Volunteerism is alive and well at The Couchiching Conservancy. We will be doing a ‘spotlight’ on a number of volunteers this year to show off their passion for protecting nature and the types of jobs they do.
Our first Volunteer Spotlight is on 15 year volunteer Alan Smale.
Eastern Meadowlarks have declined in numbers recently and are now sadly on the endangered species list in Ontario. Much of the grasslands required for their habitat have disappeared due to development and changing agricultural practices. Fortunately there are still Eastern Meadowlarks in our region and this is the best time of year to spot them.
A local business has played a key role in launching a water quality research project that could help improve the health of Lake Simcoe. Staff at McLean and Dickey Insurance Brokers helped connect The Couchiching Conservancy and Lakehead University with Intact Foundation and the insurance company has agreed to support a water monitoring project that may help guide future decisions in the struggle to clean up Lake Simcoe.
Planning for the future is a task that many people, businesses and non-profits do in order to determine potential needs and schedules. But what about planning our landscapes? Where does planning our environmental fit in?
Notes From the Field is a special spring and summer feature which will give you a glimpse into the work Conservancy staff and volunteers undertake on our properties, easements, and with private landowners in the Couchiching Region.
With the snow disappearing, it’s a great time to get out and explore our region’s forests as they get ready for another growing season.
It’s a funny thing to think of a smell when you’re listing the things that make you want to live in a place. But for me, the scent of a place matters.
I am often asked how to differentiate between a Downy and Hairy Woodpecker, as for many new to Bird watching it seems to be a bit of a challenge. It need not be, even though they do look much alike.
Bill Grant left Grant’s Woods, a 52 acre forest in Orillia, Ontario, to The Couchiching Conservancy in memory of his brother Jack. When Bill passed away some months ago, he left another legacy to the Conservancy.
For a decade now the Conservancy has been building fences on the properties we manage to keep cattle out of streams, and then creating alternative watering sources for cattle to access. We’ve also been helping other ranchers in the area to do the same.
