Welcome to York Environmental Stewardship

"Say YES to Stewardship"

York Environmental Stewardship (YES) is one of 46 Ontario Stewardship Councils and is made up of environmentally minded individuals who volunteer their time, interest, efforts, and skills to advance the responsible care of land and natural resources within the Region. Council members are dedicated to the wise use of forest, soil and aquatic resources and may represent private landowners, conservation/resource agencies and associations, environmentalists and naturalists. Local programs and needs are developed by council members with input from other organizations, agencies and local citizens. YES priorities include information and educational opportunities for landowners, environmental projects with partner organizations, and programs involving youth. The Ministry of Natural Resources provides a staff coordinator to ensure effective operation and continuity in the program.

CLICK HERE for WHO WE ARE and WHAT WE DO

YES Contact Information:

Brian Peterkin

Stewardship Coordinator

York Environmental Stewardship

50 Bloomington Road

Aurora, ON L4G 0L8 (new postal code as of July 2009)

Phone: (905) 713-7732

Fax: (905) 713-7361

Email: brian.peterkin@ontario.ca

Upcoming YES Workshops & Events

Halton Peel Woodlands & Wildlife Stewardship is hosting a workshop concerning the Emerald Ash Borer on Saturday March 27 from 9:00-11:30 in Caledon. CLICK HERE for details

If you love to hike, check out the guided nature hikes in the Rouge Park at www.rougepark.com

Get Involved

Looking for a great summer job in 2010? CLICK HERE to view a powerpoint presentation (may take a minute to open) on the Ontario Stewardship Rangers Summer Youth Employment Program. If you are 16 or 17 (must be born in 1993), like working outdoors, and want the best summer job you're likely to ever have, send your cover letter and resume to brian.peterkin@ontario.ca by May 31st.

Are you a landowner with a good conservation project for our Ontario Stewardship Rangers? We can provide you with some free hand labour during our July & August summer program. Favourable projects include wildlife habitat construction (e.g. nesting boxes, snake hibernaculums, butterfly gardens, etc.), trials maintenance & construction (e.g. brushing, boardwalk/viewing platform repair/construction), forestry work (e.g. tree surveys, mulching/pruning), streambank restoration (e.g. naturalization, erosion control). CLICK HERE for the 2010 Ontario Stewardship Rangers Project Application Form. Return applications to brian.peterkin@ontario.ca by June 15th.

Does your business/organization want to help the environment in your own community by funding great summer jobs for 17 year old kids? CLICK HERE for our presentation (presentation may take a minute to open). The Ontario Stewardship Rangers Summer Job Program needs funding support from GTA partners to continue to provide great summer jobs for 17 year old youth interested in working outdoors on conservation projects. You can directly benefit by getting work done on your property or indirectly by supporting your community. Contact brian.peterkin@ontario.ca

Interested in planting your own trees this spring? If you own o.8 ha (2 acres) or more, you can purchase low cost native tree seedlings and shrubs directly through our Bulk Tree Order Program. Check out species list and use this on-line order form at http://www.lsrca.on.ca/programs/forestry/tree_order.php Orders must be in by March 19, 2010 (minimum total order of 100). Pick-up day is one day only on Sat. Apr. 24 at the York Region Forest Headquarters (16389 Hwy. 48 - Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville) between 8 a.m. - noon. For further information call Paul Cottenden at the LSRCA at 905 895-1281, ex. 245. This program is a partnership of the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, York Region and YES.

Does your class or club want to plant some trees?CLICK HERE if your school class wants to plant trees this coming spring or fall. York Region's Adopt-a-Stream Crossing Program gives high school students a chance to get out and plant native trees and shrubs at degraded roadside crossings. Contact information is on the brochure. CLICK HERE to see a history of program successes from 2001-2009.

Is your volunteer group looking for some FREE trees to plant? CLICK HERE to access YES VolunTrees program (may take a minute to open).

Is your school cool? Check this out ... ENVIROTHON is the Environmental Olympics for high school students. This very successful program of the Ontario Forestry Association, registers students (teams of 5) grade 9-12 to train and compete ... Envirothon Training Day (Fri. Apr. 16) and Competition Day (Fri Apr 23) are at Albion Hills Conservation Area in Caledon. If your school has an environmental club or just some keen students who love the outdoors, register now as team space is limited. See www.ontarioenvirothon.ca for information and registration (look under getting started tab).

Interested in Helping Keep Bogart Creek Healthy?

The Bogart Creek Restoration Project was initiated by members of the community to improve the water quality of Bogart Creek from its source to the Holland River. YES was a founding member of the Bogart Creek Restoration Committee in 2004. Restoration work has been undertaken along sections of stream within the Town of Newmarket and a multitude of partners are now involved.

The Committee is looking for volunteers for committee work and planting. To get involved or to be added to the volunteer distribution list contact: bogart.creek@rogers.com

2010 Activities:

May 2 - Newmarket Earth Day

May 8 - Bogart Creek Spring Planting

September 18 - TD Great Canadian Clean up

October 17 - Bogart Creek Fall Planting

If you want more information about the work of the Bogart Creek Restoration Committee go to: http://www.lsrca.on.ca/programs/bogart/bogart.php

YES General Info

York Region

Known as the "Rising Star" of Ontario, York Region is home to more than one million residents within an area of 680 square miles. Although one of the fastest growing municipalities in Canada, the Region contains an abundance of natural features including forests, river valleys, kettle lakes, wetlands and wildlife. York Region has a comprehensive Greening Strategy within its Natural Heritage Plan and is dedicated to increasing the amount of forest cover in years to come to ensure a healthy environment for it's residents. York is bound by Toronto to the south, Lake Simcoe to the north, Peel Region to the west and Durham Region to the east. Nine municipalities comprise the mix of urban and rural landscapes of the area.

CLICK HERE for basemap of York Region (may take a minute to open due to file size)

CLICK HERE to access York Region Explorer website for a wide variety of York Region Maps

CLICK HERE to see a powerpoint presentation about YES and Ontario Stewardship (may takes a minute to open)

CLICK HERE to view 2010 YES members list

YES members at work constructing wildlife viewing platform

CLICK HERE for YES Strategic Framework

CLICK HERE to view YES 2008 Annual Report

CLICK HERE to view YES 2010 Workplan

CLICK HERE to access YES Project Funding Application Form if you are a landowner or an organization with a good conservation project and are looking for partnership support

CLICK HERE for membership criteria and application form if you would like to be considered for volunteer membership to YES

YES News and Information

CLICK HERE for Stewardship Newsletter - Volume 1- Issue 1

CLICK HERE for Stewardship Newsletter - Volume 1 - Issue 2

CLICK HERE for Stewardship Newsletter - Volume 2 - Issue 1

CLICK HERE for Stewardship Newsletter - Volume 2 - Issue 2

CLICK HERE for Stewardship Newsletter - Volume 3 - Issue 1

CLICK HERE to access the new Butternut Landowner Resource Guide. Butternut is an endangered species protected under the Endangered Species Act and YES is involved as a partner in its recovery. CLICK HERE to see the 2009 status report for butternut recovery in York Region (takes a minute to open).

CLICK HERE to open the 2006 A Landowners Guide to Constructing and Maintaining a Rural Pond (may take a minute to open) developed by the Peterborough County Stewardship Council in partnership with Sir Sanford Fleming College (update version coming shortly).

CLICK HERE to access the Rural Landowner Stewardship
Guide which is a self help assessment tool for planning stewardship activities on your property

CLICK HERE to access the Rural by Choice Ex Summary, a 2006 survey of rural landowner stewardship interests and needs assessment tool for planning stewardship activities on your property.

How much do you love Lake Simcoe?

Check out www.ourlakesimcoe.com for a great interactive website and think about what you can do to help restore the Lake. YES and other Ontario Stewardship Councils around the Lake were partners in development of this website.

For great fishing information and other interesting things about Lake Simcoe, try http://www.lake-simcoe.ca

For other landowner stewardship information and assistance programs of the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, go to http://www.lsrca.on.ca

Interested in biodivesity? Designed for kids, teachers and everyone else, click Our Incredible World for fabulous information on wildlife species, stewardship, newsletter, games, etc. This site was developed by Pinegrove Productions, an independent, family-run production company located in rural Lanark County. The Lanark County Stewardship Council is a partner in this site.

Click Species at Risk for lots of good information regarding flora and fauna protected under Ontario's revised Endangered Species Act (2007).