The 2.5-acre project involving the creation of a wetland surrounded by tree planting. July 14, 2020. (Photo courtesy of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent).The 2.5-acre project involving the creation of a wetland surrounded by tree planting. July 14, 2020. (Photo courtesy of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent).
Chatham

$40K grant to benefit wetland projects in CK

The Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority (LTVCA) will be making a significant investment into local wetland projects thanks to a recent grant.

The conservation authority's stewardship department has received a $40,000 grant from Wildlife Habitat Canada (WHC) to make wetland restoration across the municipality.

"This funding will enhance our climate change resiliency and ultimately benefit all Canadians," said LTVCA Environmental Project Coordinator Greg Van Every.

The funds from the grant will be put towards any wetland projects created between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021.

"Unfortunately, 72 per cent of southwestern Ontario’s wetlands have been lost and 90 per cent of the Carolinian forest has been cleared for rural or urban development," the conservation authority said in a news release. "It is crucial that we work to restore the landscape and create habitat for migratory birds, waterfowl and the species that support them."

The cost to complete a wetland excavation can vary from $6,000 to $20,000, with the average size costing between $6,000 and $8,000, depending on the size.

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