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EASTERN REGION (ONTARIO)
VOLUME 27, NUMBER 3, 2006
Meet your neighbours…down at the pond!
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Ontario has some of the world’s best wetlands and many of them are easily accessible with new boardwalks and interesting interpretive centres. Wetlands may be one of Ontario’s best kept secrets but three organizations hope to change all that with a new public relations campaign that was launched in the spring. “Down at the Pond”is a partnership campaign of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Ducks Unlimited Canada and Conservation Ontario to promote wetlands as great places to visit. Ontarians are encouraged to visit www.downatthepond.ca where they will find a map of Southern Ontario with a list of 40 public wetland interpretive areas and contact information for each wetland. Many of these wetlands boast boardwalks, viewing towers, trails and in some cases, visitor centres and educational programs – all designed to help visitors explore and enjoy nature. “Seventy-five per cent of Ontario’s population lives in and around urban centres and we’re concerned that people are becoming increasingly disconnected from nature,” says DUC Ontario’s provincial manager Ron Maher.“One of the most important ways we
can help people to understand how important wetlands are is to provide more opportunities for people to really experience wetland habitat.” The campaign is part of the Healthy Wetlands…Healthy Communities partnership between Ducks Unlimited Canada and the Ministry of Natural Resources. As part of this three-year partnership, funding was provided to enhance public wetland sites in Southern Ontario. “Wetlands play a critical role in conserving Ontario’s rich natural heritage of plants, animals and ecosystems and improving the quality of our water,” said Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay. “The ‘Down at the Pond’ campaign will increase public awareness of the province’s wetlands, and promote them as great places to visit, with up-to-date facilities that offer fun for all ages.” Co-sponsored by Conservation Ontario, the purpose of the campaign is to let the public know that these and many other public wetland interpretive areas exist, and to help foster greater appreciation for wetland habitat by encouraging people to get outdoors and experience the sights and sounds of wetlands first-hand.
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St. Mary’s River benefits from coastal wetland conservation project
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Four years ago Ducks Unlimited Canada’s coastal wetland conservation program began in the St. Mary’s River Area of Concern (Sault Ste. Marie area). Funded through the Great Lakes Sustainability Fund (GLSF), the Canada-Ontario Agreement and the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the program exceeded its original objectives and helped to foster great enthusiasm within the local community which will hopefully last for many years to come. The purpose of the program is to: 1. Assist local municipalities with Official Plan Reviews 2. Provide advice to landowners on available programs and incentives 3. Improve wetland mapping and inventory of local wetlands 4. Provide wetland education To fulfill the objectives of the program, Ducks Unlimited Canada staff participated in six official plan reviews and hosted five landowner workshops which resulted in direct consultation with over 500 landowners and allowed for over 200 landowners to become eligible for the Conservation Land Tax Incentive.
MP Tony Martin (left) and DUC's Tracey Cooke present Sandra Skog (right) of GLSF with a Legacy Award for their contribution of over $250,000 to wetland conservation. In all, 157,851 ha of new wetlands were discovered through improved mapping and more than 4,000 ha of wetlands were secured through an evaluation process. To help promote wetland education to the local community, the Lake George Marshfest was held for three years in a row at Echo Bay and the community rallied to establish two new interpretive sites: one at the Lake George wetland and another at the Kensington wetland at Central Algoma Secondary School. Ducks Unlimited Canada heartily congratulates the many partners who worked together to accomplish the objectives of this project and extends sincere appreciation to DUC habitat specialist Tracey Cooke for coordinating these efforts.
The Lake George Marshfest helped bring wetland education to communities in the St. Mary’s River Area of Concern
DUC volunteers get outdoors at annual convention
DUC President Peter Carton (second from left) and DUC volunteer Randy Thuler help the “Wise Owl” group of Greenwings learn all about duck nest boxes at the Ontario Volunteer Convention. At this station, boxes were branded with the DUC logo. Greenwings - starting from far right: Dereck Comish, Sarah Fortune, Katie Weeks, Ashley Seville, Clayton Comish.
DUC volunteer Jim Brady leads his “brood” around Tiny Marsh near Elmvale. DUC staff set up games at five stations where volunteers could learn about the life of a duck and basic marsh ecology.
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E A S T E R N R E G I O N (O N TA R I O)
DUC attends wrap-up meeting of Great Lakes advisory panel
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January 2006 heralded the conclusion of the Great Lakes Charter Annex Advisory Panel: a group convened to provide advice to government on negotiating the terms of the new Annex with Quebec and the Great Lakes governors. The Annex sets forth the conditions associated with the management of the Great Lakes waters and deals mainly with issues relating to water quantity, diversions and allocations of water to the Great Lakes jurisdictions. DUC’s participation was to emphasize the importance of coastal wetland habitats as they relate to a water conservation strategy. Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay thanked the participants and declared a strong interest in continuing the panel as an advisor to OMNR on implementing the Annex.
Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay, DUC policy advisor Jim Anderson, engineer Mark Bassingthwaite and Deputy Minister Gail Beggs share the camera lens at the Charter Annex Advisory Panel wrap-up meeting.
Seguin leads the way for wetland protection in cottage country
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In the fall of 2005 Seguin Township became the first township to incorporate DUC’s improved wetland mapping as part of its Official Plan. Working with OMNR, DUC staff updated existing wetland information to increase its accuracy and identify wetlands not previously mapped. This effort resulted in the protection of 16,000 acres of wetlands in Seguin Township. The goal is to encourage more municipalities to use this information in their land use planning. To help municipalities use the new data, DUC hosted two workshops in Parry Sound and more in other areas where new and improved mapping is available. Clean lakes, nature and wildlife define Ontario’s cottage country where thousands of Ontarians escape during the summer for a brief respite from urban life. Thanks to the foresight and planning of municipalities like Seguin Township, cottage owners and residents will be able to enjoy the natural splendour of this area for many years to come.
Why Wetlands? Why Not!
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Any Ontario landowners who might be pondering the value and benefits of wetland habitat on their property will enjoy reading “Why Wetlands?” The newly published brochure includes inspiring testimonials from property owners who have worked with DUC to restore wetland habitat on their property. DUC biologist and extension program specialist Mike Williams explains the rationale for the new brochure. “We have all kinds of information about the importance of wetlands but we felt it was really important for landowners to hear it straight from the mouths of other landowners,” says Williams. “There’s no better marketing than word of mouth, so our goal was to capture some of the positive feedback we hear from the landowners we work with and spread the word.” The newsletter-style brochure highlights the experiences of landowners in southwestern, central and eastern Ontario. Whether for wildlife or improved
water quality, each landowner has different reasons for restoring wetland habitat on their property and all are passionate about the results. The DUC Ontario extension team provides expertise and information to private landowners who are interested in restoring or even just maintaining wetland habitat on their property. They hope the new brochure, funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, will inspire more landowners to discover the diversity of wildlife and practical benefits that wetlands bring to rural property ownership. To order copies, contact the DUC office in Barrie.
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DUC member organizes Earth Day clean-up DUC member Tamara Burton and her husband Paul helped organize an Earth Day clean-up along the banks of the Thames River in John Waddel Park in Chatham. The effort went well and they cleared the banks of about 30 bags of garbage, plywood and several large fixtures. Way to go!
EASTERN REGION (ONTARIO)
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 Quebec Region: Bernard Filion Ontario Region: Lynette Mader Prairie-Western Boreal Region: Marci Dube Pacific Region: Ellen Baragon
From left: Mary Harrington, Paul Burton, Rick Mifflin, Tamara Burton, Steve Tulloch & Sara Tulloch.
Kebbel dedication
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Many community stakeholders and wetland enthusiasts gathered at the Yarmouth Natural Heritage Area near Aylmer on May 28 to celebrate the completion of the Herb Kebbel Wetland. The abandoned gravel pit was transformed into 24 acres of wetlands – a significant contribution to wildlife habitat in Elgin County where eight out of 10 wetlands have been drained or filled. Wildlife will certainly thrive in this new habitat but the project will also provide educational opportunities through interpretive signs focused on wetland benefits and management techniques. Newly established walking trails will help ensure that the wetland becomes a local hot spot for birders,field naturalist clubs and outdoors enthusiasts.
Part of the 208-acre Yarmouth Natural Heritage Area,the wetland is named for longtime DUC volunteer Herb Kebbel to honour his lifelong commitment to conservation.
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
Ontario Area Contacts Director of Regional Operations Eastern Canada, Jamie Fortune (613) 565-2525 Manager of Provincial Operations for Ontario Ron Maher (613) 389-0418 Conservation Programs Brian Royal
(705) 721-4444
Development Dino Sophocleous
(705) 721-4444
Marketing/Communications Lynette Mader (705) 721-4444 Education Program Coordinator Vicki Puterbough (705) 721-4444 Provincial Manager of Event & Volunteer Programs Steve Stinkowji (705) 544-8437 Event & Volunteer Customer Service (613) 389-0418 (866) 389-0418
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