green cover versus grey ashphalt...(Ottawa)

Vert Design in Ottawa consulted on a very interesting Urban Forest project in Ottawa: New Edinburgh Urban Forest Inventory and Plan

Scope of Work: Urban Planning and Neighbourhood Design

Project Description: The New Edinburgh Urban Forest Inventory and Plan was undertaken to illustrate the curent voids within the neighbourhood's urban forest and recommends areas for future plantings. A public awareness campaign including community newspaper articles, a public information session and a neighbourhood tree planting day is ongoing to encourage plantings on private property. Strategic discussions regarding prospective sites managed by the municipal and federal governments is also being undertaken to establish priorities for forestation of those areas of special significance.

Trees can provide so much to an urban setting. They are not only aesthetic, they also provide shade and green cover (helping to lower the urban heat island), increase biodiversity, absorb carbon dioxide, retain water at the same time lessening storm water runoff and even improve water quality.

* Image from the City of Ottawa website.

our disposable trash and the wildlife that gets caught

Last month Furbearer Defenders wrote a post about the issue of skunks getting their head caught in the drainage holes of dumpsters. This week I also found some links to skunks who had gotten their head trapped in various jars and cups.

"It's not unusual for skunks to get their heads stuck in random objects — they are easily attracted to food smells and because their heads are triangular in shape, it is easy for them to push through narrow openings." (CBC Skunk Story)

"Skunks won’t spray you if they can’t see you, so it’s not a risk to grab the cup and pull it off. Skunks are nearsighted. They see the world in slow-moving blobs. Simon said the trick is to move slowly and speak in soft, soothing tones to the skunk - they stomp their feet before they spray.

The best way consumers can prevent a similar skunk emergency is to thoroughly rinse and cut up containers before discarding/disposal: Raccoons get their heads stuck in peanut butter jars, birds get caught in 6-pack can holders and trash poses other risks for wildlife, said Simon. (New Haven Register Skunk Story)

What a good reminder of how we can help wildlife:
- wash and clean all recyclables well before they are put out in recycling bin
- cut and/or crush all plastic so that it can't get trapped around an animal
- keep all garbage will secured and in a pail with lid
- put out garbage/recyclables the day of collection so that nocturnal animals can't get at your containers
- if you see garbage on the street, in ditches or parks pick it up and dispose of it safely
- if possible don't use disposable cups at all (especially ones with rounded lid & large hole on top!)
- the upside down Yoplait yogurt containers (in the U.S.) are especially dangerous for skunks.

The wildlife will thank you!

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*All skunks pictured in this post were rescued and jars, cups removed.

News Reports:

- Animal Rescue - Brewster Police

- Stuck Skunk - KTLA

- Birdwatchers Save a Life

Toronto's Biodiversity Booklet Series

Since 2009 the City of Toronto has been working on different booklets that showcase the biodiversity found in the region. With each booklet focusing on a different flora or fauna (birds, mammals, trees, etc.), a great series has been built to familiarize the citizens of Toronto with their "non-human" neighbours.

From the website:

Imagine a Toronto with flourishing natural habitats and an urban environment made safe for a great diversity of wildlife species. Envision a city whose residents treasure their daily encounters with the remarkable and inspiring world of nature, and the variety of plants and animals who share this world. Take pride in a Toronto that aspires to be a world leader in the development of urban initiatives that will be critical to the preservation of our flora and fauna.

... It is hoped that despite the severe biodiversity loss due to massive urbanization, pollution, invasive species, habitat loss and climate change, the Biodiversity Booklet Series will help to re-connect people with the natural world, and raise awareness of the seriousness that biodiversity loss represents and how it affects them directly. The Series will help cultivate a sense of stewardship in residents; inform the City of the current state of local biodiversity and how current City policies, procedures and operations can be enhanced, altered or revised in order to help mitigate local biodiversity loss.

The Reptile and Amphibian Booklet was released last June (2011) by Julia Phillips. Check out the complete series here: Toronto's Biodiversity Series

the birds and the bees (Guelph)

Guelph is creating the first Pollinator Park in Canada. It is located on the grounds of the old Eastview Landfill site.

From the City of Guelph website: The former landfill site is north-west of Eastview Rd and Watson Pkwy N. where 45 of the total 81 hectares had been land-filled. The plan includes a pollinators park and preservation of wetlands, and sports fields on the non land-filled portions of the site.
They have implemented a 1.5 hectare demonstration project to test and monitor this proposal (as there are many constraints with landfill sites). And the City of Gatineau and Fleurir Gatineau might be considering creating a similar initiative in the capital city.

If you want to know how this initiative got started, there is a powerpoint presentation (in pdf) online at the University of Guelph's website. They were one of the initial funders of the proposal. In it they discuss how important it is to have a Champion at the City level and for this project Guelph City Councillor Vicki Beard was that "powerful proponent".

ICLEI Canada has a great summary of this project as one of their Case Studies in the Cities and Biodiversity Series found here: ICLEI LAB.

2015 update on this Guelph project here.

tree top breeding

In Ottawa, there was a peregrine falcon nest directly across from our director's office on the 18th floor. The building across had no windows at that height and just this amazing ledge that was perfect for the bird. Sometimes we would see a pair of them circling on the other side of the building where the city opened up to LeBreton Flats and the river.

I started thinking about this bird today, at the end of our Wildlife Observation class. For our field observations, we had wandered around the (small) Scotch Pine Plantation on campus and saw over ten large (2-feet wide) nests way up in the tops of the trees. In the first semester, one of the teachers gave us an overview of the "activity" on campus. He told us that there are Cooper's Hawks and Barred Owls nesting in the Scotch Pines, there are Ruffed Grouse in the southeast corner in the woods (part of which is a cedar stand close to the river) and that students/faculty have also spotted Great Horned Owls and Osprey close by in the back fields and even Bufflehead visiting during their migration. I've even heard that some students have seen dead mice hanging on thorns (which is a sign there is a Shrike around).

So to investigate the larger nests in the Scotch Pines, I found the Cornell's Lab of Ornithology with some information on the Cooper's Hawk nests:

Nests are piles of sticks roughly 27 inches in diameter and 6-17 inches high with a cup-shaped depression in the middle, 8 inches across and 4 inches deep. The cup is lined with bark flakes and, sometimes, green twigs.

Cooper’s Hawks build nests in pines, oaks, Douglas-firs, beeches, spruces, and other tree species, often on flat ground rather than hillsides, and in dense woods. Nests are typically 25-50 feet high, often about two-thirds of the way up the tree in a crotch or on a horizontal branch.

This website also indicates that the Cooper's Hawk has easily adapted to our urban and suburban developments. So this is definitely a possibility! We did see and hear an American Kestrel today also but they nest in cavities (and do take to nest boxes just in case you want to build one!).

I have heard that crows will take over large abandoned nests and Barred Owls will use abandoned nests also (they preferred cavities though). We just received a handout on snag trees and important nesting trees for our Forestry Measurement class but unfortunately it's at school - it actually helps you identify which type of raptor built the next depending on the materials, the location and the height of the nest.

We'll learn more tomorrow - so stay tuned!

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