379 Ronka Rd. Worthington, ON P0M 3H0 (705) 866-1677 Info@VermilionRiverStewards.ca VermilionRiverStewards.ca
2 May 2013
Dr. Andrea Kirkwood Faculty of Science University of Ontario Institute of Technology 2000 Simcoe St. N. Oshawa, ON L1H 7K4 Re:
Lower Vermilion Source Water Quality Study
Dear Andrea: On behalf of the Vermilion River Stewardship (VRS), I would like to express how very pleased we are to inform you that Ontario Trillium Foundation has approved of our collaboration with you and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) on the Lower Vermillion Source Water Quality Study. We are also looking forward to working with Carrie Strangway, and thrilled that we will be an integral part of her Master’s thesis. To reiterate your previous correspondence, you noted that UOIT contributions and expectations (aka Carrie’s thesis) to the Lower Vermillion Source Water Quality Monitoring Project are as follows: 1. UOIT will process all of the phytoplankton samples (up to 280 samples) received from VRS to determine taxonomic composition and abundance. All costs associated with this laboratory processing will be covered by UOIT. 2. UOIT will analyze the phytoplankton data in conjunction with the water quality data that will be collected and provided by the VRS. 3. Based on analysis of the phytoplankton and water quality data, UOIT will produce the following documents: a. A Master’s thesis (Strangway) b. Peer-reviewed scientific publication(s) authored by Strangway and Kirkwood c. Final report for VRS authored by Strangway and Kirkwood. This report will be in addition to, and in collaboration with, the final report to be prepared by Vermilion River Stewardship and Conservation Sudbury. 4. Carrie will present her thesis work at one or two conferences, and VRS will be kept apprised of findings as they become available. 5. Any dissemination of information from this project (i.e. conferences and publications) will acknowledge VRS and our other partners, plus the Ontario Trillium Foundation. 6. You will supply us with titles of presentations and papers for our Trillium reporting. 7. You will pay for Carrie’s graduate stipend and any additional research objectives that 1
“Community Supporting a Healthy and Sustainable River Ecosystem”
Vermilion River Stewardship
2 May 2013
may be added to her project (e.g. chlorophyll analysis, a GIS component), and any additional information gathered by Carrie will be shared with the VRS at no additional cost. 8. Your report of sample analysis and data will be submitted no later than 31 January 2015. Our team will make every effort to ensure samples are received by UOIT in a timely manner in the 2014 sample season so that Carrie can begin her analysis sooner, and that she may not have had an opportunity to complete the analysis of all the data collected by the time our OTF report is due on 1 March 2015. VRS accepts the above arrangements, and confirms that VRS is responsible for: 1. The costs of phytoplankton bottles, the Lugols preservative, and shipping. 2. The final number of phytoplankton samples will be determined by our Strategic Planning Committee in collaboration with UOIT, not to exceed 280 total samples. 3. All phytoplankton samples will be shipped to you in late October of each sampling season. Further to your suggestion that we also sample a nearby river that has not been quite as impacted, I would suggest that perhaps the upper reaches of the Vermilion, where there has been little development, might work well, but perhaps you can speak to Anoop about the best strategy. The contributions and arrangements you and UOIT are offering are very generous, and VRS gratefully accepts. Our project team is looking forward to working with you both. Sincerely,
Linda Heron Chair, Vermilion River Stewardship Cc:
Paul Sajatovic, Conservation Sudbury – Paul.Sajatovic@greatersudbury.ca Anoop Naik, Conservation Sudbury - Anoop.Naik@greatersudbury.ca
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"A World of Healthy River Ecosystems."