A group near Kincardin is realizing its vision of clean water and a healthy ecosystem within the Pine River Watershed thanks in large part to its community, according to Anne Eadie.
Eadie, Councillor for the Township of Huron-Kinloss, and a member of the Pine River Watershed Initiative Network, says the group has successfully engaged the community largely because many of its members, including farmers, are already active and community-minded.
“I’ve lived in this community most of my life and it’s a given that the community works together,” says Eadie.
However, the group also acts on the basis of a few fundamental principles, which have helped ensure continued interest and involvement.
In recruiting members and working together on the projects, the group has maintained a collaborative, positive mentality.
“Our main strategy was to say that we’re all in this together. We have to keep positive,” says Eadie, noting that there were initial challenges with shifting blame and faultfinding.
In working with private landowners to improve environmental practices on their land, the group has attempted to be sensitive to the landowners’ needs and own objectives.
“When you work with the landowner, listen very carefully. What does he think is possible, what does he want,” says Eadie.
The group also strives to be sensitive to the landowner by taking on as much as they can in completing the projects as well as making sure he is reimbursed as quickly as possible for whatever he contributes.
Eadie says many of the network members have been farmers themselves so are well aware of the challenges of balancing the business with sound environmental practices.
Recruiting recognized and respected community leaders for the group has been key to accomplishing the group’s objectives as well, says Eadie. The community as a whole has been much more receptive, having seen these leaders demonstrate integrity and responsibility in other areas.
The success of the community engagement component, along with the support of experts from various sources and a substantial grant from Environment Canada have enabled the Pine River Watershed Initiative Network to begin achieving its goals.
Already the watershed is being restored, says Eadie, as the group has undertaken a variety of projects including planting trees and developing alternative water sources so that cattle stay away from riverbanks, which contributes to erosion.
Future plans include nitrate filtration of the watershed. Tests have indicated the watershed has higher levels of nitrates, which can cause serious illness or even death if large amounts are consumed. The primary sources of nitrate pollution are human waste and manure, especially runoff from factory farms. The network is looking at a natural method of reducing the nitrates, which includes the use of wood chips.
“Without the community support I don’t think we’d be very successful,” says Eadie. Besides the farmers, the residential community as well as various agencies have been accommodating in completing necessary surveys and making donations.
“If you have community support it snowballs, you’re able to proceed,” she says. “And when you come up against a problem, if you already have that community support, you can access what you need because somebody in the community will have the expertise that’s required.”
