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Nature League INCORPORATED AS SENIOR LEAGUE ENDOWMENT SOCIETY OF COLLINGWOOD FALL ISSUE 2012

Welcome to Fall

Wednesday September 12thTrinity United Church140 Maple Street, Collingwood140 Maple Street, Collingwood140 Maple Street10:00 a.m. Social/Coffee 10.30 a.m. AGM Lunch: $7.00/person ( Dishes/Cutlery provided )

“Vision for the Silver Creek Wetlands”

Guest speaker, Don Kerr Director, Blue Mountain Watershed Trust and Nature League member

AGM

Important MessageThe ECO HOUSE TOUR advertised in our last issue has been cancelled ....Stay tuned for future fundraiser news.

PresidentPresidentP ’s messagemessagem

Enjoy the Tobermory Tribute Supplement

My fi rst year as president essage

My fi rst year as president essage

has been a fun and re-warding one. I hope you all enjoyed the past year with the many walks, winter activities, speakers

and socials. A trip back to Tobermory this June was a great success, so thanks to organizers Carolyn and Harry Moerschner. Fritzy and Jerry Nydam invited all members to a pot luck supper in July at their cottage. A great time, many thanks. We continue to support initiatives to protect nature and the environment. ( See“On Your Behalf..”) We look for-ward to our Fall Program ( enclosed ) organized by Esmonde Clarke.I hope to see you all at the AGM when we will introduce our latest Nature League project.

Clare Capon

Wednesday November 21st

A TASTE OF INDIAPhotos of the Cauthers’ recent trip to India from the north to the southincluding visits to the Taj Mahal and Ranthambore National Park.

L.E.Shore Library: Thornbury

10:00 am Coffee/10:30 Presentation ( Approx: 1.5 hrs.)

Info: Gary/Lois Cauthers 705-466-2272

Special Event

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Nature Leaguers: * Learning *Doing * SocializingThank you to Program co-ordinator Esmonde Clarke and the many activity leaders and volunteers

“Kolapore Uplands”

“Old Baldy” ( Malcolm Kirk Side Trail )

Garlic Mustard pullteam. NVCA’SDavid FeatherstoneEsmonde Clarke with Clare Capon, Leny den Clare Capon, Leny den Clare Capon, LenyBok, Sue Mason, Migs Baker, Gary and LoisCauthers.

“Break on the Edge”

Raymond & Araby Don Kerr, Gail Worth, Raymond and “Re-tired Person” Person” Person” Person”

Esmonde Clarke

back in Lake Ontario, after decades of very low numbers. Lilies grow in in wet-lands that were once sodden mudfl ats.Shimmering fi sh sparkle beneath the water’s surface, tiny glimmers of hope that Lake Ontario can be renewed and returned to full health again.They are signs that the fi sh, wildlife and birds that were extirpated - locallyextinct - can return to make their home in and near the lake’s waters.The losses have been extreme. Nearly 60 per cent of original wetlands have been destroyed on the Canadian side of Lake Ontario, even more between Toronto and the Niagara River. In some parts of southwestern Ontario, the loss has reached 90 percent, one of the highest rates in the world.Invasive species continue to threaten the biodiversity of the lake. They include zebra mussle and parasitic sea lamprey, which attaches itself to fi sh with its sucker mouth.Still, there are pockets of improvement. “The sheer number of waterfowl that rest on the lake during migratory period are more than anyone would believe, well over a million” says ecologist Tys Theysmeyer. “It does remind you it is a great lake.”“Think back to the old days when Lake Ontario and Lake Erie were being writ-ten off and polluted and unhealthy,” biologist Marion Daniels says of the 1960s and 1970s. Those would be the days when algae bloomed, when dead smelt littered the shoreline, when foam bubbled grey and noxious.“That’s been reversed in a lot of different ways. We have to take care of the little things. If we are successful in taking care of the little things, little things become great improvements.”In that spirit, the STAR highlights some of the Lake’s ecological success stories.

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Walleye, sharp toothed,gold and olive incolour, appear to becolour, appear to be

1largest of North American waterfowl, largest of North American waterfowl, had not been seen in Ontario since the had not been seen in Ontario since the 19th century. They had been hunted to 19th century. They had been hunted to near extinction. Hundreds now over-near extinction. Hundreds now over-winter in Burlington Bay thanks to the winter in Burlington Bay thanks to the work of volunteers led by retired Minis-work of volunteers led by retired Minis-try of Natural Resources biologist Harry Lumsden, who started a swan restora-tion program in 1982. Now the indig-enous species with the memorable honk is self sustaining. Another impressive bird, the bald eagle, hadn’t been seen near Lake Ontario in more than 50 years. Last fall, fi ve were spotted at Cootes Paradise in the Royal Botanical Gardens, and one pair has made a nest there, the fi rst on Lake Ontario in decades.

Great big birdsGreat big birdsThe big winged birds have re-The big winged birds have re-turned. Trumpeter swans, the turned. Trumpeter swans, the

2Marshland miraclesThe common Carp, a half millionpounds of sucker-mouthed,

whiskered, heavy-scaled bottom feed-ers, had taken over Cootes Paradise, part of the Royal Botanical Gardens between Hamilton and Burlington.It looked like a mud fl at. Carp, intro-duced in the late 19th century as a replacement for salmon, sucked up sediment, rototilled plant life and left the water, polluted by runoff from agri-cultural land use and urban sewage, a murky mess. In one of North America’s largest wetland rehabilitation projects, which included a fi shway to keep out the carp, it has become a true marsh-land paradise with cattails, pelicans, mink, perch, sunfi sh and pike. Fifty na-tive plants once at risk have returned.

Tiny, sparkly wonders“It’s not super sexy,” says GordMacPherson”, but the minnows3

are back.” Decades ago, the emerald shiner had fallen victim to a lake awash in detergent, fertilizer and sewage. The 5 centimeter-long iridescent fi sh had been displaced by alewife and smelt - you may have seen the latter washed up on the shore, says MacPherson, manager of habitat restoration for the Toronto and Region Conservation

Authority. The shiner’s return signals a new balance in a cleaner, clearer lake.

which spills into Lake Ontario at Ajax, creating a perfect nursery for Atlantic salmon. It’s one of four waterways - including the Credit River, the Humber River and Cobourg Brook - rehabilitat-ed in the past six years to welcome the once - fl ourishing native species, which vanished at the end of the 19th century.Dams, deforestation and agricultural runoff had made the streams inhospi-table. Add to that overfi shing - there were reports of thousands being caught in a single night. Now trees are be-ing planted on the banks to increase shade and lower water temperature, and fences are being erected to prevent livestock from polluting the stream and damaging spawning beds. Strains of salmon from Nova Scotia, Quebec and Maine, have been hatched and released in Duffi ns Creek, some 800,000 so far.

4Return of the nativeThe water is cold and fast-running,the gravel clean in Duffi ns Creek;

5“White bonfi res”Lake Ontario’s shifting, restless dunes, what the poet Al Purdy

called ”white bonfi res in the sunlight,”are continually being restored. The largest freshwater sand barrier is at Sandbanks Provincial Park, near Picton. The dunes are still recovering from 19th -century disturbances, when local farmers sent their cows to graze on the dunes - the loss of vegetation led to widespread erosion. Entire trees could be lost beneath the blown sand. Re-habilitation efforts including planting trees - 50,000 in the past fi ve years - and marram grass, a native species. Fencing and walkways help reduce the impact of wandering visitors.

6Underwater explorersHow does development - a new pier or park - along Toronto’s

shoreline affect the fi sh in the city’s har-bour? In a program launched in June, 50 acoustic receivers placed in harbour waters will monitor the movement, temperature and depth of about 100 fi sh (northern pike, largemouth bass, walleye and carp) fi tted with transmit-ters. Each receiver will provide more precise data on spawning seasons. ( Information which can affect the tim-ing of construction projects.)

Bald Eagle: Once close to extinction, the bird with a 2.4 m extinction, the bird with a 2.4 m wingspan has fi nally returned to wingspan has fi nally returned toLake Ontario.Lake Ontario.

LAKE OF HOPESix vibrant reasons for optimism about the future of Lake Ontario,once thought to be dying

Reprinted with permission Torstar Syndicated ServiceBy Leslie Scrivner

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Nature Leaguers: * Learning *Doing * SocializingThank you to Program co-ordinator Esmonde Clarke and the many activity leaders and volunteers

“Focused“ Babette & Marion,

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NATURE LEAGUE P.O. BOX 572, COLLINGWOOD, ONTARIO L9Y 4E8

Margaret Paul Side Trail

Jill Clifford, Sue Mason &Joan Latimer

Hoggs FallsDebra Friendly & Lois “near the end of their rope”

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“Damp perhaps but not discouraged”“Rain or shine Barry”

Nature League Fall Program 2012

Walkers meet on Wednesdays atMetro parking lot to car pool,( unless noted otherwise ) Pleasenote car pool times for each event

For car pooling the leader ( or designatedperson ) will meet participants in the North East corner of the Metro parking lot in Collingwood. If the weather conditions are unfavourable the decision on whether or not to continue with the outing will be made by those who show up. If the deci-sion is to cancel, those showing up may wish to make the best of the situation and adjourn to a local cafe to socialize and enjoy a coffee.Walks start at 10.30 am at Trailhead,unless stated otherwise, and will last approximately 2hrs.Come prepared with lunch, and a bever-age, suitable clothing, sturdy footwear and if possible a cell phone. Please no pets

All participants must sign the waiver before the activity. Each leader will have a waiver form with them. Any questions should be directed to the leader of each walk. Please bring a friend to encourage new memberships.

Need a ride to a walk or meeting: Contact:Collingwood: Fran Bernard 705-443-8574Wasaga Beach: Carole Hill 705-429-2869Creemore: Gary Cauthers 705-466-2272

Collingwood Town TrailsCar pool time: 10:15 am.Proceed to High Street & 6th and park at Rona. 6 km. on town trails.Leader: Leny Den Bok 707-445-3344Soups on at Leny’s 302 Minnesota St.Bring lunch.

Annual General MeetingTrinity United Church, Collingwood10:00 am. Coffee10:30 am. A.G.M.

SEP 5TH

SEP 19TH

OCT 3RD

SEP 12TH

SEP 26TH

OCT 17TH

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Duncan CavesCar pool time: 9:45 am.Drive south on Osler Bluffs Road and west on Grey Road 19. crossing Cty.Road 2 to 10th.line. Turn right, then left on the 9th. sideroad. Continue 2.5 km. to small Bruce Trail parking lot at top of hill and park. Hilly 4.4 km. loop, short steep rock section. Leader: Migs Baker 705-445-4097Soup’s on at Migs’ 123 CastleviewRoad, Blue mountains. Bring lunch.

Bayview Trail & Winery TourCar pool time 9:30 a.m.Take Hwy.26 west through Thornbury and Meaford, then continue west for 11 km. to the St. Vincent /Sydenham Townline. Then turn right going north for 4 km. to treed bend at top of hill. Park on side of road by Bayview Trail signage. Trail approx: 4.5 km. 11/2 hrs moderate diffi culty. Bring your own lunch. After the walk we will proceed to the Coffi n Ridge Winery where a tour has been arranged, cost $3.00 including wine tasting, after which we will relax on the terraces to enjoy wine and the view from the ridge.Leader: John Capon 519-599-5582

Standing Rock-SinghamptonCar pool time 9:45 a.m.Conc.10 or Hwy. 124 south to Dun-troon Sideroad ( Simcoe Cty. Rd. 91 )Turn right, proceed to “T” intersection ( Clearview-Osprey Townline ) north to end and park. 2.1 km. loop, good views, not diffi cult. Optional lunch at Mylar and Loreta’s Singhampton. Leader: Diane MacDonald705-445-4056

Mill CreekCar pool time 9:45 a.m.Drive south on Osler Bluffs Road and then west on Grey Road 19, crossing Cty. Rd. 2 to 10th Line. Turn left, pro-ceed approx. 1.5 km. to parking lot on left. We will hike west along the Bruce Trail to the new bridge. It will take approx. 1 hour. The trail is up and down with some rocky sec-tions. Lunch on the bridge and then walk back to our cars.Leader: Lynda Eades 519-599-5842

Cty. Rd 17, turn left, meet at east side of Hwy. 124 ( stop light ) at 10:15 2.6km. loop-hilly, not rocky. Very pleasant walk, views, stream, endan-gered Butternut trees. Leader:Janet Howden 705-444-6104

Swiss Meadows / Blue MountainsCar pool time: 10:00 am.From Metro take Mountain Rd. to Scenic Caves Rd. Proceed uphill past the Scenic Caves on the left and fol-low the road around the bend at the top of Blue Mountains ski area to Swiss Meadows Blvd. the fi rst road on the right. Drive to the end of Swiss Meadows Blvd. Turn right and park on Maple Lane towards end. Do not block driveways. This is an approx: 5 km. walk along the edge of the escarpment beginning with spectacular views of Georgian Bay leading into deciduous woodlands with some streams. The trail skirts the top of the Craigleith Ski Club. Relatively easy walking with some rocky parts. No steep hills.Leader: Marlene Esson 705-445-5793

OCT 24TH

OCT 10THBoyne Valley SpringsMulmur TownshipCar pool time: 9: 30 a.m.Take Hwy. 124 south through Sing-hampton and Redickville to Dufferin

OCT 31STSiegerman Side Trail / Heathcote

Car pool time 9:45 a.m.Take Hwy.26 west to County Rd. 40 ( Walters Falls Road ) Turn left on County Rd. 40 and left again on County Rd. 13, drive through Heath-cote. The next intersection is sidero-ad 22C. Drive west ( right ) on this road to the next intersection, the 3rd

Nature League Fall Program 2012

DedicationThe Justin & Eileen Cork AnimalShelter was offi cially dedicated at a recent ceremony and open house in Collingwood. Justin and Eileen, both deceased, were signifi cant fi nancial contributors to the shelter. Both were Nature League members

Welcome new membersSusan Morley & Carol Bowden

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OCT 31STline and park on the side of the road. Approx: 3.2 km. loop hike, steep hill to start on road allowance, then gradual decline, 1 rocky section.Lunch by stream. Great views.Leader: Sue Mason: 705-445-2680

Member Jim Robson passed away on May 31st. 2012. Jim was a retired Justice of the Ontario Court.

Our condolences to his family

Walker Aggregates gets go ahead...

o expand its operations above Duntroon. Environmental De-fence says “the ruling sets aperilous course for increasedT

development on Niagara Escarp-ment protected areas.”A special THANK YOU to individu-als such as DON KERR and to the Clearview Community Coalition for their prolonged efforts to save the Escarpment and for the modifi ca-tions to Walker’s proposal that they were able to achieve.

A ReminderJust a reminder to those who have yet to renew their membership. We appreciate your continuing support.

On your behalf......in June, your directors sent the following letter to Queens Park

“The Nature League, an Environmental club of 120 members located in the Georgian Triangle, strongly urge that the Government not proceed with it’s plans to undermine environmental protection by introducing in the Budget Bill ( Bill 55 ) signifi cant changes to the exsisting environmental protection laws.

For example, Bill 55 amendments to schedule 19 removes any legal impedi-ments and prohibitions that Industrial Wind Turbine developers would have en-countered and permits them, in effect, to destroy the habitat of and harass and kill species at risk or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of Ontario.

The Endangered Species Act ( Which in its current form is regarded world wide as an excellent piece of legislation ) is just one example of an environmental law negatively targeted by Bill 55. Other laws that are targeted include the Provin-cial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, the Crown Forest Sustainability Act, The Pulic Lands Act and the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act. The proposed changes to these Acts take aim at environmental protection and public oversight of natural resource use.

Our members understand and vehemently object to the Government’s motives for hiding these environmental amendments in a fi nance budget in order to escape public scrutiny aand debate. The Government should be ashamed! It appears as though the Ontario Liberal Government is following in lock step with Federal Conservative Government. The Nature League abhors their tactics as well.Please accept this letter as a serious written objection to the Government’s intentions and as a demand that the Ontario Government reconsider its actions in this regard.”

Note: Ontario Nature reports that the government was convinced to take a second look and when the Province voted on the Budget Bill all amendments to the Endangered Species Act were removed and deferred to the Fall for reconsideration. GOOD NEWS for now!!!

NOV 21ST

On your behalf..iOn your behalf..i On your behalf..iinOn your behalf..iinOn your behalf..i July, President Clare Capon e-mailed Annemarie

On your behalf..iClare Capon e-mailed Annemarie

On your behalf..iBochenek of the Niagara Escarp-ment Commission “We fully sup

Special EventA TASTE OF INDIAL.E.Shore Library, Thornbury10.00 Coffee 10.30 Slide presentationInfo: The Cauthers 705-466-2272

In Memoriam

OCT 27TH

port the Blue Mountain Watershed Trust and as a friend of the NEC we are voicing our concerns, regarding the decision, to the NEC before the July 19th meeting. We urge the NEC to consider applying to the Ontario Divisional Court for a Judicial re-view of the Walker decision”

Ontario NatureHuronia Regional MeetingThe Nature League is hosting the Huronia Regional meeting from 10.30 am to 3.30 pm at the Father Ellard Hall, St Mary’s Church, Collingwood. This meeting brings together repre-sentatives of the 23 naturalist groups in the Huronia Region which covers the area from Parry Sound, Hunts-ville, Bancroft, Penetang, Midland, Barrie, Orillia & Collingwood

Newsletter committee: John Capon, Gary Cauthers and Harry Moerschner

Trek to TobermoryON JUNE 13,14 & 15 - 45 MEMBERS OF THE NATURE LEAGUE FOR THE SECOND TIMETREKKED TO TOBERMORY FOR THREE DAYS OF FUN AND SUN

The Bruce BeckonsBy Janet Howden

I am sure that by now there are many lovely stories about our three day trip to Tobermory.Three days? We all agreed, as we headed home, that it seemed as if wehad been away for at least a week.

We had so much fun. The hikes were fabulous - thank you Carolyn and Harry - the weather perfect, andour trip to Flowerpot Island was amazing. Carole, Jean, Nancy, Grant,Carolyn and Harry and I hiked around the island, to the lighthouse, and then back to Marl Lake as well,talking and laughing the whole time!We saw various fl ora and fauna - a striped orchid, gay-wings, a smallfamiliar red squirrel, and lots ofpoison ivy!

Poor Carole contracted poison ivy on the last day, and before we headed home she doused her arms with a good part of her bottle of vodka!Luckily I had brought cortisone cream. Not good to have your foot in a cast and poison ivy as well!

Looking forward to next year!

“On the way to Flowerpot Isle”

The famous Flowerpot

Raymond, Louisa, Zaigaand RoseMarie

The I

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“Cheers”

Trek to TobermoryCh

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“One in every crowd”Free

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“Campfi re dancing”

“Time for a break”Harry’s Group

Photo Credits: Sue Mason, Nancy Tully Peever, Raymond Smemanis, Wendy Parker & Gary Cauthers, Carolyn & Harry Moerschner

“Wining & Dining”

“I didn’t do it”