Andy Ross

Project Category: Tree Planting and Naturalization

In 2017, Andy and Nancy Ross decided to retire 14.5 acres of marginal farmland to plant it into trees. They envisioned connecting this area to the already forested areas of their property to increase forest cover, provide habitat, provide future forest products, and create an area of recreation for their family to enjoy.

The Ross family worked closely with the Conservation Authority to develop a plan that reflected their goals and objectives. Through the support of the Huron Clean Water Project (HCWP) and Forests Ontario, their vision came to life. Over the course of three years (2017 – 2019), a total of 8900 trees and 20 different tree and shrub species were planted to initiate the process of forest restoration. With the initial tree planting costs largely covered, Andy and Nancy used funds they had previously budgeted for the project to purchase tree tubes and stakes to protect the trees from hungry deer which are abundant on the property. 

Andy and Nancy ensure their trees are well taken care of. You can often find them walking through their property with their two dogs, Jasper and Pepper, tending to the trees and documenting the wildlife they find. They continue to enhance their project over the years, adding bird perches and downed logs between the trees as wildlife habitat. They have enjoyed the many different species that have inhabited the area, including deer, foxes, turtles, rabbits, an abundance of bird species, and much more.

Andy and Nancy have explained this project as being a legacy for future generations who will have the opportunity to enjoy these trees just as much as they do, along with a little more shade.

Jack and Marg Kroes

Project Category: Tree Planting and Naturalization

Jack and Marg Kroes began farming together in the 1980s outside of Clinton, ON. They continue to farm swine and forage crops for their livestock. When Jack and Marg first began their farming journey, it was during a time of high interest rates; they had to do what they could to keep costs to a minimum. Jack and Marg utilized no-till cropping practices to minimize machinery costs and improve soil health by keeping the soil covered and stabilizing soil structure and temperature.  Marg stated, “We needed healthy crops to provide food for our livestock, which in turn produced healthy food for our soils and crops” – Marg Kroes.

The Kroes decided to plant a single row of Norway Spruce around the perimeter of their farm to act as a windbreak. They still maintained 30% airflow and light through their windbreak to ensure good crop productivity while still protecting against wind erosion. Their treed windbreak, now over 40 feet tall, provides healthy biodiversity and a fortress to protect their soils and crops. In 2002, Jack and Marg also decided to implement a couple narrow based berm structures, also known as Water and Sediment Control Basins (WASCoB), in their cropped field to mitigate erosion. WASCoB’s help slow the flow of runoff and allows it to infiltrate slowly into the soil. This helps to reduce soil erosion and keep sediment and nutrients on the land, out of the nearest waterways.

It is important to Jack and Marg that they utilize and increase their natural beneficials to grow healthy crops and livestock. This includes the sun, water and soil. To utilize the sun’s heat and light, increase the soil’s water-holding capacity and availability, increase soil organic matter, and the interconnected biodiversity and complexity of the soil’s microbiome. This has provided the Kroes with more profit and fewer costs by working with the natural environment to increase the health of their soil and in turn, the health of their crops and livestock. With the support of cost-share funding programs such as the Huron Clean Water Project, Jack and Marg were provided with the assistance needed to implement their conservation projects. Jack and Marg state, “We are enjoying the benefits, still farming, and looking where next to improve. We are so blessed” – Jack and Marg Kroes.