Let's invite everyone in our Valley to learn about their Valley
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What do you know about the Otter Creek?
What do you know about its watershed and the vegetation and animals that live there?
Do you know about the group called the Otter Valley Naturalists Club (OVN)?
Well, let’s start with the creek. It starts north of the Horseshoe Moraine which is a glacial accumulation of soil and rock which have formed scenic bluffs lining the valley it passes through, northeast of Norwich. It flows through the village of Norwich, and under their 100-plus-year-old bridge, from which you can enjoy the beautiful merging water and land.
The Otter Creek, (also known as the Big Otter Creek or Otter River), then flows through The Tillsonburg Moraine which is like a valley heading to Otterville, where it passes over the only dam which did not go out in the big flood of 1937.
This dam can still power the old mill on its banks. The Otter then heads toward Tillsonburg where Stoney and Clear Creeks joined the flow. All three creeks were used to power many of the saw and gristmills, including E.D. Tillson’s milling empire. For decades, Tillsonburg’s businesses used the Otter to barge their lumber and goods south to Lake Erie and their markets. On the way there the Otter also passes through Richmond and Vienna before emptying at Port Burwell. That is a 42-kilometre (26 mile), journey and which drains 712 square kilometres (275 square miles).
There is obviously a tremendous change in the amount of drainage from yesteryear to today, for I can’t imagine a barge loaded with lumber or goods fitting in the creek today.
The Otter Creek and valley, is part of the unique Carolinian Forest, which is distinguished by slow-growth hardwood trees, like oak and beech, that once covered most of southern Ontario.
In the old days, water was not taken for granted, it was a necessity. You didn’t waste water, you needed it to drink, clean, transport you and your goods, irrigate your crops, and fished in it for food. These were the human uses, but we must not forget that all of the natural flora and fauna were dependant upon the creeks and rivers to survive as well.
The Otter Creek still sustains a wide variety of life today. What kinds life? What quality of life? Is anyone watching out for the creek’s misuse? Well, this is where the Otter Valley Naturalists Club (OVN) shines. It is a non-profit club that promotes awareness and education of our natural habitat with a focus on the Otter Valley in Southern Ontario.
They have more than 80 members and are part of the much larger provincial body known as Ontario Nature (ON) which includes over 160 clubs and over 35,000 members from across Ontario.
They meet the second Monday of each month, September to June, at the Port Burwell Public School. They have both speakers and outings every month. Some of their activities include the Christmas Bird Count and Baillie Birdathon (in conjunction with Bird Studies Canada); a summer butterfly count; Monarch tagging; spring cleanup; nature walks; education and outreach; habitat creation; and rehabilitation projects. Meetings are free and open to everyone.
Did I say guest speakers? That would be me! I am doing a Fostering Wildlife presentation at their September 9th meeting! I have a great power point presentation with tons of pictures, after which we bring out the stars of the evening Dolly and Scooter, my licensed educational skunks.
What do skunks have to do with a naturalist club? They would be the fauna part of the flora and fauna that the Otter Valley sustains. Did you realize that Tillsonburg, part of the otter valley, has endangered badgers? Most people today have no idea what our human imprint is doing to nature. This presentation will help put that in perspective and tell you what you can do to help.
So join me and other people that care about our valley, at the Port Burwell Public School, 30 Strachan Street on the 9th at 7 p.m.
You might want to check out the OVN website to learn more about their events, news and nature. Go to their WordPress site at: http://ovnaturalists.wordpress.com/. You can also join the group itself. Your membership fee helps fund outreach and rehabilitation projects, and provide honoraria to their speakers. Memberships run from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31 and costs $20 for a single; $25 for a family; $5 for a junior.
Let’s invite everyone in our valley to learn about their valley this September. Don’t forget, it is free!