EMERCA* is a registered charity that was established in 1990, to represent the community’s commitment to wetlands ecosystem health in the Eramosa River valley and to provide publicly accessible natural areas for the community. The members voted to dissolve the association at the AGM on June 1. 2023.
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We appreciate and thank the Eden Mills Community Club for providing this web page, and for the use of the Hall for EMERCA meetings.
*While the ‘EMERCA’ acronym is new, we’re still the same environmental group in Eden Mills Ontario. The word ‘Millpond’ was replaced by ‘Eramosa River’ to reflect the change in focus due to the permanently low water level at the (former) millpond. We’re the Eden Mills Eramosa River Conservation Association.
Activities and Updates
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Educational opportunities, community involvement and regular meetings are facilitated by our dedicated volunteers and community-minded environmentalists.
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Our most recent accomplishment was the completion of the ‘East Branch Naturalization Project’.
Every year EMERCA collaborates with University of Guelph students on projects of mutual interest in the community. This year, the graduating Environmental Science students are creating a guidebook on ‘Wetland Ecology’ to inform young students about the biology of this area. It will be available in print and digital format in spring 2021.
The owners of the Edgewood Trails property have donated the 38 acres of protected wetlands & trails to rare Charitable Research Reserve, a registered land trust. These lands, with public access to trails, will now be preserved and protected in perpetuity. Please visit the newly created web page for Edgewood Trails hosted by EMCC for additional information and contacts.
The community has access for the peaceful enjoyment of natural areas in the village thanks to public-spirited landowners as well as the support of EMERCA leasing, maintaining and insuring the Millpond lands, and the Edgewood Trails property (rare refers to this as Property 2).
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East Branch Naturalization Project Report
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In 2020, community worked together to naturalize the head of the East Channel of the Eramosa River.
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The working group began in 2016, and developed a project vision and objectives: to restore a healthy and resilient river ecosystem and allow fish passage in times of low water flow, with no increase in the risk of flooding.
Water’s Edge EST from Cambridge, was hired to design a boulder cross vane structure to replace the aging metal weir that would meet the objectives. The concept was presented to the community in November 2019, when it was endorsed.
In September 2020, volunteers prepared the access route and the site. The cross vane was then installed by R&M Construction, from Acton.
Next Steps include: community involvement & education, ensuring that structural monitoring is conducted for 5 years and delivering reports to government agencies (MNRF and GRCA), and supporting the property owners, Charles and Anna Simon, in achieving their goal to donate the millpond lands to The rare Charitable Research Reserve.
The EMERCA Directors sincerely thank the community for donating generously in support of our East Branch Naturalization Project. A plaque has been placed in the Eden Mills Community Club Hall to commemorate the many gifts of our donors.
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