and do not necessarily reflect those of the Province. For more
information visit rrca.on.ca/BYC or contact (613) 938-3611 or info@rrca.on.ca.
