Perth County Stewardship Program

Stewardship Program Impact

The Perth County Stewardship Program (PCSP) is a County-led, action-based grant program designed to accelerate the adoption of best management practices (BMPs) that enhance land, water, and forest health. Administered by county staff, the program is an implementation mechanism for Council-approved environmental and climate objectives by providing direct financial and technical support to landowners undertaking stewardship projects. At its core, PCSP reduces financial and administrative barriers to voluntary environmental action while ensuring technical oversight, accountability, and measurable ecological outcomes.

In the first three years of the program, the PCSP has delivered the following results:

• 99 applications supported to date;
• 28,429 trees planted;
• 51.31 acres restored;
• 43 km of windbreak established;
• $724,478 in total project value generated;
• $2 leveraged for every $1 of County investment;
• 79,601 kg of carbon sequestered annually;
• 10.45% of County operational emissions currently offset through program-supported tree planting;
• Projected 18–20% emissions offset by 2029 with continued participation;
• 98% applicant satisfaction rate.

The program has been oversubscribed in two of its three operating years, demonstrating strong community demand and broad landowner participation.

2026 Program Guideand Final Reporting

Application Forms: The 2026 application intake is now closed.

2026 offered four application streams. Click each stream below to access the current Program Guide and the application form for each stream:

Perth County Stewardship Program Guide

Applicants are encouraged to read the current Program Guide prior to starting an application. If you have questions about your project prior to applying, please reach out to the Resiliency & Stewardship Coordinator. 

2026 Program Timeline:

• October 1, 2025 - January 30, 2026: Spring Application Intake Open
• March 2026: Stewardship Grants Awarded - Spring Intake
• November 25, 2026: Final Reports Due

Final Project Report Form: 

Final Project Report Forms must be submitted through the Online Form, or by mailing a filled in copy to the County of Perth c.o. Hannah Cann (Resiliency and Stewardship Coordinator) before November 25, 2026 in order for the grant funds to be released.

Please complete the forms:

• Online Form (preferred)
• PDF form (print and mail in)

Stewardship Checklist: For the conscientious landowner

Things you can do to ensure your property is resilient and cared for:

• Learn more about your land: take notice of the natural features, how quickly they return to ‘normal’ after extreme weather, what species are seen there throughout the four seasons.
• Preserve trees around your property: check their health, replace when older trees are no longer healthy; let natural debris like fallen trees and leaves decompose to create habitat and improve organic matter in soils.
• Prune trees and shrubs instead of removing them for views or access paths.
• Control invasive species: like buckthorn, garlic mustard, spotted knapweed, and other ‘garden escapees’
• Avoid using synthetic fertilizers or pesticides to control unwanted plant growth. Physical removal or alternate treatments will reduce impacts to other species such as salamanders, frogs, and birds.
• Protect and restore vegetation along streams: Healthy wide buffers reduce topsoil loss during rain and snow storms, improve water quality in the creeks by reducing sedimentation and thermal pollution, and provide habitat corridors for native and migratory species.
• Adding bird or bat boxes, and decaying logs for small mammals and amphibians help increase valuable habitat on property lines and natural corridors.
• Consider welcoming bees onto your property. Consult your local apiary or bee keeping club to improve presence of pollinators to assist native species of plants to have successful fruit-bearing seasons.

Other Resources

Tree Planting and Tree Orders in Perth County:

• Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority
• Grand River Conservation Authority
• Maitland Valley Conservation Authority
• Upper Thames River Conservation Authority

Registered Professional Foresters for Forest Management Plans

• Find out more about Registered Professional Foresters in Ontario on the Ontario Professional Foresters Association Website
• Find a RPF in your area through the Ontario Professional Forests Association's Directory Here.

Other Resources:

• Recommended Native Trees and Shrubs
  (Upper Thames River Conservation Authority)
• Grow me instead Guide - Beautiful Non-Invasive Plants for your Garden
  (Ontario Invasive Plant Council)

• The Landowner’s Guide to Controlling Invasive Woodland Plants
  (Ontario Invasive Plant Council)

• Best Management Practices Agroforestry Series Volume 1: Woodlot Management
  (OFA, Ontario Stewardship, Eastern Ontario Model Forest)
• Infosheet #23: Woodlands and Wildlife
  (Ontario Farm Environmental Coalition, Growing Forward 2, Govn't of Ontario, Govn't of Canada)
• Forest Conservation By-Laws in Ontario
  (Province of Ontario, Extension Notes)

Stewardship Program Development

The Perth County Stewardship Program Guide will be made available and applications to spring tree planting and forest check-ups plan to open the first week of December 2023. Further information about the Stewardship Program will be published to this page when it becomes available.

The research and proposed Stewardship Plan was endorsed by Perth County's Agricultural Working Group on May 24, 2023. At a meeting on July 6, 2023, County Council received the report and Stewardship Program recommendations. A total of $75,000 will be allocated in the County's 2024 budget for the launch and implementation of a Stewardship Program. You can view the Council Report here.

The development of this program engaged with over 270 residents and stakeholders. Below is a brief summary of the program development efforts. For a complete overview, view the Council Report here.

Community Survey

Thank you to everyone who took time to complete the Community Survey! The survey closed on March 15, 2023 and received 160 responses. In addition to the survey, many one-on-one interviews were held with local stakeholders.

Community Engagement Sessions

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend! We hosted five community input sessions booked to gather your thoughts about the development of a new Stewardship Program for Perth County.

• Friday, Feb 17 from 1-3pm - Perth East Recreation Complex, Milverton (Perth East)
  
• Wednesday, Feb 22 from 7-9pm - Mitchell, West Perth Municipal Office, Mitchell (West Perth)
• Thursday, Feb 23 from 1-3pm - Downie Optimist Hall, St.Pauls (Perth South)
  
• Tuesday, Feb 28 from 1-3pm - Listowel Agricultural Hall, Listowel (North Perth)
• Wednesday, March 1 from 7-9pm - Online
• Thursday, March 2 from 7-9pm - West Perth Community Centre, Mitchell (West Perth)

What We Heard

Thank you to everyone who had the opportunity to watch the presentation and provide feedback.

Following the survey and community engagement sessions, we shared what we heard so far in the video below. This included a summary of some of the input received through the survey as well as the emerging priorities. There was an opportunity to provide further feedback and let us know if we captured everything accurately by submitting any further input to an online form (now closed). Below is a brief video about what we've heard.: