(Gateway to the Carp River Conservation Area. Photo: submitted)
Visitors to the Carp River Conservation Area can experience their visit like never before with the new interactive and educational app, EcoTrekr, which was inspired by Pokémon GO. EcoTrekr is available to download for free on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.
Developed to bring the site to life, EcoTrekr helps visitors engage with and understand their surroundings through features such as:
- a “Discovery Challenge” game
- information alerts triggered as visitors enter zone-specific GIS reference points
- an “encyclopedia” of plants, wildlife, geographical details, historical events, and did-you-knows
- fun quizzes
- tools to capture, upload, and share data and photos
“What began as an idea to educate youth on flora and fauna at a site as unique as the Carp River Conservation Area has now become a reality,” said Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority’s (MVCA) Community Relations Coordinator Shannon Gutoskie. “We all know how important nature is and spending time outdoors, and this new app is another tool and another experience to help foster a greater understanding and appreciation of nature locally.”
New to the MVCA’s portfolio, the Carp River Conservation Area is located in the northern half of the newly transformed four-kilometre section of the Carp River restoration site in Kanata, between Richardson Side Road and Highway 417 near the Canadian Tire Centre. The restoration project entailed realigning the river channel and restoring adjacent wetlands, and also involved planting thousands of native trees, shrubs, plants, and grasses to support biodiversity and to establish a welcoming habitat for wildlife.
Established in 1968 by area municipalities, the MVCA aims to protect and manage shared watershed resources in order to be mutually beneficial. A Board consisting of 17 members (appointed by area municipalities) governs the MVCA to deliver services in accordance with the Conservation Authorities Act. More information can be found on the MVCA’s website.
