The Severn Sound Environmental Association Office, in cooperation with Environment Canada's Great Lakes Sustainability Fund, the Simcoe County Federation of Agriculture and the North Simcoe Soil and Crop Improvement Association, is conducting a survey of farms in the Severn Sound area. The survey includes the entire Severn Sound watershed, but since only a portion of Tiny Township is in the watershed, the municipal Council was approached for additional funding so that we could do a complete Township survey.

There are an estimated 390 potential farm properties and 243 farmsteads within Tiny Township. Thanks to additional support from the Township of Tiny, the survey will include all farms in the township, including those that are not in the Severn Sound watershed, for a complete summary of the municipality. The results of the survey will be tabulated for the Township in addition to the Severn Sound wide analysis.

There are three stages to the survey:

1) GIS (Geographic Information Systems) mapping work was carried out in the SSEA office, outlining farmer's fields using the latest computer software and satellite images. Then survey forms were created using this information. The data from these forms, when completed, will be entered into a database and summarized.

2) Each farmstead will be visited and the landowner or tenant will be asked to provide information on crops, tillage practices, livestock, manure management, milkhouse waste management and the status of livestock access to surface water. All individual information will be kept strictly confidential and we will be happy to provide each farmer with a copy of the information once a farm has been surveyed.

3) The Severn Sound Environmental Association staff will use the information to compile summaries of farm operation, crop use, potential soil loss, livestock by type and manure handling facilities, giving an up-to-date picture of land use.

The main survey has been carried out by local farmer, Bob Wilson, and we have an SSEA French-speaking staff member involved in the Tiny Township survey to ensure that all farmers have the opportunity to participate.

The SSEA Office has had a good working relationship with Severn Sound farmers over the years. Many have been partners in a variety of efforts such as the Rural Non Point Source Control Project and the Tributary Rehabilitation and Erosion Control Project. The purpose of the Rural Non Point Source Project is to improve surface water quality by reducing rural sources of pollution such as phosphorus, nitrogen and bacteria. This project provides assistance to rural landowners in Severn Sound who implement projects which improve and maintain local water quality. The Tributary Rehabilitation and Erosion Control Project involves nutrient reduction from the watershed area. Rehabilitation of stream and river habitat, through restricting livestock access, stabilizing stream banks and planting native trees and shrubs along retired valley land, is proceeding throughout Severn Sound with this project.

The Severn Sound staff is proud to work with the agricultural community and looks forward to continuing this partnership in the future. The Remedial Action Plan, since 1991, has addressed environmental problems through actions in phosphorus control, habitat restoration and enhancement, prevention of contamination, long term planning to sustain ecosystem health, monitoring progress and effectiveness and improvement of public awareness and education.

The information provided in the Severn Sound Survey is required to assess the effectiveness of the program as we get Severn Sound de-listed as one of the Areas of Concern in the Great Lakes. The survey will allow us to evaluate the status of rural non-point sources, pin-point potential erosion areas, prioritize rehabilitation sites and evaluate the SSRAP's implementation strategy. It will also provide the basis for future nutrient management planning, indicate future potential pollution control projects for Severn Sound and provide an up-to-date description of farming in the watershed. The additional work in Tiny will produce a complete picture of agricultural operations in the entire township and provide the Township with basic information on agricultural activities for planning purposes.

This survey is an excellent example of how the farming community is cooperating with an environmental organization to achieve environmental health.

The SSEA is a unique partnership among eight municipalities in southeastern Georgian Bay, Environment Canada and Friends of the Wye Marsh Inc. The AssociationÕs goals are to oversee the de-listing of Severn Sound as an area of concern and then to complete the transition from the Remedial Action Plan program to a locally sustained environmental office, providing cost effective environmental management that will sustain improvements achieved through the RAP process. Feel free to contact us at 526-7809 or by email: ssrap@csolve.net.