OSFN Programs
Please note that all Programs, and schedules are subject to change. To avoid disappointment, please check with this site for updates and changes to dates, speakers, locations, etc. We thank you for your understanding in these matters.
Download our 2025/26 Schedule (pdf, 286kb)
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Dr.Sonja Ostertag: Belugas ’Qilalugaq’ in the Arctic
March 8, 2018 @ 7:00 pm
The annual migration of beluga whales, called qilalugaq in Inuvialuktun, presents an important opportunity for subsistence harvesting by the Inuvialuit of the western Canadian Arctic, and for collaborative study on how environmental change may impact this species, plus unique insight for research and co-management.
About Sonja:
Sonja Ostertag grew up in Owen Sound, Ontario where she attended Victoria Public School, Hillcrest Elementary School and West Hill Secondary School. Sonja was drawn to environmental sciences from a young age and began her studies in Montreal at McGill University’s School of Environment, with a focus on the intersection between environmental and human health. Following a semester abroad in Panama, Sonja began her Masters of Science at McGill University and then continued her toxicology studies during her PhD at the University of Northern BC in Prince George, BC. In 2013, Sonja relocated to Winnipeg, MB for her postdoctoral fellowship on beluga whales at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Sonja now lives in Owen Sound where she is raising her family and continuing her postdoctoral research remotely.
OSFN Indoor Meetings are normally held on the second Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at the Bayshore Community Centre, 1900 3rd Ave E Owen Sound. There are no Indoor Meetings in July and August. Please see the individual event listings below for more details.
We invite speakers with a wide range of expertise from Grey/Bruce and other parts of the province. These evenings are open to the public. The auditorium is open by 6:30. The meeting gets under way at 7:00, and may include brief announcements by other organizations as well as OSFN club activities, club business, social time, nature sightings and reports.
The club also offers a full schedule of outdoor activities during the year. Through these outings, members learn more about the birds, plants, mammals and geology of this part of Ontario. We also keep a protective eye on our precious natural areas.