Harrowsmith-area residents gathered in large numbers Wednesday evening, June 17, at Harrowsmith Public School for a presentation from a solar developer eyeing three properties in the region as potential project sites.

SunEdison, a US-based corporation with offices in Toronto, presented its plans for the Freeman Road project (Freeman Road spanning north to Colebrooke Road); the Groenewegen Project (Henderson and Florida Roads near Stars Corners; and the Wallace Project (Alton Road at Road 38). All the power generated by the three proposed solar fields, if they were built, was to be transmitted to the hydro installation near the proposed Wallace project.

The projects are still in the conceptual phase, and details would be rounded out before approvals are issued this November, the Harrowsmith-area projects are pitted against others throughout Ontario in a competitive bidding process.

Members of the public present at the June 17 meeting voiced concerns and sought clarifications on a range of issues.

One common concern was about the potential impact on Harrowsmith residents from necessary upgrades to power lines to bring electricity from the Groenewegen and Freeman projects through the village of Harrowsmith to the Hydro substation at Alton Road, where the Wallace project is located.

The projects are large, the Freeman Road one is 100 MW, and the other two are both 50 MW. To put the size in perspective, the entire allocation for solar power from the entire province in the procurement process that sparked SunEdison to put these projects forward is only 140 MW, less than the combined size of the three projects in South Frontenac

( Note - It seems that SunEdison was listening to the concerns over transmission lines. On Monday morning, June 22, they informed the township that they are pulling both the Groenewegen and Freeman Road projects, leaving only the Wallace project to be submitted for this year's procurement process - See South Frontenac report on page 1)

Although they pulled the projects for now, SunEdison told the township that they may look at them again for next year's procurement.

Transmission lines were not the only concern expressed by residents at the Harrowsmith meeting on the 17th.

One theme that came up repeatedly concerned the lack of influence landowners and township councils have in the planning and carrying-out of such projects.

Others raised concern over how land would be restored after the 20-year lease expired, if the project were approved. SunEdison says that it takes full responsibility for restoring lands to their original state. However, with leases spanning 20 years, residents expressed a concern about the potential for companies to fail over the project's lifespan, leaving construction unfinished or completed projects intact at lease's end that should be dismantled.

While the overall tone of the meeting was one of wariness, with a large number of attendees vocal in their opposition to the proposals, there was a small presence from more sympathetic residents.

One woman, who identified herself as a long-time resident whose property abuts a proposed project site, addressed the crowd with a reminder that other Ontario municipalities are currently saddled with nuclear power projects, positing that the disruptions of a solar project would be relatively minor, while the benefits of moving forward with green energy were essential to future sustainability.

Mayor Ron Vandewal was present at the meeting in Harrowsmith, along with the majority of Council. He said later in a telephone interview that although Council approved solar projects in general when SunEdison made a preliminary presentation to Council some months ago, a specific motion of support will be required for the company to get credit for municipal support when they submit their bid.

He also confirmed that, as is the case with proposed wind turbine projects under the same procurement process, SunEdison has made a financial offer to the township through a community fund, and the township is considering making a counter offer.

The Living Watersheds Workshop will be an active learning experience. Participants will engage with their entire watershed AND acquire the tools for building a “Friends of River” group. The Friends of the Salmon River have provided stewardship for a decade in the Salmon watershed and wish to share this experience with others. The workshop is open to anyone in the Moira, Black, Skootamatta and Napanee watersheds – Quinte Conservation territory.

More people are needed for the workshop, particularly from the Moira, Black and Skootamatta watersheds. Anyone interested in attending may contact Susan Moore at 613-379-5958 and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. OR Gray Merriam at 613-335-3589 and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. There is no charge for the event and lunch will be provided ONLY if you register in advance. Contact Susan or Gray to register as soon as possible. Participants should register (or at least call us) by July 16.

The Living Watersheds Workshop takes place on Saturday, September 12 in Roblin (on Hwy. 41, north of Napanee). Keynote speaker Cindy Chu will present: The Valley Rules the Stream, all about the holistic watershed, complete with the headwaters, wetlands, creeks, and land - along with her findings on the effects of climate change on eastern Ontario rivers and watersheds.

Cindy Chu is a freshwater ecologist and research scientist with Aquatic Research and Monitoring at the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. She spent three years working on rivers in southeastern Ontario to learn more about their habitats and biodiversity.

In the afternoon, Friends of the Salmon River (FSR) will provide a package on the start-up, history and organization of their group as a template for new organizations. Breakout groups will discuss and work on projects related to their watersheds. Quinte Conservation and FSR will provide resource people to assist with the work. Quinte will also provide mapping, information boards, and resource materials for the day.

This is a valuable opportunity to help protect and nurture the Moira, Black, Skootamatta and Napanee watersheds. At the workshop event, there will be time to play at the Salmon River and experience the beauty of the watershed. For more information, see friendsofsalmonriver.ca

(Note - this article was editerd on June 11 to reflect a decision made by North Frontenac Council on June 10th)

On June 10th, North Frontenac Council passed a resolution declaring the township an "unwilling host" for the NextEra wind power projects, nothPoint 1 and Northpoint 2. It was a unanimous vote among the 7 member Council.

The company had offered a sweetener for municipal support for the project, in the form of a community vibrancy fund that would have been worth as much as $200,000 per year for 20 years, in addition to a projected increase in tax revenue of more than $100,000 per year. The money was available under two conditions: the township needed to pass a motion supporting the project; and NextEra’s bid for the project needs to be a winner in the procurement process that has been set out by Ontario’s Independent Energy Service Operator (IESO).

The motion that was proposed to Council at a Special meeting on Wednesday night (June 10) was crafted by Mayor Ron Higgins, and when contacted on Tuesday he said that he has been talking to members of Council about the NextEra proposal and is confident his stance will be endorsed by the entire Council.

“There were many red flags about this proposal as far as North Frontenac is concerned, starting with the fact that instead of being approached by the company we initially read about it in the newspaper in early March. It also involves major construction and conflicts with the entirely different economic development strategy we have been developing,” he said. “and beyond that our residents have voiced their opposition in large numbers.”

The NextEra bid to IESO can proceed without municipal support; however the statement that North Frontenac is not a willing host will cost NextEra valuable ranking points in the procurement process, which will make it difficult for them to compete with bidders in “willing” townships

While the municipal support provision was included in the latest wind energy procurement process to provide for some local input, it does not go as far as granting municipalities any authority to approve or reject proposals.

In spite of Council's decision, NextEra could still submit a winning bid, and the turbines would be built in North Frontenac. In that case all that North Frontenac Council will have accomplished by stating they were “not a willing host” will be to lose up to $10 million in revenue over 20 years.

It is this fact that led North Frontenac Mayor Ron Higgins to write a letter of complaint to Premier Wynne.

“Ultimately it is the way the province set up this process that has put us in this position. I thought it was important to explain our position to them and to add our voice to those municipalities who oppose the way the Green Energy Act has been formulated and implemented,” said Higgins about the letter.

The letter asks the Premier and the Minister of Energy to change course and begin to work with local municipalities more directly.

In the conclusion to the letter, Higgins wrote, “We implore the Minister of Energy to take this resolution and similar resolutions from other municipalities very seriously. Like us, you were elected to office to set policy and support the people who put you in these positions. If the policy is flawed, as it is in this case, then fix it. The Government of Ontario has stated they are going to provide more focused support for rural municipalities. The support you can give us now is by supporting our resolution, which would help us stay focussed on our strategic direction and our vision. It may take us longer to accomplish our goals rather than accepting this temptation put in front of us today, but we will be a much better and sustainable community long into the future.”

(For more detail in the wind power projects thata re proposed in North Frontenac and Addington Highlands - http://www.frontenacnews.ca/north-frontenac-news/item/9482-councils-job-no-breeze-questions-for-nextera

NextEra Energy, a subsidiary of American-owned Florida Power and Light, is proposing to install over 100 industrial wind turbines across the rolling hills of Addington Highlands and North Frontenac municipalities if their bid is successful with the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) this fall. NextEra hosted two mandatory, well-attended, open houses over the weekend to inform residents of their plans, including potential sitings of wind turbines, and to answer questions the public had about their company and their proposal.

The current NextEra proposal consists of two projects, Northpoint I and Northpoint II. Northpoint I includes 50 turbines in North Frontenac generating approximately 100MW and Northpoint II is for 57 turbines in total, 50 in Addington, and an additional 7 in North Frontenac, generating approximately 114MW, if they use the suggested 2MW turbines.

NextEra is offering both municipalities a “community vibrancy fund”, if the townships provide them with a signed letter of support that they can submit with their proposal to the IESO. This letter gains them points during the application process which discounts their final proposal price and makes their bid more competitive. Points are also awarded for getting a letter of support from a local Aboriginal group. The community vibrancy fund they are offering is $1750 per MW which would equal approximately $175,000 a year for Addington Highlands and just under $200,000 a year for North Frontenac. On top of this, the townships would also receive $1750 per kilometre of transmission line per year in their respective territories.

Because the Northpoint II project exists in both municipalities, NextEra needs to receive support resolutions from both North Frontenac and Addington Highlands on that specific project in order to achieve the discount on their proposal price.

“It's all or nothing,” Ben Greenhouse, a director for NextEra, explained. A 'yes' vote by Addington would be negated by North Frontenac voting 'no' to the 7 proposed turbines in their area for Northpoint II.

“It's not really practical, but it's a possibility,” Greenhouse responded when asked whether they'd alter their Northpoint II proposal and remove the 7 North Frontenac turbines in order to achieve a support resolution from Addington Highlands Council. This would also mean routing their transmission lines through a longer, less desirable route if they have to avoid the, ideal, corridor through North Frontenac.

Dan Carruthers, a cottage-owner on Ashby Lake, asked NextEra if the vibrancy fund is “contingent on Council saying yes, or will the community get the vibrancy fund regardless of the council vote?”

“...it is contingent and the reason is...because it allows us to bid a higher price...if we don't get the support resolution we have to go with a lower price, which means that we have less room in the process...” Greenhouse explained.

The hall echoed with folks yelling 'bribe' after Greenhouse told them this.

Chris Winney, a local real estate agent, asked on behalf of people who have already signed leaseholder agreements with NextEra, that, if the community decides that they don't want the project, will NextEra “remove the encumbrances that are on title on their properties and allow them to go forward and own their land as everybody else does?”

Greenhouse responded saying that “it's an individual question on an individual basis...we're here for 20-30-40 years. We don't want to be working with people who don't want us on their land. That's a difficult relationship...we'd sit down with them and try and understand their concerns...” but he also warned that “as the process goes further and further, and more and more money and time is invested it gets more and more difficult to change.”

Alice Madigan, a concerned resident who, on Saturday, presented Council with a petition against the turbines, made a complaint to NextEra's representatives that a friend of hers had been harassed numerous times by a salesperson from the company.

“She has a sign on her property that says 'unwilling host' yet you keep harassing her to sign up. Why?” Madigan said. “She's a recent widow...this poor lady is fragile...you're trying to wear them down.”

“If we are doing that, which I haven't heard, then we need to stop that and we will,” Greenhouse told Madigan.

When NextEra first presented their proposal to Addington Highlands Council it consisted of 100 turbines. They've since reduced that down to 50 turbines in order to “focus their resources” although between now and the proposal deadline they explained that they could be adding more turbines to the proposal.

Greenhouse suggested that they would most likely add a few more to make up for turbines that get cut out during the permitting process. During that stage of the development they may be forced to remove turbines from their plan based on their proximity to a sensitive ecological area, a house, or it being too challenging to build based on the topography.

Friday and Saturday's meetings were highly anticipated by local residents as NextEra presented preliminary maps showing possible locations of turbines as well as some photo mockups of what the landscape might look like with the turbines in place.

These photos were taken from different vantage points around the two municipalities and showed turbines in the distance, some more obvious and looming than others and some hardly visible on the horizon.

Some residents complained that the photos had been taken from very advantageous angles to show little impact and that they weren't showing a realistic representation of how things might look in the future.

“The locations I don't really see changing,” Ben Faiella, a project manager for NextEra, stressed on Saturday.

Jason Gibson, a land specialist from Canacre, the company in charge of acquiring land for NextEra, suggested it would be difficult to introduce more turbines to the current proposal.

“Between where the good wind is and the properties that we have available...with the setbacks on crazy amounts of stuff...even if we have a 200-acre lot...we end up with 5-acres,” Gibson said.

The Ministry of Environment (MOE) regulates a minimum setback from a turbine at 550 metres and this number rises with an increase in turbines and the sound level rating of the turbines chosen for the project. These setbacks are intended to limit sound at the nearest residence to 40dB. This 40dB level is what the World Health Organization (WHO) in Europe recommends for the “protection of public health from community noise”. According to the WHO, this is “below the level at which effects on sleep and health occur...however, it is above the level at which complaints may occur.” 40dB is the equivalent to a freezer or refrigerator running measured from about 3 feet away. Theoretically, the sound would increase as you get closer to the turbine. On NextEra's 'Jericho' project, which they built in southwestern Ontario last year, the maximum sound power level from their installed 1.6MW turbines was 103dB and the MOE setbacks are such that by the time that sound travels the distance to a residence it's no louder than 40dB.

A resident at the Denbigh meeting asked NextEra “would you be looking at making another submission to expand the number of turbines in the area?”

“This is our business...to build wind farms,” Greenhouse responded. “If the government puts another call out and we have a solid base here, it would make a lot of sense potentially to expand, so certainly we would look at it.”

A couple from Vennachar who have signed up their land but aren't yet on the map for a future turbine expressed excitement for the changes that could come from NextEra building in the community and hoped that their land would be chosen as a possible location for one of NextEra's turbines.

“It should be good for the area ... I'm not sure it's gonna change anything a lot but it may change something ... so I say go ahead,” the man from Vennachar said.

When asked if they were worried that turbines may decrease property values in the area the woman said, “it couldn't get any lower than it is now.”

They have hopes that a wind farm in the area would bring local jobs and new residents and stimulate the local economy.

“I don't want just maintenance jobs...I think we can get the skilled jobs ... they could be local kids,” the lady from Vennachar said.

An organization called Bon Echo Area Residents Against Turbines (BEARAT) was recently formed to create an online voice for the residents who are against the wind project. They have a website: www.bearat.org. There is a petition up on their site as well for people to sign in support of declaring the area “not a willing host” to wind farms.

As well, you can link to the preliminary maps that NextEra has provided of the proposed wind turbine sites on our website at www.frontenacnews.ca.

Steady rains over the last week have had an impact on lake levels, but three lakes in the Mississippi watershed system remain very low.

Gord Mountenay of the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority has been monitoring the water levels for years, and he said this week that although recent rains have helped, Big Gull, Mississagagon and Crotch Lake remain well below the normal levels for this time of year.

Big Gull Lake, which is 28 centimetres below normal, and Mississagagon, which is 16 centimetres low, are of concern because they are popular cottage and recreational lakes.

In the case of Big Gull, which is a spring fed headwater lake, the concern has been mounting since early March. There was virtually no spring runoff because all the snow “either sublimated into the air or infiltrated the ground but never made it to the lake,” Mountenay said, and with little or no rain in April and May, Big Gull has only lost water to evaporation since that time.

Moutenay said that MVCA drew down the lake in the late fall to bring it to within a range that they have used for a number of years, and the lake has been dammed up ever since then.

“No water has been released from that lake by us since March 1, and before that it was frozen solid all winter so it did not move at all” said Mountenay.

The story is similar at Mississagagon.

“There are things we can try to do to mitigate against too much water, but one thing we can't do is find water where there isn't any.

The water level at Crotch Lake is extremely low, 80 centimetres below where MVCA would like it to be.

Since there are no cottages on Crotch Lake, its level has not resulted in complaints to the MVCA office as Crotch and Big Gull have, but since Crotch Lake is used by MVCA as a reservoir lake for the lower end of the watershed, there is a potential problem for the prime recreational part of the summer, particularly if the summer is hot and dry.

“It's pretty simple, we need more rain, a fair bit more, or we will continue to have a problem,” said Montenay.

On the Rideau system, the story is not as grim, at least as far as Bobs Lake is concerned. Bobs, the reservoir lake for the Tay River, and ultimately, the Rideau Canal, was sitting at 162.7 metres, almost 10 centimetres above the historic average. In late April, Bobs was as much as 40 centimetre below the average, so its recovery is a relief to officials from the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority.

By the time this paper hits the post boxes, North Frontenac Council will very likely have declared themselves “an unwilling host” for NextEra Inc.’s proposal to construct 57 wind turbines in the township.

The company had offered a sweetener for municipal support for the project, in the form of a community vibrancy fund that would have been worth as much as $200,000 per year for 20 years, in addition to a projected increase in tax revenue of more than $100,000 per year. The money was available under two conditions: the township needed to pass a motion supporting the project; and NextEra’s bid for the project needs to be a winner in the procurement process that has been set out by Ontario’s Independent Energy Service Operator (IESO).

The motion that was proposed to Council at a Special meeting on Wednesday night (June 10) was crafted by Mayor Ron Higgins, and when contacted on Tuesday he said that he has been talking to members of Council about the NextEra proposal and is confident his stance will be endorsed by the entire Council.

“There were many red flags about this proposal as far as North Frontenac is concerned, starting with the fact that instead of being approached by the company we initially read about it in the newspaper in early March. It also involves major construction and conflicts with the entirely different economic development strategy we have been developing,” he said. “and beyond that our residents have voiced their opposition in large numbers.”

The NextEra bid to IESO can proceed without municipal support; however the statement that North Frontenac is not a willing host will cost NextEra valuable ranking points in the procurement process, which will make it difficult for them to compete with bidders in “willing” townships

While the municipal support provision was included in the latest wind energy procurement process to provide for some local input, it does not go as far as granting municipalities any authority to approve or reject proposals.

In spite of Council's decision, NextEra could still submit a winning bid, and the turbines would be built in North Frontenac. In that case all that North Frontenac Council will have accomplished by stating they were “not a willing host” will be to lose up to $10 million in revenue over 20 years.

It is this fact that led North Frontenac Mayor Ron Higgins to write a letter of complaint to Premier Wynne.

“Ultimately it is the way the province set up this process that has put us in this position. I thought it was important to explain our position to them and to add our voice to those municipalities who oppose the way the Green Energy Act has been formulated and implemented,” said Higgins about the letter.

The letter asks the Premier and the Minister of Energy to change course and begin to work with local municipalities more directly.

In the conclusion to the letter, Higgins wrote, “We implore the Minister of Energy to take this resolution and similar resolutions from other municipalities very seriously. Like us, you were elected to office to set policy and support the people who put you in these positions. If the policy is flawed, as it is in this case, then fix it. The Government of Ontario has stated they are going to provide more focused support for rural municipalities. The support you can give us now is by supporting our resolution, which would help us stay focussed on our strategic direction and our vision. It may take us longer to accomplish our goals rather than accepting this temptation put in front of us today, but we will be a much better and sustainable community long into the future.”

The decision by North Frontenac Council will effect NextEra’s prospects in Addington Highlands as well (see “Council’s job no breeze by Jonas Bonnetta on page 2 and Addington Highlands meets with NextEra on page ??)

The Kingston Field Naturalists will hold their 17th annual BioBlitz to count plant, animal and other species as a measure of the biodiversity of a local area next week. The event takes place from 3pm Friday, June 12, until 3pm Saturday, June 13, at Wintergreen Studios, Canoe Lake Road. It is open to the public.

Natural history specialists, amateurs and members of the public will identify and record as many plant and animal species as possible over a 24-hour period. The idea is to set a baseline of the biodiversity for the area.

A BioBlitz is a community based initiative linking science, education and public participation. It is a fun and free event. There will be guided walks to learn about a variety of organisms throughout the period. This event fulfills the mandate of the Kingston Field Naturalists to stimulate public interest in nature and to acquire and provide knowledge of natural history.

The BioBlitz program, including the times of the various guided walks, as well as additional information, can be found on the website at www.kingstonfieldnaturalists.org or by contacting Anne Robertson at 613-389-6742.

Preserving the health of a river begins with care of the land throughout the watershed, and the shoreline is one important part of that care. The vegetation near the shores provides most of that care without our intervention. We can simply let it do its work.

The Friends of the Salmon River recognizes the Ribbon of Life standard: the first 30 metres or 100 feet back from the water's edge should be left in a natural state as much as possible.

Roots of vegetation near the shores mechanically stabilize the banks. Incorporated into the soil, the organic matter produced by shoreline plants helps bind soil particles together into aggregates that resist flowing into the river. The leaf litter under shoreline trees and shrubs becomes infiltrated by the mycelial mass of fungi and much of the nutrient-enriched runoff from your land is absorbed by these fungal strands and kept out of the river. All together, the natural vegetation and its litter will do a good job of keeping the river ecologically healthy and beautiful.

If there are large trees between your home and the river, cutting them down to improve your view damages the beauty you are trying to see. A smarter method is to prune the bottom half or two-thirds of the branches. Most healthy trees can withstand this intensity of pruning. This way, the roots remain in the soil to hold the bank together and you have a nice view of the river.

Balance a desire for river views and reasonable access to the water with the natural processes that maintain the health of the river.

When cutting wood, keep in mind that branches or trees left to float in the water can be very dangerous for paddlers and boaters on the river, so these should be removed. Habitat piles for wildlife on your land is a good use for leftover brush. For more information, see: friendsofsalmonriver.ca.

Vehicles in the River: When water levels are low in the Salmon River, ATVs and trucks are sometimes seen driving right into the riverbed - even being washed there. This is damaging in many ways: gas, oil, grease and other chemicals from vehicles contaminate the waterway. Driving on and trampling the vegetation on the shore leaves it open to erosion, which can degrade water quality and fish/wildlife habitat. This practice is so harmful. Perhaps our ancestors washed their horses in the river, which was fine. Vehicles in the river are not. Our children learn from our actions, and surely we want them to grow up with a respect for our rivers and waterways.

The desires of the people on the land and visitors on the river can all be satisfied and the river can be cared for if we can all act as good stewards.  

FallThanks to the efforts of Sun Country Highway, a Canadian-owned company that is a leader in the electric vehicle movement; a generous donor from Ottawa; and the owners of the Fall River Restaurant in Maberly, electric car owners traveling between Ottawa and Peterborough on Highway 7 will be able to charge up their vehicles at a new EV charging station, which was officially unveiled at the Fall River Restaurant on May 16.

Peter Manson of Ottawa originally won the unit in Sun Country Highway's annual Amazing Race, an electric car rally that is held across the country, in which participants can win a number of prizes by collecting points at charging stations en route. Manson and his wife, who own a Tesla Model S, drove across Ontario in October last year in the 2014 race and visited 52 charging stations, which won them a fifth place finish and the charging unit prize. Since the couple already own their own charging unit, they decided to donate the prize to the Fall River restaurant.

The unit was installed at the restaurant free of charge courtesy of Laser Electric in Perth and the station is now up and running. It is the first of several charging stations that Sun Country hopes to see set up along Highway 7.

Therese Steenberghe and Jeroen Kerrebijn, owners of the Fall River Restaurant, celebrated the event with a special dinner following the unveiling. Paul Camiré, regional director of Sun Country Highway for eastern Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick, attended the event and said that the company has been partnering with corporations, municipalities and small business owners in efforts to electrify roads and highways across Canada. Currently they are focusing their efforts along Highway 7 from Ottawa to Peterborough so that residents and tourists can travel this popular scenic route as an alternative to driving on the 401. “In doing so we are promoting the use of electric vehicles and empowering Canadians to make the switch to electric cars since they are good for the environment, the economy and cost very little to run”, he said at the unveiling.

Sun Highway Country has been in business for just over three years and in that time has electrified the entire Trans-Canada highway from St. John's, Newfoundland to Victoria, BC. Camiré said that while electric vehicles have been around for a hundred years, they have been slow to catch on because people have been slow to set up charging stations. “It's a chicken and egg kind of thing”, Camiré said, “and we are solving that issue by inviting businesses to install chargers through certain promotions that we are offering.”

Business owners want to offer the service because they see the benefit. Charging an EV vehicle can take a number of hours and people who stop and charge their cars also have time to enjoy a drink or a meal and do a little shopping while they wait.

Jerome and Tess see the station as attracting potential new customers to the restaurant, which they took over last year and re-opened for their 2015 season on April 3. Jerome said that the charger falls in nicely with the green ideology that the restaurant identifies with.

Also present at the event was Keith Kerr, Lanark County warden and reeve of Tay Valley, who said, “It's great that this station is now here; it shows we are going green here in Lanark. It is great for business and tourism in the area and should attract drivers to the area who otherwise might not take this route.”

Those wanting to charge up are welcome to call ahead to the Fall River Restaurant at 613-268-2197. The restaurant is located at 21980 Highway in Maberly. For more information visit www.fallriverrestaurant.ca

by Carolyn Bonta

The Elbow Lake Environmental Education Centre (ELEEC) will hold their 3rd annual Open House on Sunday, May 24, from 10am to 3pm. This event provides opportunity for families, educators, conservation partners, not-for-profit organizations and others to learn more about what the ELEEC offers the local community.

Several activities are planned at this free event:

• Interpretive hikes on the trails with Queen’s University Biological Station staff;

• Nature paddles on Elbow Lake with Nature Conservancy of Canada staff;

• Register young campers (aged 10-14) for summer Eco-Adventure Camp;

• Experience ELEEC educational programming for students;

• Guided facility tours;

• Sign up to attend upcoming public outreach events;

• Celebrate the Grand Opening of a new footbridge on the Red Trail, made possible by funding from the Township of South Frontenac and the County of Frontenac. Bring your phone or tablet (or borrow an iPad from ELEEC) and be among the first to try out the new Elbow Lake Interpretive Trail Guide app, generously funded by TD Friends of the Environment Foundation.

Other upcoming public events at the ELEEC include:

• “Secrets of Stealth & Silence”, an evening owl program on Friday, May 1, 2015.

• “Dispatches from the Field”, a night of campfire stories of the trials and tribulations of environmental field work on Friday, June 5 and Tuesday, July 14.

• Interpretive hike with the Frontenac Arch Biosphere on Saturday, June 6.

• “Bass Fishing for Women”, a jam-packed weekend of fisheries conservation with emphasis on honing bass fishing skills on July 24-26.

• “Stay Under the Shooting Stars”, a night of astronomy scheduled to coincide with the peak of the Perseid meteor shower on Wednesday, August 12.

For notice of programs, events and other activities taking place at the ELEEC, follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/@ElbowLakeEEC.

About the Elbow Lake Environmental Education Centre - The centre was established in 2011 through a partnership agreement between the Nature Conservancy of Canada and the Queen’s University Biological Station (QUBS), co-owners of the 455-ha Elbow Lake property near Perth Road Village.

As the public outreach arm of QUBS, the ELEEC’s mission is to provide outdoor programs to enhance conservation biology teachings in the community. Our public educational events and curriculum-based workshops for secondary school classes expose participants to real researchers doing real research right here at QUBS, and we do this in a very hands-on way.

The ELEEC facility – which includes meeting/kitchen space, overnight cabins, 8km of hiking trail and waterfront amenities – is also available to rent by community groups, not-for-profit organizations and educators.

For more information, please visit http://elbowlakecentre.ca.