The 2020 Annual Report is now available!
After a year of pivoting due to the pandemic Otonabee Conservation has released its 2020 Annual Report to the Watershed Community.
2020 was a year of adaptation and resiliency; Otonabee Conservation adapted in many ways to offer more services online, respond to an increase in users at our Conservation Areas, keep people and property safe from flooding, and protect our drinking water sources.
“Our staff have worked very hard under challenging
circumstances to fulfill our conservation mandate,”
Dan Marinigh, CAO at Otonabee Conservation.
“We responded to a year over year increase in the number of planning and permitting inquiries and permit applications, which were received primarily in a compressed 9-month period; we also experienced an 8% increase in campsite bookings in 2020, with a season that was 7 weeks shorter due to lockdown-related closures.”
Andy Mitchell, Chair, Board of Directors
The year 2020 was also a year of resiliency and patience as all 36 Conservation Authorities across the province awaited the announcement of changes to the Conservation Authorities Act, that were passed in the legislature in December 2020.
“We continue our work with the Provincial government and our partners, to implement the legislative changes in a manner consistent with our mandate to protect people, property, and the environment,” explains Otonabee Conservation’s Board of Directors Chair, Andy Mitchell.
- 29,266 campers and day visitors to the Warsaw Caves Conservation Area and Beavermead Campground
- 16.550 native trees and shrubs planted across the watershed that will sequester 3.5M+ kg of Carbon over their lifetime
- 23 flood messages issued to help protect life and property from flooding
- 324 permits issued under the Conservation Authorities Act
- 536 pre-consultation files opened to assist clients in understanding natural hazards/heritage features on a property
- 93,062 new website users and a 43% increase in social media followers
“Investing in local watershed health today ensures a sustainable future for our local communities and economies,” says Marinigh, “Thank you to our municipalities and partners who helped us achieve our goals in 2020, and to our staff and Board for their dedication to our mission as we collectively responded to the most unusual of years.”
To view the Otonabee Conservation 2020 Annual Report, visit otonabeeconservation.com or call 705-745-5791 for a printed copy.
For more information contact:
Karen Halley | Communications & Marketing Coordinator
Otonabee Conservation
khalley@otonabeeconservation.com | 705-745-5791 ext. 224