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A Bright Future for Ontario’s Land Trusts
For three days last week, the meeting rooms and corridors of Geneva Park hosted lively discussions on databases, donors, best practices and cross-border training, not to mention the special challenges of raising public sympathy for bat and snakes. All this and much more were on the agenda for the annual gathering of the Ontario Land Trust Alliance, a symposium that encourages this province’s 35 land trusts to share and learn.
Area Study Offers a Way Forward on Climate Change
As of this summer, scientists now say extreme climate change is no longer a future scenario, but something that is already upon us, and the recent climate data from NASA agrees: July 2016 had the earth’s warmest absolute temperatures since human civilization began. Not since records began, but thousands of years before that.
When the Going Gets Tough, the Naturalist Gets Going
Knowledgeable, passionate and ambitious are three champion terms that describe avid outdoor enthusiasts and naturalists. As a young naturalist who is continually developing new and existing skills, I have found that taking part in adventures and nature studies always pose tremendous learning opportunities. Approaching these with a positive attitude is key for personal development, but it is not always easy. Sometimes small bumps in the road can challenge you as you learn, but ultimately better you as an aspiring professional in the field of environmental conservation.
Birding: Mallards galore in Ontario
Mallard ducks are now so common in our area that they can be found just about anywhere there is water. But it was not always so. When I was a small boy living in eastern Ontario, Mallards were seldom seen and when they were, they were referred to as “western ducks”. The most bountiful wild duck we had at the time was the American Black duck, a close relative of the Mallard. Now we see few “Blacks” and lots of Mallards. Both however are very beautiful birds.
Column: Praise for the Conservancy
Humbleness has never been my strong suit.
But you see, sometimes bragging is for the greater good. Take for example the Couchiching Conservancy. Starting with a few like-minded people sitting around a kitchen table, back in 1993, dreaming about a better way to protect local ecology.
Carden Challenge Raises Over $23,000
Nearly 50 local birdwatchers topped off the busy month of May by participating in the 12th annual Carden Challenge, an event that combines skills, tenacity, and friendly competition for a good cause. The combined efforts of eleven participating teams raised over $23,000 in pledges and donations for the Carden Alvar programs of the Couchiching Conservancy.
The tree name game – Blue Beech
Common names for plants can be an easy way to identify them; mention trillium, and a familiar image quickly comes to mind. But sometimes the common name, or names, we give flora can create all kinds of confusion.
Protecting a Species at Risk on the Carden Alvar
The Couchiching Conservancy, along with partners such as Earth Rangers, have been tackling threats which endanger Bobolinks. One of the greatest threats relevant to Carden is loss of critical grassland habitat. As southern Ontario becomes intensely developed, prime Bobolink habitat is at risk. Ecosystems within the Carden Alvar remain as a sanctuary where conservation efforts can be focused in order to preserve this critical bobolink habitat.
How do you save a piece of wilderness?
The concept of a land trust came to this region in the early 1990s when a handful of motivated people were looking for new ways to preserve wilderness areas.