HURON-KINLOSS TOWNSHIP, Ont. – Ben Lobb, Member of Parliament for Huron-Bruce, on behalf of Canada’s Environment Minister, the Honourable Jim Prentice, today announced funding from the Community Funding Program for a new environmental project in Huron-Kinloss Township, Ontario. In total, $75,000 in federal funding will support the Pine River Watershed Initiative Network’s Pine River Watershed project.

“As part of the International Year of Biodiversity and through the support of the EcoAction Community Funding Program, local community groups here in Ontario and across Canada are taking forward action to improve our environment upon which our culture, economy and society depend,” said MP Lobb. Each one of us has a role to play. The enhancement of our local Pine River watershed is a demonstration of real action that is helping achieve this goal.”

“This government is committed to addressing the environmental priorities of Canadians,” said Minister Prentice. “We are proud to support community groups across the country willing to take concrete action through on-the-ground environmental projects that will achieve a more sustainable Canada.Your actions, large or small, will help to protect the abundance and variety of life that is part of our natural heritage.”

The Pine River Watershed project is designed to increase environmental integrity and biodiversity within the watershed. The initiative will protect four kilometres of watercourse by fencing cattle out of streams and tributaries and will restore two hectares of streambank by planting 30,055 native plants on nine sites.

This funding supports our work to revitalize the natural communities of the landscape surrounding Ripley, Pine River, and Lurgan Beach,” said Adrienne Mason, project coordinator with the Pine River Watershed Initiative Network.   “Over the past decade we have been working with local landowners and many funding sources to create treed buffer strips along the banks of the Pine River and its contributing streams to achieve a healthy ecosystem.” 

The EcoAction Community Funding Program is an Environment Canada initiative that supports projects that rehabilitate, protect or enhance the natural environment, and builds the capacity of communities and individuals in support of a more sustainable Canada. The project announced today assist locally-based, non-profit organizations in initiating actions that result in cleaner air, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, cleaner water, and the protection of nature at the local community level.

More information about the EcoAction Community Funding Program is available on Environment Canada’s website at the following address: http://www.ec.gc.ca/ecoaction.