For nearly 30 years, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation (TD FEF) has donated to the Conservation Halton Foundation. The Foundation’s mission is to protect natural spaces. TD FEF’s funding this year extends to restoration projects at Joe Sams Park in Waterdown and Hidden Valley in Burlington. These sites were both target areas in the Foundation’s Connected Campaign, which is Conservation Halton’s largest fundraising initiative to protect and expand an essential ‘greenprint’ for communities today and in the future.
Since 1992, TD FEF has funded a wide range of local restoration projects, including the creek channel narrowing and plantings at Joe Sams Park and Hidden Valley. In recent years, TD FEF has also supported projects in Milton, Burlington, Oakville and Hamilton as well as numerous community planting days in our region through TD Tree Days, a volunteer program for the public and TD employees, their friends, families and community members, to help plant trees and shrubs in urban and rural green spaces.
Once an agricultural landscape, Joe Sams Park now boasts sports fields, trails, a dog park, and thriving natural habitats like meadows and wetlands along Grindstone Creek. While invasive species have posed challenges, over 500 metres of Grindstone Creek and 8,500 metres square of habitat have been restored through partnerships and grant funding, along with the planting of 3,500 native trees and shrubs.
Building on this progress, TD FEF’s 2024 funding has enabled Conservation Halton’s Restoration team to restore an additional half-acre of habitat. Volunteers have been essential to these efforts, planting 300 native trees and shrubs and contributing to restoring the creek’s natural flow and stability. “It’s inspiring to see the tangible results of our funding here at Joe Sams Park,” said Hannah Bradshaw, TD FEF’s Regional Manager, after a site visit in late October. “The restoration work underway is not only helping to revitalize the creek, but also helping to deepen the community’s connection to nature through the volunteering opportunities provided.”
By investing in local restoration sites like Joe Sams Park, TD FEF is helping to protect critical green spaces, conserve diverse wildlife habitats, and support community connection to nature.
“Building relationships and fostering community support for local restoration projects not only raises awareness about the challenges facing our ecosystems but also inspires collective action to protect and preserve nature,” said Garner Beckett, Executive Director of the Conservation Halton Foundation. “With support from TD FEF, Conservation Halton’s work at Joe Sams Park and beyond is creating a thriving greenprint for future generations to enjoy.”
With project funding for Joe Sams Park confirmed until March 2025, the Conservation Halton Foundation will continue to seek additional financial support to advance these essential restoration efforts. For more information on the Connected Campaign and ways to support this important work, visit: https://www.conservationhalton.ca/campaign/ways-to-support/