By: Fernando Arce, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeshore News Reporter
The newly acclaimed chair of the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA), Molly Allaire, says collaboration and a focus on reforestation are essential to tackling some of the region’s most pressing environmental challenges.
In an interview with Lakeshore News Reporter, Allaire, who grew up on a farm where her family planted trees inspired by ERCA’s work, said her lifelong love of nature led her to get involved with the organization.
“ERCA has always been close to my heart. Anyway I can help improve our environment is a top priority,” she said.
Allaire, who was acclaimed as chair earlier this year, said it’s an honour to serve in the role and sees a key part of her job as encouraging regional collaboration on conservation.
“The work being done by everyone at ERCA is pivotal to keep our municipalities healthy and thriving,” she said. “One of my key priorities is assisting with the fight and elimination of phragmites regionally.”
Among the most significant environmental issues facing the region are low forest cover and degraded surface water quality, she said. Allaire pointed to ERCA’s Clean Water~Green Spaces program, launched in 2003, as a major success in addressing these concerns.
The program has protected nearly 2,000 acres of vulnerable lands, planted 2.7 million trees, created 63 acres of wetlands, established 100 acres of prairie, and implemented over 1,000 water quality improvement projects.
“The municipal contribution of $14.8 million over those 20 years attracted an additional $15.2 million of outside funding – a huge return on our municipal investment,” Allaire said.
However, with recent changes to the Conservation Authorities Act, some municipalities opted out of the shared program. Allaire said one of her goals as chair is to bring all municipalities back to the table to recommit to the program.
Tree planting, Allaire noted, remains a cornerstone of ERCA’s climate change response. Each year, ERCA plants between 60,000 to 100,000 trees, and this year will mark the planting of the region’s seven millionth tree.
“While these numbers are impressive, there’s always more that can be done, especially considering the Windsor-Essex region has amongst the lowest tree coverage in all of Canada,” she said.
Allaire also emphasized the role municipalities can play in increasing forest cover, suggesting they could identify mandatory areas for reforestation in development plans or dedicate municipal lands for tree planting.
As a mother of young children, Allaire said her environmental work is deeply personal.
“Every decision I make is not for the current generations but for our children’s children,” she said. “It’s beautiful to be at the table with everyone making decisions that will improve our environment for everyone’s future.”
Education and youth engagement are also key pillars of ERCA’s approach, with more than 8,000 students participating annually in the authority’s programs. Despite changes to provincial funding models that identified education programs as “non-mandatory,” Allaire said she is proud that ERCA’s member municipalities unanimously agreed to continue supporting them.
“These programs are critically important to creating a future of environmental sustainability in our region,” she said.
Allaire stressed that integrated watershed management, which looks at the entire ecosystem beyond municipal boundaries, is central to ERCA’s mission.
“Whatever happens upstream impacts the downstream communities,” she said. “The environment does not align with arbitrary municipal boundaries — it’s all interconnected.”
Looking ahead, Allaire said her vision for ERCA is focused on building a collaborative approach to environmental sustainability.
“There’s no Planet B, and we need to do everything within our power, with a high level of urgency, to ensure that the decisions we make will ensure a future of environmental sustainability for our region and beyond,” she said.
For residents and organizations interested in getting involved, ERCA offers year-round volunteer opportunities, including tree planting, watershed cleanups, and events such as a Maple Syrup Festival, golf tournament, litter cleanups, and the Super Santa Run in Amherstburg.
“Residents and organizations can always reach out to volunteer and assist ERCA,” Allaire said. “It’s not just tree planting — there are multiple ways to get involved, make a difference and have fun.”
More information on ERCA’s programs and volunteer opportunities is available at www.essexregionconservation.ca, or by contacting Danielle Stuebing at dstuebing@erca.org.
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