J. Henry Tweed Conservation Area Restoration

Restoration Work is Well Underway at the J. Henry Tweed Conservation Area in Russell, Thanks to a Partnership with Ontario Power Generation

J. Henry Tweed Conservation Area has been the center of an extensive restoration project since 2019. The restoration activities that were completed in 2021 and 2022 have included native tree and shrub planting, repairing existing erosion and streambank stabilization, and restoring in stream habitat to increase biodiversity.

Since 2020, SNC has also resurfaced the park’s recreational trail, installed three new pedestrian bridges, restored sections of shoreline, and removed and replaced hundreds of dead and dying Ash Trees infected by the invasive Emerald Ash Borer.

Community Days were hosted by SNC in October 2021 and October 2022 at the park, featuring project updates, a water quality demonstration and a property tour. Volunteers planted 100 trees during the event in 2022, adding to the 1,000 trees planted within the park earlier that Fall.

The J. Henry Tweed Conservation Area started as a 16-acre land donation to SNC in 1980 by Alex and Mable Little and Jean Hay to protect the family’s natural legacies and provide passive recreational opportunities.

Today, it is one of the Conservation Authority’s most popular public parks, welcoming over 20,000 visitors each year, and provides a serene natural green space surrounded by urban development in Russell.