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22 The Clarington Independent, Bowmanville, Saturday, July 30,1994 "Project Purple" Launches Attack On Wetland Killer In the first coordinated effort of its kind, the first week of August has been dubbed "Project Purple Week" by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH), to stem the wetland killer purple loosestrife. The OFAH is calling on every available hand in the province to launch local control : efforts on the deadly perennial plant the week of August 1-7. Traditionally, the plant is in full bloom during this week and is getting ready to set off mature seeds. Each plant produces approximately 2.7 million seeds each year, which travel to nearby wetlands and choke off invaluable fish and wildlife habitat. habitat. Purple loosestrife (Lythrum sali- caria) came to North America more than a century ago from its native Europe, Europe, but only in the past decade has its bright fuchsia blooms begun to spread like wildfire across the province. province. Steam-Powered Machines on Display at Scugog Shores Museum In Canada, the plant has no natural natural enemies and its massive root systems systems and woody stems make it a mighty competitor, bumping aside all native vegetation that serve as food and shelter for thousands, of fish, wildlife and insect species. As a result, result, once-thriving wetlands choked by loosestrife become vast fields of silent, dead purple. Each year, North America loses hundreds of thousands of wetland hectares to the loosestrife plaque - this, in light of the fact that many populated areas saw much of their wetlands destroyed by development development after the turn of the century. But there is hope. In 1992, the OFAH launched "Project Purple," an education and research program to show people how to control the plant and avoid its spread. And for the first year, the call is out August 1-7 for individuals, groups and municipalities to mount concerted control efforts. In the past, many organizations have made a pleasurable day out of loosestrife control efforts, which included recreational recreational events or a picnic/BBQ. The OFAH has also renewed its call to Ontario municipalities to declare declare the plant noxious under the Ontario Ontario Weed Control Act. Over the past years, more than 70 municipalities municipalities - including Metropolitan Toronto - have taken this step, promoting the plant's control. In addition, many nurseries have stopped selling the plant for home gardens, a problem which was compounding compounding loosestrife's spread. "For three years, the OFAH has waged war against purple loosestrife and there are many positive signs," said Dr. Terry Quinney, OFAH provincial provincial coordinator of fish and wildlife wildlife services. "But we need every available hand at the most important time of the year if we are to make a real difference." But the plant must be controlled carefully, or more harm than good can be done. For more information on loosestrife and how to control it, call the Invading Species Hotline at 1-800-563-7711. Organizations that do mount control efforts are asked to call the Hotline to register their efforts. efforts. Project Purple is a program of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, with support from The Environmental Environmental Youth Corps, Weed Man, the Shell Environmental Fund, Guelph University, Nipissing University, University, the North Bay-Mattawa and Mattagami Conservation Authorities, and the North Bay and Timmins offices offices of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Natural Resources. The OFAH, which has 70,000 individual individual members and 490 member clubs, won one of the country's top conservation awards in 1993 for its Invading Species Program. Kyle Catchpole admires a railroad layout at Scugog Shores Museum Museum last Sunday, July 24. This weekend, July 30 and 31, the museum museum will host its first-ever herb festival. Steam-powered machines were a special attraction last weekend at the Scugog Shores Museum. Bmce Carr is shown above with a l/6th scale model of a 1920 tractor driving a saw-mill. Also on display was a full-sized 83-year-old Case steam tractor owned by Francis Hockley, Hockley, of Sandford. The tractor was driving an Ontario-made threshing machine built in the 1930's or 1940's. SEAT BELTS SAVE ©Ontario DURHAM REGION NOTICE TO THE RATEPAYERS OF THE CORPORATION OF THE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF DURHAM The Audited Financial Statements of the Corporation of the Regional Municipality of Durham for the year ended December 31,1993 are available from the Regional Finance Department. Anyone interested in obtaining a copy of these statements should write to the Finance Department of the Regional Municipality of Durham, 60 Bond Street West, P.O. Box 618, Oshawa, Ontario L1H8B6. The following financial highlights reflect the operations, assets and liabilities of the Regional Municipality of Durham including the waterworks sanitary sewage and waste disposal systems and the Durham Region Police Services Board. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET (All amounts in thousands of dollars) COMPARISON OF CONSOLIDATED REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES (All amounts in thousands of dollars) 1993 1992 $ $ WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM: Requisition on Area Municipalities 104,295 98,852 Ontario Grants 161,753 158,607 User Charges ■85,947 81,489 Other Revenue 22,372 • 22,784 Proceeds from the issue of Long-Term Liabilities 6.690 381,057 361,732 WHAT THE MONEY WAS SPENT FOR: General Government 8,576 8,232 Protection to Persons and Property 55,391 56,970 Transportation Services ' 33,590 30,903 Waterworks Operation 35,529 37,087 Sanitary Sewage System 55,447 42,726 Waste Disposal 11,494 13,419 Health Services 8,442 8,222 Social Services 118,822 113,405 Senior Citizen Services 37,497 32,170 Day Nurseries 8,101 7,380 Family and Children Services 2,397 2,466 Planning and Development 3.896 3.988 379,182 356,968 Excess of Financing Over Expenditures 1,875 4,764 Fund Balances, Beginning of Year 144,701 139,937 Fund Balances, End of Year 146.576 144.701 ASSETS Cash and Short Term Investments Accounts Receivable Other Current Assets Restricted Assets Capital Outlay Financed by Long-Term Liabilities and to be Recovered in Future Years LIABILITIES Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities Current Portion of Ontario Housing Action Program Loans Other Current Liabilities and Deferred Revenue Net Long-Term Liabilities Other Long-Term Liabilities FUND BALANCES Reserves and Reserve Funds To be used to offset taxation or user charges Unexpended Capital Financing Trust Funds Administered by Region 1993 1992 $ $ 60,650 54,506 35,144 34,861 8,427 7,752 87,757 85,360 14,597 11.878 206,575 194,357 35,484 34,073 1,483 1,278 4,585 2,427 14,597 11,878 3,850 -- 59,999 49,656 117,487 113,522 5,954 3,971 23,135 27.208 146,576 144,701 206,575 194,357 2,132 2,146