CONTENTS

NEWS FROM MEMBER GROUPS

• Carden Challenge A Success
• FrogFest Niagara 2008
• A Code of Conduct for Birders
• In Praise of Hard Work
• Keep the Wonder Alive
• Be a Part of Members’ Insights
• Endangered Birds Nest Again at Sauble Beach
• Are you still looking for something to do outdoors?

NEWS FROM MEMBER GROUPS

The 4th annual Carden Challenge was great, though the weather was not. An impressive 147 species were observed.

A few notable notes from the data:

• very few kestrals this year, and no accipiters at all recorded.
• swallows in general seem down in numbers, and no one got a purple martin.
• 12 new species recorded, a few of which are likely late migrants (Least Sandpiper, Blackpoll Warblers, Black-bellied Plover) but others such as Great Horned and Saw-whet Owls don't fit that category. At least two new species - Blue-winged Warbler and Moorhen, tend to be more southern so may be signs of northward range expansions.

The team totals were as follows:

Total raised = $18,300

Congratulations to everyone involved, and a special thanks to our Celebrity Birder this year, Ethan Meleg. And thanks again for raising funds for conservation of Carden's great bird habitats. I hope we will see you again next year.

I really believe that many people don’t make the connection between the local environment and their lives. Reading about something in the newspaper, or seeing it on TV, often has no personal meaning. There are 3 local clubs that have helped me make that connection; The Bert Miller Nature Club of Fort Erie, The Niagara Falls Nature Club and The Peninsula Field Naturalists. Thus the concept of a nature festival in Niagara came to be. Its goal was simply to connect people to nature in a natural setting. Although the focus was on children, it was difficult to tell who the children were from the interest shown by many adults.

Two comments taken from a local newspaper (Niagara This Week) show one family’s connection. “For 8-year-old Veja Lianga, handling a crayfish is kind of like grasping a feather,” and “It's another opportunity to give the kids a new experience,” said Veja's mother, Lina.”

In its inaugural year FrogFest Niagara offered special programming for the local schools and 15 local nature clubs and organizations came together to help host a special family day. Their involvement ranged from setting up and explaining displays, donating materials, answering question, conducting guided hikes, doing short presentations, conducting activities which included children’s crafts, or even cooking hamburgers and hotdogs.

A special thanks goes to Dan Bouwman, the founder/president of the Heartland Forest initiative. This project is a good example of positive actions that charitable organizations and individuals can take. First of all, 93 acres of land in Niagara Falls has been deemed an environmentally protected wetland area. In addition, all facilities are constructed so that they are accessible to all people including those using wheelchairs, walkers or strollers (which opened the doors for many at FrogFest). Of special note is the accessible 2.5 km trail system, and the treehouse which is a great birding area. Lastly, educational programming is available to all schools, groups, and the general public.

Helping others make the nature connection can only bring forth positive results, so a special thanks goes to all naturalists that do so.

The Birds Committee of the Ottawa Field Naturalists Club (OFNC) has produced a document that outlines a Code of Conduct for Birders. The preparation of the document is the result of reports from many birders in the Ottawa area that have become increasingly alarmed by the behaviour of a minority of people towards birds. This has been particularly evident in this past winter in relation to some Snowy Owls.

This code is the result of discussions among the OFNC committee and representatives of one of the local photography clubs, some of whose members are involved in photographing wild birds. The input from photographers has broadened the focus of this code and, hopefully, made it of greater use to people outside of the birding community whose activities might have an impact on birds during high stress times in their lives. In recognition of the fact that this problem is not confined to the Ottawa area, the OFNC have made this code available to other clubs that do not yet have such a code and that may be interested in adopting it or a modified version of it. Please contact your Ontario Nature Regional Coordinator to receive a copy of this document.

Together with the MNR and the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RCVA) a celebration is being planned on Friday, June 20th, at 11:00am to recognize the habitat refurbishment projects that have been completed at the Perth Wildlife Reserve and to introduce the Rideau Valley Field Naturalists Butterfly Garden. A commemorative bench will be dedicated and signs declaring the garden as a Monarch Way station and a Certified Backyard Habitat will be unveiled.

A few weeks ago, just after the snow started to melt, I donned my red rubber boots and trudged through my backyard toward the wooded area. Melting snow means vernal pools full of amazing little critters. My sense of excitement made me wonder “Here I am, a grown up, fast approaching fifty, a college science professor teaching biology and chemistry, and I am still trudging around in my rubber boots poking around in pools of water.”

I have been exploring water with a sense of purpose since I was seven, and probably with reckless abandon since I could walk. Not much has changed except the size of the boots. I still feel a sense of wonder at all there is to be seen around me – big, small and all sizes in between.

I am lucky to be part of a community that appreciates and embraces my sense of wonder. I am able to share with my students, my colleagues, my family, and most often my friends in the nature club. My fellow nature lovers are a constant reminder to me that I am not alone in my sense of wonder. Their enthusiasm for nature is a constant inspiration to Keep the Wonder Alive.

We are trying something different next spring, and you are invited to be part of it. We'll call it Members' Insights, an evening where, instead of a speaker, we'll feature short photographic presentations by several of our own members of some aspect of nature. Keep that in mind over the summer, as you capture various visual treasures and just wish you could share them. Our March 2009 meeting will be your opportunity.

For the first time in 36 years both Sauble Beach and Wasaga Beach have endangered piping plovers nesting along their sandy shores.

Last year one pair nested successfully at north Sauble, raising three young. The pair returned to Sauble and now is incubating three eggs after a predator removed eggs from two earlier nesting attempts. "I am impressed at the tenacity of the pair and how they've seemingly recovered from the predation of two earlier nests," said Stewart Nutt, piping plover project co-ordinator at Sauble. "We're looking forward to a second summer with these birds."

At both Sauble and Wasaga, an area surrounding the nesting birds has been cordoned off with snow fencing and rope. Volunteers are providing surveillance. Wire cages that the plovers can hop through but deny larger avian and other predators access, have been erected over the three nest sites.

“South Bruce Peninsula and local landowners have been fully supportive,” said Nutt. The north beach has not been groomed, allowing natural flotsam to accumulate at the water's edge where the birds often feed.

Volunteer observers at both beaches are needed to help monitor the birds. For Sauble, contact Stewart Nutt at (519) 372-8588. For Wasaga call Jessica Jackson at (519) 429-2516.

Piping plovers have also been spotted nesting at Oliphant Fen this month.

Ontario Nature’s Nature Almanac will keep you posted on upcoming events and activities from our member groups across Ontario. Go to http://www.ontarionature.org/network/naturealmanac.php to find activities in your area.

NEWS FROM NATURE NETWORK

Thank you to the individuals who have had added their names to our Advocate for Nature list. Please help to spread the word about the Advocate for Nature email list - you could post this in your newsletter, share it with your members at the next meeting, announce it at your next Board of Directors meeting or make a presentation at your Annual General Meeting. Every little bit helps!

In May 2008 we had 35 new subscribers to our Advocate for Nature email list. We now have 1837 Advocates for Nature.

To add your name online, copy and paste this link in your web browser or click here http://www.ontarionature.org/news/archive.php?type=action.

Butterflies add simple beauty and wonder to a garden. As we learn about the lifecycle of butterflies, the native plants that they feed on and their predators, we gain insight into their complexity and importance to our natural world.

To enjoy butterflies to their fullest you really need to understand their life cycle. It unfolds in three stages:

• During the larva stage the butterfly is a caterpillar and it eats tender leaves. It is often associated with garden pests at this stage because it can cause considerable damage. However, each species has its lunch preferences. For example, the monarch butterfly larva eats only butterfly weed leaves.
• The chrysalis stage is when the caterpillar spins a cocoon and transforms into a butterfly. At this stage it doesn't eat anything.
• The butterfly is the adult stage. This is when it gets interesting. A butterfly lives only to reproduce. To survive it drinks flower nectar. Some species live only a few days, while others, like the monarch, undertake a long migration to Mexico for the winter.

If you want butterflies to share your garden, you have to create a butterfly-friendly environment, which means one that tolerates a few caterpillars. You can't have butterflies without caterpillars.

Butterflies are often considered a barometer of environmental deterioration. They are very sensitive to pesticides, so if you want to attract them into your garden, opt for non-toxic maintenance products.

Don't forget that not only are butterflies beautiful, they are also very useful. They represent an important link in the food chain for birds.

Landscaping to Attract Butterflies:

• Choose a sunny location, protected from the wind by trees, shrubs, or a mass of flowers.
• Make sure you have a variety of shrubs that will produce nectar for the butterflies and leaves for the caterpillars.
• Plant nectar-producing flowers in a half circle, 1.5 to 2 m deep, so that the taller plants are at the back.
• Distribute your colours starting with the darker colours on the sides and work the lighter colours towards the centre. Scatter in a few contrasting plants to liven up the scene.

Nectar-Producing Plants that Butterflies Love:

• Shrubs:
  • Butterfly bush
  • Lilac
  • Spirea
• Perennials:
  • Aster
  • Bee balm
  • Common yarrow
  • Daisy
  • Eupatorium
  • Garden phlox
  • Golden rod
  • Lavender
  • Milkweed
  • Mint
  • Purple coneflower
  • Black-eyed Susans
  • Sedum
• Annuals:
  • Bachelor's button
  • Borage
  • Cosmos
  • Lantana
  • Marigold
  • Nicotiana
  • Petunia
  • Sunflower
  • Zinnia

For additional information http://www.rona.ca/content/butterfly-gardens_theme-gardens_horticulture

NEWS FROM ONTARIO NATURE

ON Nature has received two National Magazine Awards recently! One was for Cecily Ross's feature, "What the woods taught me," and a second for an illustration by Marco Cibola in the Winter 2007/08 issue. Congratulations everyone!

The ON Nature magazine is one of the many benefits of being a member of Ontario Nature. To learn more about membership benefits http://www.ontarionature.org/support/benefits.html.

Thank you to the Carden Nature Festival and especially the Steering Committee with representatives from Couchiching Conservancy, Carden Plain Important Bird Area, Carden Field Naturalist Club, Orillia Naturalist Club, Kawartha Field Naturalist Club and the City Of Kawartha Lakes.

The 77th Annual General Meeting was held on June 7th in conjunction with the Carden Nature Festival in Kirkfield. There were 348 attendees at the festival and over 125 people at the AGM. The Youth program was a great success with 26 youth participating in a fun filled day of nature activities.

A summary of happenings at the AGM will be in July’s Nature Network News!

A big “thank you” to the Kawartha Field Naturalists and the Saugeen Field Naturalists for making Volunteer for Nature’s second annual amphibian survey a fantastic success. On May 9th - 11th and May 16th - 18th, nearly a dozen volunteers joined Ontario Nature conservation staff and local experts at our Altberg and Kinghurst nature reserves to conduct a spring salamander, frog and toad count. Notable finds include the rarely seen Four-toed salamander at Kinghurst Nature Reserve.

NEWS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

Saturday July 19th, 2008
8:30am to 4:00pm (Stream Team Leaders)
11:30am to 4:00pm (Stream Team Members)
Taking place in Cobourg Creek and Bronte Creek watersheds

Throw on your rubber boots or hip waders and explore your watershed!

"Check Your Watershed Day" is an annual, one day event where you can get your feet wet and learn first hand about your watershed. This year, the third annual event is taking place in Cobourg Creek and Bronte Creek.

On this day, Stream Teams check for the flow of water in small streams at stream crossings. Using methods from the Ontario Stream Assessment Protocol, this information helps to build a better understanding of how water is moving throughout the watershed.

Bring your family and friends to create your own Stream Team or meet some new people by joining other Stream Teams. Register today as a Stream Team Leader or Member!

Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

For more information visit www.citizensenvironmentwatch.org or http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=217733702&u=2252800 or email joyce@citizensenvironmentwatch.org or call Laura at 647-258-3280 x2004.

Check Your Watershed Day 2008 is a partnership between Citizens' Environment Watch, Ganaraska Conservation, Conservation Halton and the Community Stream Steward Program. Project support has been provided by the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation and the George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation.

The Waterfront Regeneration Trust’s first annual end-to-end tour of the Waterfront Trail is set for July 4th-11th this summer. The Tour will pass through 41 communities from Niagara-on-the-Lake to the Quebec border using the Waterfront Trail and Greenway.

The ride begins in McFarland Park, Niagara-on-the-Lake on July 4th at 9 am. At the sound of a cannon blast from Fort George riders will set out on their 8-day waterfront journey.

The Waterfront Regeneration Trust is a registered charity that co-ordinates a partnership of waterfront communities, conservation authorities, community groups and corporations dedicated to the completion, enhancement and promotion of the Waterfront Trail and Greenway.

For more information visit www.waterfronttrail.org.

Wednesday July 9th, 2008
Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve Offices
Reynolds Road and Thousand Islands Parkway

On Wednesday July 9th, as the cyclists pedal their way from Kingston to Johnstown, as part of the end-to-end tour of the Waterfront Trail, the St. Lawrence Parks Commission, the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands and Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve (FABR) will jointly host a refreshment stop at the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve offices located on the Thousand Islands Parkway Bicycle Path at Reynolds Road. Everyone is welcome to join us!

After a smashing success in Quebec, the Group Ecosphere will hold the first edition of its environmental fair August 2nd and 3rd, 2008, in Ottawa.

Group Ecosphere and the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum invite you to display your products and services during the Project Ecosphere in the Environmental and Green Building Fair. The enchanting Cumberland Heritage Museum is a prime location to attract the 4,000 visitors expected over the two days. A highly ambitious marketing plan will allow us to reach our objective.

Visit the Project Ecosphere website at www.projectecosphere.org to fill out the registration form.

For more information contact Éric Ferland at e.ferland@projetecosphere.org or call (450) 298-1441.

Climate change is affecting every part of our world. Ontario’s Plant A Tree Challenge encourages people to plant trees to fight climate change.

Did you know that planting just one tree makes a difference to our province and our planet?

Trees clean the air, store carbon, increase wildlife habitat, provide shade, and prevent flooding.

Ontario’s goal is to plant 50 million trees by 2020. And, if we all lend a hand, we know we can accomplish even more.

For more information visit http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/ClimateChange/2ColumnSubPage/STEL02_200789.html

Drinking Water Open Houses are being hosted around the Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Region throughout the month of June. You can learn more about the Clean Water Act and what your local municipality and Source Protection Committee are doing to keep your drinking water supply clean, safe and plentiful.

June 18th — North Grenville Municipal Centre, 285 County Road #44, Kemptville
June 19th — Westport Senior’s Hall, 30 Bedford Street, Westport

For more information on Source Protection, visit www.mrsourcewater.ca or contact Sommer Casgrain-Robertson at 613-692-3571 or 1-800-267-3504 ext. 1147 or sommer.robertson@mrsourcewater.ca.

July 12th and 13th, 2008 Lanark

Join us July 12 th and 13 th for the 5th Annual Art of Being Green Festival as we celebrate renewable energy, sustainable building, local food and green lifestyles. This year’s festival is expected to attract over 4,500 people and will be promoted in media throughout Ontario and beyond.

For more information or to register visit www.artofbeinggreen.ca or call email green@lanarkhighlands.ca.

Are you looking to recognize individuals in your club who have made significant contributions in or to the conservation movement in Ontario? Each year the Conservation Pioneer Award honours five individuals who have done just that at the A.D. Latornell Conservation Symposium. Organizations and agencies involved in conservation such as conservation authorities, universities, not-for-profit organizations, and government agencies can make one nomination per year for the Conservation Pioneer Awards.

A small biography (no longer than 2 pages) answering the following three questions must be included with the nomination form.

• What are the nominee's accomplishments (both professionally and/or in a volunteer capacity) to the (local and/or provincial and/or national) conservation community?
• How long has the nominee been involved in (local and/or provincial and/or national) conservation issues and what actions has he or she taken to protect and/or promote land and water conservation?
• How has the nominee's work helped to inspire young people in the conservation field? Additional information, letters and news clippings, and awards may be attached to the nomination.

What They Receive
Conservation Pioneers will be honoured at the Pioneer Luncheon, Thursday, November 20th, 2008 where they will receive plaques for their contributions.

Nomination Deadlines
Nominations should be made to the Latornell Symposium Steering Committee no later than June 27th, 2008.

Please Send Nominations to:
A.D. Latornell Symposium
c/o Steering Committee
Conservation Ontario
Box 11, 120 Bayview Parkway
Newmarket, ON L3Y 4W3
Tel.: 905-895-0716 ext. 27
Fax: 905-895-0751
http://www.latornell.ca/pioneer/

The A.D. Latornell Conservation Symposium Grant was established in memory of A.D. Latornell to provide support for students and active members of the conservation community so that they may attend the annual A.D. Latornell Conservation Symposium. Eligibility is determined on the basis of the criteria outlined below. The funds are the result of the Symposium Dream Auction coordinated by the Steering Committee.

• Grant includes: one 3 day registration package, including conference meals, and 2 nights accommodations at the Nottawasaga Inn. Transportation is not included.
• Grant applicants may be students or people affiliated with an Ontario not-for profit/community conservation organization.

What principles guide the grant award?

• Applicants must be able to declare and demonstrate that without the grant they would be unable to attend the symposium.
• Successful applicants must commit to full symposium attendance.

Who is eligible?

1. Student - must be registered in an Ontario university or college.
2. Someone affiliated with an Ontario not-for profit/community conservation organization – must demonstrate need.
3. Generally applicants should be living, working or studying in Ontario. Up to two grants may be made available for non-Ontario applicants that are students at a Canadian university or college or are affiliated with a Canadian not-for profit/community conservation organization.
4. Past grant recipients may apply; however, first time applicants will be considered first.
5. Priority may be given to applicants from organizations, universities or colleges that have not previously participated.
6. If the grant program is over-subscribed no more than two participants from any one organization, university or college may receive grants.

How to apply?

To apply for grant support, you must comprehensively address each of the following:

1. Full name, address, phone number, and e-mail address, including affiliation required.
2. Explanation of why grant should be given; for example
   
   Specific acquisition of information and knowledge based on the 2007 Latornell Conservation Symposium outline?
   • Specific relevance to ongoing studies or work?
   • Specific networking opportunities?
   • Other?
3. Explanation of expectations; for example,
   • Learning from specific experts?
   • Meeting specific practitioners?
   • Interaction with specific workshop speakers?
   • Discussion with specific exhibitors?
   • Discussion with specific potential employers?
   • Other?
4. Contribution to the Symposium by applicant; for example,
   • Participation at workshops?
   • Completion of conference evaluations?
   • Other?
5. Grant application completeness and presentation quality.
6. Must meet application deadline of September 26th, 2008.
7. Receiving funding or support to attend from another source?
8. Have you or your organization received an A.D. Latornell Conservation Symposium grant before (Yes/No)? If yes, for which Year(s)?

References required, including contact permission:

1. If a student - letter of recommendation from a supervising professor, including contact information.
2. If from a not-for profit/community conservation organization - letter of support from the organization head, including contact information.

Where to send application and references?

Please send application information and references via email, regular mail or by fax to:
A.D. Latornell Conservation Symposium Steering Committee
c/o Tony Buszynski
Chairman, A.D. Latornell Conservation Symposium
Grant Sub-Committee
Conservation Ontario
PO Box 11, 120 Bayview Parkway
Newmarket, Ontario L3Y 4W3
Fax: (905) 895-0751
Email: info@conservation-ontario.on.ca
www.latornell.ca/grant.html

Application Deadline: September 26 th, 2008 – Successful applicants will be notified by October 10th, 2008.

UPCOMING NATURE NETWORK NEWS DEADLINES

The next issue of the Nature Network News will be sent on July 15th. Submissions will be accepted until July 1st. Please send articles to clarem@ontarionature.org.

Ontario Nature publishes the Ontario Nature Network News every month with contributions from its staff and member groups.