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 - August 16, 2007 |
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NEWS FROM THE NATURE NETWORK
Thank you very much for your feedback. We have heard from many of our member groups and although you like Nature Network News, you would like less information but to receive it more frequently. Effective August 2007 Nature Network News will be published monthly. Deadline for submissions is the 1st of the month and distribution will be on or about the 15th of the month. Please keep contributions to 200 words and no images. You will also notice some visual changes in this issue and upcoming issues. These changes have been made to make Nature Network News more user friendly for you, the reader. Thanks, enjoy and keep submitting your news.
Thanks, enjoy and keep submitting your news.
NEWS FROM MEMBER GROUPS
NEWS FROM THE NATURE NETWORK
NEWS FROM ONTARIO NATURE
NEWS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
UPCOMING NATURE NETWORK NEWS DEADLINES |
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CONTENTS NEWS FROM MEMBER GROUPS |
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Thank you to the Peterborough Field Naturalists A special thank you to the Peterborough Field Naturalists Organizing Committee and the many volunteers who made this year’s Ontario Nature AGM and conference a success! The 76th annual conference was held on June 8-10 at Trent University in Peterborough. The theme for this year’s conference was “Landscapes of Transition” encompassing both the natural and the human elements of the land. Delegates had a unique opportunity to learn more about the Kawartha’s amazing richness of habitats and species through a series of plenary speakers, sessions and field trips.
Submitted by Barbara MacKenzie-Wynia, Ontario Nature
This program has been very successful over the past seven years. Sauble Beach's extensive beachfront with impressive sand dunes attracts tens of thousands of visitors on summer weekends. To ensure that our dunes remain litter free we have divided the beach into 16 sections. Individual families or groups of friends and neighbours readily volunteer or consent to adopting one section to keep the dunes free of litter. Usually once a week a check of the dunes, being careful to not step on grasses, is completed. Volunteers usually wear their Friends of Sauble Beach tee shirts while conducting this exercise which generates lots of conversation about the environmental programs conducted by our organization.
Submitted by Ken Frook, Friends of Sauble Beach
Piping Plovers Return to Sauble Beach Friends of Sauble Beach have been actively promoting dune stewardship since 2000. The municipality, Town of South Bruce Peninsula, has also played an important role as they have supported the conservation strategies and the day to day commitment to excellence in dune management promoted by Friends of Sauble Beach. A pair of Piping Plovers were identified by a summer resident of Sauble, 13 year-old Brendan Toews in mid May. Sauble Beach had not seen Piping Plovers for over 35 years and it is the first time since 1977 that the species has successfully nested on Ontario's side of the Great Lakes. In 1985 they were declared an endangered species in Ontario. By the end of June four chicks hatched and three have survived. At present the young are very healthy and are practising short flights. An enthusiastic team of volunteers have been providing surveillance under the dedicated leadership of Stewart Nutt, the On-site coordinator. A real success story!
Submitted by Ken Frook, Friends of Sauble Beach
The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, partnering with the Peninsula Field Naturalists, is now in the second year of a three year Natural Areas Inventory of its watershed. The Niagara Falls Nature Club is assisting with this project by participating in collecting information on properties where the owners have agreed to be part of the survey. This project will result in far greater knowledge of the natural areas in Niagara. Local naturalists, who are members of the volunteer teams participating in this project, have been learning a great deal about our natural heritage and honing up on identification skills. What a great excuse this has been to take time off our usual concerns and to spend a day each week enjoying the company of fellow naturalists and observing nature in new and interesting places.
Submitted by Joyce Sankey, Niagara Falls Nature Club
The Cliff Bennett Nature Bursary Fund
Congratulations to Mackenzie Daley and Katie Linton, who are the first to receive bursaries from the Cliff Bennett Nature Bursary Fund! Bennett’s many friends and family members established the Fund earlier this year to celebrate the 75th birthday of the local naturalist, community volunteer, artist, world traveler and former special education teacher and Scout leader. "I am honoured that this Bursary has been established in my name,” Bennett said. “It is my hope that it will help young people pursue post-secondary studies relating to the natural environment that may lead to a career in this field." The Cliff Bennett Nature Bursary supports graduating high school students within the Mississippi Mills, Lanark Highlands, Carleton Place or Beckwith area who are pursuing post-secondary education in the natural environment field and who have a love of nature. More information can be found on the Mississippi Valley website at http://bursary.mvfn.ca/ or by calling Bursary Selection Committee member Mike McPhail at (613) 256-7211, (613) 727-4723 ext. 5879 or by sending an email to naturebursary@mvfn.ca.
Submitted by Tracy Moore, Ontario Nature
Weathering the Change: Adapting to Climate Change in the Mississippi Valley Mississippi Valley Conservation and the Mississippi Valley Fields Naturalists are pleased to present two days of workshops this fall on “Weathering the Change: Adapting to Climate Change in the Mississippi Valley.” The workshops will be held in beautiful Almonte, Ontario on Saturday, September 15th and Saturday, September 22nd, 2007. The exciting list of distinguished speakers will provide an overview of climate change studies within their area of expertise at a regional, provincial or national scale as well as discuss how climate change may affect the Mississippi Valley in a number of important sectors. Afternoon breakout sessions will provide participants an opportunity to discuss climate change issues within their area of interest. For further information please visit the Mississippi Valley Conservation website at http://www.mvc.on.ca or contact the project coordinator.
Jackie Oblak
Submitted by Cliff Bennett, Mississippi Valley Fields Naturalists
Sault Ste. Marie is developing a 20 kilometre four season, non motorized path. The path is being planned with support from a citizens group the Sault Trails Advocacy Committee. This group has a wide range of participants including the Sault Naturalists. The committee’s intent is to minimize the environmental impact of the path and to restore a natural setting where possible. To assist in this objective, the Sault Naturalists completed a biological inventory of an area in the Fort Creek Conservation Area accessed by the proposed path. The inventory will be very useful when planning the Fort Creek Hub Trail and completing work in the conservation area. Thanks to the highly competent and knowledgeable volunteers of the Sault Naturalists the results are very professional. If you are interested in receiving a copy of the inventory please contact Tony Walker at anthonywalk@hotmail.com. This information will assist planners in determining the most appropriate location. More information can be obtained by contacting the Sault Ste. Marie Region Conservation Authority (http://www.ssmrca.ca), the Sault Naturalists (http://www3.sympatico.ca/donandvivhall/index.html), or the city of Sault Ste. Marie (http://www.city.sault-ste-marie.on.ca).
Submitted by Jim Miller, Sault Naturalists
Carden Festival a Great Success The first Carden Nature Festival which was held on June 15-17 was a great success. The festival had something for people at all levels. Expert guides, starting at dawn with a hike among the chorus of birds, learning to identify sparrows by ear, paddling your canoe through a quiet swamp or enjoying an introduction to fly-fishing were just some of the enjoyable activities. Some folks got tips on nature photography and how to attract birds and butterflies to their yard. Seeing plants, butterflies, and dragonflies up close in the alvar was experienced too. Others enjoyed taking an evening walk to hear the sounds of frogs, birds and owls, and exploring the stars in the June sky. Organizing committee included the Couchiching Conservancy, the Carden Plain Important Bird Area, Carden Field Naturalists Club, Orillia Field Naturalists Club and the Kawartha Field Naturalists Club Mark your calendars for next year Carden Festival – June 6-8, 2008.
Submitted by Barbara MacKenzie-Wynia, Ontario Nature
Six Mile Lake Conservationists Club (SMLCC) Summer 2007 Enjoy nature workshops, learn about wildlife and venture into our natural environment. The SMLCC AGM was held on June 23 at Six Mile Lake Provincial Park. Our thanks to our guest speakers; Ian, Toronto Zoo, Adopt a Pond: Jeff, Sciensational Sssnakes!; Wil, District of Muskoka native plants and natural shorelines; Erin, Eastern Georgian Bay Stewardship Council (EGBSC), invasive species. Congratulations to Corlis Anderson, winner of the Nature Clean Basket and James Godwin, winner of bird call. We have a limited supply of the National Geographic book "Birds of North America" for $25. Proceeds go to our wildlife programs. Upcoming Six Mile Lake Provincial Park programs
Benthic Study Aug.19
September Georgian Bay Islands National Park trip In the works: Natural shorelines and chemical free gardening workshop, nature and digital photography, GPS workshop/geo cache. Get involved and join us this summer! Family Membership is $20 and Single is $15
Mail: To register for our schedule, receive our newsletter, report your nature sightings and questions, volunteer as a Citizen Scientists contact Anne Lewis, President, 756-8425, sixmiler@yahoo.com.
Submitted by Anne Lewis, Six Mile Lake Conservationists Club
Major Fundraiser for the Environment Nature League’s 3rd Annual House & Garden Tour Saturday, September 8th, 2007. Don’t miss this spectacular tour! The Nature League’s House & Garden tour is widely regarded as “ one of the best in southern Ontario.” Centred in Collingwood, we have a wide array of wonderful homes with unique architectural features, most situated on beautifully landscaped properties. The Nature League is a non-profit charitable organization that seeks ways to conserve and protect the environment in the Georgian Triangle. Tickets for the House & Garden tour are $15 and include a map and details of the homes and gardens on the tour. For information regarding tickets phone (705) 466-2272 or (519) 599-5582.
Submitted by Barbara MacKenzie-Wynia, Ontario Nature
North American Native Plant Society You are cordially invited to attend the Annual General Meeting of the North American Native Plant Society on Saturday, October 13, 2007 12 – 4 p.m. at the Markham Civic Centre, Canada Room (101 Town Centre Drive, Markham) for a discussion on water conservation. Some may wonder what water conservation has to do with native plants but native species are the ultimate in xeriscaping! Plants that are placed in environments similar to those in which they grow naturally do not require excessive tending eliminating the need to haul out the hose to keep precious blooms alive. After a brief settling in period, they simply continue on their own as they would have in their customary environment. As our climate changes, however, even the native species that once thrived in your garden may begin to struggle. The ranges of many plants are slowly changing as they attempt to adapt to changing conditions. Wetlands which once guarded coastal areas, alleviating flooding, have been destroyed in many places. Over 50% of inland wetlands, which help to regulate groundwater recharge, have also been lost to development. These issues are among those to be examined at this exciting free annual event. A sale of locally native plants and Seed Exchange will take place from 12 – 1 pm. Refreshments served. Members of the public are encouraged to attend.
For more information contact:
Submitted by Deborah Dale, North American Native Plant Society
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NEWS FROM THE NATURE NETWORK |
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Mark your calendars for our upcoming Fall Regional Meetings. These meetings are a wonderful opportunity to meet others from your region and exchange and share ideas and experiences. Carolinian East - September 29th hosted by the Norfolk Field Naturalists. Ontario East – September 29th hosted by the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists. Lake Ontario North – October 13th hosted by the Richmond Hill Naturalists. North – October 19-21 hosted by the Sudbury Naturalists. Carolinian West - October 27th hosted by the Sydenham Field Naturalists. Huronia – November 3rd hosted by Friends of Wye Marsh. Great Lakes West – November 3rd hosted by the Stratford Field Naturalists. Additional information about these upcoming meetings will be sent with the Fall issue of ON Nature at the beginning of September. More Nature Canada Questionnaire Results The data gleaned from the 104 questionnaires (73% response rate) received by Nature Canada are still being analyzed. We anticipate having a report available by the end of the summer. In the mean time here is some interesting information observed from the data. Ontario Nature member groups are prolific producers of information
Over 90% of groups feature guest speakers as a method of educating and reaching out to their local communities. Many groups either organize or participate in public events and displays as a means to enhance education and community outreach. Connecting people with nature through public nature walks, field trips or guided hikes is undertaken by almost 80% of member groups as both formal events and informal events. Many respondents identified education, both formally and informally to students, young and old alike, as one of their activities. Although 79% of the member groups develop and deliver education programs for schools and youth groups, only 14% maintain a young naturalist club. Utilizing the expertise of individual members and others, 75% of member groups conduct nature inventories, while over 50% either create or update regional checklists. Natural history publications are produced by about one quarter of member groups and shared with others as a means of educating and engaging them.
Thank you to the individuals that have had added their name to our Advocate for Nature list. Please help to spread the word about the Advocate for Nature email list - you could post this in your newsletter, make a presentation at your Annual General Meeting, share it with your members at the next meeting or announce it at your next Board of Directors meeting. Every little bit helps! To add your name online copy and paste this link in your web browser or click the link http://www.ontarionature.org/news/archive.php?type=action In June 2007 we had 13 new subscribers and in July we had 17 new subscribers to our Advocate for Nature email list. Ontario Nature invites you to Share the Beauty of Our Land with John MacRae who will give a free presentation featuring his stunning photos of the Niagara Escarpment and Bruce and Grey Counties at the Red Bay Community Church, 64 Symon Avenue, Red Bay on Saturday August 18, 7:00 pm.
For more information contact:
Use Of Bird Baths In The Garden Many people enjoy the sight and sound of birds in the garden - the color, movement, and song they provide adds life to a garden and can be very restful, evoking a peaceful, rural atmosphere. One of the best ways to attract birds to a garden is by adding a bird bath to your garden. Birds always need to drink and wash, and by providing a good bird bath you can often gain a loyal following of birds who will visit your garden throughout the year. Bird baths bring a whole host of benefits to a garden - not only do they provide a vital amenity for the birds but they help your garden, encouraging visiting birds to interact with and extend the miniature ecosystem of your garden by feeding and washing themselves - they may also feed from your soil and plants, helping to keep a natural balance of worms and insects. Designing and installing a good bird bath need not be complicated, but there are a few things you need to get right: 1. It shouldn't be too deep - a maximum of two inches in the middle, shelving up to the rim, is ideal. Birds will be tempted to bathe in deep water and can easily end up getting waterlogged and drowning. This can be avoided by keeping the water fairly shallow. 2. Choose a material with a rough surface - concrete or some kind of stone is ideal to prevent birds from loosing their footing in the water and to enable them to get a firm grip on the edge of the bath when they are drinking from it. 3. Locate the bird bath in a safe area - when washing, birds become more vulnerable and can be targeted by larger birds of prey, such as hawks and domestic cats. If possible, locate the bird bath near to bushes that the birds can use for cover but make sure the bushes aren't suitable for lurking cats! You can do this by leaving some thorny cuttings (from a rose bush, for example) around the base of the bush. 4. Hygiene is important. Bird baths are filled with standing water which will gradually accumulate feathers, bird droppings and dead leaves. If the water is left standing for too long, algae will also begin to grow in the bird bath. Change the water regularly and give the inside of the bird bath a scrub with an outdoor brush occasionally to remove any traces of algae. 5. Birds are cautious animals - they will ignore your bird bath when it is new but after they see it has been established for a few days will gradually start to use it. Make sure you choose its location carefully and then leave it to get established for a while, just changing the water regularly.
Written by Elizabeth Jean http://www.spruce.ca/yard/bird-baths-garden.html
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NEWS FROM ONTARIO NATURE |
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Volunteer for Nature in the Field July was a busy month for the Volunteer for Nature (VfN) program and our partners in conservation. It began with a weekend of boardwalk building on our Lawson Nature Reserve near Ingersoll and ended with an invasive plant removal project at Wye Marsh in Midland. Our thanks to the Ingersoll District Nature Club and the Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre for helping us host these successful events. In between, we ran two more invasive species removal events. The first one took place on our Willoughby Nature Reserve just south of Caledon Village and the second one was held in Queenston Heights Forest near Niagara Falls. These events focused on the removal of invasive periwinkle and buckthorn plants, respectively. We’d like to extend a big “thank you” to Bob & Linda Noppe and the Niagara Parks Commission for their assistance in running these projects. With several months left to go in this year’s field season, there are still plenty of chances to get involved with VfN. Come out in August for our Point Pelee butterfly count and Manitoulin Island shorebird survey or in September for our three habitat restoration projects. All of these excursions offer a great opportunity for you to take part in protecting Ontario’s biodiversity while honing your field skills with like-minded individuals. For more information about the Volunteer for Nature program and our 2007 events, visit www.ontarionature.org/action. Online event registration is available.
Submitted by Lisa Richardson, Ontario Nature
Lake Simcoe Protection Act announced for Lake Simcoe Premier McGuinty, with Cabinet approval, announced on July 6 that his government will implement a Lake Simcoe Protection Act. By adopting the recommendations from the Lake Simcoe Environmental Management Strategy (LSEMS), the Province thus ensures the healthy recovery of the lake over time.
Submitted by Natalie Helferty, Ontario Nature
Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition with the Ladies of the Lake, Ontario Stewardship and the Ecology Windfall Centre are building a new "must go" to interactive website to help people share information and take action to help Lake Simcoe. Will you help by visiting http://www.whataboutlakesimcoe.com and completing a less-than-2-minute survey about your ideas before August 30, 2007? Please visit the survey site while it's fresh in your mind, have a chance to win great prizes, and then forward this message on to friends and groups, asking them to participate and forward to others in their email address book.
Submitted by Natalie Helferty, Ontario Nature
Preparing for the 2007 Election On October 10th, the voters of Ontario will head to the polls to elect a new government. Given the elevated public and political interest in the environment, Ontario Nature is working to ensure the environment is at the forefront of party platforms. Under the Priorities for Ontario banner, Ontario Nature has joined forces with 13 conservation organizations to challenge Ontario's political leaders to make protection of the environment their number one priority. Visit www.prioritiesforontario.ca for more information. Ontario Nature and its members and member groups have developed four election priorities that we feel all political parties should adopt in their election platforms and that the new government should then address and resolve after the election. These priorities are the creation of an interconnected greenway across southern and eastern Ontario, protection of the boreal forest, increased funding for government’s natural heritage protection mandate and increased environmental education in the school curriculum. We’ll be sending out the election priorities toolkit in August to our member groups. The toolkit describes ways you can demonstrate that protecting nature is a priority for Ontarians. This includes submitting Letters to the Editor, asking candidates questions and participating in an online discussion forum. Ontario Nature is looking forward to working with the Nature Network in this exciting time.
Submitted by Jennifer Baker, Ontario Nature
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NEWS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS |
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Ready, Set, Check Your Watershed Day! 170 people, 3 watersheds, 1 day, tons of fun. On Saturday, July 21, 2007, over 170 people were out checking the health of the Duffins Creek, Oshawa Creek and the Ganaraska River watersheds. Volunteers were documenting the flow conditions of small streams at stream crossings across the watershed. In total, 682 square kilometers were covered and over 400 sites were visited. All of this work was done within a span of four hours. This information will be used to inform how those watersheds will be managed in the future. In addition to the vast amount of data collected, it was also a great social and learning opportunity. One volunteer said “[i]t was a great time outdoors and a chance to learn more about the environment”. This annual event will take place on the third Saturday of July. For more information about the event, or to get involved next year, please visit www.MonitoringTheMoraine.ca/cywd. Project partners included (listed alphabetically):
This event was made possible with funding from the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation, the George Cedric Metcalf Foundation, the Ontario Trillium Foundation, and local sponsors (Town of Ajax, City of Oshawa, Municipality of Clarington and Port Hope, Township of Hamilton, and Veridian).
Submitted by Joyce Chau, Citizens' Environment Watch
Focus on the Moraine Photography Contest Focus on the Moraine and win $1000 dollars. Be sure to take your camera along with you on your next outing on the Oak Ridges Moraine; it could be worth $1000! The Moraine in Focus photo contest is in full gear. We will continue to accept submissions until October 15, 2007. Paramount to the theme of the contest - all entries must be taken on the Oak Ridges Moraine and fall into one of the four following categories:
If you're shooting digitally, remember to put your camera on the highest image quality setting. This contest is all about showcasing the splendour of the Moraine; the larger the images can be blown up when they're showcased at events in November, the better. For more information, visit http://www.monitoringthemoraine.ca/moraineinfocus/, email contest@monitoringthemoraine.ca or call Kate Potter at 905-579-0411, extension 106. This contest is presented by Monitoring the Moraine Project and the Caring for the Moraine project and is made possible by the generous funding from the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation and the George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation.
Submitted by Kate Potter, Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation
Project CHIRP! (Creating Habitat in Residential areas and Parkland!) is a new, songbird conservation initiative. It combines the expertise of the Canadian Wildlife Federation and the Toronto Bird Observatory (TBO), Birds in the City. Please note! Large or small, your property can contribute to songbird conservation provided you have included the 4 elements necessary for songbird habitat; Food, Water, Shelter and Space. It is the collective effort of such habitats that will make the greatest difference. Project CHIRP! can also refer individuals to assist in the naturalization of our parks and watersheds. This, too, is an important part of the restoration of songbird habitat. To visit the bird banding station, attend a talk/workshop, take a songbird habitat tour or book a site consult/native landscape design, please contact Christina at projectchirp@rogers.com or 416-236-7234. Richard and Christina are happy to speak to clubs, businesses, community groups, conservation and naturalist groups. Please contact Christina to book. Thank you!
Submitted by Christina Sharma, Project CHIRP!
The Carden Plain is a unique and largely unknown area of the South Central Ontario landscape. Located between Lake Simcoe and Balsam Lake the Carden Plain features North America’s most accessible alvars. The abundance and variety of grassland bird species, which are now in serious decline throughout the continent, is the main attraction for nature lovers. However, visitors to the area will also find an amazing variety of butterflies dragonflies and rare or unusual alvar plant species. In the spring and early summer Carden is carpeted with expanses of wildflowers. The Plain is comprised primarily of grassland, shrub-land and alvar and features an extensive network of provincially significant wetlands. According to Bird Studies Canada the Carden Plain is one of the very best birding areas in North America. In 1999 the Carden Plain was designated as a Nationally Significant Important Bird Area (IBA). Alvars are globally rare habitats, occurring only on the islands of the Baltic Sea of Sweden, in Estonia and in the Great Lakes basin of North America. Ecologically, they are harsh and inhospitable environments which support an extraordinary diversity of hardy but rare plants, animals and invertebrates. (Reschke et.al.,1999). The Carden Alvar is located in the northern half of the Carden Plain and hosts a marvelous variety of wildflowers and other plants including many rare and dislocated species such as Prairie Smoke. The plants and shrubs must be able to withstand a very harsh environment. Spring flooding occurs when winter snowfall melts; the water may lie on the limestone bedrock for months, until evaporation creates virtual drought like conditions.
Submitted by Barbara MacKenzie-Wynia, Ontario Nature
A.D. Latornell Conservation Symposium Justin Trudeau will address delegates at the 14th annual A.D. Latornell Conservation Symposium being held from November 14 to 16, 2007 in Alliston, Ontario. The theme of this year’s Symposium – Your Watersheds, Our Great Lakes - will look at how our actions on land impact the quality and supply of this important (and limited) natural resource. This year’s Symposium theme of Your Watersheds, Our Great Lakes draws attention to the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence basin, which contains about a quarter of earth’s fresh water reserves and is home to approximately 15 million Canadians and 30 million Americans. It’s complexity of functions creates a delicate balance, which scientists are only just beginning to understand. Delegates to this year’s event will explore past actions and discuss strategies to improve on the conditions within the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence basin in the context of both, traditional and progressive environmental management. More information on the conference, including keynote speakers is available on the conference website, www.latornell.ca.
Submitted by Barbara MacKenzie-Wynia, Ontario Nature
Species at Risk Need Naturalists! Become a Species Watchdog! Dear colleague Naturalists, Implementation of the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA) is reaching a critical moment, as recovery strategies (RS) for nearly 200 species are due for release this summer. This is good news because it means that the legal protection that we fought hard to secure through SARA is beginning to materialize for many species. However, we need to make sure that the government's recovery strategies are adequate for the recovery of each species and that they include the identification of each species' critical habitat. Volunteers with expertise on species at risk are needed to take on a watchdog role for each of the listed species for which federal recovery strategies are due. Recovery strategies for 17 listed species have been posted for a 60-day comment period and 140 recovery strategies are delayed and could be posted at any time. You can review the list of species in need of a watchdog at: http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/plans/timelines_e.cfm. Please become a Species Watchdog. Contact Nature Canada to volunteer your care and knowledge for monitoring legal protection of a listed species! Contact Carla Sbert at csbert@naturecanada.ca or 1-800-267-4088 ext. 222 to sign up to the watchdog effort or for more information.
Submitted by Darcie Laur, Nature Canada
Are you replacing your cottage lawn with native vegetation? Building a greener cottage? Protecting wildlife habitat? Launching a healthy septic-system campaign? Helping the environment in other ways? Cottage Life wants to celebrate cottagers, cottage-lake residents, and cottager groups in Canada who are making extraordinary efforts to conserve their natural environment or reduce their footprint on it. No achievement is too small or too big. If you’re creating positive change for the environment, you could receive a Green Cottager Award! Download the nomination form at http://www.cottagelife.com/index.cfm/ci_id/2647.htm.
Submitted by Clare Mitchell, Ontario Nature
One of North America's Rarest Dragonflies Discovered in Canada The only dragonfly protected by the U.S. Endangered Species Act, and one of North America’s rarest, is the Hine’s Emerald (Somatochlora hineana). Prior to this year, the Hine’s Emerald was only known from small sites in the United States, specifically Wisconsin, Michigan, Missouri and Illinois. It was also once found in Ohio and Indiana but seems to have disappeared from those states. This summer a population of Hine’s Emeralds was discovered in the Minesing Wetlands in Simcoe County, Ontario, west of the City of Barrie. The Hine’s Emerald is a relatively large dragonfly with brilliant green eyes, and prominent yellow spots on the sides of the thorax (the middle portion of the body bearing the wings and legs). They occur only in spring-fed wetlands overlaying dolomite bedrock. Such sites occur on the Bruce Peninsula and Manitoulin Island and have been the focus of several unsuccessful attempts in the past to find Hine’s Emerald in Ontario. On June 20, 2007, Chris Evans of Midhurst, Ontario was looking for dragonflies along the roadside adjacent to the Minesing Wetlands when he caught a dragonfly he initially assumed was the Clamp-tipped Emerald (Somatochlora tenebrosa), a species known to occur in Ontario and one that is very similar to the Hine’s Emerald. Photos were taken and were sent to Colin Jones of the Natural Heritage Information Centre, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. It was then realized that the individual was actually a Hine’s Emerald. On June 27, Colin Jones, along with Mike Oldham and Wasyl Bakowsky, who are also biologists at the NHIC, and Mike’s son Robert visited the Minesing Wetlands and located several more Hine’s Emeralds. Since then, Colin Jones, Chris Evans and Bob Bowles have been working together to gather as much information as possible on the habitat of this rare dragonfly in the Minesing Wetlands. This information will be compiled into a scientific note and will be submitted for consideration to one of several possible entomological journals. The Minesing Wetlands is a vast wetland of international significance spanning an area of over 6,000 hectares (15,000 acres). Minesing contains a complex of different wetland types including fens, marshes, swamps and bogs, each supporting a number of sensitive flora and fauna, some of which are rare or endangered. The Hine’s Emerald is yet another rare species of the Minesing Wetlands and an indication of the extreme value of these wetlands to the conservation of Ontario’s biodiversity! Town Of The Blue Mountains: Plays Nice Why did the skink cross the road? It didn't. Four wheels got in its way. Conservationists are worried about the impact of monster vehicles on at-risk species. The issue is gaining attention as more Hummers and ATVs go adventure riding through natural terrain. In a large tire rut filled with murky, brown water, two eyes pop to the surface, staring out at the sun-drenched scene playing out on land. A Hummer has gotten stuck in a rather deep pothole. Its front, right wheel hangs in the air momentarily, as a long winch anchored to a nearby tree works its magic, pulling the vehicle up and over the clay mound that had it entrapped moments before. The frog, its head now floating at the surface, looks around quickly before finally submerging into its temporary home. It doesn't get squished; after the winch-pull, the Hummer lands a few metres away. "We try to leave everything like we found it, because these things can leave a big mess in a hurry," says Chris Proudlove, 34, who drives the vehicle for Canadian Hummer Adventures, near the Town of The Blue Mountains, on weekends.
Written by Alwynne Gwilt
Butterflies are such blatant sun-lovers. Give them warm summer conditions and you see them flitting along roadside ditches and wet pastures everywhere. Lower the temperature 10 degrees and cover the sky with dark clouds and you don’t see a single one. Never was this heat-seeking preference of everyone’s’ favourite insects so obvious as on the two latest butterfly counts in southern Ontario. Projected high for the day on the Sunderland Count, covering a 24-kilometre-diameter circle just north of Uxbridge, was 34 degrees, with sweltering, hazy, humid conditions spawning thunderstorms. After showers cleared off in the morning, volunteers combing the sedge-rich north slope of the Oak Ridges Moraine found and identified an amazing 60 species of butterflies. It not only broke the record for this always-productive tally, it set a new high for all counts in Ontario of butterflies seen in a single day. The compiler, James Kamstra, found a brand-new butterfly for the area -- a black dash, a small orange-and-black skipper common in the U.S. Midwest. Pumped with excitement, many of the tired and sweat-soaked volunteers set their sights on the Minden Count the following weekend, where a rich mosaic of bogs, marshes and wet meadows often produce an interesting blend of southern and northern species. Scouting parties during the week turned up a promising variety of hairstreaks, skippers, ladies and fritillaries. Enter Mother Nature. A major cold front moved in around dawn the Saturday of the count, with a predicted high of only 18 degrees. Hearing the forecast, half the volunteers made the wise decision to stay home. The handful who showed up quit counting at noon, when a long, soaking rain closed in over Haliburton County. Tally total: a surprising 27 species, given that the sun didn’t break through the clouds more than once or twice, leaving thousands of butterflies hiding out in the vegetation. Average total for this count would be in the mid-fifties. Average individuals for each species seen that day was one or two, instead of dozens. It’s significant that two bog coppers were found despite the dismal weather. Most butterflies have very definite habitat preferences and host plants where they lay their eggs. As housing estates and cottages blanket southern Ontario, its vital that all wetlands be protected, especially bogs, the only place on the planet where bog coppers and bog fritillaries dwell.
Written by Margaret Carney
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UPCOMING NATURE NETWORK NEWS DEADLINES |
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Next Issue of Nature Network News The next issue of the Nature Network News will be sent on September 14, 2007. Submissions will be accepted until September 1, 2007. Please send articles to clarem@ontarionature.org. Ontario Nature publishes the Ontario Nature Network News every month with contributions from its staff and member groups. |