My family home was in Montreal, and my grandparents had a place in the Laurentians. It was 400 acres of woodland, but as a boy, I remember feeling like I could explore forever. So, I was brought up in two places. And I liked the wild better.
I became interested in birds very early. At 13, in 1947, a friend and I found a local bird club, and we were the youngest members in history! Back then, there were rules about kids going to movies or lectures without an adult, so until we were 16 one of our moms had to come. I remember the thrill of going on field trips with experienced bird watchers, who helped me identify birds even just by song!
At 16, I had a family member whose sister was married to a forester and I thought that sounded just amazing. I went for an interview when I was 16, but I couldn't be hired for a summer job until I was 17. I was hired that summer and sent to the farthest operation in the St. Maurice Division called Cooper Lake, situated at the headwaters of the Nottaway River which flows into James Bay.
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Fall foliage in field next to the La Croche river. Photo by Gordon Kelly[/caption]
It was my first time in the Boreal Forest. 1951, Virgin forest, and logging was just beginning. The black spruce...unbelievable. It was then I decided to become a Forester.
In 1987, with my son, we purchased our woodlot of 225-acres. There were some red pine plantations on the property dating back to the early 1960s. We have since added another 225-acres for a total of 450 which we manage with my son and grandson who are also Foresters. I can't tell you what it means to me, to my family. It's the most beautiful place, full of memories and stories.
And about 20 years ago back in 1996, not far from my house, I was walking on a trail near a swampy area, very overgrown. I noticed a pair of Wood Ducks. As I went exploring, I realized it was an old beaver pond, and that I could pull out some of the alders and other growth. One of my sons, who today manages migratory bird banding stations in the Yukon, at the time was learning to band at Long Point. Word spread and I was contacted by a biologist who asked me to start banding.
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Gordon Kelly releasing a Wood Duck[/caption]
On average, we band 155 ducks per year, some that return. I had one last year that I banded five years ago! And one year we had 255 ducks!
It's been an interesting and rewarding retirement indeed!
Why do I support Nature Canada? Because education is so important. You see it mostly in the kids, but really so many Canadians don't get out in nature. We've become disconnected. We can't just continue to exploit nature without consequences. I'm a Guardian of Nature monthly donor, and I know that my regular support makes a difference. It means Nature Canada can get people more involved in nature, in making citizens and our governments more aware of the importance of nature conservation.
The World Parks Congress took place this past week in Sydney, Australia. This is the world’s largest event that brings focus to parks and protected areas around the globe. So how is Canada’s conservation different from everyone else? It is because Canada is home to a rare treasure, one of the largest still intact regions left - the boreal forest. Here is a short list of the top five reason’s Canada stands out in conservation: 1) One of the World’s Last Great Primary Forest: Canada’s boreal forest has an area of 1.2 billion intact acres, and it contains 25% of the world’s primary forests. There are more that 300 bird species, as well as being home to many large mammals such as grizzle bears and moose. The boreal forest even has an estimate of more than 208 billion tonnes of carbon stored, making it an important part of our ecosystem. 2) Indigenous Conservation Leadership Canada’s boreal forest has had some impressive conservation gains from those in Indigenous communities and government. These Indigenous communities have been the ones to launch some of the most signification conservations actions in relation to the boreal forest. 3) Very Large Protected Areas The protected areas in the boreal forest are large and they are important in the northern biodiversity. They allow species to roam without barriers and serve as a key habitat for long-distant migratory animals. 4) Provincial Government Vision and Leadership Our provincial government in both Ontario and Quebec has pledged to ensure that at least half of their northern lands are classified as protected areas. 5) Industry and Conservation Leaders Several industries have joined the First Nations along with Nature Canada and other leading conservation non-profits to come together in supporting the need of conservation in the boreal forest. Through a number of councils and frameworks, these groups have established a working relationship in order to advance on future conservation proposals. Canada is putting forth tremendous conservation efforts to protect the boreal forest and it’s time to celebrate that. To read more on Nature Canada’s conservation efforts in the boreal forest, click here. For the full article, click here.
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Evening Grosbeak by Doug Greenberg, a bird of the Boreal forest[/caption]
It’s a question some people find themselves asking as they sip their morning coffee on their balcony and are treated to the sight of a bird – a ‘tropical’ bird. Alex MacDonald, our protected areas manager, found himself pondering that question one morning while sitting on his parents’ balcony in Nova Scotia. Earlier that year, Alex had lived in Panama and had become accustomed to the sight of the colourful, tropical birds in that country. You can imagine his surprise when he thought he spotted one in the Canadian Maritimes! It was in fact an Evening Grosbeak, a bird common to the Boreal forest.
Many of the species of bird that are commonly seen or heard in the spring in Canada are migratory birds that spend the winter in a warmer country south of the border. After over-wintering in warmer parts of the U.S., and in Central and South America, some migratory birds return to Canada for the summer to breed and raise their young. One of the most popular destinations for returning birds is the Boreal Forest. What draws billions of birds to the Boreal Forest every year? Abundant waterways, from rivers and swamps to lakes and wetlands, are characteristic of the Boreal forest and provide plentiful food and shelter for breeding and nesting birds.
But before reaching the Boreal, migratory birds will stop in the more populated areas of Canada to rest, refuel and wait for favorable weather conditions to continue their migration. Don’t be surprised to find unique visitors to your yard this spring as the birds wing their way north! You can help them reach their northern breeding grounds by following one of these 12 ways to help birds. And if you happen to snap a photo of a migratory bird, we’d love it if you shared your nature photography with our Facebook fans!
Happy birding.
flock of migrating canada geese in silhouette at sunset[/caption]
“Geese are a main staple food for the people of James Bay. During the spring goose migration, community schools close up for up to two weeks as most people are out on the land at their family camps for the spring goose hunt. This is one of the peoples’ most important seasonal cultural events. It’s a time for gathering, sharing, learning, and reconnecting ourselves to the land. Knowledge of values and morals are passed on and the traditional teachings associated with the hunt are shared. These include respect, patience, honour and gratefulness to name a few… The goose hunt is not just a goose hunt. There is so much more as it is a lifestyle from our ancestors and for future generations as well.”
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| The Yellow Rail is a threatened species that breeds in Canada's boreal forest |
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Alexander MacDonald, Nature Canada's protected areas manager, holds up a Gold Leaf award[/caption]
We're honoured to have been awarded the Canadian Council on Ecological Areas' Gold Leaf award for our efforts to conserve wildlife habitat in Canada.
Alexander MacDonald, Nature Canada's protected areas manager, was on hand to accept the award at the Council's annual conference held in Ottawa on Wednesday.
“We appreciate the recognition bestowed on our efforts by the members of the Council,” said Alexander. “Canada’s wildlife depend on a strong, well-managed network of national wildlife areas and migratory bird sanctuaries that protects vital habitat for birds and species at risk."
Nature Canada received the award this year for its outstanding support to the conservation community and its sustained effort to raise awareness on national habitat conservation issues.
For more than five decades Nature Canada has championed the completion of the national parks system and the development of a connected network of protected areas on land and at sea. In recent years Nature Canada has been a strong advocate for the establishment of national wildlife areas and greater protection of the Boreal Forest.
Nature Canada is a member of the Boreal Forest Conservation Framework and the Northwest Territories Protected Areas Strategy, working to protect at least 50% of the Boreal in a network of large interconnected protected areas.
At the conference, Nature Canada released its latest report, The Underlying Threat: Addressing Subsurface Threats in Environment Canada’s Protected Areas.
The report offers solutions for protecting the natural resources below the land surface in the same way as the natural resources – like water, plants and other wildlife – on the surface. Subsurface land protection is important to the overall ecological integrity of new and existing protected areas.
“There is tremendous potential for development of oil and gas, or mineral resources found beneath Environment Canada’s protected areas, and an urgent need for clear, up-to-date policies on what is and isn’t permitted,” said Alexander. “The current permitting system is not designed to manage subsurface resource exploration and development.”
Unlike National Parks, the protections afforded national wildlife areas and migratory bird sanctuaries do not extend below the land surface to prevent development, exposing protected areas to a range of environmental problems, including habitat loss, soil contamination, and water pollution.
Oscar Lake, Northwest Territories by D. Langhorst, Ducks Unlimited[/caption][caption id="" align="alignnone" width="320"]
Rusty Blackbird breeds in the Boreal forest. It's facing a 90% population decline. Photo: Jeff Nadler[/caption][/one_third_last]
Nature Canada and BC Nature have officially registered to participate as interveners in the environmental assessment of the Northern Gateway Pipeline project. As interveners, we are providing expert testimony about the impact that the pipeline and increased tanker traffic will have on marine birds, Important Bird Areas, and other wildlife like the woodland caribou.
But we need you too. Raise your voice! Send your letter and be part of our efforts to protect B.C.’s fragile coast from tanker traffic and oil spills. We’ll take your message directly to the panel when we take part in the public hearings.
It's simple: when you move oil, you spill oil. It's not a question of if a spill will occur -- it's a question of when.
Our country’s wildlife is depending on us to speak up on their behalf and put a stop to the Northern Gateway Pipeline project before it’s too late. Add your voice and send your letter today!
Canada’s wilderness is the world’s envy. It’s our duty to keep our true north strong and green.
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