Burkhard Metzger, who is the new director representing the Municipality of Central Huron, Dave Frayne, who is the returning chairman representing the Municipality of South Huron and Perth South; and Mike Tam, new vice-chair representing the Municipality of West Perth took part in the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority’s annual general meeting recent.
The board of directors of Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) re-elected Dave Frayne as chair at the Feb. 21 annual meeting and the board elected Mike Tam as vice-chair. Frayne, a councillor with the Municipality of South Huron, represents South Huron and Perth South on the board of the local conservation organization. Tam is a councillor with the Municipality of West Perth and represents that municipality on the board.
The conservation authority also welcomed Burkhard Metzger to the board as the new representative for the Municipality of Central Huron.
Ausable Bayfield Conservation works closely with landowners and residents in the watershed to protect soil, water, and living things by creating awareness and taking positive action together. The local agency is unveiling the new Watershed Report Card, which is released every five years, at the annual Conservation Awards evening on Thursday, March 21. For more information, phone the office at 519-235-2610 or toll-free 1-888-286-2610 or visit abca.on.ca for information.
The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority is an independent, corporate body established under Ontario’s Conservation Authorities Act. Local municipalities identified the need for such an organization in 1946 to deal with serious problems of flooding, soil erosion, water supply, and water quality. Twelve member municipalities appoint the members of the local board of directors that governs ABCA.
This local conservation agency is the first of 36 conservation authorities formed across Ontario. Ausable Bayfield Conservation’s area encompasses the drainage basins of the Ausable River, Bayfield River, Parkhill Creek, and the gullies that drain directly to Lake Huron, from an area north of Bayfield to an area south of Grand Bend. The 2,440-square-kilometre area of jurisdiction is largely rural with a population of about 45,000. A group of 34 community members met over a 12-month period to create a Conservation Strategy to guide the organization and blaze the trail for a mission and vision for the work in the watershed. Its mission is to protect, improve, conserve, and restore the watershed in partnership with the community and its vision is for healthy watersheds where our needs and the needs of the natural environment are in balance.
