Another hot week in September, on top of the hottest summer on record, is yet another reminder of the relentless changes in the Earth’s climate.
Washago blessed with the “smell of green”
That quality likely comes from the degree of forest cover we still enjoy. A 2012 report from Trees Ontario, called A Healthy Dose of Green: a prescription for a healthy population, underlines the value of that cover.
Tim-brrrr – exploring the Kris Starr Sanctuary
The Kris Starr Sanctuary is a mixture of alvar and Canadian Shield, with a diverse variety of species. The Head Rivers runs through a section of the property, and to the north, the property connects to the Queen Elizabeth II Provincial Park creating a vast wildlife corridor. Learn about the history of the property here.
Conservancy volunteers building for the future
Conservancy volunteers help us to grow and build for the future – by contributing their time to assist with the office renovation and by attending community events on our behalf.
Protecting our lake’s lifelines
Headwaters are like the foundation of a building, and if they are compromised, so is the entire watershed. If the headwater stream stays cold year-round, it is of primary importance because it provides the larger, lower portions of the river with a steady base flow of clean water.
We have a group of volunteers testing these headwaters through a Water Quality Project.
Renovation: Growing & ‘Greening’ for the Future
The office is currently under construction! Thanks to a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and a legacy gift from Bill Grant, we are greening & growing the office. We’ll update this post to share updates and pictures of the renovations.
Bobolink Project with Earth Rangers Wrap Up
In partnership with Earth Rangers, we were able to help the Bobolinks by doing a research and monitoring project.
Turkey Vultures: “The Clean-up Crew”
Turkey vultures have not been our summer visitors for many years. Learn about this unique bird, behaviour and more in this Bird Watching article.
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.