Letter: Special thanks to individuals and households caring for local ponds

By Letter to the Editor on April 8, 2021.

Dear editor,

A big thank-you to all the individuals and households that have adopted a pond. As I write this letter, already an amazing half of the 20 ponds (and some of the creek) in Medicine Hat have been adopted and cleaned! Six ponds were cleaned up by more than 40 people on the weekend before World Water Day. Well done, Hatters!

Thank you to everyone who took part in the Equinox Pond cleanup and all who are out there every week paying attention to your adopted pond.

The official launch of the “Adopt a Pond” initiative was hosted by the South East Alberta Watershed Alliance at the Equinox Pond cleanup on March 20 at Connaught Pond.

What does it mean to adopt a pond? An individual or household that adopts a pond agrees to four simple activities: 1. Walk around the pond every week or two to learn its lessons. 2. Pick up trash. 3. Report the presence of invasive plants (help is available). 4. Invite one or two others to do the same. That’s it.

March 22, World Water Day, provided the motivation and timing, Grasslands Naturalists provided the initiative, SEAWA collaborated, and the city smoothed the way for the Adopt a Pond project to be launched this year.

For information about adopting a pond or other events at the shores of our ponds and creek call the Nature Centre at 403-529-6225, or SEAWA at 403-488-8110.

Martha Munz Gue

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