 c o n s e r v a t i o n u p d a t e s f o r m e m b e r g r o u p s |
| Ontario Nature Network News - April 18, 2005 |
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To view a copy of this newsletter online visit www.ontarionature.org/home/nnnews.html. Ontario Nature grants permission for use of the information below in member group newsletters. Please credit either Ontario Nature or the member group. Feature! Get Ready to Celebrate Doors Open to Nature ONTARIO NATURE NEWS
CENTRAL ONTARIO NEWS
EASTERN ONTARIO NEWS
SOUTHERN ONTARIO NEWS
NORTHERN NEWS |
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Get Ready to Celebrate Doors Open to Nature Ontario Nature is planning exciting events to celebrate its 75th Anniversary in 2006 and would like to invite your group to participate in a community celebration called Doors Open to Nature. Doors Open to Nature will feature 75 community events that highlight the diversity, strength and commitment of Ontario Nature’s member groups. All member groups are invited to participate. We are asking you to open the doors to nature in your communities and dedicate an event - a birding outing, guest speaker or hike - in celebration of the 75th Anniversary of Ontario Nature. Many groups are already planning events for 2006 so you can easily dedicate a regularly scheduled event, guest speaker or annual outing to this project and be one of 75 hosts for Doors Open to Nature. Ontario Nature will help you promote your event through media, website, e-newsletters and special publications. This is a great opportunity for your group to raise its profile locally and provincially, attract new members and help celebrate our anniversary as a federation. Let us celebrate together! Please contact Deanna Coop at deannac@ontarionature.org or 1-800-440-2366, (416) 444-8419 ext. 224 to get your event form today. So we can plan, please submit your events by May 1st, 2005. |
ONTARIO NATURE NEWS |
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Ontario's New Provincial Parks Act In a March 2005 meeting with Minister of Natural Resources David Ramsay, Ontario Nature and its conservation partners (Sierra Legal Defence Fund, CPAWS-Wildlands League, World Wildlife Fund Canada and Earthroots) encouraged the government to push forward with finalizing a strengthened Provincial Parks Act for Ontario. Initial consultation on amendments to the outdated 1954 Provincial Parks Act is complete and the Ontario Parks Board of Directors heard from a broad group of interests across the province. The final recommendations to the Minister by the Parks Board will be made public in the coming weeks. You can assist in guaranteeing the future of a strong, new Provincial Parks Act by urging the Minister to make this important legislation a top priority on his conservation agenda. Among the points to include in messages to the Minister are the following:
There has never been a better time for you to protect the Ontario parks you love! Please send comments to: The Honourable David Ramsay Tel: (416) 314-2301 |
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Volunteer for Nature Spring is here and the staff at Ontario Nature are gearing up for a busy field season. A host of trips are planned for our nature reserves this year, with everything from building boardwalks to surveying for invasive species. Two great trips this year will take place on the Bruce Peninsula, at nature reserves that are rarely seen by the public. Check your Volunteer for Nature brochure or visit our website at ontarionature.org for more details. |
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A Smart Future for Ontario: New Edition Now Available! The revised and updated edition of A Smart Future for Ontario: How to Create Greenways and Curb Urban Sprawl in Your Community is now available! This is Ontario Nature's 72-page book on smart growth, first published to popular acclaim in October 2002. It includes new facts and figures, additional online resources, and a new chapter on the Ontario government and smart growth (given the change to a Liberal administration at Queen's Park). In addition, we have tailored some of the new text to give information about our Southern Ontario Greenway, also included in the new sub-title of the book. Ontario Nature member organizations will receive one complimentary copy of the book at spring and fall regional meetings. Please talk with your Ontario Nature regional coordinator if your club needs additional copies. The book is also on our website ontarionature.org for free download, chapter by chapter. |
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Greenbelt for Golden Horseshoe Now in Effect - a First Step in a Southern Ontario Greenway On February 28th, Premier Dalton McGuinty unveiled the final Greenbelt Plan for the Golden Horseshoe. Ontario Nature applauds the Greenbelt and congratulates the government for this bold initiative. While the Greenbelt is not as large as we had been promoting, it is over 1.8 million acres in size and serves as a jumping-off point for what we would like to see in a Southern Ontario Greenway, since the Greenbelt is based on the protection of natural core areas linked by natural corridors that we want to see created and protected across southern Ontario. To read the Greenbelt Plan and look at the maps, please visit www.mah.gov.on.ca and click on "The Greenbelt Plan." |
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Greater Golden Horseshoe Growth Plan Could be Model for Greenway-type Land Use Planning Across Ontario In mid-February, the government released a draft growth plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH), that large swath of south-central Ontario from the Niagara Peninsula to Waterloo Region, the Greater Toronto Area, Simcoe County and east to Peterborough. You can download the draft GGH growth plan from www.pir.gov.on.ca - click on "Places to Grow." Comments on this draft plan must be submitted by April 18. This spring, the Ontario Legislature is expected to pass the Places to Grow Act, which would allow the government to approve provincial-level land use plans for various parts of Ontario; it just happens that the first one out of the gate is the one for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. So the GGH growth plan may have implications for how the government may address regional-level planning throughout Ontario. Generally, Ontario Nature finds that the draft GGH growth plan is quite progressive in promoting urban re-development and intensification, and reining in urban sprawl so as to protect natural areas and farmland. Our formal submission on the draft GGH growth plan will appear on our website after April 18. The Places to Grow Act has the potential to tie in well with Ontario Nature's Southern Ontario Greenway, as long as we can persuade the government to ensure that the growth plans for various regions of Ontario are solidly grounded in the protection of natural core areas linked by natural corridors throughout the south. |
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Website Workshop Offered to Nature Network Groups Ontario Nature will be offering a half-day website workshop for Central Ontario member groups this spring at our Cawthra Mulock Nature Centre in Newmarket. The workshop will focus on website design, modification and administration and will be led by Sharon David, a long-time website developer and naturalist. The date of the workshop is to be determined. If your group is interested, please contact Andrea Smith, Central Regional Coordinator at andreas@ontarionature.org or (705) 789-6858. |
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Coming Soon: New Tools for Stewards! Ontario Nature is in the process of creating a new manual for volunteer stewards and groups. The manual will outline ecological monitoring protocols for natural areas. Topics covered will include baseline inventories, on-going monitoring activities, and restoration monitoring. The protocols are geared towards volunteers and can be completed without any technical equipment or expertise. Keep an eye on the Ontario Nature website for this excellent resource. |
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CENTRAL ONTARIO NEWS |
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Alvar Workshop and Guided Field Trip Carden Field Naturalists will host an Alvar Workshop & Tour on Saturday, May 28th, 2005, at 9:30 a.m. in the Carden Recreation Centre, Lake Dalrymple. Dr. Paul Catling, Research Scientist and Curator of Biodiversity for Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, will speak on the topic "The Significance of Alvar Landscapes in Biodiversity Protection." After a catered lunch, buses will transport participants for an afternoon guided field trip onto the Carden Plain. We will visit several alvar habitats including the Cameron Ranch and the Windmill Ranch. Prairie Smoke (three-flowered avens) and other unusual flora species should be in bloom and grassland birds such as Eastern meadowlark, vesper sparrow, brown thrasher, upland sandpiper and bobolink active on their breeding territories. The Carden Plain is the nesting ground for several remaining pairs of the endangered eastern subspecies of loggerhead shrike. Participants will have an opportunity to see a variety of alvar species and landforms close at hand as they explore the ranches on foot. The cost for this special event is $30 per person. The fee includes welcoming coffee and light refreshments, lecture by Dr. Catling, lunch, bus transportation, guided tour of the Alvar and support to Nature Conservancy of Canada for land acquisition. This event will run rain or shine. Advanced registration is required, and is limited to the first 80 paid applicants. Deadline for registration is May 16th, 2005. Confirm by sending a cheque or money order, payable to Carden Field Naturalists, to: Paul Laver, Treasurer For more information about the event, contact Bob Bowles (705) 325-3149 rbowles@rogers.com. |
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Take the Carden Challenge Put together a team of four and join us for a great new event - The Carden Challenge - on Friday June 17th, 6:00 p.m. to Saturday June 18th, 6:00 p.m. This is a Fundraiser for Windmill Ranch. Are you up for a challenge? The goal is simple: raise funds to support the purchase of the 1600-acre Windmill Ranch by counting as many bird species as possible during a 24-hour period. You don't have to be an expert, and you won't need to drive all over the countryside - this Challenge is limited to the diverse alvars, grasslands, shrublands, wetlands and forests that make up the "Carden Alvar". Well over 100 species are possible. We'll do our best to make your weekend fun and rewarding with:
Prizes include:
The Couchiching Conservancy is working in partnership with Nature Conservancy of Canada, Ontario Parks, Ontario Field Ornithologists, Toronto Ornithological Club, and other groups to complete this $1.1 million project. Registration is only $40 for a team of four (includes dinner). For more information and to register contact nature@couchconservancy.ca. |
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Fourth Annual Breakfast & Bobolinks at Thickson's Woods Nature Reserve Saturday, May 7th Breakfast features sausages and pancakes with real maple syrup. Bake Sale, Nature Tours, Plant Sale, Silent Auction, Bucket Raffle & Birds. Baked goods and nature-related items for raffle and auction are needed, and willing hands are very welcome. Phone (905) 725-2116 for further information or to volunteer. To get to the nature reserve, turn south on Thickson Road from 401 in Whitby, past Wentworth Street toward Lake Ontario. The entrance to the nature reserve is 100 metres east along the Waterfront Trail. All proceeds will be used to pay off the mortgage on "The Meadow," a vital part of this very special nature reserve. |
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Friends of the Rouge Watershed (FRW) "Save the Earth" Essay Contest Friends of the Rouge Watershed (FRW) are holding a "Save the Earth" essay contest for students in grades 7, 8 and 9 in the regions of Toronto, York and Durham. The contest questions students on what they can do to reduce global climate change. Three years ago, FRW successfully hosted a "Write the Earth" essay contest. This contest received over 100 student entries throughout the Scarborough region. Event promotions included advertisements in newspapers, flyer and poster distribution and website displays. The contest received a full page coverage in the Scarborough Mirror and produced two press releases. In 2003, FRW successfully hosted the "Kyoto Expressions" 2003 poster advertisement contest. An awards ceremony was held at Sir Wilfrid Laurier CI for the top 12 student entries. Prizes were donated by local green businesses to encourage clean air activities. The contest generated artwork to increase awareness and share youth views on air quality issues. Images focused on clean transportation, renewable energy, natural gas, and actions to reduce air pollution sources and effects. FRW hopes to continue the trend with this year's essay contest. In addition to being acknowledged on FRW’s website (www.frw.ca), the top 10 winners will be recognized at the ceremonies occurring during Environmental Week in June. The top 10 essays will also be submitted to Mayor David Miller's office. Prizes will also be rewarded to the top 10 contestants. The deadline for submitting these essays is May 7th, 2005. Prizes will be given in early June 2005. If you know of any teachers, students or schools who might be interested please spread the word! For more information contact Sadhana Siva at (416) 208-0252 and/or sadhana@frw.ca. |
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York Simcoe Naturalists Hosts Interesting Speakers York Simcoe Naturalists have interesting speakers at the River Drive Park Community Centre, 20 Oak Avenue, Holland Landing at 7:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month. For information, call (905) 898-2329 or 1-800-216-3830. All are welcome! |
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The Durham Region Field Naturalists Celebrate 50 years in 2005! Please join us on Saturday May 28th, 2005 to celebrate 50 years of activity in the Durham region. We will be meeting at the Northview Community Centre, 150 Beatrice St. E., Oshawa from 1-5 p.m. Starting at 1:00 p.m. there will be a mix-and-mingle session for guests and friends to renew acquaintances and to view displays. Coffee and dessert will be served. We anticipate about 200 guests for the formal program of guest speaker James Kamstra, recognition of members' achievements and contributions to "conservation through education". Ron Tozer has agreed to preside/be master of ceremonies. For further information please contact Hugh Peacock at (905) 725-0587 or email us at 50thanniversary@drfn.ca. We look forward very much to your participation and attendance, Otto Peter, President |
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Little Gull Viewing Want to celebrate Earth Day in a relaxed manner? Why not come out for our Little Gull Viewing, scheduled for Saturday, April 23 and Sunday, April 24 from dawn to 10 a.m. in Oshawa. Join Canadian Wildlife Service staff and volunteers, Chip Weseloh, Richard Joos and Tyler Hoar at the Second Marsh. Representatives from Bushnell will also be present on Saturday to display the latest products. The viewing will take place from the "GM" platform. Park in the west General Motors lot, enter trail from the southwest corner of the lot, and follow directional signs to platform. For more information or directions, please contact the Friends' office at (905) 723-5047 or friendsofsecondmarsh@rogers.com. |
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Miles for the Marsh Friends is pleased to announce Miles For the Marsh, walk, run, bike - a fundraising event, to take place on Sunday, June 26th. Mark the date on your calendar! This is very similar to the Bike Rally that we held last August, only this time we are opening it up to walkers and runners as well. Participants are encouraged to collect pledges and come out to walk, jog, run or bicycle around a route through Darlington Provincial Park, along the Waterfront Trail to the OPG Green Corridor and back to the GM Headquarters east parking lot. The entry fee is only $10 for adults and $5 for children. A passport will be issued with questions regarding the environment and checkpoints along the way will verify the answers in order to have the passport stamped. Prizes and surprises will be featured! Pre-registration is encouraged, and we hope to have this up online on our website shortly OR you can contact the Friends office at (905) 723-5459. We encourage you to gather pledges and to pass on the registration form to any interested friends or relatives. Hope to see you on June 26th! |
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Come Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Niagara Escarpment Plan! The Coalition on the Niagara Escarpment (CONE), founded in 1978 by Ontario Nature (and in which we continue to play a very active role), invites you to its Annual General Meeting, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Sunday, June 12th, 2005, at the Arena in Honeywood, east of Shelburne in the lovely Mulmur Hills of Dufferin County. Our star attraction is special guest speaker Len Gertler, the "grandfather of Niagara Escarpment Protection." Premier John Robarts commissioned Len Gertler to write the first-ever report on the need to protect the Niagara Escarpment, and Gertler's 1968 report was the key forerunner to the Niagara Escarpment Plan - passed by the Ontario Cabinet exactly 20 years ago on June 12th, 1985. Come to this free meeting and hear Len Gertler talk about 35-plus years of Niagara Escarpment protection! Please read details about the meeting in the Spring 2005 edition of CONE's newsletter On the Edge, which can be read on CONE's website at www.niagaraescarpment.org. |
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EASTERN ONTARIO NEWS |
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Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club celebrates its 125th Anniversary Ontario Nature sincerely congratulates the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club (OFNC) on its 125th Anniversary. The following is the précis from "Origins and History of the Ottawa Field-Naturalists" Club, by Daniel F. Brunton, (2004) Canadian Field Naturalist 118(1): 1-38. The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club (OFNC) represents an unbroken chain of organized non-governmental natural history investigation and education dating back to the early days of the city of Ottawa itself. The Club originated in 1863 with the formation of the Ottawa Natural History Society which became the Natural History branch of the Ottawa Literary and Scientific Society in 1870, from which the OFNC formally separated in March 1879. Since that time, it has grown into Canada's oldest and largest regional natural history organization and has produced a diverse and internationally recognized publication program. Since 1880 The Canadian Field-Naturalist and its predecessors have constituted the scientific core of the OFNC's publication program, with Trail & Landscape being an important Ottawa Valley publication since the late 1960s. The importance of both publications to the growth and health of the organization is reflected in the major surges in Club membership experienced when each of these publications was established. The focus of membership activities has changed over the history of the OFNC, with enlightened natural resource management, then original scientific research and local exploration directing energies in the early decades. By the early years of the 20th century the publication program became the raison d’être of the Club, almost to the exclusion of local field activities. A renewed interest in field discovery and the growth of conservation awareness in the 1960s, however, rekindled local activities and re-established the balance which has sustained the organization throughout its history. Natural environment education has remained a critical theme within OFNC programs and activities. Over and above inspiring the professional careers and private interests of thousands of individuals for more than a century, the OFNC has had an important and lasting impact on the conservation of natural environment features and landscapes in Canada and North America. |
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Outing to the Perth Wildlife Reserve Join the Rideau Valley Field Naturalists, Friday, April 22nd at 8:30 a.m., to help with the necessary preparations that must be made to the Perth Wildlife Reserve to allow school visits. All Conservation Authorities in Ontario are mandated by law to operate educational programs. That is why this reserve was set up, even though it has not operated a program for some time since funding was cut to Conservation Authorities by the province. Please note that the Operations Manager for the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, Jim Ellis, will be at the event and he promises that there will be funding for work to bring up safety standards if necessary. Bring field glasses if you have them for migrating birds. To get to the site (from Perth) go south toward Rideau Ferry (County Road 1) to the edge of town where there is a large sign and turn left. Contact Jim Ronson at (613) 264-1937 for more information. |
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Wild Spring Event "Wild Wings, The Amazing World of Birds" An illustrated talk by Michael Runtz, acclaimed naturalist, photographer and author will be held April 16th at 7:00 p.m. at the Almonte Civitan Hall, 500 Almonte St., Almonte. It is the 1st Annual Mill of Kintail Birdhouse Auction and tickets cost $15. Come to this fun event, and help support the improvement of facilities at the Mill of Kintail. Prizes will be awarded by judges for the best functional and decorative birdhouses, and lawn and garden ornaments entered! For further information, entry categories, and where to get tickets, please visit the Birdhouse Auction section at www.mvc.on.ca or contact Paul Lehman, Mississippi Valley Conservation, Box 268, Lanark, ON, K0G 1K0. Tel: (613) 259-2421. Remember please to mark your calender for a wild spring event! |
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Lanark Frog Watch Workshop April 24th A group of interested naturalists in Lanark Highlands (one hour west of Ottawa) are hosting a workshop to educate and encourage individual and group involvement in the observation and monitoring of the frog populations in local wetlands. Led by Mike Yee of the Mississippi Valley Conservation, with supporting materials from EMAN, participants will learn to distinguish frog and toad calls and how to monitor numbers. It is hoped that this will be the first step in launching a local Frog Watch monitoring program which will include young and old, the serious and casual frog lover! The workshop will take place on Sunday, April 24th, 1:30 - 4:00 at the Nature Lover's Bookshop in Lanark Village. For information and registration call the bookstore at (613) 259-5654. |
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SOUTHERN ONTARIO NEWS |
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Grebe Lodge now Available for Nature Groups Grebe Lodge is located in the beautiful Cabot Head Provincial Nature Reserve on the northeast tip of the Bruce Peninsula. Operated by the Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory, it is now available to be rented by organized groups involved in nature study. Situated on a small spit of land, the lodge is bordered on one side by the deep, pristine waters of Georgian Bay, and on the other by Wingfield Basin, a magnificent natural harbour. The lodge is an attractive cobblestone cottage that has been newly renovated to accommodate up to 12 people in two bedrooms, each equipped with comfortable bunk beds and en-suite bathrooms. The lodge has a well-equipped kitchen and dining area. The common room with central fireplace and large windows overlooks Georgian Bay. Since Grebe Lodge is within an Ontario Parks Nature Reserve, its use is restricted to university research groups, naturalist organizations, nature photographers, artists, and other adult groups with a science or nature appreciation focus. The Lodge is available from April 30th to the end of October. For more information, visit the Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory's website, www.bpbo.ca. |
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"What's Up with the Weather?" The Alton Grange Association is happy to announce that Dave Phillips from Environment Canada will be the keynote speaker at their upcoming Annual General Meeting. Dave Phillips is generally acknowledged as Canada's foremost weather expert, has been called "a genuine Canadian legend" and "our unofficial weather guru." However, he would rather think of himself as a weather ambassador for Canada, claiming that we have been blessed with one of the world's healthiest and safest climates. As a Senior Climatologist, Mr. Phillips' work involves activities relating to the study and understanding of the Canadian climate and the promotion of weather awareness. As a spokesperson for the Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC), he discusses weather and climate issues on a national scale. He will be speaking about weather and climate change, the impacts and issues, and what's ahead. The Annual General Meeting will also include an update on "Happenings in the Grange." It is being held Thursday April 28th, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Alton Legion. For more information please contact the Alton Grange Association at altongrangeassociation@hotmail.com. |
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Outdoor Enthusiasts Needed for the 2005 season of the Marsh Monitoring Program The Marsh Monitoring Program (MMP) is looking for interested naturalists to monitor birds, amphibians and their habitats in marshes throughout the Great Lakes basin in both Canada and the United States. MMP volunteers conduct surveys during spring and early summer in marsh habitats, documenting the presence and abundance of birds and amphibians within these biologically rich environments. To date, data submitted by MMP volunteers have been used to detect significant changes in population trends of marsh birds and amphibians, to develop indicators of wetland health, and to provide practical information for marsh habitat management. The MMP coordinators would appreciate it if you would let your members know about this rewarding opportunity by circulating or displaying the MMP 2005 recruitment notice or by distributing MMP brochures. For more information about the program and how to participate, or if you would like to receive paper copies of the above materials, please contact Kathy Jones at aqsurvey@bsc-eoc.org or 1-888-448-2473 ext. 212. The Marsh Monitoring Program is delivered by Bird Studies Canada in partnership with Environment Canada Conservation Branch - Ontario Region, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency - Great Lakes National Programs Office. Additional financial support is provided by the Toronto Dominion Friends of the Environment Foundation. |
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Call For Nominations for Carolinian Canada 2005 Conservation Awards Carolinian Canada Coalition is pleased to invite nominations for its 2005 Conservation Awards. These awards recognize outstanding contributions by diverse individuals, groups and partnerships towards the conservation of our special natural heritage in Ontario's Carolinian life zone. Carolinian Canada's annual Conservation Awards recognize the heroes of conservation. You may know a candidate who has carried out significant activities, innovation or accomplishments that have contributed to increased awareness, protection and conservation of the natural diversity of Carolinian Canada. Accomplishments may include but are not limited to publications, events, educational products or programs, conservation journalism, protection of conservation land or easement, habitat restoration projects, private land stewardship, natural heritage policy, or advocacy for natural heritage protection. The nomination form and guidelines are attached or available at www.carolinian.org/Awards.htm. Deadline for submission: April 30th, 2005. |
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NORTHERN NEWS |
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Join us in North Bay - Ontario Nature's 74th AGM and Conference Discover North Bay with the Nipissing Naturalists, Ontario Nature and Nature Canada this June! The Nipissing Naturalists Club will host the 74th Annual Ontario Nature Conference and Nature Canada Annual General Meeting in the beautiful Lake Nipissing setting of North Bay. Mark your calendars for June 3rd to 5th, 2005. See the impressive 3-day program with fantastic field trips, seasoned speakers and informative sessions at www.nipissing-naturalist.com/ON/conference.htm. Call 1-800-440-2366 ext. 224 for more information. Hope to see you in North Bay! |
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Ontario Bird Banding Association Co-operative Saw Whet Owl Banding Project The Friends of Algoma East have commenced another interesting and challenging project called the "Ontario Bird Banding Association Co-operative Saw Whet Owl Banding Project." In spite of the fact that this smallest of our local owls, is also the most banded owl, relatively little data is available on certain aspects as much of the banding has been done during migrations. The project will involve building, erecting, and monitoring of 100 to 200 owl boxes across Algoma from Sault Ste. Marie to Sudbury and Manitoulin. Although a small group, the Friends are successful fundraisers and partnership builders, which allow them to successfully take on such challenging projects. The opportunity to become lead partner in this project presented itself in late January and we agreed to discuss it with our group to determine the feasibility of taking on such a large project. Since our major 2004 Elliot Lake Bear Wise Project was in a "maintenance mode" and our next project commitment, the "East Algoma Coastal Wetlands Conservation Program" partnership with Ducks Unlimited is not ready to launch yet, we decided to sign on for the Saw Whet project. To date we have achieved the following:
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Rainy River Valley Field Naturalists to Host Dragonfly Symposium The Rainy River Valley Field Naturalists (RRVFN) will host the fifth annual Great Lakes Odonata Meeting - GLOM 2005 - this July 15th through 18th. The symposium will draw up to 40 participants from at least five states and two provinces to Fort Frances and the Rainy River District to survey surrounding habitat for dragonfly and damselfly species. Home to about 80 species of dragonflies and 10+ species of damselflies, the Rainy River District from Atikokan to Rainy River boasts more species than all of Europe. Second only to birding, dragonfly watching is a fast growing past time and draws on many of the same skills. Dragon and damselflies or "odies", short for their scientific name "odonata", are everywhere and serve as key indicators of a healthy environment. Certain species are limited to very specific habitats. The Rainy River District, with its large lakes, rivers and peatlands located amongst a variety of topography and forest types offers diverse odie habitat yet remains under surveyed due to our limited local resources, isolation and the large area to cover. GLOM 2005 aims to change this by bringing both experts and novice dragonfly watchers to the district to join in field surveys and discussions. At the end of four days participants will have contributed to a more complete survey of our critical habitats and, it is anticipated, new species records for the district. The first Great Lakes Odonata Meeting, organized by zoologist Colin Jones of the Ontario Natural Heritage Information Centre, was held near Elliot Lake in 2001. Since then, GLOM has been held in Michigan, Minnesota and Ohio. Coming back to Ontario this year, GLOM 2005 will feature speakers Kurt Mead, biologist and Minnesota author of the award winning field guide, Dragonflies of the North Woods; Bob DuBois, aquatic ecologist for the Wisconsin DNR and author of the soon to be released Damselflies of the North Woods; and Colin Jones, zoologist, editor of Ontario Odonata and co-author of A Field Guide to Dragonflies and Damselflies of Algonquin Provincial Park and the Surrounding Area. Registration for GLOM 2005 is $75.00 with a cutoff date of June 1st, 2005. The symposium will include a social with opening speaker on July 15th in Fort Frances; a field day, banquet and speaker on July 16th near Emo; a community “Dragonfly Day” on July 17th in Emo; a short afternoon field trip on July 17th and a field day to key locations in the center and west end of the district on July 18th. The Rainy River Valley Field Naturalists thank FedNor Canada and the Rainy River Future Development Corp for supporting this event. For further information contact RRVFN at P.O. Box 253, Fort Frances, Ontario P9A 3M6, or Bill Morgenstern at (807) 274-7314. |
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Next Issue of Nature Network News The next issue of the Nature Network News will be sent on June 16th, 2005. Submissions will be accepted until June 1st, 2005. Please send articles to deannac@ontarionature.org. Ontario Nature publishes the Ontario Nature Network News every other month with contributions from its staff and member groups. |