Have you ever heard the phrase, “Think globally, act locally”?
The folks volunteering with the Baxter Creek Watershed Alliance (BCWA) have been acting on this here in our community since the early days of pandemic lockdowns back in late 2020.
Since coming together, this diverse group of local people started off at a grassroots level before officially incorporating as a registered non-profit in 2021. Since then, they have made great strides together, building up their credibility as a science and evidence-based organization with a simple vision of people living and working in Cavan-Monaghan and the Baxter Creek area, caring for a clean and healthy watershed. Together, this volunteer driven local community organization has dedicated their mission to conserving and enhancing the local watershed environment for future generations of humans and wildlife.
BCWA is an organization founded through diversity and united by passion. Members of the Alliance work to protect and conserve the natural and cultural heritage areas in the watershed. The Alliance has several working committees that represent interests in the Old Millbrook Jail Lands and Cavan Monaghan Community for Common Grounds.
Volunteering with BCWA to help support their work can take many forms. They have a volunteer board of directors who are responsible for ensuring good governance and adhering to the mission, vision, and objectives of the organization. A board of directors is ultimately responsible for the oversight and strategic direction of the organization. BCWA has a working board that brings together a diversity of interests and skills to ensure good governance and oversee the operations of the organization. While having knowledge of the environment is a benefit, the board is always looking for a wide range of volunteers with skills in finance, accounting, administration, communications, marketing, and all the other aspects of running a business.
Most of all, BCWA welcomes volunteers who are passionate about conserving the Baxter Creek watershed and connecting systems as well as helping conserve the community’s sense of place. This sense of place is rooted in a deep heritage of farming and people connected with the lands and waters that helped establish the community from the early days of the historic mill operations that once lined the banks of Baxter Creek, such as Needlers Mill on the banks of Baxter Creek in the heart of the village.
You can also volunteer with BCWA without joining their board. They have a strong network of volunteers who advise on a range of matters including environmental education, law, agriculture, history, recreation, mapping, local environmental issues associated with source water, and other initiatives the board is involved in. Many of the students who have completed collaborative projects through Trent University or Fleming College continue to volunteer with BCWA on several activities whether that is supporting their ongoing watershed mapping work or helping with local events such as their annual Watershed Forum, which is coming up on Monday, September 23rd from 6:00 to 8:30 pm at the Millbrook Royal Canadian Legion.
If you want to learn about the BCWA, attend their free open public Forum this month which will focus on the theme of “Cultivating Knowledge for a Sustainable Future”. You will hear perspectives from a wide panel of speakers across a range of backgrounds and organizations representing educators, land stewards, farmers, and First Nations. BCWA has also released their three-year strategic plan which you can find at www.baxtercreekwatershed.org.