Memorandum
To: Mayor Doug Malanka, Council, CAO Steve McDonald, Township of Augusta
From: John Mesman, Team Lead, Community Lands and Outreach
Date: July 11, 2022
RE: Mill Run Conservation Area – Pollinator Habitat Restoration
Generously donated to South Nation Conservation (SNC) by the Township of Augusta in 2020, the Mill Run Conservation Area was passively opened to the public to provide seasonal recreational access to the South Nation River in 2021.
Thanks to funding support provided by the Canadian Wildlife Federation, SNC has developed a restoration plan for a portion of the property to create a community pollinator garden.
This project will transform 1.4 acres of meadow to support native flowering plants and pollinators. Work will include site preparation (including mowing, pesticide application, and tilling) and seeding in 2022 and landscaping work in 2023, with the following project schedule.
Pollinators, a diverse group of animals that support our environment and our economy, are an integral part of our agricultural landscape and are responsible for an estimated one third of the food we eat. Across North America, pollinator populations are declining, the primary cause being the loss of suitable habitat.
This project will improve pollinator habitat and increase biodiversity while welcoming the public to a Conservation Area to learn more. This project will also support the municipality’s commitments through their Bee City designation.
Please note that the Conservation Area will remain open during restoration work; however, access will be restricted during pesticide applications, with notices posted on site.
Should you have any questions, please contact: Ryan Robson, Resource Technician, at rrobson@nation.on.ca or 1-877-984-2948.
Sincerely,
John Mesman,
Team Lead, Community Lands and Outreach
South Nation Conservation