Sarnia, ON - May 11, 2006

A two hour spring walk at The Dow Wetlands will take place on Saturday, May 20 beginning at 10:00 am. Kimberly Gledhill, Conservation Education Technician for the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority, will take visitors on a hike to experience the annual spring rebirth of a wetland environment. Witness the mating, nest building and territorial nest protection of the red winged blackbird. “Sneak a peek” at the green frog, taste testing the first bugs of the year. Listen to the call of the King Fisher bird as it dives down into the sparkling marsh waters to retrieve a fish snack. Let your children role play rabbits and use their special adaptations to hide in the grasslands. These activities, and more, will fill our morning hike as we take in the beauty of spring.

The idea for The Dow Wetlands was born when a large quantity of clean soil was required to cap a former Dow landfill. Dow worked with local community groups and an environmental firm to design the wetland complex. In 2002, the original seven acre Dow Wetland grew to 20 acres and is now home to 8,000 trees and shrubs. The five ponds, pools and streams play host to a variety of "emergent plants” such as cattails and bulrushes which provide food and shelter for wildlife in the area. The Dow Wetlands also perform many beneficial environmental functions such as holding excess water and filtering water to improve water quality.

The walk is free to all interested community members. Look for the entrance located off of LaSalle Line immediately to the west of Highway 40.

Dow Chemical Canada Inc., a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, employs approximately 1,300 people in Canada. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Dow Canada and its affiliates have manufacturing locations in: Sarnia and Weston, Ontario; Fort Saskatchewan and Prentiss, Alberta; and Varennes, Quebec. For more information about Dow Canada, please visit our web site at www.dowcanada.com.

For Editorial Information:

Kimberly Gledhill
Conservation Education Technician
St. Clair Region Conservation Authority
(519) 882-2399

Mimi Long
The Dow Chemical Company
1 (800) 361-6650
(for area codes 313, 519, 586 and 810)