The Essex Region Conservation Authority board has elected a new chair and vice-chair.
Amherstburg councillor Molly Allaire was acclaimed as board chair during ERCA's Annual General Meeting on January 23.
Allaire will take over the role from Windsor city councillor Jim Morrison - who has been appointed vice-chair.
She says it was a surreal moment to be nominated and voted in for this position.
She has been an active member of ERCA's board since 2022.
Allaire says past board chairs reached out with kind words.
"Councillor Tania Jobin, and Kieran McKenzie, they both reached out just saying 'if you ever need any guidance, we're always here, you have our support', everyone's just been so welcoming. And even Jim [Morrison], Jim said 'there's no chance that you're going to mess this up. You're strong, you care so much', just so kind words from everyone."
She says there is a specific issue that needs to be fixed.
"I want, if I could a regional - we've already been working with a lot of municipalities - but the regional approach to the phragmites is pretty important on our scale. Especially as all municipalities as a whole are suffering from these phragmites taking over our water source, we need to work as a team to fix that problem."
Allaire says she grew up on a farm - stemming her passion for the environment.
"Every year since I was like four years old we've planted one row of trees on our farm. And actually, receiving a lot of trees from ERCA which is kind of cool. And then my parents actually received a Conservation Award from ERCA for all of their tree planting efforts - which is great."
ERCA board meetings are held monthly.
ERCA is an organization responsible for managing natural resources and protecting the environment in the Essex region, primarily by overseeing land use development, managing floodplains, preserving wetlands, and promoting conservation efforts within their watershed area.