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 - June 18, 2007 |
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NEWS FROM THE NATURE NETWORK
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NEWS FROM ONTARIO NATURE
NEWS FROM MEMBER GROUPS
NEWS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
IMBY (IN MY BACK YARD)
UPCOMING NATURE NETWORK NEWS DEADLINES |
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CONTENTS NEWS FROM THE NATURE NETWORK |
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Our Spring Regional Meetings have been held. They were well attended and featured a number of guest speakers and presentations. As always, it was a great opportunity for member groups to meet face-to-face and exchange ideas amongst themselves and with Ontario Nature. Don’t forget to mark your calendar for the Fall Regional Meetings (see confirmed dates below) A Special thanks to our Spring 2007 Regional Meeting Hosts Huronia - Mac and Carolyn Ellis and the Haliburton Field Naturalists for hosting at Sir Sandford Fleming College in Haliburton on April 28, 2007. Lake Ontario North - Lora Clausen and the Rouge Valley Naturalists for hosting the Regional Meeting on April 14, 2007. Northern - Angela and Gary Martin, Friends of Mashkinonje and the Nipissing Naturalists for hosting at the Welcome Lodge on the West Arm on May 4 -6, 2007. Carolinian East - Lower Grand River Land Trust Inc. at Ruthven Park National Historic Site. Carolinian West - St. Thomas Field Naturalists Inc.at the Old Schoolhouse at the Springwater Conservation Authority. Great Lakes West – Kitchener-Waterloo Field Naturalists at Laurel Creek Nature Centre. Ontario East - Macnamara Field Naturalists’ Club for hosting in Arnprior.
Southern Region
Central Region
Northern Region
Eastern Region
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.
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NEWS FROM ONTARIO NATURE |
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June 8th -10th was Ontario Nature’s 76th Annual General Meeting & Conference hosted by the Peterborough Field Naturalists (PFN) at Trent University. It was wonderful to see so many club members at this year’s event. Provincial Issues Day brought together individuals from our Nature Network, as well as, representatives from many conservation agencies. The afternoon plenary session featured insightful discussions on greenways in Southern Ontario. At the AGM 7 resolutions were passed and the Ontario Nature Board was announced. The day ended with the Conservation Awards. Saturday was a busy day with many informative sessions planned by the PFN and ended with the banquet where the Youth Essay Contest winners received their awards. The weekend ended with some great day trips in and around the Kawarthas. A big thank you to the Peterborough Field Naturalists for their great work in organizing and hosting this year’s AGM. Conservation Award Winners
W.W.H. Gunn Conservation Award – Robert Bowles Youth Writing Challenge Winners
1st Place – Jenna from Whitby for her essay entitled Weeping Wetlands. As you know the government of Ontario has a tremendous opportunity to protect Ontario’s northern Boreal Forest, one of the world’s largest remaining intact forest ecosystems, benefiting the people of Ontario, as well as, sensitive species such as Woodland Caribou and Wolverine and the billions of songbirds that rely on these ancient forests. Ontario Nature and other conservation groups have been working to protect the Boreal Forest in part by highlighting its global significance and benefits as well as by showing the government that Ontarians want the Boreal Forest protected. Due to these efforts the need to protect the boreal forest has received a lot of media attention, helping to increase the awareness among the general public. The Premier has been reminded of his promise to protect the Boreal Forest thanks to the more than 1,700 post cards and letters you have submitted. The Save the Boreal Forest presentations have been delivered to 21 groups with more than 1,100 people in attendance. We thank the number of groups and individuals who are responding to the recent Action Alert and are asking their MPPs to encourage Premier McGuinty to fulfill his promise of protecting the Boreal Forest. We are hoping that the government will announce a plan to protect the Boreal Forest before mid-June when they start getting ready for the election. Stay tuned for more news! Preparing for the 2007 election In October 2007, the voters of Ontario will head to the polls to elect a new government. All indications are that both voters and candidates will be spending a lot of time over the next few months talking about the environment, especially our rapidly changing climate. Over the summer Ontario Nature will be developing tools and resources for you to use as you talk to candidates in your area in the fall. We want all candidates to know that protecting nature is a key priority for many Ontarians. In particular, we’ll be asking for protection of the boreal forest, the creation of an interconnected greenway across southern and eastern Ontario, increased funding for government’s natural heritage protection mandate and increased environmental education in the school curriculum. We’ll be setting up a number of workshops to be held right after Labour Day. The workshops will provide you with all of the information and resources you and your club members may need to talk to candidates about these important conservation issues. Ontario Nature is looking forward to working with the Nature Network in this exciting time and will be sending you more information over the summer. In July, the Ontario Nature office is saying goodbye to one of its most senior conservation staff. Wendy Francis, Director of Conservation and Science is leaving after two years of service. The Rocky Mountains have beckoned Wendy to return to her former home in Alberta, where she will reside in Banff. She hopes to continue her career as a professional conservationist working for mountain habitat and corridor protection. In her time with Ontario Nature, Wendy has contributed invaluable expertise in many successful campaigns and helped Ontario Nature move forward with it’s conservation and science priorities. Wendy’s duties will be assumed in part by Natalie Helferty, who joined Ontario Nature in June as the Director of Policy and Campaigns. Natalie comes with a strong background in science and policy and is well known for her efforts to protect natural heritage in southern Ontario. Natalie will assume overall responsibility for Ontario Nature’s Greenway and related campaign work. Another Director is planned to be hired later this summer. In the meantime, Mark Carabetta, Conservation and Science Manager, will take over Wendy’s other management responsibilities.
Volunteering for Nature and Engaging Communities in Ecological Monitoring This spring, Ontario Nature hosted our first events for the pilot year of our ecosystem monitoring program. This program is designed to track forest community composition and monitor indicator species such as amphibians with the purpose of detecting changes in the environment. Using nationally standardized protocols from the Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network (EMAN), participants from our Volunteer for Nature (VfN) program lent a hand in collecting data at two of our largest nature reserves. From May 11th – 13th, amphibian and bird surveys were conducted at Altberg Wildlife Sanctuary Nature Reserve near Norland. Nine volunteers, including six members of the Kawartha Field Naturalists, assisted Ontario Nature staff with monitoring activities, uncovering 9 species of frogs and salamanders. Dr. Joe Cebek, an Amphibian Biologist with Trent University, was on hand to provide guidance with identifying the various species. From May 18th – 20th similar inventories were repeated at the Kinghurst Forest Nature Reserve in Grey County, with the assistance of six volunteers, including two members of the Saugeen Field Naturalists. For this event, expertise was lent by Dr. Ross McCulloch, Assistant Curator of Herpetology at the Royal Ontario Museum. Twelve herptile species were identified including the uncommon Ribbon snake, listed as a Species of Special Concern in Canada. Engaging local community members in citizen science is a key objective of Ontario Nature’s monitoring plan. For more information on Volunteer for Nature events this summer, visit www.ontarionature.org/action/index.html. To learn more about participating in monitoring activities in your area, visit the EMAN’s Nature Watch website at www.eman-rese.ca/eman. |
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NEWS FROM MEMBER GROUPS |
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Vic Orr - Environmental Hero of the Year On April 24th, Ontario Nature member Vic Orr was recognized as “Environmental Hero of the Year” by the City of Kawartha Lakes. The award was presented by Mayor Ric McGee on behalf of Council, in recognition of Vic’s role in the preservation of natural habitats. As past president of the Kawartha Field Naturalists and current chair of the Altberg Reserve Subcommittee, Vic has been instrumental in the stewardship and expansion of the Altberg Wildlife Sanctuary Nature Reserve, which, at 1,164 acres is Ontario Nature’s largest reserve. Vic is a knowledgeable naturalist and birdwatcher and has participated in the Breeding Bird Atlas study. Congratulations, Vic! Owen Sound Field Naturalists Update The Owen Sound Field Naturalists have undertaken many conservation projects over the years - from trails to an avian viewing tower to nesting platforms for ospreys and purple martin apartments. These projects need regular maintenance, so we're working on getting a program in place to do that. We have identified a steward for each project from among club members - usually someone who lives near the project. Each steward will be asked to visit the site at least once a year and report back to the club on the state of the project and whether maintenance is needed. At the Owen Sound Field Naturalists/Saugeen Field Naturalists boardwalk through the Oliphant Fen, for example, our steward has reported that ATVs are gaining access to the fen, leaving big ruts and damaging the vegetation. Our steward has written to the municipality, asking whether, during planned road improvements in the area, they would consider placing some boulders along the edge of the fen to keep the ATVs out. We're hoping that this new on-going conservation program will keep our projects in top shape and allow them to provide the maximum benefit to both people and wildlife. Submitted by Lorraine Brown, Owen Sound Field Naturalists York Simcoe Naturalists Update The York Simcoe Naturalists are the new stewards of the Cawthra Mulock Nature Reserve in Newmarket. They are involved in the “Big Pipe” issue and the Durham Residential Waste Project (Incinerators) They are also working with the South Lake Simcoe Naturalists to stop the Keswick Business Park. They hosted a successful “6 Degrees of Green” networking evening in February. Submitted by Sylvia Bowman and Linda Gilkes Carden Nature Festival Takes Shape - June 15 – 17, 2007 The Carden Nature Festival is being organized 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. It will offer over 30 workshops and field tours on array of nature-centred topics, such as identifying sparrows by their songs, dragonflies and butterflies, voices of the night and even an introduction to fishing - www.cardenguide.com/festival. Raising Public Awareness in importance of saving Scout Valley near Orillia Scout Valley is a 220 acre block of hardwood forests in the southwest corner of Orillia, acquired by the city a decade ago when the assets of the Simcoe College Foundation were being dispersed. Since then, it has become a popular destination for trail users, and the Twin Lakes Conservation Club and others have worked on restoring the cold-water stream that crosses the property. A city proposal to construct a sewer line through Scout Valley drew considerable public criticism during last fall’s municipal election. 10th Annual Huron Fringe Birding Festival June 3rd saw the 10th annual Huron Fringe Birding Festival come to end for another year. A total of 166 species for the festival were recorded with 10 new ones on the last weekend. The Festival was a huge success with approximately 300 birders and Naturalists in Saugeen Shores over the 10 days. Most of the events were held in MacGregor Point Provincial Park, which is the headquarters. The park was full of eager birders looking for that elusive warbler, or searching out the many wildflowers that were in bloom and even that fast darting dragonfly or damselfly. The bird, wildflower, butterfly, tree identification and insect hikes were all well attended. Afternoon and evening presentations allowed attendees to relax after a vigorous morning hike and enjoy many wonderful presentations and workshops on photography, bird identification, and naturalized gardens, just to mention a few. All day hikes around Saugeen Shores and up the Bruce Peninsula, proved to be very successful. One hike, "Bird Till You Drop" a trek from 6:00am to 10:00pm lead by Michael Carlson, ended up with 127 species for the trip. On the last Sunday, a hike on the town line produced a Dickcissel. The many hikes and presentations were just what everyone wanted and all went away with nothing but praise for the organizing committee. Keep the Annual Huron Fringe Birding Festival in mind for next year and be sure to check the Friends of MacGregor Park website early in 2008 for our schedule of events and registration information - www.friendsofmacgregor.org. The third annual Minesing Unplugged event is taking place June 16th and17th, 2007 at the Tiffin Center for Conservation in Utopia, Ontario. This grassroots festival serves as an awareness tool and fund raiser for the Minesing Wetlands. This year’s line-up features:
Happy Birthday Vankleek Hill and District Nature Society! The Vankleek Hill and District Nature Society began its weekend-long 30th anniversary celebrations with a splash! On a Saturday in late April, a brave group of paddlers journeyed down the Rigaud River for a 6 hour trek. The day was beautiful, the water levels perfect and lunch was a classy affair on the edge of the river. Sunday began with the planting of a commemorative tree to honour founding members. It was then off to the Prescott Russell Trail (old rail trail) to unveil a bird feeding station, followed by a hospitality, where the public enjoyed learning about wild edible plants, the history of the society and different bird species and bird houses. Children from Pleasant Corners Public School and the local Scouts group participated in several environmental activities. Members were then treated to a wonderful series of slide shows and a potluck meal. Leo Durocher, a founding member, reviewed the many accomplishments of the Vankleek Hill and District Nature Society and Val and Jim Harrison received a lifetime membership for all their dedication and help through the years. What a great celebration! Happy Birthday VDNS! Submitted by Louise Leblanc-Mazur |
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NEWS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS |
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Reduce logging in Algonquin Park - Provincial report supported by conservation group A leading conservation group is drawing attention to a quietly released provincial report that recommends reducing logging in Algonquin Provincial Park. Wildlands League, a chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, supports reducing logging in the park. Ultimately, the group wants logging phased out of Canada's first and oldest provincial park. "Logging in the park flies in the face of protecting wildlife and nature," said Evan Ferrari, Director, Parks and Protected Areas Program for CPAWS Wildlands League. "This Parks Board report shows that it's time to bring Algonquin out of the 19th century and into the 21st." Over 77% of the park is currently open to logging. Logging in Algonquin has vastly altered the composition of the natural ecosystem. A report by the Ontario Parks Board recently released by government recommends that more land can be protected within the park while maintaining jobs in the logging industry. "A park is a park, not a place for industry," continued Ferrari. "While adopting the Parks Board's recommendations would definitely be a move in the right direction, we must also plan for a long term phase out of logging in Algonquin. This plan must include a complete analysis of how we help local communities make the transition to a new economy." A poll conducted by McAllister Research in March of this year shows that 79% of Ontarians are opposed to logging in parks. Furthermore, 90 percent agree that Ontario should protect more forests as a shield against global warming. “Algonquin is as Canadian as maple sugar, the Group of Seven and family canoe trips," said Ferrari. "It's iconic and yet we treat it like an industrial zone. Ontarians are ready to end logging in Algonquin Provincial Park." Ferrari continued: "The 8,000 kilometres of logging roads in the park brings new meaning to the term 'road-kill'. The Parks Board Report proves unequivocally that it's time to get logging out of Algonquin Provincial Park." The Commission for Environmental Cooperation’s investigation of Canada’s failure to protect migratory birds In 1916, Canada and the U.S. signed a treaty to cooperate in protecting migratory birds due to concerns about over-hunting. Both countries then adopted domestic laws to regulate hunting with permits and closed seasons. Canada and the U.S. also put an outright ban on interfering with non-game birds, including disturbing or destroying their nests or eggs. No one considered that logging itself would break the law. When the issue of loggers breaking the law was eventually raised, the federal government decided that unintentional or “incidental” nest destruction that occurred during otherwise legal activities, like logging, would not be subject to enforcement action. At that time no one figured that habitat loss from logging could one day cause entire populations of migratory birds to decline. In 2001, Sierra Legal on behalf of eight well-known environmental groups including Ontario Nature, complained to NAFTA’s environmental watchdog, the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), that Ottawa had no legal justification for its policy of not enforcing the Migratory Birds Regulations (MBR) against the logging industry. The complaint focused on Ontario and alleged that logging companies there do not comply with the MBR, and that Ottawa turns a blind eye to the problem. During the CEC’s investigations they quickly figured out that you can’t enforce the MBR on a case by case basis when logging is going on. Instead, it’s a matter of making sure that there is always enough habitat left over for all species of migratory birds to sustain populations at healthy levels. The CEC report provides in-depth information on how migratory bird habitat is factored into forest management planning in Ontario. The report shows that after Ontario’s Environmental Assessment Board approved the Timber Class EA in 1994, MNR was ready to move towards sustainable forest management. After massive cuts to MNR staff and budget, however, that process basically stopped. MNR had to take a back seat and hand over control to the logging industry for most planning issues. The result was that logging companies were left to set their own wildlife habitat objectives, with little interference from MNR. ‘Bottom-up’ was the name given to this approach. The problem was that with each forestry company setting its own objectives, no one was tracking overall habitat levels. In its investigation, the CEC looked 38 forest management plans, covering almost half of Ontario, and charted habitat projections for migratory birds covered by the MBR. The CEC found that for nine out of ten species, habitat is predicted to decline over the next century, with the steepest decline reported for the Pileated Woodpecker, Ontario’s ‘featured species’ for old growth forest. One can therefore expect that as logging continues, there will be less and less old growth forest. The surprising part is that Ontario was supposed to have adopted a ‘sustainable’ forest management system, one that ensures that there is enough old growth forest to sustain populations of wildlife that depend on such habitat. The CEC report shows that the federal government is aware, and has complained, that Ontario has failed to implement sustainable forest management. In 2002, Ottawa pointed out that Ontario was planning to weaken environmental rules that apply to logging, and that this would affect federal interests, including migratory birds. In a letter Ottawa sent to the CEC in 2006, however, Environment Canada suggested that the CEC report on migratory birds addresses matters that are outside of Environment Canada's jurisdiction and expertise. Ottawa apparently still pretends that logging is not covered by the MBR. And did we mention that the CEC confirmed the allegation that more that 45,000 bird nests are destroyed in a single year during logging? Submitted by Albert Koehl, Sierra Legal Moraine for Life Adventure Relay June 16 - 17, 2007 The Relay course is point-to-point from Gore’s Landing on Rice Lake in the east, stretching 160km westward to King City along the Oak Ridges Moraine. Teams of up to 15 adventurers will tackle the 14 unique relay stages by canoe, bike and on foot. Suitable for all abilities, it’ll be non-stop excitement, around the clock, in pursuit of the first annual Moraine Cup. The well-marked route is a chain of trails, country roads, and forest tracks with no extreme terrain. All abilities welcome. Proceeds from fundraising go to the Oak Ridges Trail Association to help protect the region’s vibrant, healthy ecosystem, expand the Oak Ridges Trail system and encourage responsible land use of this wonderful heritage. A.D. Latornell Conservation Symposium Conservation Pioneer Award The Conservation Pioneer Award honours individuals who have contributed significantly to the conservation movement in Ontario. These prestigious awards are presented annually to five deserving individuals at the A.D. Latornell Conservation Symposium. Who is Eligible? Any individual who has made a long term contribution and/or achievement, through either their career or volunteer efforts in the conservation field. These contributions can include but are not limited to:
Who Can Nominate an Individual? Nominations are typically made by organizations and agencies involved in conservation such as Conservation Authorities, non profit organizations, government agencies, and universities; And an organization or agency can make one nomination per year. How Are the Recipients Chosen? A committee is appointed each year by the A. D. Latornell Conservation Symposium and typically includes representatives from the organizing committee, the General Manager of Conservation Ontario and the Chair of the Land and Water Centre for Stewardship, University of Guelph. Deadline June 29th http://www.latornell.ca/pioneer/files/pdf/2007_Pioneer_Award_Brochure.pdf. Essex County Stewardship’s 2nd Annual Environment Day June 23, 2007 Come out and find out the Convenient Truth about our local environment, farmlands and food supply.
Location: Sanson Estate Winery, 9238 Walker Road, just south of McGregor Highlights
For more information contact: |
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(IMBY) IN MY BACK YARD |
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What a special time of year! There are gardens to be planted, that first-of-the-year canoe trip to be launched and the bird watching is wonderful. For Ontario’s turtles, it is a very vulnerable time of the year. Of the eight species of turtles in Ontario, six are currently at risk and the numbers continue to decline as habitat disappears and road mortality continues. The average turtle life span is 20 to 50 years. A snapping turtle can live up to 80 years. Turtles of all ages will wander away from water but it’s the adult females that struggle overland to find a warm, sunny place to nest. It’s at this time that vehicles can have a devastating impact. Kids For Turtles is an organization that is making a difference. It was started by Washago area children who, while watching young turtles, noticed that they were being killed on roadways. Kids For Turtles, in conjunction with local naturalists, have implemented a plan that includes identifying areas where turtle crossing signs are needed and an awareness campaign to raise drivers’ attention to turtles. You can help in your own community by identifying crossing locations, encouraging your municipality to purchase and post turtle crossing signs and most importantly watching out for that so-seldom-seen gal as she makes her way across the highway. We can also help with turtle conservation in our own backyards by: 1. Protecting Aquatic Habitat
2. Nesting Areas
3. Reduce the Risks of Predation
4. Protect Turtles from Collection
For more information www.turtleshelltortue.org. |
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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 August 16, 2007. Submissions will be accepted until August 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. |