Grand River Conservation Foundation

P.O. Box 729, 400 Clyde Road

Cambridge, Ontario N1R 5W6

1-877-29-GRAND (1-877-294-7263)

foundation@grandriver.ca

www.grcf.ca

The GRCF adheres to Imagine Canada’s Ethical Fund Raising and Financial Accountability Code.

Charitable Registration Number 11894 6045 RR0001

This annual report is printed on an environmentally-friendly, FSC-certified paper that is manufactured using 100% post-consumer fibre and is processed chlorine-free using biogas energy.

2010 Annual Report

For more than 40 yearsFor more than forty years, the Grand River Conservation Foundation has

worked with the GRCA to enrich the natural values of the Grand River

watershed, and encourage people to enjoy, and learn from, the outdoors.

17 Grand River Conservation Authority19 Financial Overview21 Our Donors27 Our Leaders

1 Welcome Message3 David Lamble5 Ken Murray7 Martin Neumann9 Joanna Mackie11 Jeff Glaves13 Murray McEwen15 David Westfall

WelcomeConservation is at the heart of GRCF’s work. Through

the generosity of hundreds of donors each year, we

provide much-needed funds for projects that would

otherwise not be undertaken by the Grand River

Conservation Authority and many other partners.

2010 was a pivotal year for us – we blazed the trail for future new growth, after talking with dozens of leaders in our watershed communities about why they value clean water, high quality natural areas and opportunities for people to enjoy the outdoors.

During these conversations we learned something new. We realized that our role isn’t simply to protect “the environment” – it’s also to support people as they care for their own corner of the Grand River watershed.

That might mean helping a third-generation farmer to improve the water flowing through his land, or funding improvements to a trailway where families ride their bikes together on the weekends. It could be celebrating the camaraderie of community

groups as they plant trees, or investing in the future of young people through outdoor education programs and scholarships. It might even be recognizing that a healthy natural world is reflected in our own health – physical, mental and emotional.

Conservation connects people in so many ways, and the sum total – our goal – is a healthy watershed for us all.

That’s the value of what we do. We hope you’ll read on to learn more.

J. Crawford Reid, FCAChairman

Doug BrockVice Chairman

Sara Wilbur, CFREExecutive Director

Sincerely,

1 2

In 2010, funds channeled through the GRCF provided

equipment and operating funding to the GRCA’s Luther

Marsh Wildlife Management Area. This helped to ensure

that this 15,000 acre site remains an outstanding

resource for wildlife and clean water in the

Grand River watershed.

David Lamble has

banded 140,000 birds

and spends about 200 days

a year at Luther Marsh. He is

grateful for the mist nets he

uses for his work, and also

for the restoration that brings

migrating birds back year

after year.

Volunteer Master Bird Bander

David Lamble

“I think Luther Marsh is one of the most wonderful places on the entire planet. It is so diverse. I have made

suggestions for habitat improvements and they have been

implemented. Eagles are now nesting at Luther and osprey

numbers have increased due to additional nesting platforms.

Now we’re increasing prairie grasslands and that is starting

to bring back some grassland birds.”

Luher Marsh

3 4

Through the generosity of

Ken Murray, a long time supporter,

the GRCA has created a new outdoor

classroom at Guelph Lake Nature

Centre to complement the nearby

Guelph Rotary Forest. More than

3,200 students across the watershed

were supported to attend outdoor

education programs in 2010,

and much-needed facility

upgrades completed

enhance the learning

experience of students.

Rotary ForestOutdoor Classroom

KenMurray

Guelph“This outdoor classroom is in a forest and I can’t think

of a better place to teach children about conservation than

the middle of a forest. There is room on the benches for

42 people and there’s a fire pit for campfire programs and

a podium made of stone. It is in a children’s forest and I hope

the children will plant trees and then come back to see the

trees grow as they grow.

“This classroom is without doors. The key to getting into

the classroom is to plant a tree.”

5 6

A range of generous donors have supported

stream restoration, cleaner water through

new wetland development and the

creation of grassland habitat which is

so rare in Ontario. Restoration of

a key property near the mouth

of the Grand at Dunnville

was completed in 2010.

GRCA Supervisor of Terrestrial Resources

Martin Neumann

“We’ve created one of the biggest prairie grassland areas in our watershed. We sowed the seeds two years

ago and the grassland is a raging success. We are really happy

because this enhances biodiversity in the southern Grand River.

We hope these new plant communities will bring more bird

species, amphibians and mammals.

“Newly planted forests take 15 years to grow, but grasslands take

only three years. We will have a decade of grassland value before

the forest is established on the same land. We are grateful to the

donors whose financial support has led to this success.”

Dunnville Marsh

7 8

Trails are more than just green places – they are where

people within a community connect and rejuvenate.

The Cowan Foundation recognizes this and 2010

marked the first of a three-year partnership

with the GRCF to fund the 75 km rail-trail.

This trail connects Cowan Communities

including Cambridge, Paris, Brantford and

Hamilton. The trail is designed for all to

enjoy whether you are walking, running

or riding a bike. When adults and

youth stay active, they are healthy –

physically, mentally and socially.

Cowan Foundation

JoannaMackie

Cambridge“I am a service consultant with Cowan Insurance Group. I really enjoy walking the trails, both alone and with my

family. It is calming to be in nature’s setting and appreciate all it

has to offer. As we are walking the trail it reminds my daughters

of the importance of caring for the environment.

“When we first moved here, my youngest daughter attended

a birthday party at Apps’ Mill Nature Centre. She learned about

plants, wildlife and the surrounding walking trails and just loved

it. Now, five years later, we’re going to camp at Brant Park for my

eldest daughter’s 16th birthday. It really means a lot to me that

my employer supports the recreational trails.”

9 10

The year 2010 marked the 25th anniversary of

the GRCF’s partnership with the Glaves family,

which has provided the watershed with more

than 14,000 trees since the partnership

began. Business, community groups

and individuals contributed more than

$90,000 to GRCA tree planting projects

in 2010 – a lasting commitment to

the beauty of our landscape and

the health of our people.

Beckett-GlavesFuneral Family Centre

JeffGlaves

Brantford“My father had the vision for a memorial forest. He planted a tree for his father, G. Fred Glaves and Richard

Beckett, a former Brantford mayor and previous owner of

Beckett-Glaves. They passed away the same year. The tree

planting has grown from there. Memorial trees are symbolic

of a new life representing one that has been lost. The Glaves

family plants a tree for each family that uses the Beckett-Glaves

Family Funeral Centre. Family members appreciate this. People

often also purchase additional memorial trees. Our memorial

forest dedication site is at Brant Park and the annual memorial

service there attracts up to 1,200 people. We have another forest

area at Burkett’s Lane, but our trees are planted all up and down

the Grand River watershed.”

11 12

Murray McEwen has lived along the Eramosa

River for 30 years. He is now giving back to

our watershed health by providing funds

in 2010 to endow the new McEwen

Clean Water Prize in perpetuity. This

award is the newest addition to a range

of grant and scholarship programs. Last

year, GRCF provided more than $17,000

to community groups, schools and

students who are undertaking

local conservation projects

or preparing for

environmental careers.

McEwen Clean Water Prize

Murray McEwen

Ospringe“I’m very interested in helping young people get more education. I’m also conscious of the challenges related to

water. As I toured different parts of the world and the north

of Canada, I saw a lot of water problems that were holding

communities back from reaching their potential. Some good

work can be done to help people solve water problems, around

the world and in our watershed. It seemed logical to tie the two

together by providing an annual scholarship to young people

who can work towards solving these enormous challenges of

water scarcity and water quality.”

13 14

Every landowner in the

Grand River watershed

holds a piece of the water

quality puzzle. Through

expanded donor

support for the GRCA’s

award winning Rural

Water Quality Program,

the GRCF is helping to put

that puzzle together. In 2010, the

GRCA was able to expand its reach to

rural landowners, providing advice and

financial support to help them protect the

water flowing through their lands.

Land Stewardship

DavidWestfall

St. Agatha“We live above the aquifer that provides the City of Waterloo with its water, so it is environmentally sensitive.

We started planting trees on our own. But with the help of the

GRCA, we found we could do much more. We started in 2007

by planting over 3,000 trees and shrubs. Since then, we have

converted 10 to 12 acres of land back to forest. We are motivated

partly from concern for the environment and partly because

we enjoy seeing these trees grow. Last fall the GRCA also hand

seeded three acres between the trees with wildflowers to attract

pollinators, because we read an article in Grand Actions about

how important pollinators are.”

15 16

Arthur

Dundalk

Elmira

FergusElora

Rockwood

Paris

NewHamburg

Caledonia

CayugaDunnville

Arthur

Dundalk

Elmira

FergusElora

Rockwood

Paris

Waterloo

KitchenerCambridge

Guelph

Brantford

Waterloo

KitchenerCambridge

Guelph

Brantford

NewHamburg

Caledonia

CayugaDunnville

L a k eO n t a r i o

L a k e E r i e

Hamilton

G r a nd

R.

C o ne s t o

go

R.

Ni t h R .

S p e e d R

.

G r a n d R .05 5 10 km

... CARE FOR an area roughly the size of Prince Edward Island

... PROTECT more than 50,000 acres of land

... WON the Thiess Riverprize in 2000 for worldwide excellence in river management

... MANAGE river flows through the operation of three large and four smaller dams which play a significant role in flood control in our communities

... PROVIDE outdoor education to more than 50,000 children per year at four full-time Nature Centres

... OPERATE 2,500 campsites and 11 Conservation Areas which are visited by more than 1 million people per year

... HAVE PLANTED more than 26 million trees since our inception

... SUPPORT a 75km rail-trail network throughout the Grand River valley

Grand River Conservation

Authority

GRCA

We

17 18

2010 Financial Overview

All funds held within GRCF are restricted internally or externally for specific projects, with the exception of one undesignated fund which is allocated annually by our Board of Directors for the highest conservation priorities.

Disbursements to Foundation Projects – 92%

General and Fund Raising Expenses – 7.8%

Other Expenses – 0.2%

How we spend donated dollars

Revenue2010 2009

Receipted Donations $477,978 $616,297

Non-receipted Donations 161,626 20,538

Book & other merchandise sales 3,338 15,484

Special Events and Sponsorships 24,622 56,268

Investment Income 56,673 78,097

Other Income 14,136 8,874

Total $738,373 $795,558

Net Revenue & Fund Balances2010 2009

Fund Balances Beginning of Year $1,915,438 $1,771,626

Current Year Net Change in Funds (40,619) 143,812

Fund Balances, End of Year $1,874,819 $1,915,438

Expenditures2010 2009

Disbursements to Foundation projects $716,875 $560,789

General and Fund Raising Expenses 60,744 47,366

Book Purchases 1,109 0

Special Events 0 34,717

Other Expenses 264 8,874

Total $778,992 $651,746

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OurDonors

Thank you to all of

those individuals and

organizations that made an

investment in our quality of

life through the Grand River

Conservation Foundation.

You are very important to us

A-1 Sanitation

Wilson Abreu

Aecom

Apotex Pharmachem Inc.

AquaResource Inc.

ARCA Financial Group

Babcock & Wilcox Canada

Robert Ballarin

N. Marina Barnstijn

Sharon Bartholomew

Shirley Baskott

Vicki Beard

Ronald and Thelma Beaubien

Ralph Beaumont

Bell City Womens Probus Club of Brant

Jane Bewick

Max and Lynn Blouw

Tim Boettger

Gilles Bourque

Paul Bourque

Alison Boyd

Brant County Men’s Probus

Brant Resource Stewardship Network

Brantford Sun-Downers

Braun Consulting Engineers

Jane Brewer

Doug Brock

Ted and Mary Brough

Joyce Campbell

Canadian Water Network

Liana Caracci

Challenger Rehab on Wheels Inc.

Iris Churchward

Con Cast Pipe

Conestoga-Rovers & Associates Limited

Chuck Corrigan

21 22

County of Wellington

Malcolm and Marta Coutts

Cowan Foundation

Teri Crutcher

Alan and Nathalie Dale

Joseph Deres

E. Elise Devitt

Margaret Dickson

Dianne Ditner

Mark Lyon Dorfman

Brian Dowling

Ducks Unlimited Canada

Michael and Kathy Duschenes

Ken Edwards

Kae Elgie

Elora Cataract Trailway Association

Environment Canada

Erb Street Mennonite Church

James & Doris Etienne

Patricia Ewen

Extend - A - Family

Joe Farwell

Fidelity Investments Canada - Corporate Acct

Susan Forster

Bruce Fretz

Frey Brothers Limited

Friends of the Grand River

Gamsby & Mannerow Ltd.

Genivar

Scott Gerardi

German Canadian Hunting & Fishing Club

John and Marilyn Gilbert

Carolyn Godfrey

Golder Associates Ltd.

Good Foundation Inc.

Gore Mutual Foundation

Lloyd and Linda Gower

Graham A. Giddy Funeral Home

Grand Erie District School Board

Grand River Foods

Joanne and John Grinwis

James R. Guy

GWS Ecological & Forestry Services Inc.

June and Aubrey Hagar

David and Hildegard Hales

The Brenda and Peter Hallman Fund of the Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation

Hammond Manufacturing Company Limited

Hanson Pipe & Precast, Inc.

Happy Hoofers

Harden Environmental Services Ltd.

John Harris

Doina Hartley

Pamela Healey

Hank Helmond

Betty Hodgson

Holcim (Canada) Inc.

Marian Holmes

Adera Holton

Brett Hopkins

John and Elinor Hueton

Carol Hulls

Imperial Oil Foundation

John Innes

J&J Shared Services

George Jennings

Lorie Jocius

Jeff Kaufman

John Knill

Magdalen Kreller

Jeff Leader

Vera Leavoy

Tom and Barb LeBrun

Phil Lenoir

Liquor Control Board of Ontario

Lobban Stroud Ltd.

Kerry Long and Sandy Roy

Steve Longlade

Lotowater

Sarah Lowe

Norman J. Lundvall

MacKinnon Transport Inc.

Ian MacNaughton

Ian MacRae

Kinga Magolon

Elizabeth McAleney

Moira McCarthy

Jim McCracken

John McCuaig

Murray McEwen

Jennifer Mendler

Robert Millar

Barry Miller

Ministry of Natural Resources

Ministry of the Environment

Sue Minshall

Kim Mitchell

Jane Mitchell

Monsanto Canada, Inc.

The Monsanto Fund

Norma Mulrain

Paul Murch

The KenMurray Fund of the Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation

Marilyn Murray

Deva Nadesan

Judy Nairn

Jacqueline Nash-Smowton

Nestle Waters Canada

Godfrey Nicholson

Martha O’Brien

Ontario Centres of Excellence

Ontario Clean Water Agency

Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources

OPSEU Union

David and Sandra Pady

David Paleczny and Mary Reynolds

John Palmer

Jacoba Parsons

PAWS Emergency Training Inc.

Murray and Ida Pearson

Pine Meadows Retirement Community Limited - Janet and Don Vallery

Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited

The John A. Pollock Family Fund of the Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation

23 24

The Corporation of the Township of Puslinch

The Friends of Dr. Cairo - Walking Group

The Grand Valley Trails Association

The Optimist Club of Stanley Park

The Tent Works Ltd.

Thomasfield Homes Limited

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc.

James Treacy

Robert Tucker

Philip Tully

Kevin Tupman

Brenda Vagt

Vancouver Foundation

Victoria Park East Golf Club

Harry Vogt

Francka Volcic

Margaret Von Lukawiecki

W.E.S.A.

Wakeham & Associates Marketing Inc.

Waterloo Imported Cars Inc. - Ian Murdoch

Wellington County Stewardship Council

Sara Wilbur-Collins and Peter Collins

Burna Wilton

Jon Woeller

Lynne and Peter Woolstencroft

The Young Family

Cindy Zinger

Anonymous (1)

…and many other donors up to $50

Watershed Memorial PartnersBatesville Canada

Beckett-Glaves Family Funeral Centre

Dignity Group – Schreiter-Sandrock, Ratz-Bechtel and Westmount Funeral Homes

Gilbert MacIntyre and Son Funeral Home and Chapel

Wm. Kipp Funeral Home Limited

Bequest and Life Insurance CommitmentsDoug Brock

Chuck Corrigan

Lloyd Gower

Keith Gummow

Kerry Long

Marilyn Murray

Ruth Reeves

Sara Wilbur-Collins

Gloria Yeung

Anonymous (5)

Estate GiftsEstate of Eleanor Proctor

Marc Poirier

Prior Construction Corporation

Prior Development Corporation

RBC Foundation

Regional Municipality of Waterloo

Crawford and Josephine Reid

Robert Reynolds

Mary Ann Rice

RLB Management Partnership

RMP Athletic Locker Ltd.

Rotary Club of Brantford Charitable Foundation

Rotary Club of Cambridge North

Rotary Club of Guelph

Run for the Toad

Susan Ryan

Patricia Salter

SC Johnson and Son, Limited

Ronald and Barbara Schlegel

Dan Schneider

Schneider National, Inc.

Schreiter-Sandrock Funeral Home

Helen Sinclair and Paul Cantor

The Sinkeldam Family

Vyrt and Barbara Sisson

Alex Smith

Spaenaur Inc.

Bill Speers

June Spence

Stantec Consulting Ltd.

Calvin Staples

Mary Stedman

Steed and Evans Limited

Stoney Lane Antiques Inc.

Patricia Strutynski

Verna Swayze

Trudy Sykes

Syngenta Crop Protection Canada Inc.

TD Friends of the Environment Foundation

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OurLeaders

Thank you to the leaders

in our community who

provided the GRCF

with guidance and

direction in 2010.

Diversity & strength in leadership

Marilyn Murray, Chair

Bill Bennett

Lynn Blouw

Chuck Beach

Paul Cantor

Gord Chaplin

Rick Chaplin

Chuck Corrigan

Mac Coutts

Natalie Cutler

Michael Duschenes

Paul General

Keith Gummow

John Harris

Anita Hillis-Krause

Allan Holmes

Elinor and John Hueton

Stan Jones

Board of DirectorsJ. Crawford Reid, Brantford – Chair

Doug Brock, Waterloo – Vice Chair

David Hales, Waterloo – Past Chair

Alan Dale, Norwich – GRCA Chair

Wayne Knox, Brant County/Caledonia

C. Thomas LeBrun, North Dumfries

Kerry Long, Kitchener

Ian MacNaughton, Breslau

Ian Murdoch, Waterloo

Robin-Lee Norris, Guelph

Joy O’Donnell, Cambridge

David Pady, Puslinch

Terry Reidel, Kitchener

Vyrt Sisson, Brantford

Randy Walden, Cambridge

Alex Wilson, Hillsburgh

John Knill

Alex Lang

Andrew Lambden

Tom Land

Doug Letson

Norman J. Lundvall

Murray McEwen

Larry Mellors

Bob Murray

Thomas Pick

John Pollock

J. Clare Rennie

George and Peggy Sarson

Helen Sinclair

Deryk Smith

Raymond Soucy

Janet Vallery

Burna Wilton

Grand ChampionsThank you to our broader volunteer group for acting as the GRCF’s local ambassadors in their respective communities.

Special thanks to David Hales who retired as Chairman in June 2010, and to retiring Board

members Lloyd Gower and Martin Ehlert.

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