Neighbourwoods North is a new Owen Sound organization that initiates and maintains important tree planting projects in our City. This Spring, they are involved in a very large planting of trees at our hospital and we are seeking the assistance of many volunteers on Saturday, April 28, May 5th, 12th, and 19th. Can you help?
Building a Hospital Forest
Location: Northwest corner of the Owen Sound Hospital
Time:Saturdays, 9:00am- noon
When:
April 28- Hand planting a line of 80 white spruce to protect from wind
May 5- Hand planting 2000 seedlings
May 12- Hand planting 2000 seedlings……..continued
May 19- Machine dug planting of 40 crabapple trees
How:
Email Lloyd, rhiandlloyd@gmail.com or 226 256 8804, and state which day or days you will be able to assist.
Dress for the weather
If possible, bring a shovel, rake and even a wheel barrow.
Refreshments provided by the hospital
A parking pass will be provided
Pass this message onto your friends……we need many volunteers!
World Earth Day – April 22
Together, we can make a big impact to our community
PS ………We need a lot of trees to create a forest……..might you have a seedling, a bush, or a tree sapling you can donate?
Map of planned plantings (click for a larger version).
A version of this column appeared in the OS Sun Times on Thursday April 5, 2018.
March Tracking Outing
The Owen Sound Field Naturalists club offered an Interpretive Late Winter Tracking Hike with Jeff Kinchen, on Saturday March 3rd. Even though the snowcover in the open areas had diminished somewhat by then, there was plenty of snow in the woods and lots of evidence of wildlife activity, if you just knew what to look for, as did hike leader Jeff Kinchen. In addition to the partially covered skunk carcass seen the previous week by our Young Naturalists club, there were plenty of tracks from deer, and red squirrels, as well as scat from Ruffed Grouse, and raccoon.
Jeff explaining behavior of animals. (Photo By John Dickson)
Porcupines will spend days or weeks in the same tree. (Photo By John Dickson)
Skunk carcass. (Photo By John Dickson)
Although some like to think of the porcupine as a pest, destroying economically valuable trees, after successfully locating a porcupine high above us, Kinchen reminded everyone that the porcupine helps to feed the other forest creatures, by nibbling a few tasty bits near the top of a tree, and then dropping the rest below, providing an otherwise inaccessible smorgasbord of nutritious, tender branches, needles, and shavings for the rabbits, deer and others to browse when there is little else for them to find to eat in winter. In addition, some animal species prefer, or even require, dead trees for their nesting habitat and food sources.
March Indoor Meeting
On Thursday March 8, Dr. Sonja Ostertag presented an engaging talk and slideshow about the migration of the Beluga whales in the North West of Canada, including aspects of the research she and her colleagues have been doing, on the health of the whales, and the impacts of pollution and climate change. The audience appreciated learning about how she was able to combine the responsibilities and opportunities of a young family, with her work, and the chance to form meaningful relationships with the Inuit who live there and rely on the beluga whales as an important food source.
Dr. Sonja Ostertag,
At that same club meeting, those present endorsed OSFN President Kate McLaren’s continued efforts to find a balanced, long term solution for ensuring the health and viability of habitat for the Piping Plovers, plus the Dune ecosystem of Sauble Beach. McLaren actively pursued a cooperative solution, consulting with other groups and experts, and advocating a negotiated settlement and a long term programme of habitat and dune protection, compatible with all of the beach users.
March Young Field Naturalists’ Outing
On Sunday March 28, the Young Naturalists Club met at Harrison Park. Director Brian Robin reported that “Professional Potter (and OSFN President too) Kate McLaren led the youngsters and some adults, through a Toad Abode workshop, and helped them make shelters for their toady pals. Kate will be firing and returning their creations at the next Young Nats meeting. It was pretty astonishing watching Kate work and shape the clay so effortlessly, you’d almost think she’d done it once or twice before.”
Kate preparing the clay. (Photo By Brian Robin)
Some of the Young Field Nats’ creations. (Photo By Brian Robin)
Our Toad houses will put a smile on any American Toad. Maybe??? (Photo By Brian Robin)
Afterwards, the Young Naturalists went outside on a guided hike in the park with OSFN director Brian Robin, exploring the Weaver Creek trail.
NeighbourWoods North Update
NeighbourWoods North is continuing its preparations for Spring Tree Planting programmes at the site of the Grey Bruce Regional Health Centre in Owen Sound. It is expected that most of the work will take place on three consecutive Saturdays starting with April 21. When the planting proposals and the availability of the selected tree species, are confirmed, public announcements will be made to recruit volunteers to assist with the project.
April Indoor Meeting
On Thursday April 12, in the auditorium of the Owen Sound and North Grey Union Public Library, Dan Ostler will explain about “The Day Your Life Changed – Climate Change circa 535 AD” and how a natural phenomenon happening then, provided an excellent opportunity to observe the effects of climate change. In this presentation, he will follow the ripples of this event across the face of our earth.
Dan Ostler graduated in Biophysics from the University of Waterloo and pursued a career in medical radiation physics. Working in the areas of forefront research and product design, Dan traveled internationally, staging leading-edge seminars focusing on the implications of the latest medical imaging advances.
In retirement, he has pursued his interest in the science behind the phenomena of nature and the cascading effect of these interactions on the course of history.
Dan Ostler
Earth Day Presentation SOLD OUT!
On April 22, the OSFN presents its third annual Earth Day Keynote address. This year we are featuring Canada’s Adam Shoalts aboard the MS Chi-Cheemaun, speaking about his 4000km solo journey across northern Canada last summer, and of his love for Nature. Ticket sales for this event were very strong, and on March 29, it was announced that the event had been sold out to capacity. Thanks to everyone who purchased tickets and we’ll see you on Earth Day! This Celebration of Earth Day, is once again sponsored by Caframo.
Ontario Nature Youth Summit
OSFN plans to sponsor two high school students to attend the Ontario Nature Youth Summit, scheduled this year for September 21 – 23 at Geneva Park near Orillia. Invitations have been sent to many high schools in our area, urging keen students of environmental science programmes or with an interest in learning about Nature, who would still be in high school in the fall of 2018, to send us a letter of interest, addressed to info@osfn.ca by April 30, 2018.
In recent years there has been a plethora of mystery books with nature themes, and birds, in particular. The Birdwatcher, by William Shaw and published in 2017 by Mulholland Books, in addition to its story lines involving uprooting human families migrating like some of the birds, seeking new environs (read habitat) will introduce you to the south shore of England, and some of the waterfowl to be found there, plus a few inland birds nearby. Another of my favourite writers, Sam Llewellyn was introduced to me about three decades ago as the Dick Francis of Sailing. It was only in some of his later books that I started to notice his inclusion of nature and environment themes and species details, while spinning his elegant narratives. I heartily recommend Llewellyn’s writing and his most recent mystery book Black Fish, to introduce you to some of the environmental issues around sustainable fish quotas, and of course, the challenges and rewards of sailing. An earlier book of his, the Sea Garden, relates the personalities and stages of development around a grand Victorian style garden, whose owners were sometimes able to acquire some of the exotic plants that had been promised to Kew. I am sure many of our local gardeners will recognize many or all of the flowers and plants, along with the local sea creatures and birds, in south west England.
To close off – a quote from the late Freeman Boyd –
“Every time you learn more about nature, that just adds to your appreciation, and your concern.”
We at the Owen Sound Field Naturalists once again this year, plan to sponsor two local high school students to attend the Ontario Nature Youth Summit (value $350. each) September 21-23, 2018 at the YMCA Geneva Park, Orillia.
Keen students of environmental science programmes or with an interest in learning about Nature, who would still be in high school in the fall of 2018, should send us a letter of interest, addressed to info@osfn.caby April 30, 2018.
We will make a selection after that date, based on the writers’ expressed study/career plans and interests, and availability for this time period, etc.
We look forward to seeing two more local students, energized with learning and motivation, return from a Youth Summit weekend, as have local students in the past. For more info visit:
We are passing on a message from Nikki May, Saugeen Nature
A week ago Monday, West Grey Council approved Sunday hunting in the municipality with no public input, other than a deputation of hunters. A prepared motion was brought forward to council after hearing the hunting deputation, voted on and passed.
The Friends of Camp Oliver Forest, who are alert for issues that affect the public enjoyment of the forest, learned of this issue when the agenda was released the previous Friday. They attended the council meeting and saw this proceed, but were unable to make comments until the end of the meeting.
The concerns are two-fold – Sunday hunting now means that there are no days on weekends when forests are potentially free from the presence of hunters, so those who enjoy the forests for their natural features and tranquility have to be aware of the potential presence of hunters in public forests in all hunting seasons – there are many. This issue will soon be true in West Grey. It is already true in some other municipalitie in Grey. The second concern in West Grey is the surreptitious method by which council brought this forward, without allowing input from the public.
The broader issue in Grey County is that hunting is allowed in many County Forests. In municipaliites where Sunday hunting is allowed, this means that there are no days free from potential hunting activities in the County Forests. For those of you who use the County Forests, there is a new recreational trails plan being prepared by Grey County. Hunting has not been raised as an issue in the discussions of this plan, but it is not too late to express your concerns.
Write to Scott Taylor at scott.taylor@grey.ca to express your concerns about hunting in the Grey County Forests.
Everyone – email Grey County Planning – Scott Taylor, Senior Planner, wants to hear any concerns about hunting – it’s not too late to influence the Recreational Trails Master Plan – you can choose to fwd your West Grey email to Scott or craft a new email
I’m hoping to enlist the help of citizens close to Sauble Beach!
The local MNRF supervisor has urged anyone to report raking, bulldozing, or heavy equipment operations on the beach. With the Phragmites issue it is imperative that the sand not be tilled as it will further propagate this most invasive species – you probably know this already!
Removing sand from around benches and playground equipment is allowed without applying for an MNRF permit but raking, tilling, etc. is definitely not.
If heavy equipment appears to be encroaching on the beach there are two numbers to call. One is the MNRF office in Owen Sound at 519-371-6751. The other is available 24/7. It’s the MNRF TIPS line, for reporting infractions at 1-877-847-7667.
Thank you,
Kate McLaren
Owen Sound Field Naturalists President
