RIDEAU VALLEY, Nov. 29, 2022 – The Simmering Family has renewed its commitment to conservation with a generous matching pledge in support of the Steve Simmering Conservation Land Endowment Fund. 

Up to $5,000 in donations will be doubled between Giving Tuesday (Nov. 29) and Tuesday, Dec. 6.

The Simmering Endowment provides a vital source of annual funds to support more than 1,600 acres of local conservation lands owned by the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation (RVCF). These wetlands and forests in turn support healthy communities by cleaning our air and water, storing carbon and reducing flood and drought risks. They also provide a critical antidote to the daily grind by providing outdoor recreation opportunities for all. 

“The Simmering Family has been a long-standing supporter of our watershed’s critical natural infrastructure,” said RVCF executive director Diane Downey. “This generous matching pledge will go a long way to protecting the Rideau Valley for generations to come.”

The fund is named for Steve Simmering, a well-respected businessman in the Ottawa area and long-time Vice Chair of the RVCF. He was instrumental in the acquisition of some of the Rideau Valley’s best-loved conservation areas, such as Chapman Mills.

Before Mr. Simmering passed away in 2009, he was an active outdoorsman who loved walking and hiking in the open air. He enjoyed working with the Foundation because he believed in the goal of local, natural areas for all and the opportunity to reconnect with nature through inexpensive family recreation and exercise.

Donations to the Steve Simmering Conservation Lands Endowment Fund help cover annual ownership costs such as property taxes, trail maintenance, signage and fencing. Donations also give us the security to accept more land donations in the future, knowing we have the funds to maintain them. 

Only the annual interest from the fund is withdrawn, while the principal remains invested year after year to produce a steady source of funding. 

This giving season, you can double your impact thanks to the Simmering family – and help keep our watershed green forever. 

Visit www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/63940 to donate now, or visit https://www.rvcf.ca/ways-to-give/steve-simmering-conservation-lands-endowment-fund to learn more. 

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KARS-ON-THE-RIDEAU, Nov. 28, 2022 – The dream of turning Baxter Conservation Area into an accessible nature haven for people of all abilities is finally coming true. 

After three years of planning and fundraising, work has begun to replace the park’s defunct marshland bridge with a new state-of-the-art span that embraces the gold standards of accessible design. This includes an extra-wide deck, appropriate sight-lines for people in wheelchairs and strollers, and a large education platform to help students of all abilities get up close and personal with the natural world.

“The outdoors should be accessible to anyone who wants to enjoy it: plain and simple,” said Dan Cooper, co-chair of the Nature For All committee and Director of Conservation Lands at the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA). “We’ve done the work to ensure this bridge serves visitors of all ages and abilities.”

The bridge construction was made possible thanks to tireless fundraising efforts by RVCA’s charitable partner the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation, which garnered more than $800,000 in support from individual donors, community organizations, government grants and corporate sponsorships. 

“We are thrilled and humbled by the community support for this project,” said Foundation director Diane Downey. “It really shows how much our visitors and partners value inclusivity at our parks.” 

Construction will continue throughout the winter and will not result in any new trail closures.

Inclusive Infrastructure

Being in nature is good for body and soul, but people with disabilities are disproportionately excluded from outdoor spaces because they’re inaccessible, unsafe or both. 

The people behind Baxter Conservation Area are trying to change this. The conservation area is slowly but surely becoming Eastern Ontario’s most accessible wilderness haven, with gold-standard accessibility features added each year throughout the park. 

Baxter has already invested in accessible equipment such as wheelchair-friendly picnic tables, a beach mat down to the water and wheelchair-accessible sleds for the winter months. Outhouses and change huts have been made more accessible, and this winter, new accessible washrooms will be installed at the interpretive centre thanks to a generous federal community improvement grant. 

The Nature For All committee also plans to upgrade the park’s five kilometres of trails to include wider, more comfortable boardwalks and more wheelchair-friendly graded stone-dust paths. 

These upgrades will allow us to welcome people of all ages and abilities safely and comfortably to our park. These groups include (but are not limited to): 

• People with physical or intellectual disabilities
  
• Seniors with mobility concerns
• Students and special education classes
• Groups from local day programs, assisted living facilities and long-term care homes.

“Nature and wilderness should be for everybody. That’s where you begin to find yourself,” said Mike Nemesvary, founder of Nature For All and long-time accessibility advocate. He has been visiting Baxter in his power wheelchair for 20 years, after a training accident in his 20s left him paralyzed on his path to becoming a world champion freestyle skier. 
“Baxter Conservation (will be) a model of accessibility for other conservation areas. People from all across Canada can come here and see how much effort and time was put into the planning, and that the planning has really paid off.” 

To learn more or donate to the Nature For All project, visit https://www.rvcf.ca/ways-to-give/nature-for-all-project. 

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RIDEAU VALLEY, Nov. 21, 2022 – Wetlands are among our planet’s most critical natural features, and key to helping communities manage climate change, worsening storms and extreme weather into an uncertain future.

Yet Ontario's wetlands are increasingly under threat, with reduced wetland protections paving the way for more housing. 

But hope is not lost. Land trusts like the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation protect wetlands before they are destroyed forever – in fact, the Foundation already protects more than 1,500 acres of pristine natural lands across the Rideau Valley. These lands include vast wetland complexes, upland forests, shoreline properties and critical habitat.

With your help, we can afford to protect even more.

Donations to our Steve Simmering Conservation Lands Endowment Fund this giving season will help the Foundation cover annual maintenance costs for the natural lands we already own - and give us the confidence to accept future land donations knowing we have the funds to maintain them in perpetuity. 

Even natural, undeveloped land costs money to maintain – up to $60,000 per property over time for property taxes, safety inspections and signage – and interest from the Simmering endowment covers these annual costs each year. The principal remains invested to create a steady flow of cash year after year.

Paving our wetlands would put more communities in the path of extreme floods, reduce drinking water quality and contribute to the rapid biodiversity collapse taking over the globe. Not to mention, these critical carbon sinks would no longer pull immense amounts of carbon dioxide out of our warming atmosphere.

This giving season, give wetlands a fighting chance. Visit www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/63940 to donate today. 

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The Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation is a registered environmental charity working to help protect and conserve the lands and waters of the valley of the Rideau River in Eastern Ontario. For more information visit www.rvcf.ca. 

KEMPTVILLE, May 18, 2022 – A thriving oak tree will now serve as a daily testament to the living legacy planted by Hulse, Playfair and McGarry Funeral Services across the Rideau Valley.

Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation board chair Andrew Harkness gathered with HPM president Sharon McGarry, staff and supporters at the Kemptville chapel to dedicate a burr oak sapling in recognition of their 20-year partnership on Wednesday, May 18. 

Since 2001, the long-standing family business has worked with the Foundation to plant local, native seedlings in honour of each of the families they’ve served – hitting an incredible milestone of 30,000 trees in October 2021.

“Their generosity has reforested about 38 acres of local land to create new habitat, clean our air and water and capture carbon. This is all leading to healthier, happier communities, now and in the future,” Harkness said. “Thanks to Hulse, Playfair and McGarry, 30,000 native, locally grown seedlings were planted right here in the Rideau Valley, at no cost to the grieving families, to provide a living legacy of their loved ones.”

HPM president Sharon McGarry said the program brings comfort to those they serve.

“I think it’s very comforting for a family to know that there is something living on as a living memorial to their loved one,” McGarry said. “We’re so proud to partner with the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation.”

The Foundation plants and tends combinations of white cedar, white pine, red oak and sugar maple with help from its partner the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA). 

These trees will live to 80 years or more, creating clean water, clean air, improved soil, wildlife habitat and huge amounts of peace and quiet as they grow.

To learn more about the Memorial Tree Program visit https://www.rvcf.ca/ways-to-give/memorial-tree-planting-program. 

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The Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation is a registered environmental charity working to help protect and conserve the lands and waters of the valley of the Rideau River in Eastern Ontario. For more information visit www.rvcf.ca. 

RIDEAU VALLEY WATERSHED, July 14, 2022 — The Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation is currently seeking applications for volunteer membership on its Board of Directors. Founded in 1970, the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation is a registered environmental charity working to help protect and conserve the lands and waters of the valley of the Rideau River in Eastern Ontario. 

The Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation is seeking people who care deeply about the natural world and are willing to commit their time, effort, and skills to our Board of Directors to ensure the ongoing success of the Foundation.

Board members should be passionate about protecting and restoring our local environment, and able to assist in achieving the Foundation’s fundraising goals to implement conservation projects. Board members oversee the strategic plan, finances, and policies and procedures of the Foundation, and ultimately ensure that the resources entrusted to the Foundation further the goals of the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority.

Board members are expected to attend quarterly Board meetings (in-person and virtual options) and also to participate in Foundation events. 

It is hoped that candidates will bring a range of skills and experience to the RVCF Board including not-for-profit governance, strategic planning and visioning, fundraising, community contacts and more.

If you want to make a difference for the Rideau watershed and have personal and professional experiences that could help our organization, please apply. Visit www.rvcf.ca to see our Call for Candidates for more details or submit a resume and covering letter to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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The Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation is a registered environmental charity working to help protect and conserve the lands and waters of the valley of the Rideau River in Eastern Ontario. For more information visit www.rvcf.ca. 

BARRHAVEN, July 13, 2022 – Chapman Mills Conservation Area needs a new, state-of-the-art accessible pedestrian bridge – and we hope its many visitors will help make it happen. 

The current wooden bridge near the northern trailhead of Barrhaven’s most beloved boardwalk has reached the end of its life cycle. Over the years, the busy span has helped hundreds of thousands of visitors access the beautiful Rideau River from Chapman’s popular free-of-charge trail. 

But the bridge has also presented several accessibility issues: it’s not wide enough for two people with wheelchairs or strollers to pass, for example, leaving one person to back up beside the path’s steep shorelines. 

The narrow bridge also led to temporary park closures in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic because adequate physical distancing couldn’t be maintained – leaving many local residents without their go-to nature escape just when they needed it most. 

Taking advantage of the bridge’s need for replacement, the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation (RVCF) has launched a new fundraising campaign to ensure the new bridge is also built to the gold standard of accessibility standards – not just to legislated minimums. 

“We believe strongly in building inclusive outdoor spaces that welcome the entire community, and we hope residents will support the project to help us get there,” said Diane Downey, executive director of the RVCF. 

With help from renowned accessibility consultant Marnie Peters, staff from the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority have applied a metric of the world’s top outdoor accessibility policies to the new bridge design. This includes a wider deck, more gradual slopes, accessible sight lines and longer ramps. 

Individuals can donate to the bridge campaign directly at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/73114. The Foundation is also actively securing grants and other funding, and welcomes corporate partnerships, sponsorships and donations in support of the project. 

To learn more visit www.rvcf.ca/ways-to-give/chapman-mills-accessible-bridge or contact Diane Downey at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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The Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation is a registered environmental charity working to help protect and conserve the lands and waters of the valley of the Rideau River in Eastern Ontario. For more information visit www.rvcf.ca. 

MANOTICK, June 3, 2022 – Baxter Conservation Area will build more than just a bridge this summer: it will build a more inclusive and accessible community, as well. 

The Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation is one step closer to making that dream a reality, thanks to a $50,000 grant awarded by the City of Ottawa under the Rural Community-Building Grant Program. This grant will help the Foundation’s Nature For All committee transform Baxter’s 80-hectare natural park near Kars into Eastern Ontario’s most accessible nature destination. 

But this project is about more than a new bridge, said Nature For All committee chair Mike Nemesvary.

“At its core, this project is about creating an inclusive society,” said Nemesvary. The long-time disability advocate has been visiting Baxter in his power wheelchair for nearly 20 years, after a training accident left him paralyzed on his path to becoming a world champion freestyle skier. “Nature should be for everybody. People all ages and abilities should be able to enjoy the many physical and emotional benefits of being outside without worrying about safety or logistics.”

The project’s first phase, slated to begin construction later this year, includes a new marshland bridge designed to the gold standard of accessibility based on the world’s top outdoor accessibility policies. This bridge will be twice as wide as the current decommissioned structure, with two large, accessible education platforms to accommodate more inclusive outdoor education programming, accessible railings and sightlines and gradual slopes. 

Baxter’s Nature For All vision also includes five kilometres of extra-wide boardwalk and stone dust trails designed with gold-standard accessibility features like gentle slopes and bounce control.

Rideau-Goulbourn Coun. Scott Moffatt said this project is precisely the type the city’s rural grants are designed to support. 

“Baxter Conservation Area is a beloved local spot, but this grant will help transform it into a true destination for all city residents, of all ages and abilities,” Moffatt said. “As our city’s population gets older, and as we welcome and celebrate the diversity of our communities, inclusive projects like this one are incredibly valuable.”

To learn more or donate to this project visit www.rvcf.ca/nature-for-all.

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MANOTICK, May 16, 2022 – Capital Pyrotechnics is blasting off as the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation’s newest Carbon Neutral partner, just in time for fireworks season.

The Manotick-based pyrotechnics company will plant 168 trees to offset approximately 6.5 tonnes of carbon emissions from its 2021 transportation-related activities as well as estimated travel by guests who attend their displays across the Ottawa Valley region. The bareroot seedlings will offset these emissions as they grow over the next 20 years.

“We know our industry produces carbon. That’s why it’s all that much more important for us to take this step,” said co-owner Gill Bujold. He and his business partner Jeff Plewes both grew up involved in scouting in the Manotick and Osgoode areas, and Bujold is now a rural property owner who has worked with the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority to create a managed forest and protect the provincially significant wetland on his own property. 

That’s why he wanted to work with a local and trusted conservation partner to offset his company’s emissions. 

“Let’s support our local watershed, and local green initiatives,” Bujold said. “This way, we know where the trees are and that they’re having a positive impact on our community and environment.”

The Foundation helps businesses and families calculate their carbon footprint and then plants locally grown sugar maple, white pine, white cedar and red oak across the watershed to offset the emissions. 

But these trees don’t just store carbon dioxide: they also reduce the impacts of floods and droughts, clean the local air and water, provide critical habitat for wildlife and improve the Rideau Valley watershed for all who live here.

“Capital Pyrotechnics is taking a bold step toward sustainability,” said Foundation executive director Diane Downey. “We welcome their commitment and are thrilled they have chosen to go carbon neutral in their own backyard.”

Capital Pyrotechnics is known for its Canada Day displays in Ottawa neighbourhoods like Stittsville, Dunrobin and Riverside South, as well as Ottawa Valley locations like Deep River and Calabogie. They also provide shows for the military base in Petawawa. 

To learn more about the RVCF’s Carbon Neutral program visit www.rvcf.ca/ways-to-give/carbon-neutral-program or contact Diane Downey at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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RIDEAU VALLEY, May 3, 2022 – Cleaning out your basement this spring? Don’t trash your treasures! Whether it’s a vintage bike, dusty kids’ toys or outgrown clothing, consider selling it on behalf of the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation through GiveShop Marketplace.

GiveShop is an innovative Ottawa-based startup which allows users to post new and gently used items for sale in support of the charity of their choice. Just like Facebook Marketplace and other community platforms, buyers message sellers directly and arrange for pickup. But in an exciting twist, the seller gets a charitable receipt and the Foundation gets the cash! This is a unique and budget-friendly way to support your favourite environmental charity, while keeping good quality items out of the landfill. 

Between May 1 and June 15, GiveShop is hosting a Spring Cleaning Campaign, and we encourage you to post your gently-used or new items early and often – and check out other listings for your own treasure hunt, as well! Simply make an account, post your items and choose the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation as your charity of choice. If you’d rather shop, you can filter by charity name or save our Foundation page, found here: https://market.giveshop.ca/products?charity=60a6afd392e065bb7758e6c5 

How to get started: 

1. Using www.GiveShop.ca or the GiveShop app, create a free account and choose Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation as your preferred charity.

2. To sell an item, click “Give” and choose RVCF as your charity. Post photos and a description of your item. Once an item has been sold, the transaction is processed automatically and funds are sent directly to the Foundation. You can arrange a pick-up time with the buyer. Watch for your charitable receipt in your inbox! (NOTE: This may take up to a month to arrive.) 

3. To buy an item, click “Shop” and choose RVCF as your charity. All items listed will directly support the Foundation! Find an item you love and arrange to buy it from the seller. You can enjoy your new item knowing it supports a more sustainable future for you and your community!

Happy shopping! Learn more about the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation’s work at www.rvcf.ca. 

About the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation:

The Foundation is a registered environmental charity working to help protect and conserve the lands and waters of the Rideau Valley watershed in Eastern Ontario. The Foundation complements and supports the work of the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority by raising funds and in-kind gifts for three major areas of conservation work: land care through tree planting, trail maintenance, and picnic tables, benches, boardwalks; river care through water quality monitoring, biodiversity monitoring, wetland inventories, invasive species removal and clean water projects; and conservation education through outdoor learning experiences, accessible programs and public events. 

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