ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY
NEWCOMERS WELCOME
Not everyone is ready to commit to membership in an organization. Sometimes it’s better to attend an event or two, or perhaps watch an online presentation, or even just read the blog posts of organizations that interest you. Understanding the nature of organizations working for sustainability in your community and how they relate to each other is a good first step in thinking about where you fit in.
You’ll find there are many people in the organizations listed here who are happy to answer questions, and who can refer you on to others if they don’t have answers themselves. You can also contact PCSH for more information.
ARE YOU A GARDENER?
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Garden Stratford helps maintain many city gardens. Lend a hand! The Canadian Association of University Women maintains a list of local nurseries that sell native plants. The Stratford and Area Master Gardeners planted 2022 native trees in 2022. Garden big! |
ARE YOU ADVENTUROUS?
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Join Cycle Stratford and take a trip. Good companions make it more fun. The Stratford Field Naturalists tour the countryside. Learn about nature while you wander. The G2G Rail Trail has been resurfaced all the way from Guelph to Goderich. A fine adventure for a sunny day! |
ARE YOU A COOK?
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The Local feeds our community. They need volunteers for the kitchen. The Canadian Association of University Women has a Food Waste Reduction Campaign. Participate, and share your knowledge. |
DO YOU HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN?
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The Stratford Local Community Centre raises vegetables in their community garden. They have gardening programmes for children. The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority has educational environmental programmes at Wildwood (St. Marys) Take them on a tour of Stratford and St. Marys, following the list of historical plaque properties maintained by the Stratford-Perth County branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario. |
ARE YOU CURIOUS?
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Investigate your world. Sign up for a trip with with the Stratford Field Naturalists Learn about your community and your environment by joining one of Climate Momentum’s online talks. |
NOT IN PERTH COUNTY?
Perth County Sustainability is a member of the Suzuki Foundation’s Future Ground Network, which provides us with training, technical assistance, and connection with environmental groups across Canada. We are very grateful for the support provided by this wonderful network.
We are also developing strong relationships with like-minded organizations in neighbouring areas, sharing knowledge and information and collaborating on projects together. The list is growing fast. Learn about these organizations below:
GREAN – The latest group to form in Soutwestern Ontario, The Growing Rural Environmental Activist Network doesn’t have a webpage yet. If you are in the Kincardine area and want to get in touch with a local activist group, please use the contact box at the bottom of this page and we will connect you.
GREEN GODERICH – https://www.greengoderich.com/
Green Goderich is a grassroots organization who advocate for the enviroment as well as educate the public on environmental issues, plastic pollution, and climate change.
BLUE BAYFIELD – https://bluebayfield.ca/
Blue Bayfield is an organization of concerned citizens located in the lakeside village of Bayfield, Ontario. Blue Bayfield’s mission is committed to the protection and remediation of all waters locally and around the world.
HURON FRINGE FIELD NATURALISTS – https://hffn.huronstewardship.ca/
First formed by Joe and Crystal Burgess in 1985 with an original membership of about 6 people, the club has grown to about 120 members in the intervening years. Members generally live along the Lake Huron shoreline area ranging from the Bayfield area in the south to the Tiverton -Inverhuron area in the north and inland to include members from Clinton and Lucknow areas.
LONDON ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK https://www.londonenvironment.net/
The London Environmental Network (LEN) is an environmental charitable organization based in London, Ontario, Canada. The LEN helps to protect our environment and build a more sustainable city by offering environmental programs and climate action opportunities for all residents.
HAMILTON 350 https://hamilton350climate.org/
Hamilton 350 is a grassroots group based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and affiliated with the world-wide 350.org network. Their mission is to build an engaged, aware local movement for urgent action and advocacy on the climate emergency that all of us face.
WE ARE A BIG COUNTY!
The largest population centres within Perth County are Stratford and St. Marys, Mitchell, Palmerston, Milverton and Listowel. These small cities are situated in over two thousand square kilometres of some of the richest farmland in Canada.
Our distances pose problems; for example, many people have poor broadband, and this became a serious issue during Covid. Collaboration between all our smaller communities is not impossible, however; with expertise and a little elbow grease, we can find ways to work together. Help us grow our network by keeping in touch.
If you are a sustainability group in our county, please think of joining us. We can include your events on our web page, and we are developing an extensive social media network. If you have information on environmental or sustainability groups in your area, please reach out to us to let us know about them.
Use the contact box below for all comments and inquiries.
