Two Cool online resources by Nature Canada!

Found these online resources last month on Nature Canada website:

Nature Hood virtual tour:

This resource highlights all the great spots for bird viewing in the Lac Deschenes area including waterbirds, shorebirds, aerial insectivores and passerines. It provides indepth information on all the popular spots on both sides including Bates island, Baie Simard and Mud Lake!  Check it out here.

Nature Hood App:

Nature Canada is also encouraging Ottawa residents to become citizen scientists by mapping sightings of wildlife in public spaces!  This includes birds, mammals, herptiles and even insects.  It has a great glossary to help when reporting a sighting and there is also the opportunity to virtually explore the entries that are already there on the map.  This would be fun for a family outing.  Learn more by visiting the website.

And speaking about the Ottawa River - Ottawa Riverkeeper has created a virtual tour for the Voyageur Pathway.

Update on Guelph's Pollinator Park (decommissioned Eastview Landfill site)

I first blogged about this Pollinator Park project in 2012!  Glad to see that it continues to expand!

From the website (Pollination Guelph Planting Sites):

(The) pollinator habitat (is) on the 45ha (112 acre) decommissioned Eastview Landfill site. (It) will be one of the first and largest pollinator initiatives to occur in Ontario, Canada, and internationally. It will also highlight the City of Guelph's commitment to being a leader in environmental initiatives.

The Pollinator Park is a long-term, multi-stage project. Work began in the fall of 2012 and the first hectare was seeded in Fall 2013. We plan to seed another two hectares in Fall 2014 and if we can raise the funds, add two hectares a year in future years.

A bee hotel was added in June 2014 through the "Wild for Bees" initiative, which Pollination Guelph was a site partner in. This initiative is sponsored by Burt's Bees, Sustainable.TO, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, and Pollinator Partnership Canada.

The park borders Speedvale Ave, Watson Road, Eastview Rd

From Guelph Mercury article (written by Chris Seto):

(The) project had to use the herbicide Roundup to get rid of the fescue grass, a species planted to help prevent soil erosion on the mound.

The Eastview Landfill was decommissioned in 2003 after collecting the city's garbage since 1961. For the past 10 years it sat empty, gathering various weeds and invasive plant species. Some flowering species grew out of its clay, rocky soil, but the field hasn't been much of a hot spot for wildlife.

Since 2009, Pollination Guelph has had its eye on this open space as a potential haven for bees, butterflies, birds and native plant species, but it needed to raise enough funds to be able to act on its plan. This year, the charitable organization reached its goal of raising $15,000 – the amount it cost to prep and seed one hectare of land – and was able to sow the seeds of a variety of native species.

These species include coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, milkweeds, Indian grass and several others. The first flowers are expected to appear in the fall, with the majority of the bloom occurring in 2015.

The site will have to be monitored and mowed every couple of years to ensure it isn't overrun by invasive species.  (Burning isn't an option above the methane gas producing landfill.)

Elaine Williams, executive director of Wildlife Preservation Canada, said her organization joined up with Pollination Guelph earlier this year. She hopes the pollination park will become a healthy sanctuary for various species at risk, including the meadowlark and the bobolink bird. She said once the park is more established, it may even be a good place to reintroduce the endangered rusty patch bumblebee.

P.S. Check out my latest "urban wild" nature blog: Wild. Here. (2016 update)

10 Native Trees for Ottawa (by Diana Beresford-Kroeger)

List of 10 Native Trees recommended as substitutes for the Ash, Fraxinus species

by Diana Beresford-Kroeger

1. Oak, Quercus 

Q. macrocarpa is called the Bur Oak. It is a native oak, an edible species of the landscape of the City of Ottawa. This oak or the white oak, Q. alba, or the northern red oak, Q. rubra, will grow rapidly and form large canopies. These trees require immense amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide to grow. They are local trees that will reverse climate change, reduce pollution and skin cancers. They have the strength to withstand ice storms and heavy snow. They are also extremely drought resistant. 

2. Honey Locust, Gleditsia triacanthos 

The natural form of honey locust is extremely healthy and hardy in city traffic conditions. It is almost resistant to disease infestations. It is drought resistant and it fixes its own nitrogen from the atmospheric nitrogen dioxide and from the soil. The locust will reverse climate change. The canopy of which produces a high filtered light for city gardens. The tree produces edible beans which can be ground as flour and added to other grains to make flour in various proportions. The flowers of the locust feed beneficial insects which in turn act as predators reducing the need for pesticides. The tree is also an 'Escape tree' for birds from city cats and racoons. 

3. American Basswood, Tilia americana 

This local native tree has flowers in June to July which are immensely fragrant. The lactone chemistry in the aerosols that are produced are beneficial to human health. The tree is the greatest feeding tree in the entire world for beneficial insects. Basswood honey is the best on the continent. This tree helps the bird populations to increase and produce more viable eggs in the spring which in turn reduces the need for pesticides. The Basswood leaves in its canopy combs the city air of its particulate pollution which is a leading cause of heart disease in the asthmatic. 

4. Eastern White Cedar, Thuja occidentalis 

Ottawa is blessed with native populations of an evergreen tree called the cedar Thuja occidentalis that the local native people called "The Tree of Life". There are golden, tall, weeping and fastigate forms. The trees’ leaves have glands on the tips of the leaves that can be easily seen by the naked eye. These glands in hot humid air release an aerosol medicine into the air that regulates the beating heart and is antiviral. The tree is also drought and fire resistant. It feeds birds and protects them in the winter adding 2 degrees centigrade to their body heat within the shelter of this evergreen. 

5. Black Walnut, Juglans nigra 

The walnut tree is a medicinal tree. It produces anticancer bio-chemicals both in the mature foliage and in the nuts themselves. Ottawa has a very high cancer rate. This tree would act as a shield for this, most especially for the children of the city who are most vulnerable because of their high metabolic rate when they are in growth spurts to adulthood. Pound for pound, the flesh of the walnut is equal in protein to the best black Angus t-bone steak. The tree is strong and wind resistant. It also has a wide canopy which reduces summer cooling costs. The wood of this tree is one of the most valuable in the world. A well grown Juglans nigra ‘Thomas’ in the city will pay for a grandchild's university education, quite easily. A full canopy of black walnut generates chemical aerosols which will neutralize toxic benzene from the traffic. 

6. Fir, Abies 

All of the fir are drought resistant. They will withstand heavy snow loads and ice. The conical form of anatomy of the tree helps them to stand straight, also, in high winds. The branches have a special form of buttresses built into them. These trees guard all the waterways, canals, lakes and river systems helping to purify potable water which is increasingly an issue for cities and urban areas across the world. The chemistry from the needles or leaves produces airborne aerosols that are antiseptic and antibiotic. These trees act as air cleansers and as deodorants on a massive scale. This super clean air is a health benefit to the city of Ottawa and to the surrounding area. There are two trees of choice, the Abies balsamea, known as the balsam fir, balsam, Canada balsam or the eastern fir. This tree is native to the city of Ottawa. The other is the Abies concolor known commonly as the white fir or white balsam. This is a Canadian species, the best cultivar for shape, form and drought resistance is A. c. ‘Candicans’. This tree is also a songbird shelter and escape route for predation. 

7. Spruce, Picea 

The white spruce is the workhorse of Canada. It has a long and important history on the landscape especially for Ottawa, where it grew on rocky areas overlooking the Ottawa River. It was one of the trees with long tracheids that made pulp which made paper that made money for the lumber barons. Their names can be found inscribed in Rideau Hall, residence of the Governor General. The tree is famous for its pharmaceuticals, one of which reduces blood pressure the other is anti-anginal and helps the heart itself to beat. This is a medicinal tree. It is evergreen and can withstand snow loads and strong winds. The resin of the tree helps all flying beneficial insects especially the honey bee. This tree helps to stop Honey Bee Colony Collapse. The best spruce for Ottawa is the common, native white spruce, Picea glauca. It is known as the skunk spruce. The latter is a common name given when the science of the aerosol medicine was not appreciated by the pioneers, but was used by the aboriginal medicine men for 40,000 years on this continent as a medicine. 

8. Catalpa, Catalpa speciosa 

The catalpa is the most spectacular flowering tree for the city of Ottawa. The bloom clusters are bigger than a man's head. The flowers are white and fluorescent purple. The long beans hang in tassels into the fall and winter. They are the food of the red cardinal birds who love to split open the bean and eat the seeds. This tree is suited to the calcareous soils of the city of Ottawa. The tree can be easily grown, it is disease and drought resistant. The horizontal limbs and main branches in the winter are flexible and will withstand heavy ice and snow. The blooms are like orchids and attract butterflies. The author, Diana Beresford-Kroeger would like to see these trees widely planted in the downtown area as a tourist attraction for a festival of their flowering in June to July. Such a tree allée would also help to maintain clean air as the huge leaf can comb air pollution of 2.5 micron sizes, reducing it for easy breathing. It is a North American tree. Its origins are unknown on this continent. 

9. Hickory, Carya ovata 

The Hickory trees that were cut down for the building of the city of Ottawa were Carya cordiformis. The tree is also known as the Bitternut Hickory, Bitternut, Swamp Hickory and by the farming community as Pignut. It is not known if other members of this family were present at the time. They may have been present because the aboriginal people often planted nuts. These trees would have been Carya ovata, the Shagbark Hickory, the antifamine trees. The Hickory is unique to the continent, except for China. It grew to enormous proportions here. Fingerprint boles account for circumferences of 18 feet on shallow soils. The Hickory is a feeding tree for birds, man and mammals. It is also a butterfly tree, used in a butterfly’s continental migration. This tree can be planted for a public park or a larger garden. In the last ice storm this Ottawa tree species was badly damaged. It needs to be replaced, also. 

10. Cucumber tree, Magnolia acuminate 

The Cucumber tree and all the other species of trees that are endangered in Canada could go on a long list. People who are interested in preserving the native heritage and stories of Canada should grow this magnificent Canadian tree. The tree produces a unique cucumber style fruit. From this fruit the frost opens the seed cases and dangles a red seed by a white thread. Birds love these rich seeds. The flower is like a steel grey tulip which is produced at the end of May. From this tree the aboriginal people made anti-malarial medicine. They made dugout canoes for inland travel on their water highways and they carved death masks from its sacred wood. These masks had an important ceremonial function. The cucumber tree is almost extinct. The City could help in a recovery program for its new World Heritage Site of its canal system. Then these trees could be enjoyed by everyone again. They were a waterway tree.

Found on Ecology Ottawa website (October 2013)


P.S. Check out my latest "urban wild" nature blog: Wild. Here.
(2017 update)

an urban meadow in Ottawa...

One of the inspirations for my career change was a presentation I saw in 2010 by Mathis Natvik on "urban meadows".  The presentation was for the Ottawa Field Naturalist Club and it was held at Fletcher Gardens.  I was enamored with the idea of urban meadows and attracting more song birds to the downtown areas.  He presented a great case (as part of his Master's thesis) and was hoping to work with the City of the N.C.C. to do a pilot project here.  Unfortunately it never happened.

For the presentation he talked about the decline of wildlife including song birds and other pollinators and how an urban meadow could be located along the parkway or as a replacement for an expanse of lawn as part of an office campus.  Ottawa's a perfect opportunity with Tunney's Pasture, Lebreton Flats and parkways along most of the Ottawa River.  It would just require choosing an area (which could already be a meadow) and then converting it to native meadow species so that more native habitat could be available for wildlife.  He suggests a 90% native species cover as shown below. Ottawa could even consider the Agriculture Farm - convert some of this farm area back to native species.

I've shown the above image of the Prenzlauer Berg District in Berlin (Photo by Westrich/laif/Redux) before as I couldn't imagine anything more beautiful in a city than a field of wildflowers that you could sit in.  Having seen the bobolink near the Aviation Museum, it makes me wonder again, could this be possible?  Wouldn't it be amazing to try out a pilot project and provide some alternative habitat for this endangered species where it wouldn't conflict with the needs of farmers?  We don't know if it is possible but wouldn't it be amazing to see if it was?

*Three bottom images from Mathis Natvik of Natvik Ecological in Guelph.

native flowers for your garden...

Plant these now for year-round benefits for wildlife - from NWF:

• Coneflowers: Nine native coneflower species grow from across the eastern and central Lower 48 to the Rocky Mountain states. The plants produce large flowers with sturdy orange-bronze “cones” at the center. During the cold months, goldfinches perch on or just below the blackened winter cones to pluck out the seeds.

• Sennas: In many areas of the country, two native species—American senna and Maryland senna—bear a profusion of flowers in mid- to late-summer, followed by long, drooping seedpods. They provide shelter as well as chocolate-colored seeds that offer nutritious winter meals for songbirds and wild turkeys and other game birds. When in flower, sennas are magnets for certain native bees and butterflies. They also serve as host plants for cloudless sulfur butterfly caterpillars.

• Round-head bush clover: Native to areas in the eastern two-thirds of the country, this plant is not particularly showy but it is robust and beneficial for wildlife. Its bronze seed heads decorate the winter garden and provide food for songbirds and game birds. Neil Diboll, president of Prairie Nursery in Westfield, Wisconsin, calls round-head bush clover “an excellent late-season ‘emergency food’ for birds.” The plant grows 3 to 6 feet tall, he points out, “so the seeds are elevated above even deep snow cover that obscures lower-growing plants and their fruits.”

• Other good winter seed sources: Depending on where you live, these may include asters, black-eyed Susans and late-blooming native sunflowers. Unless you have room in your garden for them to spread, avoid sunflower species that increase rapidly by rhizomes or that are prolific self-sowers.

• Flat-topped white aster (Umbellate aster): "Easy to grow, looks great in a garden (toward the back as it's 4 feet tall), spreads nice and slowly, and doesn't make a mess. And great for butterfly gardens - butterflies like plants with flat clusters of flowers and asters are the host plant for painted lady butterflies." Sandy Garland - Fletcher Wildlife Garden Ottawa

start planning your backyard for spring!

From World of Birds, Ottawa Citizen written by Elizabeth Le Geyt (2007):

"Birds like moderately untidy gardens with tangly corners, secure sites for well-hidden nests. Cedars and other conifers provide hiding places and shelter. Many species of dogwood have berries for fruit-eating birds like robins and waxwings. Honeysuckle fruits early in the summer and many species of crab-apple trees hold their apples throughout the winter.

It will soon be time to select perennial flowering plants, berry-bearing shrubs and annual flowers attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. Red flowers, like monarda (bee balm), phlox, fuchsia and heuchera (coral bells), are perennials beloved by hummingbirds. Annuals like salvia, petunias, geraniums and other colourful flowers will attract both hummingbirds and hummingbird hawk moths.

Water, a necessity for all living creatures, should be provided. If you have room, a pond is ideal.

Smaller lots can have a bird bath or even large clay saucers. Ponds can be a haven for frogs and dragonflies that are disappearing at an alarming rate due to the pollution of natural water areas. If you stock your pond with fish, you may even attract a great blue heron, or a kingfisher! Bird houses for cavity nesting birds and a bird feeder complete a wildlife friendly, chemical-free habitat."

Also keep in mind that there may be bee-killing pesticides on those annuals you buy!

Image from "Gardening Gone Wild" blog

Nature in the city (San Francisco)

Nature in the City is a non-profit working in the City of San Francisco to help connect people to nature though both restoration and stewardship programs.  They provide public education and also habitat and plant consultations for both public and private spaces.  There was a great article in Earth Island Journal about a specific project that helped restore butterfly habitat in the city:

From Earth Island:

One of our keystone projects is the “Green Hairstreak Corridor,” a butterfly habitat restoration project situated in the inner Sunset District. The iridescent green, nickel-sized green hairstreak butterfly (Callophrys viridis) was once common throughout the area. It was often seen with the now-extinct Xerces blue (Glaucopsyche xerces), the first butterfly in the US said to go extinct due to urbanization. But today, the green hairstreak survives only in small and isolated populations. Because this butterfly can only fly a few hundred feet from its original habitat, the species might vanish unless we intervene to save it.

Credit: Michael L. Baird

To help the butterfly, in 2006 local lepidopterist Liam O’Brien launched this wildlife habitat corridor project, which aims to connect two isolated green hairstreak butterfly populations via strategically placed “Street Parks” full of host plants and nectar sources.

It’s working. With the help of a handful of paid staff and volunteers, Nature in the City is recreating more of the upland dune habitat on which these butterflies depend. In spring 2011, the first green hairstreak butterfly was seen in a restored plot, and in spring 2013, dozens were witnessed darting between plants or perched in the sun. We have successfully connected the two isolated breeding populations and, for the time being, secured this threatened butterfly’s survival.


Such a great project to read about during these cold winter months and while hoping for a resurgence in the Monarch population in 2014!

Tall Grass Prairie (Hamilton)

Just read about a tall grass prairie project at McMaster University.

It will be part of the university's research and teaching facility in Hamilton - just five kilometres southwest of the campus.  It's a fifty hectare site known as McMaster Forest and the intention is to rehabilitate into a conservation corridor with different ecosystems (meadow, wetland, forest).

The tall grass prairie will be 4 hectares and 20 hectares will be a forest set up as a Smithsonian tree plot. The students and teachers were clearing Buckthorn last fall and into the winter and will be removing invasive grasses early spring before planting.

Images are of Common red soldier beetle (Rhagonycha fulva) on Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) inflorescence and Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense), Fritillary butterfly (Boloria sp.) feeding on Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa).

Images by: Sebastian Irazuzta

Burnham Wildlife Corridor (Chicago)

Found more on the Burnham Wildlife Corridor in Chicago.   This is the second project of the Chicago Park District, who first worked on the west shore of Lake Michigan.  They were addressing the need of about 300 species of birds migrating through the area.  This newest corridor will address the south shore creating a 2.2 mile strip (103 acres).  This "restoration" of land created by fill will be mostly with hardy oak trees which are great hosts for many species of caterpillars which will provide the resting birds with nutrients also.  Since the project was started a couple of years ago, local residents have already seen a change and have spotted "more kestrels, hawks and warblers".

Read more here: A lakefront landing strip for migrating birds

"Finding nature in a strip of land sandwiched by railroad tracks and Lake Shore Drive"
Details and Image from WBEZ article written in April 2013 by Chris Bentley

Insect Hotel (Vancouver)

Did you read this article in the CBC online News this summer:

Vancouver buzzing about new insect hotel

Old telephone booth now used to attract butterflies, birds and bees

Hartley Rosen, executive director of the Environmental Youth Alliance, and Nathan Lee helped build an insect hotel out of an old telephone booth.  The new hotel is part of a trail of green spaces to encourage more travel and pollination.  There are 12 cedar boxes filled with various materials, like maple logs, known to attract bees found inside.

The insect hotel at Oak Meadows Park is part of a 1,500-square-foot pollinator garden on West 37th Avenue between Oak and Willow streets

Rockcliffe Lands Redevelopment (Part 4)

ROCKCLIFFE LANDS FUTURE

So how to get people on board in terms of the potential for this type of biophilic development?  Tell them all about the local birdwatching opportunities, the beautiful landscaping, the zen-like rainwater ponds and the idyllic setting that they would be living in.  Opportunities to forest-bathe, enjoy nightly avian performances, take in the pleasures of pollinator parks, meet new neighbours like chimney swifts or purple martins and play the old fashioned way.  People will benefit in so many ways by having a more natural surrounding and being drawn outdoors.  How else can the Rockcliffe Lands be redeveloped so as to allow the green surroundings and its fauna to flourish?  

THE LOCAL FAUNA

This area and its surroundings is a big draw for birds.  Not only is there the Ottawa River to the north but you have two marshes and a stream connecting them on the west side. At least a 100 birds have been seen in this area including the Bobolink and Bluebirds.  The project has already identified small stands of trees that should remain and the wood lot in the north-east corner.  To support and increase the diversity of birds in this area, habitat for birds needs to be included, along with efforts to decrease hazards for birds.  Habitat can be hedge borders, shrubby areas, open fields and trees.  It can also include manufactured constructs such as purple martin housing or chimney swift towers - see links above.  (It would be a great opportunity to build some demonstration towers here as new development does not include brick chimneys such as houses used to have.)  There also needs to be water and food for the birds - which can be provided by the proposed blue areas and hedge borders and shrubs (for berries and seeds).

Also bird-friendly design guidelines should be recommended.  Buildings (especially glass towers) can be a hazard for birds and result in deaths due to collisions especially during migration.  Any new highrises should be designed to minimize dangers to birds.

Hand in hand with birds of course are bees!  And when designing pollinator parks, it is beneficial to include insect habitat such as mason bee condos and insect hotels.  Mason bees are not known to be aggressive and are a great benefit for pollination of a green urban environment.  Going beyond that, insect hotels provided different sizes, shapes and materials for sheltering many types of insects and will ensure greater biodiversity in neighbouring gardens and lands.  And another beneficial neighbour would be bats.  These flying mammals help regulate winged insect populations, especially mosquitos so building design and/or park design could include recommendations for increasing habitat for them.  Some golf courses are encouraging bats to reside on their property.

Images from: Freshkills Park Blog, Pacific Horticulture (online), Sierra Club local chapter blog

If people are going to live in a more biophilic environment what needs to go hand in hand is an education program to help people adapt to more frequent encounters with all types of fauna and how best to discourage unwanted visitors.  There are ways to COEXIST WITH (coyotes, skunks, crows, etc) WILDLIFE in a less confrontational manner.

NEXT UP: DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES AND HONOURING ALGONQUIN LANDS. Rockcliffe Lands Redevelopment (Part 5): November 2013

******************

Posts on Rockcliffe Lands Redevelopment:

First blog post: September 2011

Rockcliffe Lands Redevelopment (Part 1) - November 2012

Rockcliffe Lands Redevelopment (Part 2) - April 2013

Rockcliffe Lands Redevelopment (Part 3) - September 2013

Rockcliffe Lands Redevelopment (Part 5) - November 2013

ROCKCLIFFE LANDS PAST

Crucial Part of Our Ecosystem

Media Release from Orkin Pest Control Company in Regina:

"As Canadians we cherish the summer months that bring sunshine, warm weather and the urge to spend time outdoors. Inevitably, the summer season also brings pesky critters into the mix, including house flies and the dreaded mosquito.  Although these uninvited guests could put a damper on your summer plans, they all play an essential role in nature. At Orkin Canada, we believe that every pest has a place, and while not in our homes, hospitals and public buildings – they are indeed a crucial part of our ecosystem. The following lists the roles they play in the natural environment.

House Fly In Nature: Although they may bug us, flies are an essential part of the food chain. House flies have an important role in nature pollinating plants and recycling all things dead and decaying. It may not seem glamorous but flies play a vital role in assisting the decomposition of dung and decaying matter, plants or animals.

Mosquito In Nature: Mosquitoes are delicious to eat and easy to catch! Mosquitoes are the main course for multiple species including spiders, salamanders, lizards, frogs, bats, birds and multiple species of fish. Without mosquitoes of off the menu, many of these animals would lose a primary food source."

See more at: http://blogs.leaderpost.com/2013/08/20/common-critters-friends-or-foe/#sthash.32vkVtnd.dpuf

Ragnhild Brosvik Mosquito Image from Flickr under Creative Commons

P.S. Check out my latest "urban wild" nature blog: Wild. Here. (2016 update)

green bus shelters (Philadelphia)

My friend mentioned last year that she had seen green roofs on Philadelphia's bus stops and I just got around to find out what they were all about. Here's more information:  

"The 60 square foot bus stop green roof at 15th and Market was based off of Roofmeadow’s idea to create a prefabricated kit that can be used to install a green roof on any standard bus shelter in Philadelphia and is meant to help promote PWD’s efforts to raise awareness around urban storm water issues. Any future replications of this first design will be paid for not by the city but by funds from advertising on the side of the bus shelter where the green roof has been installed."

Found at Inhabitat's website: Philadelphia Gets a Bus Stop Green Roof

"In Philadelphia alone, 52 green roofs have sprung up, totaling 10.6 acres by the count of the Water Department, which is tracking them as part of its effort to amass data on storm water.

Storm water is a historic problem for Philadelphia because most of the city's underground pipes combine rainwater and sewage. During storms, the system becomes overwhelmed and water polluted with raw sewage and road dirt overflows into streams and basements.

"Every acre manages or eliminates roughly a million gallons of storm-water runoff a year in the city," said Chris Crockett, acting deputy commissioner of environmental services for the Water Department."

From Philly Dot Com.

2016 Update: I've also heard about green bus stops in Sheffield (U.K.) by Groundwork Sheffield and the TTC Finch West Station is going to have a green roof!

P.S. Check out my latest "urban wild" nature blog: Wild. Here. (2016 update)

in defense of native trees...

From: "Old oaks face the axe, a major loss to the city’s ecosystem" 
Published on Monday November 26, 2012 in The Toronto Star

"(Eric Davies) explained that the black oak savannah in the park is a rare and precious ecosystem; it has been declared an “area of natural and scientific interest. That designation — ANSI — means it is important to the city, the province, the country, and the continent; of interest to the whole damn world.  The periphery around any ecosystem is called a buffer; here, (Juncos which are migratory birds) use it to hopscotch in and out of the park. When the trees are gone, they won’t be able to do that.

A larger point: because of the way pollination works, the trees under threat ensure the genetic health of the trees across the street. You would think that, if we protect the park, we would protect that which the park relies on...  (Other cities are) protecting their urban forests... making their buffers larger, extending the natural ecosystem... There is a recent study looking at insects and birds in native and non-native trees; the native trees have 50 per cent more biodiversity — insects, birds, fungi, mammals.

Image from: Graydon Hill Blog

Urban Ecology of Ponds (Ottawa)

Interesting study by Christopher Hassall from the Department of Biology at Carleton University entitled:

Ottawa's ponds as an open-air laboratory for research into urban ecology

Here is the summary from the weblink:

This project investigated the biodiversity of urban water bodies used for storm water management in Ottawa, Canada. Preliminary findings suggest that some of these managed water bodies contain similar levels of biodiversity to unmanaged, "natural" water bodies, although there are a number of highly degraded managed sites with very low biodiversity. The presence of fish in 10 out of 20 managed ponds suggests relatively healthy ecosystems. Analysis of mosquito monitoring data suggests that the presence of managed water bodies does not affect the number of mosquitoes in an area. In conclusion, urban ponds can contribute ecosystem services including storm water management and biodiversity without increases in insect disease vectors.

sea tree

"Waterstudio has designed a new concept for high density green spots in a city, the sea tree. This sea tree is a floating structure that hold in many layers green habitats for only animals. Under water the sea tree provides a habitat for small water creatures or even when the climate allows it for artificial coral reefs. The cost for the shown Sea Tree design is estimated at 4.5 million dollar." 

More on their website.

avian research at trent

Some really interesting research on birds happening at Trent:

-  daily movements of Chimney Swifts
-  the effect of industrial mine-activity on the stress physiology of Whip-poor-wills
-  the community structure of birds on farm and  grasslands of all types in south-central Ontario
-  the role of habitat, insect abundance, and interspecific competition on nightjars

Read more here!

learn about butterflies

I love receiving Jacquie Lawson cards - which works well because my mother loves sending them.  They are beautifully drawn cards which are animated.  They depict quaint little villages, idyllic winter holiday scenes and lovely nature vistas and up-close details of flowers, trees, etc.

I just received one that was titled Butterfly Bouquet - here's the link to the card on Jacquie Lawson's site.

What I really loved about this one is that if features five British Butterflies and I know this because at the end the website provides you with the option of printing the butterfly images and they provide the common names and the scientific names for all five butterflies!  (Check it out here.)

What a great way to share knowledge and increase people's interest in nature!

Congrats to the company for this brilliant idea!

High Line Park (NYC)

I've been to the Promenade Plantée and rejoiced about the incredible forethought this took and delighted in the magic that it is now.  It opens up amazing views that weren't available before, it allows people to see and travel the city in a completely different way and it "takes you away" even though you are still immersed in the city.

A local Ottawa blogger visited New York City this spring and got to experience the High Line Park - which is similar to the Paris park and being appreciated just as much.  While watching the movie Urbanized, I was shocked to hear that it was a battle to get this created - that even though the Paris Park had been built there were doubters about whether the old rail line in NYC could be revitalized like the Paris one.  Now that it has been built, it's effect is being felt in the city and beyond (see Huffington Post article).  All I can say is that I'm so glad that people did fight to get this built.  It's such a unique experience and has become such a success!

Read and see more in Childfree's Blog: High Line Park.  (Images from Childfree.)

bats + golf = hole in one

Saw this on the Weather Network earlier this year - thought it was such a great idea:

"Golf Courses Look to Bat Houses to Help Control Mosquito Population"

May 12, 2012 — Staff Writers — The last distraction any golfer needs on the course is those pesty mosquitoes. Now, several golf courses across Vancouver are hoping bats can help control those little blood-suckers.

 

More info here: The Weather Network

Image from The Weather Network