Liberating the Happy Valley Forest from invaders
Happy Valley Forest, ON (Photo by Miguel Hortiguela)
It was a covert ground-assault by a small group of dedicated resisters, led by Thomas Unrau of the Nature Conservancy of Canada, on an invader to the perhaps not-so-Happy Valley. I'd signed up to participate in a valiant effort to thwart the...
Coming together to combat common reed (Phragmites australis)
Jill Crosthwaite, southwestern Ontario Region's Coordinator, Conservation Biology displaying height of common reed (Photo by NCC)
This past January, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) hosted a workshop focused on the invasive plant, common reed, and its status and management, including regulatory and chemical constraints, ongoing control in Norfolk County, current best...
The woodpecker bubble
Red-headed woodpecker (Photo by D. Fast)
Protected forests are the kingdom of the cavity-dwellers. This is where woodlands grow to an old-growth state, and where dead, damaged or otherwise wonderfully flawed trees take their rightful place in woodland ecology. As a result, nature...
The elephant in the woods
Backus Woods, Ontario (Photo by NCC)
Settled Southern Ontario still has magical places where you can experience the grandeur of wild nature. Backus Woods, just north of Lake Erie’s Long Point, is such a place. This is where forest cycles play out largely as nature intended....
The eastern subterranean termite: An introduced species in Ontario
Eastern subterranean termite (Photo by United States Department of Agriculture, Wikimedia Commons)
Most of us in Ontario, I think it is safe to say, don't give a moments thought to termites, or realize that they are found in this region. In fact you are unlikely to ever meet the acquaintance of one, unless your house unfortunately becomes...
Gardeners & lawn owners beware: Invasive species may be in your care! (Part Two)
Do you know which species are invasive in your yard? (Photo by Dru Bloomfield)
Whether you are living in an urban centre, suburban subdivision or rural regions, manicured gardens provide a stark contrast to vegetation growing freely in forests, wetlands and roadsides. Many of us have been brought up to appreciate...
Gardeners & lawn owners beware: Invasive species may be in your care! (Part One)
Japanese honeysuckle (Photo by Delaware Wildflowers)
Recently, I discovered my family obtained Japanese honeysuckle from a friend and allowed them to proliferate into a big patch in our backyard. The flowers are fragrant and a pleasant sight, as well a common herb used in traditional Chinese...
Pack your bags, zebra mussels!
Zebra mussels (Photo by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
Back in the fall of 2013, zebra mussels were found in Lake Winnipeg — much to everyone’s alarm. The news broke and it seemed almost instantly that organizations like Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship leapt into action to come...
Not wanted on the island: Combatting common reed on Pelee
Invasive non-native phragmites on Pelee Island (Photo by NCC)
No visit to beautiful Pelee Island is complete without a visit to the beach. The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) has protected more than one kilometre of globally significant shoreline habitat on the island. This habitat supports turtles,...
A dandy way to bite back for conservation!
Maggie Cascadden making invasive species appetizers (Photo by Katie Cascadden)
The Nature Conservancy of Canada spends hours pulling weeds across the country each year. This past Saturday, Alberta Region Conservation Volunteers were given the opportunity to bite back! Since 2006, Conservation Volunteers have gone to the...
