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QUEBEC/ EASTERN REGION ( ATLANTIC )
Quebec • New Brunswick • Nova Scotia • Prince Edward Island • Newfoundland and Labrador
VOLUME 27, NUMBER 3, 2006
Better protection for Nova Scotia wetlands
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The days when governments or landowners could obtain permission to legally destroy a wetland in the Maritimes without compensation are finally over. On March 1, 2006, Nova Scotia introduced a new operational policy, similar to those that have been in place in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island for the last two years. “As long as the new policy and regulations are acted upon, two million acres of wetlands will now be protected in the Maritimes, including 300,000 acres of tidal wetlands and productive freshwater marsh critical to waterfowl,” says Tom Duffy, DUC’s manager of Atlantic Operations. Nova Scotia’s new Policy Respecting Alteration of Wetlands reflects a growing appreciation across North America of the huge benefits of wetlands to society.Wetlands provide essential ecological services such as clean water supply, protecting coastlines from storm and flood damage, and providing wildlife habitat and opportunities for recreation and education. The new policy also recognizes that wet-
lands are sensitive to alterations, which can have adverse effects on the environment as a whole.“It’s crystal clear now that wetlands are important here in the Maritimes, and if there are other alternatives to altering a wetland, that’s the course that must be followed,” says Duffy. Alterations to wetlands will be allowed only if they are in the public interest, but not for personal gain.When alterations are unavoidable, as in the twinning of a highway for public safety reasons, and construction impacts a wetland, the lead agency must minimize the alteration and also compensate by restoring or creating a larger wetland than the one that has been altered. However, a landowner wanting to fill in a marsh to enlarge his or her property to increase its value will not be allowed to do so. DUC applauds the decision of the Nova Scotia government to introduce this forward-looking operational policy, which now places the Maritime region firmly in the forefront of wetland protection in Canada.
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Ducks Unlimited Canada celebrates th 20 volunteer convention in Quebec
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DUC Quebec’s 20th Volunteer Convention was held, for the first time, in the lovely region of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. DUC is well represented in this region, where several wildlife management projects have been implemented, some of them dating back to the very beginning of the organization. The members of the host committee, Saint-Félicien, along with the members of the special organizing committee chaired by Marc Larouche, were delighted to see so many volunteers attend, despite the distance they had to travel to get there. More than 180 volunteers from over 30 committees throughout the province shared their passion for the cause by participating in workshops and plenary meetings. The weekend’s main attraction was, of course, a visit to the Zoo sauvage de SaintFélicien (wildlife zoo). Without a doubt,this activity encouraged a number of young families to attend the convention, proof that there is a “next generation” of interested individuals for DUC in Quebec. A current practice of convention host committees is to ask tourism technicians and wildlife management students from the local CEGEP (junior college) to help out with the organization. These same students also help plan the local fundraising dinner and assist other DUC committees in their respective regions. What a wonderful initiative! Through the various plenary sessions, participants came to realize that every DUC team must have some idea that goes beyond the simple organization of a fundraising dinner. The Thetford Mines committee is a fine example of this, with its annual sale of 54
Donor Prints, as is the Montmagny committee, with its annual record sales in connection with the Sealed Bid Auction program. Recognition was given to volunteers with more than 15 years of commitment to DUC. As well, the Borealium’s “multisensorial”room provided the setting for a tribute to three other volunteers for their involvement on the provincial council – Yves Bergeron and Marc Renaud, as well as Yves Girard, who has been active as a volunteer for 19 years. Bernard Filion, director of DUC Quebec, announced the major engagements of the organization thanks to funds collected by volunteers. The provincial volunteer chairperson, Sylvain Marois, fired up the troops with an action plan that makes recruiting volunteers a priority. Indeed, the situation in Quebec in relation to actions undertaken by DUC across Canada suggests that the potential for growth is very strong, and the first step is to maintain existing committees. The motto is clear: Let’s establish a strong base to promote our volunteer actions in support of the cause. Ducks Unlimited Canada is very proud of its volunteers’ hard work and it is with confidence that we face new challenges in the future. "Ducks Unlimited Canada is very proud of its volunteers' hard work and it is with confidence that we face new challenges in the future", says Jocelyn Landry, Fundraising Manager in Quebec. Congratulations to all the volunteers who have made this event a resounding success.
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E A S T E R N R E G I O N ( Q U E B E C / AT L A N T I C )
Smurfit-Stone donates property on the Jacquet River
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The coastline of New Brunswick’s Chaleur Bay provides vital staging habitat for migrating waterfowl. In fact, it is one of DUC’s priority areas for securing wetlands in the Maritimes, so DUC was very grateful in March to accept the donation of a 135-acre property on the Jacquet River from the Smurfit-Stone Corporation. Smurfit-Stone is a pulp and paper multinational, known for its paperboard and paper-based packaging. As a significant landowner across Canada, the company has declared its commitment to environmental sustainability. When first approached by DUC in 2003, company officials were delighted to offer the parcel of land that was surplus to current operational needs. In addition to a large area of salt marsh, the estuary property includes several acres of upland fields, provides cover for songbirds and mammals. There are also mud flats and a sandy beach with public access, offering excellent opportunities for viewing sandpipers, plovers and other shorebirds. The property remains in a natural state and needs no enhancement. DUC is currently holding discussions with the local community in the village of Belledune, which has expressed great interest in the site and a willingness to take on the construction of a wildlife observation tower overlooking the estuary. “This donation by Smurfit-Stone is an example of good corporate stewardship,” says Deanne Meadus, DUC’s manager of habitat conservation programs for Atlantic Canada.“Critical wildlife habitat will now be secured in perpetuity. DUC relies on land donations like this from individuals and corporations as a cost-effective way to meet our goals for habitat securement across the country.”
PEI Lieutenant-Governor Greenwing Conservation Award
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It’s always a pleasure for DUC to honour the efforts of the many unsung heroes who work to conserve wetlands. The LieutenantGovernor’s Greenwing Conservation Award ceremony, here in Charlottetown in April, provided such an opportunity as the second annual DUC-sponsored award was presented to retired farmer and sawmiller Bruce Pigot by the Honourable J. Léonce Bernard, Lieutenant-Governor of Prince Edward Island. Pigot was chosen from a strong field of 12 nominees. The award recognizes individuals or groups who have made a significant contribution to public awareness of wetland conservation in P.E.I., and/or those who have provided outstanding volunteer service in wetland conservation. Pigot’s many achievements in both areas are shining examples of the progress that can be achieved through dedication and hard work. “Bruce is an absolute pillar of the community when it comes to conserving wetlands,” says Wade Lewis,DUC’s Conservation Programs specialist in Charlottetown. “He has a profound appreciation for nature and wildlife. He is a keen observer of nature and has worked proactively all his life to protect habitats of all types.” In 1992, DUC acquired a parcel of property from Pigot for the creation of a large wetland project at Allisary Creek on the upper reaches of the Hillsborough River. Pigot serves as a member of the land stewardship committee of the Hillsborough River Association where he worked diligently on the nomination of the Hillsborough River as a Canadian Heritage River more than a decade ago. He also serves on several committees shepherding the ongoing development of the Hillsborough River Eco-Centre. Recently, Pigot worked to have the lands around the Creek Project designated as the Mount Stewart Wildlife Management Area. A committed volunteer, Pigot is involved in wetland education through DUC’s Project Webfoot and Greenwing Day, and takes every opportunity to raise awareness of wetland conservation. “There’s great potential in P.E.I. for other private landowners to create impoundments like the one at Allisary Creek, and I’d encourage them to do so,” he says.
(l-r) Honorable J. Leonce Bernard, PEI’s Lieutenant-Governor; Mr. Bruce Pigot; Deanne Meadus, DUC manager of habitat conservation programs for Atlantic Canada.
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DUC’s Boreal Program unites knowledge and learning in Quebec
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Ducks Unlimited Canada’s (DUC) business plan in Quebec focuses on three major themes: Knowledge,Action and Awareness. Given that much of the knowledge component is accomplished through DUC’s Boreal Program in Quebec, one could assume that “knowledge” is the key word of this program. However, when one looks at the members of the work team, their mode of operation and activities, one could conclude that the key word “learning” describes the Boreal Program equally well. The present team is made up of one permanent employee, one contract employee, three students and one trainee. This is an academic-oriented team. Much of the funding for this team comes from programs aimed at training researchers, and one of the priorities is to train highly qualified personnel specializing in the fields of ecology, wetland management and wildlife. The Boreal Program is therefore structured accordingly. It comprises a series of projects that correspond to the training framework, that is, four months for the internship at the bachelor’s level, two years at the master’s level, and three years at the doctoral level. For each project, team members must produce written documents
and give oral presentations. During the first four months of 2006 alone, the team gave three presentations at a forestry congress for students held at Duparquet in the Abitibi region, five presentations at a meeting of DUC’s western Boreal Program team in Edmonton and one lunch presentation at l’Université Laval. The team has also published a technical report and a few interpretive papers, in addition to preparing two manuscripts for scientific articles which are presently being evaluated. But, what is the focus of all their work? It revolves around two important components of research: knowing our environment and knowing how to manage it. In more technical terms, the first component corresponds to the study of wetlands, riparian habitats and water birds in the boreal forest of Quebec, while the second component touches upon the development of approaches to conservation (protected areas) and the management of wetlands and riparian habitats (zoning, forestry practices). For more information on the Boreal Program in Quebec, or rather, to “learn” more, please contact us!
QUEBEC/ EASTERN REGION ( ATLANTIC )
The Flyway newsletter is published by Ducks Unlimited Canada Oak Hammock Marsh Conservation Centre P.O. Box 1160, Stonewall, Manitoba R0C 2Z0 tel (204)467-3000 fax (204)467-9028 toll-free 1(800)665-DUCK Please direct your inquiries to the following: Atlantic Region: Tom Duffy Québec Region: Bernard Filion Ontario Region: Lynette Mader Prairie-Western Boreal Region: Marci Dube Pacific Region: Ellen Baragon
Flyway production staff Director of Communications and Marketing: Madeleine Arbez Editor: Duncan Morrison Assistant: June Finnson Art Director: Tye Gregg Graphic Designers: Lindsay Pikta-Marie, Aquila Samson, Jeope Wolfe
© Ducks Unlimited Canada, 2006 Printed in Canada on 100% recycled paper including 100% post-consumer fibres
Area Contacts Manager of Provincial Operations, Atlantic Tom Duffy (866) 903-8257 ext.234 Manager of Provincial Operations, Québec Bernard Filion (800) 565-1650 ext.15 Fundraising Manager Jocelyn Landry
(877) 551-5757
Fundraising Eric Hansen, Quebec (West)
(877) 547-9494
Barry Burke, New Brunswick (888) 920-3330 Darren Hasson, Nova Scotia & PEI (866) 903-8257 Kelly Sandoval, Newfoundland and Labrador (877) 243-8257
DUC Quebec’s Boreal Program team: (l-r) Catherine Landry, Sylvain Ménard, Jacinthe Tardif, Louis-Vincent Lemelin, Marcel Darveau (Head, Boreal Research and Conservation) and Patricia Gagnon.
Greenwing Liaisons Kim Votour, Fredericton
(888) 920-3330
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