 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 16, 2006 |
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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 grants permission for use of the information below in member group newsletters. Please credit either Ontario Nature or the member group. Feature! Ontario Cabinet Deliberating on Escarpment Quarry Expansion – Your Voice Still Needed! NEWS FROM THE NATURE NETWORK
NEWS FROM ONTARIO NATURE
NEWS FROM MEMBER GROUPS Central Ontario News
Southern Ontario News
UPCOMING NATURE NETWORK NEWS DEADLINES |
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Feature! Ontario Cabinet Deliberating on Escarpment Quarry Expansion – Your Voice Still Needed! The Coalition on the Niagara Escarpment (founded in 1978 by Ontario Nature) and Escarpment-watchers across the province are anxiously awaiting a decision by the McGuinty Cabinet on the proposed 205-acre expansion of the 1,156-acre Milton Quarry on the Niagara Escarpment operated by Dufferin Aggregates. Already the largest active quarry in Canada and a serious environmental concern, if this quarry is allowed to become even larger, it will seriously jeopardize the natural corridor and the water resources of the escarpment – a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve and part of the new Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt. While we will always need to mine some new aggregates, Ontario does not recycle enough aggregates and has no conservation strategy for managing the demand for yet more aggregates. Given these shortfalls, to approve the Milton Quarry expansion would perpetuate the cycle of always looking for more sources of aggregate supply and thereby putting more natural habitats at risk. Please visit the CONE website at www.niagaraescarpment.org to read the Action Alert, and consider calling or writing Premier Dalton McGuinty to register your concerns. Every letter and voice counts! Thank you. |
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NEWS FROM THE NATURE NETWORK |
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Ontario Nature Network is Growing! Ontario Nature is pleased to welcome the Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association (www.ganaraska-hiking-trail.ca) to its province-wide network of member groups. The Ontario Nature Network of 138 groups protect Ontario's nature and provide provincial leadership in parks and protected areas, land-use planning policies and conservation science. A strong commitment and concern for nature is shared by each group and demonstrated through their own activities. The Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association is dedicated to the conservation of natural resources and has as its objective, the volunteer establishment and maintenance of a hiking trail for public use from Port Hope to the Bruce Trail near Collingwood. The trail starts in Port Hope, on the north shore of Lake Ontario and after more than 400 kilometres connects with the Bruce Trail near Glen Huron. In Port Hope, the Ganaraska Hiking Trail connects with the Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail. In the Ganaraska Forest, the trail crosses the Oak Ridges (hiking) Trail. To find a group in your area or to learn more about the Ontario Nature Network, visit www.ontarionature.org or contact Jennifer Baker, Nature Network Manager, at 1-800-440-2366 ext. 224 or jenniferb@ontarionature.org. |
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Greenways & Waterways – Ontario Nature’s 75th AGM & Conference The Kitchener-Waterloo Field Naturalists (KWFN) will be hosting Ontario Nature’s 75th AGM and Conference on June 2 – 4, 2006 at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo. A team of dedicated KWFN members have been meeting monthly for one year putting together an exciting conference: Greenways & Waterways. Ontario Nature will open the conference with Provincial Issues Day followed with an evening BBQ to meet and greet. Saturday’s program opens with a keynote speaker followed by numerous session presentations and panel discussions to choose from throughout the day, closing with a special presentation speaker and a 75th banquet celebration. A large variety of field trips will also be available and are designed to illustrate first hand the topics discussed in the program sessions while showcasing the natural and cultural assets of the Region of Waterloo. These trips include among others, our heritage Grand River, rafting, unique geological and forested areas and visits to wet lands, areas of birding and botanical interest alight in spring with delicate flowers and regionally rare plants. There is a choice of outing for every interest. Over the next few months, we will be providing more information on an outstanding 75th Anniversary Conference. Please join us for this exciting event! Visit the conference website at http://cobalt.golden.net/~kwfnconference/ for more information. |
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Doors Open to Ontario Nature Update Ontario Nature is celebrating its 75th Anniversary in 2006 with a series of events, including the Greenways & Waterways conference hosted by the Kitchener-Waterloo Field Naturalists, a special 75th anniversary edition of ON Nature and Doors Open to Ontario Nature. Doors Open to Ontario Nature features 75 community events that highlight the diversity, strength and commitment of Ontario Nature’s member groups. Ontario Nature would like to thank the groups who are hosting events. It is a great opportunity help celebrate our anniversary as a federation. Let us celebrate together! For information about the events in your area, please visit www.ontarionature.org/events/doors_open.php. |
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NEWS FROM ONTARIO NATURE |
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Ontario Nature's Youth Challenge Ontario Nature recognizes the important role youth have played and will continue to play in conserving nature in this province through the Ontario Nature Youth Challenge. Ontario Nature would like to thank Dow Chemical for their sponsorship of the Youth Challenge. The Ontario Nature Youth Challenge is a writing contest for Ontario youth in grades 7 and 8 on the topic “Why do we need nature?” It is intended to increase awareness and stimulate creative thinking and action in nature conservation among Ontario’s youth. Open to all Ontario students, the call is for a submission of a 700-word piece of writing in any style the student wishes. The deadline is April 15, 2006. For more information please visit www.ontarionature.org/events/challenge.html or contact Jennifer Baker at 1-800-440-2366 ext. 224 or jenniferb@ontarionature.org. |
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Celebrating Conservation Achievements Do you know an individual, group or organization that made a significant contribution to conservation in Ontario in 2005? Consider nominating them for an Ontario Nature Conservation award. We are accepting nominations for the 2005 Ontario Nature Conservation Awards until March 13, 2006. 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. Please visit www.ontarionature.org/home/awards.html for more information. |
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The Nature Conservancy of Canada and Ontario Nature’s Volunteer for Nature Program Expands Across Canada The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) and Ontario Nature are pleased to announce the continuation of their successful Volunteer for Nature (VfN) program. A grant from The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation will allow the program that matches volunteers with conservation projects to expand to Alberta while strengthening the original Ontario initiative. The VfN program will continue to run the hands on conservation events that became popular over the last four years with thousands of Ontarians, such as rare species monitoring, habitat restoration, trail maintenance and native planting events. New program attributes will include enhanced volunteer experiences, such as working alongside experts in the field, new opportunities for conservation volunteering in Alberta, in partnership with NCC’s Alberta Regional team, and a sustainable and self supporting future for the program. The Volunteer for Nature (VfN) program began in 2002 as a partnership effort between NCC and Ontario Nature principally funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Over four years, thousands of volunteers participated in the program’s 132 conservation projects, including 75 designed to benefit species and habitats at risk and 62 dedicated to improving access while reducing visitor impacts to natural areas. Conservation volunteers logged over 4,400 volunteer days, or 19,000 hours, equaling an in kind contribution of nearly $300,000. Bridges and trails were built, native tallgrass prairie seeds collected, were grown into plugs and planted, flora and fauna were inventoried and incorporated into management planning for properties and species at risk monitoring programs were implemented. |
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Queen’s Park Set to Finalize Greater Golden Horseshoe Growth Plan Thanks to all clubs and Ontario Nature members who submitted comments to Queen’s Park in January on the Proposed Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH). The plan will set out how and where the GGH will grow to the year 2031. The proposed plan goes a great distance to reining in urban sprawl, setting out a strong, smart framework for managing urbanization and protecting natural areas and farmlands in the GGH. However, the Proposed Growth Plan has some serious deficiencies, which Ontario Nature pointed out both in our original submission of January 10, 2006 and in an addendum of January 26, 2006. Our concerns relate to the environmental sustainability of the projected amount of growth, some major variances among experts about population growth projections for the GGH, appropriate protection for the Natural System, and proposals for several new highways or highway extensions. Please visit www.ontarionature.org and read our Action Alert, with a link to both of our submissions. The GGH Growth Plan may be important for all Ontario residents since it may serve as a prototype for growth plans in other regions under the Places to Grow Act. These plans will be approved by the Province but implemented by municipalities through their Official Plans. Watch the website for updates on the finalization of the GGH Growth Plan. |
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Reforms to the Municipal Land Use Planning System in the Works In December 2005, the Ontario government tabled a bill in the Legislature (Bill 51) to amend the Planning Act to foster smart land use planning in Ontario municipalities. The latest proposals include improvements to how the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) works. In response to widespread complaints that the OMB wields too much power and may be biased in favour of development interests, Bill 51 shifts the decision-making emphasis to the front end of the planning process – municipal councils. If development matters do end up at the OMB, residents may get a better shake because the government plans to improve the process for appointing OMB members, to ensure they are fully qualified to appreciate the issues before them. But a festering problem the government seems unprepared to address is the need for intervenor funding to help groups representing the public interest prepare their cases for OMB hearings. To read about the Planning Act and OMB reforms, please visit www.mah.gov.on.ca. By the end of February, you will able to read Ontario Nature’s position on these planning reforms at www.ontarionature.org. |
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Ontario Nature has launched a new online community forum. Come in and join the discussion! This is a great opportunity to connect with people in your community and across Ontario. "I am so happy to find this community because I have a lot on my mind when it comes to the state of our environment and the world around me. It's nice to know there's a place to go to find like minded individuals to talk to," says Lily, one of our newest community members. There are five public forums for you to join:
Visit the Ontario Nature Online Community at www.ontarionature.org/ubb-cgi/Ultimate.cgi. |
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NEWS FROM MEMBER GROUPS |
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Central Ontario News |
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Win a thing of beauty in the Thickson's Woods Nature Reserve Nature Art Raffle! Five dollars gives you a chance to win one of five exquisite pieces of nature art generously donated by celebrated Canadian artists. The beautifully framed works, ranging in value from $350 to $1,500, are:
See photos of the art on our website, www.thicksonswoods.com. The draw will be held on Sunday, June 11, at a garden party at the lovely Inverlynn Estate in Whitby. (Tickets to this strawberries and champagne affair sold separately.) Attendance is not required to win, but you won’t want to miss this fun-filled event, geared to help retire the Meadow mortgage with pizzazz! To purchase raffle or garden party tickets, or to obtain books of raffle tickets to sell to your bridge club, church group or bowling league, please contact Judy Bryson at (905) 576-0492, or any member of the Thickson's Woods Land Trust Board. |
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Upcoming York Simcoe Naturalists Meeting York Simcoe Naturalists will meet on Tuesday, March 14th, at 7:30 p.m. in the River Drive Park Community Centre, 20 Oak Ave. in River Drive Park (off the Queensville Sideroad, north of Holland Landing). The guest speaker will be Paul Harpley, speaking on Algonquin Park history, forest ecology and wildlife. Refreshments will be served. For information call (905) 898-2329 or 1-800-216-3830. All are welcome. |
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Toronto Entomologists' Association The Toronto Entomologists’ Association (T.E.A.) is a non-profit educational and scientific organization formed to promote interest in insects, to encourage co-operation among amateur and professional entomologists, to educate and inform non-entomologists about insects, entomology and related fields, to aid in the preservation of insects and their habitats and to issue publications in support of these objectives. For more information about T.E.A. visit www.ontarioinsects.org. Next Regular Monthly Meeting The Long Reach of the Gene: Insect/Plant Interactions Marc is in his final Ph.D. year at U of T studying the ecology and evolution of plant-arthropod interactions. His research is part of a new discipline called community genetics which is quickly changing the way we think about the community ecology of insects. He will discuss his research on how plant genes and genetic variation in plants shape the diversity and abundance of the arthropods who depend on plants. Information on Marc's research is available at www.evoeco.org. For further information about this meeting or T.E.A., contact: info@ontarioinsects.org. |
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SOUTHERN ONTARIO NEWS |
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Art Auction Benefits Conservation Projects – includes an original Robert Bateman painting! Bob Curry and the Hamilton Naturalists' Club (HNC) are producing a 600 page book documenting the Birds of Hamilton and surrounding areas. HNC member Robert Bateman is donating an original painting of wood ducks, specifically created for use as the frontispiece of this book! This striking painting will also be Robert’s donation to help fund HNC conservation projects. The Burlington Art Center (BAC) has agreed to include this Robert Bateman original painting in its annual art auction in February 2006 with the proceeds coming back to the HNC. The BAC Auction occurs Saturday February 18, 2006 - for more details please visit the BAC website or give them a call (www.burlingtonartcentre.on.ca - (905) 632-7796). Absentee (proxy) bids can be provided ahead of time to the BAC if you will not be able to attend the auction in person but have always wanted to own an original Bateman! Bob, who has been birding in the Hamilton area since he was 13, is the senior author of the Birds of Hamilton and surrounding areas. The 380 some species accounts of birds seen within the Hamilton Study Area (a 40.2-kilometre radius circle centred on Dundurn Castle, Hamilton), from prehistoric records to the present day, will form the major focus of the book. Many other HNC members are also writing chapters to describe and document the astounding variety of bird related projects this club and its members have undertaken over the years. This book will also contain colour photographs from local photographers and a wide range of drawings including illustrations by Peter Burke and Dave Beadle. For more information about the Birds of Hamilton and surrounding areas book project please visit our website (www.hamiltonnature.org/publications/birdsofhamilton.htm) or contact Bob Curry at (905) 637-2022 or Glenn Barrett at (905) 525-2142. |
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Cultivating Community – The 3rd annual Naturalized Landscape Conference The Naturalized Habitat Network is looking forward to its third annual Naturalized Landscape Conference, which is scheduled for Saturday, April 1 in Windsor. We’re proud to present this as an official Doors Open to Ontario Nature event in recognition of Ontario Nature’s 75th Anniversary! This year we extend an invitation to our member affiiliates to join us for this special day of discussion and insights. Our impressive speakers list includes:
To learn more, visit our website at www.naturalizedhabitat.org. Requests for directions and a list of accomodations can be provided by e-mailing us at byhew@wincom.net. Costs are $48 per person, or register with a friend for $45 each. All registration includes lunch & refreshments. Please indicate your choice of chicken or vegetarian lasagna. Telephone registration only, call us at (519) 259-2407. Registration is required by Wednesday, March 29. |
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Request for Silent Auction Items The Kitchener-Waterloo Field Naturalists are planning a silent auction as part of the activities at the upcoming 2006 conference and would greatly appreciate the participation of your club to help make it a success. If you have ever participated in a silent auction, then you know we need a diverse collection of items that will appeal to many different people. Naturally every club has more than a few outstanding artists, authors and photographers that could contribute an item that would generate some competitive bidding from conference attendees. Or maybe you have a connection to a company that would provide a unique item. The proceeds of the auction will be added to the general budget for the conference with surplus dollars being applied to future projects of Ontario Nature and the Kitchener-Waterloo Field Naturalists. If you feel you can help, please send us an email message to let us know, KWFN.AGM@gmail.com. We look forward to having you visit the Kitchener-Waterloo area and are planning a great conference. |
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News from the Alton Grange Association The Alton Grange Association (AGA) is pleased to announce that Gord Miller, Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, will be the keynote speaker at their Annual General Meeting. The meeting will be held Thursday May 4 at the SGI Caledon Centre for Culture and Education, 20490 Porterfield Road, Alton. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. For further information, please contact AGA at altongrangeassociation@hotmail.com. |
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Friends of Point Pelee Fundraising Dinner Join the Friends of Point Pelee for their fundraising dinner and silent auction on May 12, 2006. Bobby Harrison (ivory billed woodpecker) will be our guest speaker. The proceeds will go to the Keep the Songs Alive fundraising initiative, as will the proceeds from the Dream Adventure Sweepstakes listed below. Call (519) 322-2365 ext. 200 or 1-866-PT-PELEE for details on purchasing your Fundraising Dinner tickets. |
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Support of Point Pelee National Park of Canada and the “Keep the Songs Alive” fundraising initiative. Purchase a chance to win a trip for two to Galapagos with Quest Nature Tours, a Bushnell Elite Series Package, a weekend for two at the Delta Grandview Resort in beautiful Muskoka or one of eight Parks Canada Annual Group/Family Discovery Passes. The draw date is September 24, 2006. Early Bird Draw for a Bushnell Nature View Optic Package will be held May 20, 2006. Tickets three for $25.00 or $10.00 each. License # M504005. All prizes have been donated. Call (519) 322-2365 ext. 200 or 1-866-PT-PELEE for details on purchasing your Dream Adventure Sweepstakes tickets today!!! |
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MacGregor Point Provincial Park Is For The Birds May 27 to June 5 at the 8th Annual Huron Fringe Birding Festival MacGregor Point has become home to one of Ontario’s most popular festivals, The Huron Fringe Birding Festival, featuring guided birding, nature and heritage excursions and workshops. Attracting wildlife enthusiasts from across Canada and the United States for the past seven years this ten-day festival celebrates the return of neotropical migrant songbirds and so much more. Now less than three months away, bird lovers, known as “birders” are sending in their registration forms for this year’s more than 80 programs and events. This provincially recognized festival runs from Friday May 27 through to Sunday June 5, 2005. Learn and be entertained by many expert naturalists from across Ontario. Come for one day, one weekend, or the entire eight days. Some home-cooked lunches and dinners are provided at a reasonable cost. The Festival is held at MacGregor Point Provincial Park, just south of Port Elgin on the beautiful shores of Lake Huron. Register Early! As a convenience to attendees and to ensure that all visiting the Festival have a great experience there are limited numbers of participants allotted per programmed event. This ensures that those just beginning to learn about nature as well as those who are “more expert in their field” will be guaranteed a more memorable experience. Anyone who has not pre-registered can still enjoy a satisfying visit with a diverse program offered over two weekends. Festival fees, complete program details and pre- registration forms and contact emails are available www.friendsofmacgregor.org/hfbf/hfbf.htm. Please phone (519) 389-6231 or (519) 389-6232 for more details. |
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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 18, 2006. Submissions will be accepted until April 1, 2006. Please send articles to jenniferb@ontarionature.org. Ontario Nature publishes the Ontario Nature Network News every other month with contributions from its staff and member groups. |