 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 - February 15, 2007 |
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To view a copy of this newsletter online or to subscribe to receive a copy of the Nature Network News by email visit www.ontarionature.org/resources/nnnews.html. Please pass this newsletter on to other members of your club. Ontario Nature has moved! Make sure to change your contact information to: 366 Adelaide Street West, Suite 201 Ontario Nature grants permission for use of the information below in member group newsletters. Please credit either Ontario Nature or the member group. FEATURE: Invitation to Submit Resolutions NEWS FROM THE NATURE NETWORK NEWS FROM ONTARIO NATURE
NEWS FROM MEMBER GROUPS
NEWS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS NEW! IMBY (IN MY BACK YARD) UPCOMING NATURE NETWORK NEWS DEADLINES |
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FEATURE |
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Invitation to Submit Resolutions Ontario Nature member groups are invited to submit resolutions for consideration at the 2007 Annual General Meeting. The consideration and adoption of resolutions at an AGM allow issues of importance to clubs to be addressed at the provincial level, gives issues the weight of the full organization, and can be helpful in public communications and submissions to decision-makers. In order to be considered at the AGM, resolutions must conform to the following specifications:
The Ontario Nature Board (or its designate) has the final decision regarding whether or not a resolution is submitted to the membership for consideration at the AGM. Resolutions will not be accepted from the floor. At the discretion of the Chair, any resolution may be put to a vote or withdrawn at any time during the debate. |
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NEWS FROM THE NATURE NETWORK |
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Ontario Nature is excited to welcome Clare Mitchell to our team as the new Nature Network and Regional Programs Manager. Clare comes with several years experience working with Ducks Unlimited Canada as a Conservation Specialist in Alberta and, more recently, Ontario. She grew up closely connected to the naturalist community – with an uncle involved with the Huron Fringe Naturalists, and as a member of the Richmond Hill Naturalists where she grew up. Clare is a graduate of the Young Conservation Professionals - Career Development Program at the University of Guelph and is on the Steering Committee for the A.D. Latornell Conservation Symposium – the largest annual gathering of conservationists in Ontario. Clare replaces Jennifer Baker who continues to be in touch with many of you in her new role as Ontario Nature’s Boreal Campaign Coordinator. |
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The Ontario Nature spring regional meetings are coming to your area soon. Please mark the meeting dates in your calendar and encourage representatives from your group to attend. Agendas will be going out one month before the meeting. If you have any questions please contact your Regional Coordinator listed below.
Southern Region Central Region Northern Region Eastern Region |
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In 2006, Nature Canada received funding from Environment Canada and Parks Canada to consult with nature groups across the country using both face-to-face meetings and a questionnaire. Through this process, Nature Canada wants to learn about the capacities, activities, interests, needs, and hopes of the network. Individuals and their local groups celebrate and protect nature in their communities, and in many provinces work through their provincial federations on province-level concerns. As part of this process, Ontario Nature in partnership with Nature Canada, will be distributing a questionnaire designed to help us better understand your clubs, your needs and how we can best work with you. The questionnaire will provide your group with an opportunity to reflect on what you are doing and where you are going. The end product of this process will be a strategic plan for the Canadian Nature Network, for presentation to Environment Canada and Parks Canada for consideration on how the network could be supported to advance conservation action and policy. At the same time, Ontario Nature will be using the information collected to help us strengthen our programs as the provincial voice for nature. We need your help for this to be successful and the information collected to be of use. Questionnaires will be available both electronically and in hard copy shortly. We prefer that questionnaires are completed electronically to save money and trees. Questionnaires completed electronically can also be saved and completed at a later date. The first three hundred groups completing questionnaires are eligible to receive a cheque for $100 in support of their group’s activities, in compensation for their time. To qualify for the $100 compensation the completed questionnaire must be received by March 16th, 2007. Ontario Nature will also be holding a draw from completed questionnaires, received by the deadline, for ten copies of the Breeding Bird Atlas. |
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Endangered Species Summit Please come to the Endangered Species Summit Are you interested in learning more and getting involved to ensure that critical steps are taken to strengthen Ontario’s Endangered Species Act? The need for and urgency of securing updated legislation is so great that Ontario Nature is convening a summit to engage our clubs, members and volunteers in this issue. Please indicate your interest by attending a 1-day session entitled the Endangered Species Summit. (To ensure maximum participation, we are offering the summit on two alternate days.) Where: Ontario Nature's Office at 366 Adelaide St. W., Suite 201, Toronto When: Either Wednesday, February 28, 2007 or Saturday, March 3, 2007 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Endangered Species Summit will provide you with:
All this for only $20 (no charge for Ontario Nature club representatives). Help to engage and generate support from your local MPPs before they return to the legislature on March 19, 2007. We want to make sure that your MPP knows that the new Endangered Species Act for Ontario is a priority for you and Ontario Nature. Deadline extended! Please RSVP by Wednesday, February 21, 2007 to Barbara MacKenzie-Wynia, Ontario Nature's Central Regional Coordinator at either barbaraw@ontarionature.org or 705-424-4399. Thank you. Please note: DO NOT press ‘reply’ to this email. It will not reach Ontario Nature. Select (click on) Barbara’s email address or type it in the address line! |
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NEWS FROM ONTARIO NATURE |
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Ontario Nature’s 75th Anniversary Gala a Success! On November 14, 2006, over 350 people gathered to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Ontario Nature at the Royal Ontario Museum. The highlight of the evening was a certificate presentation to four of the naturalist clubs which helped found Ontario Nature: The Brodie Club, the Hamilton Naturalists' Club, the McIlwraith Field Naturalists of London Inc., and the Toronto Field Naturalists. A plaque was also presented to Canada's oldest naturalist club, the Ottawa Field Naturalists, established in 1879. Ontario Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay and Ontario Tourism Minister Jim Bradley (who is responsible for the Greenbelt) were on hand to congratulate Ontario Nature for their important work. Caroline Schultz, Executive Director of Ontario Nature, emphasized the importance in recognizing the significant contributions made by members, past and present, especially the founding clubs. "Ontario Nature is all about people helping nature. Tonight, we get to thank those people." |
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Sign up and become an Advocate for Nature. As an Advocate for Nature, you will receive by email important conservation Action Alerts when your help is urgently needed. Each alert will include an issue summary and a recommended action. Our most recent Action Alert is below - your involvement can make an enormous difference! Join today by providing your contact information. It's FREE. www.ontarionature.org/news/index.php3?type=action |
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Take Action: Niagara Escarpment Threatened by Development Decision The following Action Alert was issued by Ontario Nature on February 9, 2007 Late last year, the Ontario Municipal Board issued a decision that paves the way for extensive residential development on the Niagara Escarpment within the Town of Blue Mountain in Grey County. Castle Glen Developments wants to build over 1,600 residential units, 300 hotel units as well as commercial and retail space, and up to three golf courses on a 620 acre tract that spills over the brow of the Escarpment. It will be the largest single development on the Niagara Escarpment since 1975. Use the letter template below to help convince the Minister of Municipal Affairs to overturn this decision. Located just south-east of Blue Mountain in the Collingwood area, the area forms part of the UNESCO World Biosphere Designated Zone of the Niagara Escarpment. It is over 70% forested, is the source for headwaters of Silver Creek (the most productive salmon and trout spawning river in Georgian Bay) and Black Ash Creek, has two provincially significant wetlands and a significant Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI), and is home to two at-risk species: the hart’s tongue fern and the butternut tree. The Bruce Trail runs through the property. The Ontario Greenbelt Alliance (of which Ontario Nature is a founding member) has named the area as one of the Top 10 Greenbelt Hotspots under threat from poorly-planned development that could destroy significant natural features. The Castle Glen proposal was first put forward and initially approved in the early 1970s. It was put on hold while the Niagara Escarpment Plan was being formulated in the 1980s. Because the initial approvals were granted before the Niagara Escarpment Plan came into effect, the proponents have argued that they are “grandfathered” and exempt from its provisions. However, there is no doubt that if the proposal came before the Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC) today, it would not be approved. While supporting the development’s Phase 1 application, the NEC asked for a significant reduction in the land available for development and golf in Phase 2. Most recently, the Town of Blue Mountain adopted an amendment to its Official Plan to permit the development to proceed. The Niagara Escarpment Commission voiced a number of concerns, as did a variety of conservation organizations, particularly the Blue Mountain Watershed Trust Foundation. On December 4, 2006, the OMB decided that the policies contained in the Castle Glen Official Plan are sufficient to protect the natural heritage features of the site, and that they conform to the Niagara Escarpment Plan and the County of Grey Official Plan. Members of the Blue Mountain Watershed Trust Foundation are appealing to Premier McGuinty and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing John Gerretsen to implement a Minister’s Zoning Order under the Planning Act. The Minister has wide discretion to override municipal planning decisions, in this case reversing the Town’s decision to approve the Official Plan Amendment. Make a difference to the future of this significant piece of the Niagara Escarpment by writing a letter by February 19th! Please write to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing with a copy to the Premier; ask that he overrule the Town and the OMB and implement a Zoning Order preventing the Castle Glen development on the Niagara Escarpment. Write your own letter or use the sample letter at www.ontarionature.org/news/template.php3?n_code=371, adapting it to your own views. Hon. John Gerretsen To send a copy to Premier McGuinty, you must copy and paste it into the form on this website: https://www.premier.gov.on.ca/feedback/feedback.asp Please send a copy of your letter or email to Ontario Nature at vanessad@ontarionature.org. |
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Are you a looking for an opportunity to get your hands dirty in the name of conservation? If so, Volunteer for Nature (VfN) could have the opportunity you’re seeking. From wildlife counts to boardwalk building, from native flower plantings to invasive species removal, this direct-action conservation program offers concerned Ontarians the chance to get involved with hands-on stewardship efforts throughout the province. The 2007 VfN event schedule has been finalized and registration will be open soon. With 26 events on offer this year, there’s something for everyone. Join the Friends of the Don East for their Earth Day tree planting event along the Don River in Toronto, or indulge your inner scientist by helping Ontario Nature stewardship staff conduct bird and amphibian surveys at Altberg Wildlife Sanctuary Nature Reserve, Kinghurst Forest Nature Reserve and Quarry Bay Nature Reserve. When you join a VfN event you not only get to contribute directly to important conservation work, you also get a chance to learn about Ontario’s green spaces and the plants and animals that call them home. All of our multi-day excursions include a guided tour of the reserve where the work will take place and a talk on the area’s natural history and ecology. To learn more about the Volunteer for Nature program and how you can get involved, contact Lisa Richardson, Volunteer for Nature Coordinator at lisar@ontarionature.org or 416-444-8419 ext. 222. We hope you can join us this year! |
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Call for Nominations - Ontario Nature Conservation Awards Ontario Nature is accepting nominations for the 2006 Ontario Nature Conservation Awards. The nomination deadline is March 7, 2007. Community involvement defines the character and approach of Ontario Nature. With its member groups and individual members, Ontario Nature has made a significant impact on conservation issues in communities across Ontario and continues to build a natural legacy for future generations. The Ontario Nature Conservation Awards recognize excellence by honouring individuals, groups, government agencies, and corporations who have worked to protect Ontario’s nature. The awards ceremony will be held at Ontario Nature's Annual General Meeting & Conference on June 8-10 in Peterborough. Visit www.ontarionature.org/home/awards.html for more information about the awards and the nomination process. Nominate your green hero today! |
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Ontario Nature’s 2nd Annual Youth Writing Contest is here! We would like to hear about what Ontario’s youth thinks about nature. This year’s topic is: What will the environment be like in 2050? The contest is open to all Ontario grade 7 and 8 students. The top three entries will be published in ON Nature magazine, the award-winning nature and environment magazine in Ontario. The winners will receive cool prizes for their work, and will be honoured for their achievement at Ontario Nature's Annual General Meeting & Conference in Peterborough (June 8-10, 2007). The deadline for entries is April 15, 2007. Visit us online at www.ontarionature.org/events/challenge.html for additional information and to view the contest flyer - teachers are invited to print a copy and post it at their school. If you would like a printed copy of the flyer mailed to you please contact Vanessa Denov at 416-444-8419 ext. 273 or vanessad@ontarionature.org. Ontario Nature's Youth Writing contest is generously sponsored by Waste Management. |
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2007 Annual General Meeting and Conference Join us at Trent University in Peterborough for exciting field trips, informative programs and innovative ideas. Ontario Nature and our hosts the Peterborough Field Naturalists invite you to our 76th Annual General Meeting and Conference. More information is available at www.peterboroughnature.org. The conference website will be updated throughout the year. Registration will begin in early March 2007. We can't wait to see you there! For more information, please contact Clare Mitchell: |
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Songbirds of the Boreal Forest The boreal forest is the single most important breeding ground for birds. Approximately 300 species and 2 billion individual birds breed here before migrating south. Lying at the heart of Canada’s boreal region, Ontario’s boreal forests form an enormous part of this songbird nursery. As you watch the musical visitors in your backyard this year, remember that their survival depends on a healthy, intact boreal forest. The southern parts of the boreal forest have been altered by industrial development and the road network that accompanies it. One industrial use after another has had a huge impact on natural ecosystems, leaving the region almost devoid of sensitive species like woodland caribou and wolverine. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of songbird nests have been destroyed as trees are cut to feed the demand for forestry products. Until recently, the northern boreal forest has remained largely free from large-scale industrial activities and roads. Now, industrial activity is starting to move into this sensitive landscape. The frontier of development is quickly shifting north, and could bring with it extinction for species at risk and the devastation of songbird habitat. There are already 4,400 mineral claims staked in the north and plans exist for roads, hydro trans-mission lines, logging, and open pit mines. Ontario Nature is working with other conservation partners and First Nation communities to urge the provincial government to protect the boreal forest. We want to ensure that conservation-based planning that protects sensitive habitats is in place before approvals are granted for industrial developments and roads. Special informative and colourful multi-media events are being delivered across the province to showcase the tremendous boreal forest and to highlight conservation efforts, including what you can do to help. A list of scheduled events is below. Save the Boreal Forest: Ontario’s Songbird Nursery 2007 Dates March 8 in Guelph - hosted by the Guelph Field Naturalists For more information about the Boreal Forest Campaign please contact Jen Baker at 1-800-440-2366, ext. 224 or jenniferb@ontarionature.org. |
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NEWS FROM MEMBER GROUPS |
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Special Screening of An Inconvenient Truth - Gem Theatre, Keswick This is the film everybody is talking about – on the topic everybody is talking about! An Inconvenient Truth is playing the Gem Theatre in Keswick for one night only. Join us for this special presentation on Thursday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m. This movie is a wake-up call about global climate change. For all audiences, the movie presents the first convincing evidence of the reality of global warming and of the dire consequences of failure to take direct action against it. Here is your chance to see this remarkable film. The South Lake Simcoe Naturalists club is sponsoring this special one-nigh-only showing. Take advantage of the bargain ticket price of $4 per person. Tickets are being sold in advance by club members, and by the shops noted below. Don’t be disappointed: get your ticket early for this outstanding film. Paul Harpley, South Lake Simcoe Naturalists President and Director of the Zephyr Society of Lake Simcoe, will introduce the film. A special comments, questions and discussion session will follow the movie for those who want to contribute further. Buy tickets in advance at Marilyn’s Flowers (Keswick), Apples of Gold (Jackson’s Point), Village Traditions (Sutton), and from South Lake Simcoe Naturalist club members (call 705-437-2993). Tickets will be available at the box office on the day of the screening. The Zephyr Society of Lake Simcoe |
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Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario, 2001–2005 Now that surveying has officially ended, staff and volunteers of the second Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas are diligently turning all that hard work into an informative publication that is sure to be an essential resource for birders and nature lovers, as well as for the environment or resource manager. Without doubt, the second Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas ranks among the most successful, important and exciting bird research and conservation projects ever undertaken in the Western Hemisphere, and the publication is sure to impress! Already, atlas data is showing significant changes since the first atlas was conducted over 20 years ago. This information will aid in the assessment and demonstration of how regional and global environmental changes have affected Ontario’s bird populations historically and in the past 20 years. For example,
The atlas will be 9x12 inches and contain over 700 full colour pages of photographs, maps, and charts for the 300 species breeding in the province. It will be printed and distributed in the fall of 2007. For information on the publication, and to view sample layouts, be sure to visit www.birdsontario.org/atlas/about-book.html For a limited time, you can pre-order your copy of the Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario, 2001–2005 at a special pre-sale price ($67 for Atlas participants and $79 for non-participants (prices include GST, distribution, and handling)). The expected retail price of the book is $96. Special pre-sale prices are only available until February 28, 2007, so don’t delay! To order you copy (or copies) today:
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On November 10, 2006, two field naturalists, both members of Ontario Nature, witnessed a man operating a power boat on Lake Simcoe, driving at high speed directly at a trumpeter swan. The swan was not struck but was injured by the wake as the boat continued to harass and circle the swan. The two naturalists took pictures of the boat and driver and were able to locate the boat for the South Simcoe Police. A 25 year old Innisfil man surrendered himself to police and has been charged under both the Federal Migratory Birds Convention Act and the Small Vessel Regulations. The injured trumpeter swan was located not far from the incident and a rescue was organized by the two naturalists along with the Toronto Wildlife Center and Wye Marsh. The swan was successfully captured and taken to the University of Guelph Veterinary College for treatment of her injuries. Her wing had a bad break and needed surgery. Since she may not fly again the Wye Marsh agreed to keep her there and hopefully she will find a mate and still breed. The rehabilitation of this swan was estimated to cost over $2,000. The two club members of the Barrie Brereton Nature Club and the Six Mile Lake Conservationists Club have worked very hard to do the right thing for this swan. Without their persistence and determination this swan would probably have frozen to death on the lake. They are organizing a couple of fund raising events and have committed to raising enough money to cover the cost of the rehabilitation of this magnificent bird. We are asking that the Ontario Nature clubs and members support the efforts to save this swan by donating to a swan fund. The funds will be used to pay for the swan and any excess funds will be donated to the Toronto Wildlife Center and to the Wye Marsh Swan program. Donations can be sent to: For more information contact: Update: Jennifer Howard, her son Jeff and others from the Wye Marsh, Six Mile Conservation Club and the Brereton Field Naturalists will be organizing a work day this spring at the Wye Marsh to improve the area where JJ will live with 2 other trumpeters. The charges to the man who ran at JJ with his boat on Lake Simcoe are still pending. |
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Carden Nature Festival Takes Shape Many naturalists have visited the Carden Alvar, mid-way between Orillia and Lindsay, to check out its specialized birds and alvar plants. Over the past several years, support from naturalists across Ontario has helped acquire over 5,000 acres of Carden habitat. A new nature festival, scheduled for the weekend of June 15-17, will celebrate the extraordinary natural value of these lands and provide opportunities for visitors to experience and learn about this unique corner of Ontario. The Carden Nature Festival will offer over 30 workshops and field tours on an array of nature-centred topics, such as:
Some of the events are geared to young families; others to experienced naturalists wanting to expand their skills. Festival visitors are encouraged to come for the weekend and participate in as many activities as possible, but day passes are also available. Campgrounds and other accommodations are available nearby, and free activities such as a Friday night Ceilidh (that’s Scottish for old-time fiddle music) will add to the fun. The Festival is being organized by The Couchiching Conservancy with the assistance of nature clubs from Orillia, Carden and Kawartha, as well as the Carden Plain Important Bird Area Committee, the City of Kawartha Lakes and local community groups. A comprehensive program and registration package will be available by late February. You can find it online at www.CardenGuide.com/Festival, or call 705-326-1620 for a copy. Register early – space is limited. A related event, The Carden Challenge, has become a favourite spring ritual from the past two years, and will take place June 22–23. Teams of four are invited to compete to see the most species of birds in a 24-hour period, and to compete as well for the most pledges. Contact the Couchiching Conservancy office at 705-326-1620 for details. |
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NEWS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS |
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Make Your Land A Legacy: The Ecological Gifts Program Natural habitats across much of Canada’s settled landscapes are under significant strain. The loss of wetlands, woodlands, grasslands, and other ecosystems is of great concern to Canadians, particularly in landscapes dominated by private land ownership. Many of Canada’s most biologically diverse ecosystems are in landscapes dominated by private lands. So, to protect some of Canada’s most important wildlife habitat it is necessary to engage private landowners in stewardship and conservation. Canada’s Ecological Gifts Program (EGP) has been designed to do just that. The EGP provides income tax incentives for Canadians with ecologically sensitive land to protect nature and create a legacy for future generations. These incentives encourage the donation of ecologically sensitive lands or certain interests in those lands to environmental charities working in land conservation. The EGP is administered by Environment Canada which works in cooperation with dozens of partners, including many members of Ontario’s Nature Network. Thanks to this team approach, 200 ecogifts have been donated in Ontario valued at almost 60 million dollars and protecting over 800 hectares of ecologically sensitive land. If your group or your local land trust wants to learn more about the EGP, please contact Andrea Kettle at 416-739-4286 or andrea.kettle@ec.gc.ca. We would be pleased to send you posters, brochures or other reference materials or come to meet you, your board and volunteers to present information about the EGP’s benefits, and application steps including, how to determine ecological sensitivity, nature reserve planning, conservation easements and change in use or disposition of ecological gifts. For more information about the Ecological Gifts Program visit www.on.ec.gc.ca/ecogifts. Help us spread the word about the EGP. If you know of interested landowners, please tell them to contact us. |
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(IMBY) IN MY BACK YARD |
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Many of us are familiar with NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard), the phenomenon in which citizens oppose a development as inappropriate for their local area, but by implication do not oppose such development in another's. This new section of the Nature Network News has been created to put a positive spin on conservation and sharing what we can do in our backyards to protect and restore natural habitats. What do you do in your backyard to benefit nature? This section will feature hands-on tips, from secret recipes for bird food to plans for bat houses to ways to actively appreciate your private natural haven. We need your input for this section to come to life. In addition to printing your contributions to IMBY in the Nature Network News, an online forum will be added to our website at www.ontarionature.org/ubb-cgi/Ultimate.cgi to share your ideas. You can also contact Clare Mitchell directly at 416-444-8419 ext. 243 or clarem@ontarionature.org with your thoughts. |
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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 April 16, 2007. Submissions will be accepted until April 1, 2007. Please send articles to clarem@ontarionature.org. Ontario Nature publishes the Ontario Nature Network News every other month with contributions from its staff and member groups. |