This blog post was written by Nature Canada guest blogger Robin Wakelin.
Dog strangling vine has been taking over Southern Ontario for years. This invasive species, also known as swallowwort, poses big problems for Ontario’s wildlife and anyone who enjoys being out in nature. While the name might bring to mind ‘Little Shop of Horrors’, I don’t think there are any reports of this plant actually harming pets. Yet as I walked my medium-sized dog through a nearby conservation area, it’s near impossible for her to avoid the large patches. The vines grow several feet high and have made my normal walking paths feel like Jungle territory in a matter of weeks since the warm weather hit. I watched the vines wrap around her legs and occasionally trip her and I could see how a small dog could potentially get stuck, so it’s definitely something to be aware of.
However, the strangling nature of these vines pertains more to nearby plants and small trees, suffocating native flora and quickly taking over any available land. Not only a threat to native plants, deer and other grazing animals avoid dog-strangling vine, which means less food for them as well as more pressure on the plants they do eat. The monarch butterfly, a species already at risk in Ontario, is also further threatened as their larvae are not able to survive on these plants.[1]
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This blog is written by Steve Gahbauer, who has been regularly contributing Nature Notes for many years.
Eastern Meadowlark, photo by Connie VanderZwaag Kiers.[/caption]
One hope for the preservation of grassland birds will be farmers who adjust their hay harvest times to the nesting times of birds. For decades, nesting Bobolinks and Eastern Meadowlarks have been on a collision course with farm tractors and livestock, contributing to drastic population declines among these birds. Ontario’s Bobolink numbers have plummeted 77% since 1970. While grassland birds seek a place to hatch and rear their young, farmers are scything down hay fields with their mowers and have cattle grazing on bird breeding grounds. The consequences are usually disastrous for the birds. But now, some farmers are steering a new course, hoping to reverse the slide.
They attempt to revise their times for harvesting hay in June – the height of nesting time for grassland birds – and by implementing more rational grazing. Keeping mowers and livestock out of fields until mid-July, when young birds have fledged, is a good idea, but it creates another dilemma for farmers: lower quality hay and animal welfare costs. Milk cows demand higher levels of protein than other livestock, so dairy farmers must cut hay more frequently to harvest fodder that is less mature and higher in protein. They also opt for high protein species, such as alfalfa, which is poorer habitat for Bobolinks. Efforts to maintain grassland are beneficial not only to Bobolinks and Meadowlarks, but also to Field Sparrows, Savannah Sparrows, Upland Sandpipers, Eastern Kingbirds, Kestrels, Northern Harriers and Short-eared Owls.
Polar Bear, photo by Michelle Valberg[/caption]
Shrinking pack ice and longer, warmer summers are forcing Polar Bears to move south. One has even come on land in Newfoundland in June. There are between 25,000 and 30,000 Polar Bears in the world, of which about 15,000 live in Canada.
Females give birth about once every two years and normally have twin cubs. The average life span of these wonderful animals is 15 to 18 years. This average is now reduced due to human activities and climate change.
Monarch Butterfly, photo by Diane Gelink[/caption]
A recent report by COSEWIC, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, stated that Monarch butterflies are at high risk of disappearing forever and raised their status from “special concern” to “endangered.” The report says the status change is due to the impacts of ongoing habitat loss in the Monarch’s wintering grounds in Mexico, coupled with increasing destruction of milkweed caterpillar breeding habitat and nectar plants. The precipitous decline in North America’s Monarch butterfly population of up to 90% has unfolded since the widespread use of pesticides and herbicides.
The good news is that Nature Canada, among other environmental organization, are taking action to protect Monarch Butterfly populations.
Humpback Whale, photo by Tobias Brueckner[/caption]
Many whale species are endangered by the consequences of human activities and climate change, especially the orcas on Canada’s west coast. There are three main causes for their decreasing numbers: starvation, water contamination, and underwater noise. Overfishing of Chinook salmon has reduced the orcas’ primary food source, requiring them to travel farther for less food. Pesticides in the water concentrate in their bodies because orcas are at the apex of the predatory food chain. And ship propellers and engine noise from tanker traffic interferes with their echolocation of prey.
Increasingly, many whales are becoming entangled in fishing and lobster trap lines. They suffer injuries, are being maimed, and often drown. Several species of large whales in the Northwest Atlantic are under endangered species legislation, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau launched a $1.5 billion Ocean Protection Plan, starting a new and much needed commitment to protect marine mammals.
We are an integral part of nature and are sustained by it; we share our planet with all other creatures. Wildlife and humans will always conflict where and when their interests intersect. We have to understand that it is our destiny to be intertwined with the natural world. But it is important to address the growing disconnect between people and the natural world. Taking better care of the natural world encompasses conservation initiatives. Support for conservation is stronger when we care about places and their natural values.
Help fight for nature in Canada today by supporting Nature Canada as we fight to protect wildlife species from coast, to coast, to coast.
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This blog was written by Halima Sadia, a public relations student from Algonquin College and intern at Nature Canada.
Newfoundland is known for its historical WWII shipwrecks that were sunk over 70 years ago by the German army. They serve as a time capsule to remind us of our great history as you swim by some original artifacts and vibrant soft corals. Ocean Quest Adventures is offering a once in a lifetime chance to dive in the majestic Bell Island Shipwrecks and the abandoned but not forgotten Bell Island Mine, snorkel with Humpback Whales and dolphins, and to explore the hidden gems of Eastern Canadian landscape.
This year all Nature Canada Photo Contest participants will have the chance to win some amazing prizes donated by our generous sponsors, including a grand prize from Ocean Quest Adventures! Winner gets a multi day adventure package including Ocean Safari and Coastal Close Encounters! You can explore true Canadian wilderness in Newfoundland with 5 nights of accommodations and 7 days of adventures valued at $2,500.
We are so pleased to work along Ocean Quest because of their constant dedication and efforts to conserve and protect the environment and the marine resources and remain non-invasive. Nature Canada and Ocean Quest both appreciate and recognize that without our natural wonders, we wouldn’t exist. Upon arrival, all guests are reminded of the zero-tolerance policy with interacting with marine life.
“Take only pictures, leave only bubbles,” meaning nothing comes out of the water and nothing is left behind.
Ocean Quest is an award winning, full service dive and adventure business located in St. John’s, Newfoundland. It was established in 1997 to provide high quality services to the recreational, technical, scuba and cave diving community within Newfoundland and Labrador. With over 20 years of experience, instructors ensure that safety is incorporated in all their services from teaching safe diving techniques to new and functional rental gear.
So not only do you get to experience a thrilling marine life/diving adventure, you are also invited to explore the adventure packages across the inland. To top off your trip, they now include an indoor training pool, a dive/adventure shop, commercial service facility and a spa that uses local ingredients from the land and sea. We can almost feel the peace and serenity from here.
Fun fact: Ocean Quest won the 2015 Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence for providing adventurers with outstanding attractions and accommodation.
Over many years, Nature Canada has been known for several accomplishments but one that comes as no surprise is our Nature Photo Contest over the summer months. It gives Canadians an opportunity to reconnect with nature after the harsh months of winter and to appreciate the Canadian beauty be it wildlife, landscape or flora and fauna. The photo contest inspires you to travel to every natural wonder in Canada or to rediscover the wildlife in your backyard. It is a celebration of the plants and animals, landscapes, and nature moments that bring us joy and happiness.
Good luck to our Nature Canada Photo Contest participants!
For more captivating photos, testimonials and information please visit Ocean Quest Adventures
All photos in this blog are © by Ocean Quest Adventures.
[caption id="attachment_37466" align="alignleft" width="150"]
Julie Lopez, Digital Campaign Organizer at Nature Canada.[/caption]
This blog was written by Julie Lopez, the Digital Campaign Organizer at Nature Canada.
Shelby Kutyn is a Young Women for Nature mentee, and a student at the University of Victoria, where she will be completing the final year of her Bachelors of Science degree, with a double major in Marine Biology and Earth and Ocean Sciences. She is spending this summer working as a research assistant at an oyster aquaculture farm, where her research focusses on tracking environmental patterns that will enable them to predict when Vibrio parahaemolyticus outbreaks will occur, thus helping reduce the risk of sickness from eating oysters.
Having grown up on Vancouver Island, and surrounded by nature, pinpointing a specific moment when she realized her love for nature was difficult. Shelby spent much of her childhood camping, visiting parks such as Goldstream Park during the salmon spawn and exploring the great diversity of beaches on the Island. She says that these childhood experiences are “what drove me to pursue biology, and more specifically marine biology in school. I want to be a marine biologist because I love the ocean and I want to contribute to restoring it to its historical health.”
Shelby first became involved with Nature after her supervisor at Science Venture mentioned the Women for Nature mentorship initiative.
At the time she was a science instructor with Science Venture, which a non-profit organization that delivers hands-on science workshops and camps for youth. Every week, Shelby would teach STEM to a girls club for students that flourished in non-traditional school settings. This presented Shelby with the opportunity to run hands-on experiments and activities with them, thus facilitating learning that was experiential.
Being involved in the Young Women for Nature mentorship initiative turned the tables on Shelby, and was, as she puts it “inspiring, and thought-provoking.” Her mentor Stephanie Foster provided help whenever she needed, shared her perspective on environmental work from the consulting side, and connected her with other women who are pursuing research in areas of study related to marine biology.
Shelby has felt the positive impact of this mentorship on her life – one that she aims to carry in her future endeavors as an environmentalist. While completing her BSc. Degree with a double major in Marine Biology and Earth and Ocean Sciences at the University of Victoria, she will also be working toward environmental conservation and awareness through her artwork. She says that her work
“Focuses on animals that are native to the BC coast and those that are endangered. By showing the intrinsic beauty of these animals in their natural habitats I hope to make people aware of the environmental threats these animals face and inspire people to take action and speak out for these animals’ rights.”
She sells prints and originals of paintings and donates part of the proceeds to non-profit organizations to help fund research, media campaigns, and other initiatives that work towards saving our environment and the biodiversity it contains.
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This blog was written by Halima Sadia, a public relations student from Algonquin College and intern at Nature Canada.
On June 26th, 2018, I accompanied Jill Sturdy, our Naturehood program Manager on a visit to Camp Smitty located in Eganville, Ontario. My name is Halima Sadia and I am a public relations intern at Nature Canada and I have never been to a summer camp.
Although Canada is blessed with an abundance of natural wonders, many Canadians do not have the luxury of enjoying it. This is especially true for new Canadian families. Since 1923, the Boys and Girls Club has provided a safe and supportive place where children and youth can experience new opportunities, overcome barriers, build positive relationships and develop confidence and skills for life.
Every summer, Camp Smitty hosts four 10-day camps, where children and youth discover their dreams and grow up to be healthy, successful and active participants of society. Camp Smitty is a free summer camp offered to children who wouldn't otherwise have the means to attend. Many of these families are new residents to Canada and in some cases, refugees.
During our visit, the Camp Manager, Rosie Warden, gathered all the senior staff and counselors for Jill's presentation. The objective was to train the camp counselors on our NatureHood DIY NatureBlitz toolkit. The Toolkit is straightforward and can be helpful for every age group. The Nature Blitz is a fun educational experience that puts you in control of observing nature in a given area. The objective is to help the campers learn more about the natural world and learn to identify common birds and plants found at camp, which they can take home and expand their knowledge about local biodiversity and share with their friends and family. Materials required; checklist, pencil and of course, nature.
The purpose of our NatureHood program is to connect urban Canadians to nearby nature, and get people — especially children — outside and active right where they live. We are hoping that by exploring the nature around us, we can shape the minds of the next generation to respect and care for it. Nature Canada has provided Camp Smitty with all the tools required to make a it a summer of nature exploration. We even provided materials in Arabic, so campers can share it with their families when they get home.
Thanks to a grant provided by the Ottawa Community Foundation, the goal of this project is to incorporate NatureHood activities at Camp Smitty, and provide nature-based learning opportunities to help kids at camp foster a relationship with nature. For many kids this will be an introduction to nature-based exploratory learning.
There are many benefits to spending time in nature including promoting mental and physical health and overall well-being. While participants will be immersed in nature during their time at camp, there is currently no nature-based programming. The NatureHood camp program will help fill this gap, and fit well with the Boys and Girls Club “Outdoor Enthusiasts” theme, one of multiple themes the camp kids choose.
After the presentation, the Senior staff (many of whom work at the BGCO Clubhouses) were also excited to explore ways they can incorporate NatureHood programming during the school-year. We hope that his project serves as a template for other Boys and Girls Clubs across Canada to adopt.
Growing up in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, I had never been to summer camp, and had no clue what I was getting into when we first arrived at the camp. It was lunchtime so we headed to the dining room where we were greeted by the Camp's Assistant Manager, Matt Singer. That’s when I heard the loud chanting so I peeped into the hall to see tables filled with camp counselors, singing their lunch call as they formed a line into the kitchen. I made my way to the back of the line, about to experience my first camp meal. What I was picking up was a sense of unity and fun and I wanted in. I sat down with the Senior staff and they explained how the camp works, common rules to follow and all the fun activities they had planned out for the campers. After lunch I was lucky enough to get a private tour of the camp and learned about all the activities that take place. At one point I looked at Jill and said,
“Thank you for bringing me along on this trip because even though my time to be a camper has passed, I can appreciate how much summer camp can help you grow. I am grateful to be out in nature in a safe place surrounded by people who are determined to make this a memorable experience.“So today I am going to leave you with a couple things I learned about Camp Smitty and hopefully this serves as a summer camp guide to you.
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Grassland birds and aerial insectivores (birds that feed on insects while airborne, including swallows and martins) are two of the most rapidly declining groups of birds in Canada. Recently, I joined Ted Cheskey (Naturalist Director, Nature Canada) and Aric McBay (Membership Development & Special Projects Manager, National Farmers Union) on a tour of three organic farms in the Kingston area to learn more about the ways farmers are helping (or could help) these vulnerable bird populations. This tour was our first taste of fieldwork for Nature Canada’s exciting new project − with funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation − aimed at helping Ontario’s declining populations of swallows. Our first visit was to Ironwood Organics in Athens, where we met with Mary Wooding and Ayla Fenton, who described several of Ironwood’s practices aimed at supporting species-at-risk, while also promoting sustainable agriculture. One of their major initiatives involves delaying their haying operations until mid-July. This is done to protect species like the Bobolink and Eastern meadowlark (both listed as Threatened under Schedule 1 of Canada’s Species At Risk Act), who often nest on the ground in the grasslands. Early hay harvesting adds additional stress to nesting grassland birds, who are more at risk of being impacted directly (i.e. crushed or trampled) or indirectly (i.e. more exposed to predators) from harvesting equipment. In addition to their delayed haying practices, Ironwood also protects vulnerable species on their property by reserving 14 acres of their land exclusively for grassland bird habitat (their ‘biodiversity field’), managing old barns for the benefit of Barn Swallows (another Threatened species in Canada) and maintaining a detailed index of all types of biodiversity that they find on their farm. Their hay and biodiversity fields are very close to the barns, allowing easy access for parent swallows looking to feed their hungry broods – during our tour we observed a great variety of insects in their fields, including the Giant Swallowtail butterfly. Ayla also told us about how the field comes alive at night in June with the magical aerial dances of fireflies: research has shown that the presence of fireflies is a reliable indicator of good overall environmental health[1].
Watch Ayla discuss the importance of sustainable, organic agriculture on Ironwood’s new bee colony!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=xfMEQZf3vUE
Ian Stutt (Co-founder, Patchwork Gardens) and Aric McBay (National Farmers Union) in front of Patchwork’s newly re-outfitted storage barn (and a Barn swallow paradise!) – photo: Ted Cheskey[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_37532" align="alignleft" width="150"]
Stephen Hazell, Director of Conservation and Legal Counsel.[/caption]
The Federal Court of Canada has decided to grant Nature Canada and other nature groups, represented by Ecojustice, the status of intervener in a law case that will test the constitutionality of the Species at Risk Act (SARA) for the first time. The City of Medicine Hat in Alberta and LGX Oil & Gas initiated an application for judicial review asking that an emergency order protecting the endangered Greater Sage Grouse, and sections of SARA be declared unconstitutional.
Having intervener status will allow the nature groups and Ecojustice file a written argument, and make a brief oral argument at the court hearing.
The emergency order being contested was issued in 2013 to impose restrictions to protect the habitat of the Greater Sage Grouse on provincial and federal Crown lands in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
At the time, Environment Canada reported that there were fewer than 150 birds remaining in the two Canadian provinces where they are found (Alberta and Saskatchewan) and that the bird’s population had fallen 98 per cent since 1988. The Greater Sage Grouse is listed as endangered under the federal Species at Risk Act, and must remain as such to stabilize its population and continue its recovery.
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A Killdeer Bird, photo by Robert Sivinski.[/caption]
A prominent element of the MBCA was the creation and designation of Migratory Bird Sanctuaries[4], protected areas established for the conservation of migratory birds in Canada. Currently there are 92 Migratory Bird Sanctuaries[5] in Canada, which span over 11.5 million hectares in nine provinces and two territories. In Migratory Bird Sanctuaries, no hunting of any kind is permitted and stricter permit regulations are in place for researchers who wish to disturb nests and habitat.
Individuals who unlawfully hunt or disturb migratory birds protected under the MCBA will face heavy fines and could potentially face time in prison. Recently, ECCC has cracked down on violations of the Act, with recent charges being laid against three Ontario hunters in May 2018[6] (combined reparations totaling $19,000), as well as two migratory bird traffickers in Newfoundland[7] in December 2017 (both charged with heavy fines & loss of hunting permits).
Corporations who violate the MCBA will often face larger fines and are added to the Environmental Offenders Registry. Notable corporate violators of the Act have included Syncrude Canada Ltd., who were fined upwards of $3 million[8] for the deaths of approximately 1600 ducks on its tailing ponds near Fort McMurray in 2010; as well as Canaport LNG, fined $750,000 after over 7500 migratory songbirds were killed[9]after being drawn to a gas flare in Saint John in 2013.
In short, the Migratory Birds Convention Act is an important piece of legislation because it protects an integral part of ecosystems all across Canada. Migratory birds are a key indicator of the overall health of our environment[10] and attempts to disturb or harm these birds should not be taken lightly. Continued enforcement of this Act to protect listed species like the killdeer, a species facing large declines in population across North America[11], will produce positive benefits not only for the birds, but for the environment as well.
[caption id="attachment_37721" align="aligncenter" width="960"]
Signage at Grand Manan Migratory Bird Sanctuary in New Brunswick (Photo: Environment and Climate Change Canada)[/caption]
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[caption id="attachment_37466" align="alignleft" width="150"] Julie Lopez, Digital Campaign Organizer at Nature Canada.[/caption]
This blog post was written by Julie Lopez, the Digital Campaign Organizer at Nature Canada.
Olivia DesRoches is a Young Woman for Nature, and a Grade 12 student at Hampton High School who first became involved with Nature Canada after receiving the Young Nature Leadership Grant, and then as a Women for Nature mentee.
The Young Nature Leadership Grant was awarded to Olivia for a project that her grade 11 Math class was hoping to get off the ground. Last Spring, after watching the documentary Before the Flood, Olivia and her classmates were motivated to do something that would help them and their community reduce their environmental impact.
Together, they decided to build a greenhouse at their school.
After receiving the Nature Canada grant on Earth Day, in April of 2017, the students spent the remainder of the school year and summer working together to raise funds through the community and local businesses. Come September, the project was fully funded.
Planning for the greenhouse began in September of 2017, and the construction began soon after a groundbreaking ceremony for the greenhouse held in New Brunswick, to which the Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, and Nature Canada's Board of Directors, including a few Women For Nature members, attended.
Since then, groups of students aged between nine and eighteen years old have been working on the greenhouse. Two to three times a week after school, sometimes pulling classes to help with various parts of the construction, the students worked to get the greenhouse standing and airtight (protected from the elements) before the first snowfall, then began again after the weather started to ‘let up’ near the end of February.
Olivia’s love for nature and dedication to the planet is evident from her hard work and initiative. She said that spending time at summer camp as a camper and then counselor for the past five summers solidified her love for spending time in nature, and appreciation for the environment.
Going further than an average nature lover, and as a Young Woman for Nature and Young Nature Leadership Grant recipient, Olivia was flown out to Ottawa in November 2017 for the Nature Canada: Women for Nature Parliamentary reception. There she was able to speak with other Young Women for Nature and Women for Nature, and present her project to Parks Canada. She also met with Senator Griffin, who is the Honorary Chair of Women for Nature and Olivia's local MP as well.
She said that being able to attend the reception was one of the most defining experiences of this entire project. To “be in a room with people my own age and women, and to have similar mindsets and similar goals was really empowering.”
Olivia is set to graduate from high school in the coming weeks, and to attend St Thomas University in Fredericton to pursue a Bachelor of Arts double major in Political Science and Psychology in the fall of 2018.
Despite not pursuing a degree specific to environmental sciences, her experience as a Young Woman for Nature was encouraging because it enabled her to meet other women, and “hear their stories and [see that] so many of them didn’t have an environmental science degree […] and found ways to incorporate their love for nature into what they’re doing professionally.”
The Hampton High School greenhouse is anticipated to open its doors this summer. We are excited to see the how the Greenhouse will grow throughout its first year, and the continuous growth that will be part of its many years to come.
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[caption id="attachment_37532" align="alignleft" width="150"] Stephen Hazell, Director of Conservation and Legal Counsel.[/caption]
On June 20, 2018, the House of Commons passed two important environmental laws -- Bills C-68 and C-69. Bill C-68 reforms the Fisheries Act, largely fulfilling the Trudeau government’s election promise to restore legal protection of fish habitat. Bill C-69 includes two new laws: Impact Assessment Act and Canadian Energy Regulator Act, and amendments to the Navigable Waters Act.
Nature Canada’s view is that, overall, a reasonable balance has been struck in Bill C-69 and that it will assist in regaining public trust in reviews of natural resource development projects. This new legislation is a darn sight better than what we have right now.
Bill C-69 includes important reforms such as emphasizing sustainability and a single-agency approach to assessing resource projects, eliminating rules restricting public participation in hearings, and establishing a legislative framework for conducting regional and strategic impact assessments. The House of Commons Environment Committee successfully added several helpful amendments to Bill C-69 including the following:
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