Urban Foxes

Finally after fifty or more years, Lebreton Flats is being redeveloped.  I've always wondered about the area and all that green space so close to the urban core.  When I was thinking how great it would be for the city to have an Urban Ecology Centre centrally located (when I started my new career in 2011) I thought something off of Bayview would be perfect.  It would be close to the river, along a major corridor (that fauna may naturally follow) and there was all that open green area.  Just a beautiful spot and vista.

I started thinking about this area again today when my friend posted about seeing an urban fox in Chinatown.

"We just saw a fox trotting at a fast clip around Primrose and Empress in Ottawa's Chinatown tonight. It looked she/he was heading towards Somerset before he/she ducked between some buildings. Who knew we'd find a fox in Centretown?"

It would be an amazing sight to see in the evening.  On the Urban Wild Walks we were told that there was a fox denning in the Macoun Marsh area (which my spouse saw this week cross St. Laurent late in the evening) and our Animal Tracks tour leader also found a fox den (although empty at the time) up in Rockcliffe Park (the official park where the pavilion is, not the neighborhood "Rockcliffe Park").  But are urban foxes common in Canada?  I knew they were in parts of the U.K. as I have read and watched documentaries on London's urban foxes.

"London is unique among western European capitals in that it has a fox population of any great size, concedes Trevor Williams, director of The Fox Project, which maintains a wildlife information bureau." (The Star, David Hewitt, 2012) 

"Stephen Harris, an expert on urban foxes at Bristol, says no reliable figure has ever been calculated, although he once estimated the number at 5,000 to 6,000 for London's boroughs." (L.A. Times, Christopher Werth, 2014)

London has no urban raccoon or skunk population (unlike here in Canada) but it does have increasing numbers of badgers, weasels, hedgehogs and other small nocturnal visitors.  Each creature has different territory size and the overlap of these territories may vary along with when each is on the prowl.

But back to Ottawa - pictured above and below are the areas that connect Lebreton Flats area to Chinatown (above the ridge) along Empress and Lorne.  There is a very scrubby areas along the ridge in both places which could offer urban mammals including foxes some cover and some easy accessible corridors to explore more urban territories above the ridge.

The pink area in the map below is the Saint Vincent hospital property and Somerset is south of this site.  The orange arrow pointing in the direction the fox was going.

Lebreton Flats (before current redevelopment started) had some great wild green and rocky areas that could offer den locations.  The fox at Macoun Marsh is found in the rocky area beside the marsh.  The den in Rockcliffe Park was dug in soil along the slopes down to the river.

Red foxes are a rare sighting but part of the reason for this is that we keep different hours.  Foxes are nocturnal like our skunk and raccoon neighbours but this still doesn't explain why they are rarely spotted here as I've definitely seen the other two creatures from time to time, so why not foxes?

They have been seen in the Fletcher Wildlife Gardens and the volunteers there estimate that there is just one family that uses the territory.  FWG's webpage indicates that despite being nocturnal, foxes will hunt during the day in the winter but this area with its fields, shrubs and woods is very different than an urban landscape. I'm guessing that urban scavenging is still best done at night when the city is more quiet.  Foxes are solitary and, even in areas where they are known to dwell, are rarely spotted.

The Toronto Wildife Centre states that foxes are more common than realized and can be found near ravine systems, large grassy fields and large parks where small mammals are plentiful (Toronto Wildlife Centre) and the MNR backgrounder states that foxes do den near human areas and are commonly found in many large urban centres in Ontario.

Charlottetown, however is one Canadian city where fox populations are similar to the London U.K. situation where "human-fox interactions are commonplace".  An urban research team studying these foxes "found 89 dens in Charlottetown". (Saltscapes)  Many residents of this city have spotted foxes - they have become a common sight unlike cities here in Ontario.

So my conclusion would be that they are more common than we realize but not as common as raccoons and skunks, which is probably a good thing!

Other great tidbits:

• Foxes are omnivorous eating small rodents, frogs, insects, birds, snakes, acorns, grasses, corn, fruit and berries. (MNR)
• They use abandoned groundhog burrows as dens. (Lethbridge College - the link for the LC Virtual Wildlife Project - digital Hubbard Collection is not working anymore)
• Foxes can travel up to 10 km a day.  (Lethbridge College, Virtual Wildlife Project - Hubbard Collection)  It's 4 km from Lebreton Flats to the Fletcher Wildlife Garden.
• They are extremely nimble - much more likes cats than dogs in this trait and can even climb trees. (FWG)
• And let us not forget this brilliant fox who found a comfy resting spot for a morning! (#busfox)

Some other great urban mammal/wildlife posts:

Urban Crows (and supportive urbanites) (May 2011)

Helping Urban Skunks (March 2012)

Urban Coyotes (Feb 2012)

Urban Bats (June 2013 and August 2012)

Urban Fishers (Feb 2013)

NCC Urbanism Lab: Ecological Urbanism (Ottawa)

Just found this on the NCC website:

The National Capital Commission (NCC), in partnership with the Embassy of France, is pleased to present a stimulating discussion about ecological urbanism. This is an approach that "considers the city with multiple instruments and with a worldview that is fluid in scale and disciplinary focus. Design provides the synthetic key to connect ecology with an urbanism that is not in contradiction with its environment."

The panel will consist of the following experts:

•  Nina-Marie Lister, Associate Professor, Ryerson University (Toronto, Canada) 
•  Christian Devillers, Agence Devillers (Paris, France) 
•  Philippe Clergeau, Professor, Department of Ecology and Biodiversity Management, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (Paris, France) 
•  Joan Tarragon, Architect, X-TU architects (Paris, France) 

The discussion will introduce the concepts of ecological urbanism as a philosophy and theory, as it is known in the Canadian context. Our French guests will then share their knowledge and experience from a theoretical and practical perspective, including the notion of éco-quartiers and green architecture. As planner and steward of Canada’s Capital, the NCC strives to incorporate innovative thought leadership to continue to creating a truly world-renowned capital.

NCC Capital Urbanism Lab Event was held December 2014.  (Too bad I found out about this event after the fact!)

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)

Saving Ontario Salamanders

An East York woman is saving the salamanders of cottage country, rescuing them from local trails and raising them in her backyard.

Carolyn Forbes, 28, says she has collected about 350 yellow and blue-spotted salamander egg sacs, each with the possibility of hatching between 20 and 50 babies, from ditches and dips in local roads near her Highlands cottage near Bancroft.

However, Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources does not allow amphibians to be taken from or released into the wild. 

Link to Toronto Star News Article

On a quest to find the Urban Bobolink (Ottawa)

As mentioned in a previous post, I had read about sightings of bobolinks by Dave Collyer from an online post of Manor Park News in 2006 and I was wondering if it was still around.  Pretty amazing sighting of this grassland bird in a more urban setting if it is still here!

I thought I heard it on Monday in the field between the Rockcliffe Parkway and Sandridge Road (there's a path down the middle of the field for dogwalkers).  Using my binoculars I spotted a black bird with unusual markings in the top of a dead tree on the edge of the field close to Sandridge and Placel but it was a faint shadowed view through my binocular lens. I had no camera that day to take a picture and confirm the sighting.  

I went out with my camera today and couldn't find it in that field.  Was wondering if it was in another field close by (or perhaps up at the old Rockcliffe Base?) so I went to the Airport-Marina Road and I ended up finding it in a narrow strip between the Aviation Pathway and the Rockcliffe Airport fence line.

WOW.

FOUND.

Other Urban Bird Posts:

- Barred Owl Visit to Parklette in Toronto (2014)

- Urban Bobolink in Ottawa (2012)

- The Pigeon Paradox (2012)

- Urban Chimney Swift Towers (2011)

- Purple Martin Nesting (2011)

- Roosting Crows in Ottawa (2011)

interesting projects by the U.S. Forest Service

Meet Erika Svensen of the U.S. Forest Service and read about a couple of her projects:

SACRED SPACE.
Recently, my colleagues and I received a grant from the TKF Foundation, a private non-profit that funds publicly accessible urban green space. The project, entitled Landscapes of Resilience: Understanding the Creation and Stewardship of Open Spaces Sacred Places, focuses on acute disasters (such as the Joplin tornado and Hurricane Sandy on the east coast) and compares these disturbances with chronic, longer term economic disruption in our communities. We are studying when, where, how and why residents use greening activities as a mechanism for resilience and restoration. You can learn more about this project here: http://civicecology.org/tkf.php for more details. 

URBAN FIELD STATION.
In addition to my current research, I am part of the New York City Urban Field Station. The field station’s mission is to improve the quality of life in urban areas by conducting and supporting research about social-ecological systems and natural resource management. It began as a partnership between the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station and the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation. Here is a link to the NYC Urban Field Station site: http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/nyc/ 

LIVING MEMORIALS.
One of my first research projects with the U.S. Forest Service resulted in a multi-year study to understand the meaning of community-based memorials and acts of environmental stewardship after the attacks of September 11, 2001. The Living Memorials Project http://www.livingmemorialsproject.net/ documented and investigated over 700 memorials nationwide, made them accessible in an on-line national registry, and findings were synthesized in articles, presentations and multi-media exhibits. Our research examines the emergence of September 11 memorials as part of a social-ecological process of resilience and the ways in which ordinary space becomes sacred. Our partnership with artists and designers enabled us to produce an exhibit, Land-Markings: 12 Journeys through 9/11 Living Memorials at the National Park Service’s Federal Hall National Memorial on Wall Street. We were honored to receive the 2007 EDRA/Places Award for Living Memorials National Research: 9-11 and the Public Landscape.

Full bio here: http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/people/esvendsen

Wildlife Construction Protocols (Ottawa)

From Ottawa Community News:

April 17, 2014

Board Looks at Alternative School Site (Kanata):

WILDLIFE PROTECTION

Measures were in place to mitigate the effects of tree cutting on birds and animals in the area, Wilkinson said.

Cutting can only be conducted until April 15, the councillor said, to avoid the nesting season of birds in the area.

If tree cutting didn't happen before the deadline for bird nesting season, there would be no way for the school to be built in time for kids to attend in September of 2015, Wilkinson said.

That tree-cutting deadline is needed to comply with the federal Migratory Birds Convention Act, Snedden wrote. In addition, KNL was asked to follow the tree-removal protocol followed by the city's forestry department. That procedure involves tree inspectors searching for evidence of animal use or habitat, which is shared with tree-cutting crews, who do a second inspection of flagged trees to see if animals are present. If there is an animal in the tree, the tree is not disturbed and the crew returns to remove it once the animal has moved on. Nesting boxes were placed around the area to lure animals such as squirrels out from trees.

A similar policy is being considered for the wildlife construction policy the city committed to drafting as part of an update to its wildlife management strategy last year.

City staff conducted surveys to identify areas where trees and wildlife habitats were to be retained, Snedden said. They also monitored cutting to ensure the removals complied with the urban tree conservation bylaw.

Snedden said Blanding's turtles are still hibernating at this time of year based on population monitoring data. Wilkinson said KNL Developments has a certificate from the province allowing it to go ahead with work because the area isn't part of the main habitat of the protected Blanding's turtles. If turtles are found, they must be protected and removed from the area, Wilkinson said.


Image from: Unpublished Ottawa

Wildlife Education in Toronto Parkette

New Partnership Will Green Toronto Parks 

"An example of a project that received funding in the first year of this program is the Ritchie Parkette. With a $25,000 grant, The Rotary Club of Toronto, the Friends of Ritchie Parkette and the Toronto Department of Parks, Forestry & Recreation will rehabilitate the parkette’s natural environment, introduce wildlife education and programming."

All details here: Ontario Trillium Foundation

More details were available on the Friends of Ritchie Parkette Blog:

It was announced yesterday that the W. Garfield Weston Foundation will support improvements to Ritchie Parkette with a $25,000 grant provided through the Weston Family Parks Challenge.  

The Rotary Club of Toronto, the Friends of Ritchie Parkette and the Toronto Department of Parks, Forestry & Recreation will use the grant to rehabilitate the parkette’s natural environment, introduce wildlife education and programming. 
We are approved for the following: 

•  Native species will be planted at the front of the park and some interpretive signage that identifies the plants and describes healthy natural habitats. 

• A chalk board wildlife and bird sighting display and some signage about birds in the area will be erected with links for posting bird, insect and mammal sightings to this blog. 

• Access to a water tap for all seasons. 

This means sandcastles, rivers through sand tunnels and water for the ice rink in the winter.  

Thanks to all involved for their time in helping us win this generous grant.

All images from Friends of Ritchie Parkette Blog (Owl visited their park in November 2012!)



Other Urban Bird Posts:

- Urban Bobolink in Ottawa (2012)

- The Pigeon Paradox (2012)

- Urban Chimney Swift Towers (2011)

- Purple Martin Nesting (2011)

- Roosting Crows in Ottawa (2011)

Imagine! The First Biophilic Redevelopment Project in Canada!

Finally!! I have written those much promised blog posts on the Rockcliffe Lands Redevelopment.  I'm only a year late!  I still have one last post to do and I hope to get it done this month and provide my comments to CLC.  I can't wait to see what this development shapes into in the upcoming years!

Posts on Rockcliffe Lands Redevelopment:

First blog post: September 2011

Announcement of the project by CLC

Rockcliffe Lands Redevelopment (Part 1): November 2012

Description of the first public open house (October 2012) and their Green and Blue conceptual drawings.

Rockcliffe Lands Redevelopment (Part 2): April 2013

Consideration for heritage old growth trees, green corridors to promote ecological diversity and the surrounding landscape.

Rockcliffe Lands Redevelopment (Part 3): September 2013

Suggestions regarding increasing the size of Montfort Woods, Expanding options for "Blue Landscaping" and adding Native Wildscaping

Rockcliffe Lands Redevelopment (Part 4): October 2013

Thoughts on supporting native fauna including birds, bees, bats and other wildlife

If you still want to send your thoughts and comments to Canada Lands Company it is not too late. You can find their contact information on the Canada Lands Company Rockcliffe Lands website (syau@clc.ca,info@clc.ca). I did not find an email address for the Ottawa office however.

UPCOMING: Rockcliffe Lands Redevelopment (Part 5) which will include a discussion on the potential for Biophilic Guidelines (based on Toronto Waterfront's Sustainability Guidelines) and honoring Algonquin Lands.  Stay tuned!

vancouver bird houses

Found on Urban Guide for Alternative Use:

"Designers Jeffrey Liu and Andrew Siu saw an opportunity to give birds a better shot at a happy home in the city by using Vancouver’s existing lamp posts and street signs as the supporting infrastructure for plug-in urban birdhouses.

By using powerful magnets as the attachment device, the birdhouses have the flexibility to not only attach to any metal post, but also to external metal buttresses, bridges, fire escapes, or any of a city’s many metal structures. The birdhouse colors were inspired by the work artists Haas & Hahn did to transform some of Brazil’s favelas, and their entry points were designed for easy access for birds from different directions, and a challenging point of entry for predators."

Additional photos and full process details can be found here.

Image Source

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

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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

Bat Research

Found this on the North American Society for Bat Research Webpage:

Toronto's world famous Royal Ontario Museum (the ROM) was the location of the 2011 NASBR Teacher's Workshop in association with the annual meeting. Never before have we had such a visually stimulating site for this important event. Burton Lim and Judith Eger, NASBR members and scientific researchers, are both employed at the ROM and made all arrangements to accommodate 35 teachers for the 6-hour workshop.
 

Presentations were given on the ROM bat exhibits, Ontario bats and their biology, live bat demonstrations, an identification key exercise using museum study skins, and classroom activities using "Year of the Bat" education resources. This year's faculty included: Burton Lim, Judith Eger and Dave Ireland from the ROM; Erin Fraser, University of Western Ontario; Paul Faure, McMaster University; Andreas Streit, UNEP/Eurobats; James Eggers, Bat Conservation International; and Jacqueline Miller, University of Toronto. While faculty and teacher participants enjoyed a lovely private lunch at the ROM, they were treated to a book reading and signing, Burton & Isabelle Pipistrelle: Out of the Bat Cave, presented by the author and artist.

Images from NASBR website

Placemaking - the value of green urban areas (Ottawa)

The Power of a Small Green Place

- A Case Study of Ottawa's Fletcher Wildlife Garden by Renate Sander-Regier

Abstract: The Power of a Small Green Place is an ethnographic case study among the volunteers and urban wilds of Ottawa’s Fletcher Wildlife Garden (FWG). Through the conceptual lens of the geographical concept of place – with its wide range of physical, relational and deeper meaningful considerations – this urban wildlife habitat project emerged as a place of profound significance. Volunteers working to create and maintain the FWG’s diverse habitats benefit from opportunities to engage in physical outdoor activity, establish social connections, make contact with the natural world, find deep personal satisfaction and meaning, and experience healthier and mutually beneficial relations with nature. This case study fills a knowledge gap in geography regarding the significant relationships that can emerge between people and the land they work with, thereby contributing to geography’s “latest turn earthward” examining practices and relationships of cultivation with the land. The case study also contributes to a growing interdisciplinary dialogue on human-nature relations and their implications in the context of future environmental and societal uncertainties.

The full thesis can be read here:  Ottawa University Thesis: Fletcher Garden, Renate Regier. 


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Speaking about Fletcher Wildlife Garden - there has also been a great recent blog post and video - check it out here on Housecraft.

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)

10 hectare wood lots in Ottawa

What is a healthy forest?  Can there be such a thing as a healthy forest within an urbanized area?  What would a forest need to support certain "forest species"?  Certain species seek out "interior forest" - a denser part of a wooded area that is buffered by other trees which support the interior core.  This core is more stable and healthy as it is not affected as much by edge species (both faunal and floral) and thus can provide the type of habitat that "interior species" are looking for.  Landscapes ecologist speculate that an ecological buffer such as this needs to be at least 100 metres.  In reading the Ontario Nature fact sheet on fragmentation, they state that using this 100 metres as a guideline that a circular forest needs to be at least 8 hectares to have one hectare of interior forest.  And in some other articles I have read, the minimum stated for a healthy forest (that has some dense interior "forest" that would attract forest species of birds) would be 10 hectares*. But most articles and studies state that this is a very difficult measure to determine and many feel that 10 hectares is too small to provide any such habitat for birds or other interior forest species.

This Forest Fragmentation Study lists certain birds that are more affected by the size and some that are less sensitive to the size:   "Area sensitive birds identified in this study included the Ovenbird, Acadian Flycatcher, Kentucky Warbler, and Red-Shouldered Hawk.  The least area sensitive species were mostly species that were not truly interior birds such as the Carolina Wren and Great Crested Flycatcher."

So does Ottawa have any wood lots of approximately that size (remembering that this is a MINIMUM size)?  And what types of birds can be found in these area and around the city in general?

First of all, Ottawa does have two wood lots that are around that size, but unfortunately neither of them are protected, conservation land.  Here are the two woods:

- Pleasant Park Woods (pictured above)

- Rothwell Heights - Bathgate Forest (on NRC Campus)

Some forest species that I have been on the look out for are the Red-Eyed Vireo, Brown Creeper, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Pine Warbler, Ovenbird and the Nuthatches.  OBBC has had volunteers survey the city for birds for the past 5 years and through both Point Counts (some along Bathgate Drive) and Census Plot (Pleasant Park being one of them) forest species birds have been confirmed in these areas.  The map below confirms abundance (not individual observations):

Presently the NRC is doing a large construction project on their property.  The good news is that they are trying to protect as much of the forest as possible.  Details are available on the Government of Canada website:

"PCL has already started to work on site preparation by removing trees to make way for the construction of the new facility. Many of the trees found on this lot are of the ash species and have been confirmed to be infested by the emerald ash borer, a major threat to Canada's environment and forest resources. As the movement of infested tree material is highly regulated, PCL will take all precautionary measures to dispose of the trees as per Canadian Food Inspection Agency regulations . It should be noted that 90 percent of the maple grove located in the northeast corner of the site will be preserved, as well as 55 to 60 percent of the existing woodlot.

Once construction is completed, there is a reforestation plan in place that will include planting more than 1000 new trees, primarily near the western edge of the site, along Bathgate Drive.
Final landscaping should be expected to be complete by November 2014.

The new facility will include walkways in the reforested area along Bathgate Drive extending up to the National Research Council (NRC) campus and the extension of the existing sidewalk along the east side of Bathgate Drive."

This summer get out and enjoy these gems that provide habitat for some endangered and rare species (especially in urban areas!).

Pleasant Park Woods Image from Ottawa Velo Outaouais

P.S. Should we be planting more native trees as per Diana Beresford-Kroeger?

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* Cornell Lab Of Ornithology - Improving Habitat for Forest Thrushes (pg 8)

urban fisher study (Albany, New York)

Study done by Scott Lapointe and Roland Kayes

From News Article:  "This winter I’m on the track of an urban weasel in Albany — the fisher. These six-to-13-pound members of the weasel family started moving into urban areas 10 years ago, and have been quietly hunting their squirrel and rabbit dinners here ever since... we got our first camera-trap photograph of an Eastern fisher moving through suburban Albany (in 2000). In a century the Northeastern fisher had gone from wilderness animal to suburban predator...

Our approach is to document the ecology and behavior of fishers living in the urban forests of the Capital District, a triangle of suburban development with Albany, Schenectady and Troy, N.Y., as its points. In particular, we want to see how the animals move through and connect the small forest fragments, avoiding speeding cars and still finding enough food. We will then contrast this with what we find in a population of “wild” fishers living about 20 miles away in the forests around Grafton Lakes State Park and Pittstown State Forest."

The urban study site has four times the density of roads and 15 times the population density of the wild site.

Full article & pictures from the New York Times 

Also check out further articles on their Fisher Studies

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

inspiring

Image Source: Fast Coexist

(Congress Avenue Bridge, Austin, Texas)

forward to nature

This movement isn’t about “going back to nature,” but going forward to nature.

Participants include: traditional conservationists; proponents and producers of alternative energy; physicians (particularly pediatricians) who prescribe time in natural areas and green exercise to patients; ecopsychologists and wilderness therapy professionals; park professionals who help families fulfill their “park prescriptions”; public health professionals and urban designers who work to increase the number of natural amenities near where we live.

Other participants are citizen naturalists salvaging threatened natural habitats and creating new ones; community gardeners and urban farmers; organic farmers and “vanguard ranchers” who restore as they harvest; urban wildscapers replacing suburban yards with native species; nature-aware champions of walkable cities and active living; deep green design professionals, including biophilic architects, developers, urban planners and therapeutic landscapers who transform homes, workplaces, suburbs and city neighborhoods – potentially whole cities and their transportation systems – into restorative regions that reconnect us to nature.

Quote by Richard Louv from Ontario Urban Forest Council

Image from: A Better World By Design

The Green City: Toronto!

While so many Canadians and Torontonians are talking about Rouge Park, another great space is being overlooked during the debates and discussions.  It seems that Toronto is blessed with a second urban park close to the waterfront.  Although its size is approximately 1/10th of the potential 4000 hectares that will become the first national urban park, the Port Lands at 400 hectares is still an impressive size for a centrally located green space.

"An exciting future initiative on our new blue edge will be the development of Lake Ontario Park. It will transform the southern portion of the Port Lands into part of a massive new park. Encompassing 375 hectares (927 acres) and 37 kilometres of shoreline, Lake Ontario Park will be Canada’s next great urban park.  It will encompass numerous ecologically 
unique and distinctive landscapes, from the spectacular wetlands that define Tommy Thompson Park, to the cathedral stand of cottonwoods that frames Cherry Beach. Lake Ontario Park will be a world renowned urban wilderness and recreational park that will truly define our relationship with the water’s edge."  Quote from the Waterfront Toronto Website

The total size of the Port Lands district is 400 hectare (988-acre) bounded by the Keating Channel/Don River and Lake Shore Boulevard in the north, the Toronto Inner Harbour in the west, Ashbridges Bay in the east and Lake Ontario and Tommy Thompson Park in the south. This extensive, underutilized area presents an unprecedented opportunity for waterfront revitalization. Much of the Port Lands is publicly owned and is within a 30 minute walk of downtown Toronto. The southern portion of the Port Lands is bordered by Lake Ontario and much of it is used formally and informally as recreational space.

Find out more here: Waterfront Toronto

urban wildlife (Ottawa)

Amy's picture of the Eastern Redback Salamander found in Rockcliffe Park reminded me of other great nature sightings in the city:

Eric Darwin, blogger of West Side Action posts some great pictures of animals in his blog, as he's an active cyclists and pedestrian.  Some of his nature photos include turtles basking, comorants on the Ottawa River and beavers in lebreton flats.  The two I've included here are a snake along the bike path and a great blue heron on the Rideau Canal.

Also Fernando Farfand who is active on Flickr managed to capture the deer in Rockcliffe Park, the same year, my partner and I saw it (but only managed to get a blurry photo of its rear!).  Another photographer on Flickr had some great pictures of the prolific rabbits in Major's Hills Park.

What type of urban wildlife have you seen this fall?