eastern region (ontario)
VOLUME 30, NUMBER 2, 2009
Partnership benefits Beaverton River Wetlands
Lou Wise
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Stretching almost 25 km between the towns of Uxbridge and Cannington is the Beaverton River Wetland Complex, a 5,600-acre inland riverine system with a shallow, meandering watercourse, set within an extensive and diverse emergent and forested flood plain. This provincially significant wetland complex has long been of great interest to Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) because it supports some of the highest waterfowl pair densities in the province, and a recent collaboration with the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) will ensure that this important inland wetland continues to provide quality habitat for breeding, moulting and staging waterfowl and a variety of other wetlanddependent wildlife species. In the early 1980s, DUC completed a number of wetland enhancement projects along the river aimed at improving the functionality of the site for waterfowl. The construction of 11 nesting islands coupled with the creation of more than 52 km of open water channels within dense stands of emergent vegetation enhanced almost 1,400 acres of wetland habitat. Beginning in the early 1990s, the LSRCA began acquiring properties along the Beaverton River and the abandoned rail line, and created the Beaver River Trail Conservation Area. Since then, the LSRCA has acquired a number of additional wetland parcels; however, with funding waning, DUC and the LSRCA joined forces in 2008 and entered into a partnership that committed to co-funding further securement opportunities along the river. This inaugural arrangement resulted in the purchase of another 75 acres of significant wetland habitat. By January 2009 the two organizations actively pursued and succeeded in acquiring four additional properties totalling more than 230 acres. The collective efforts of DUC and the LSRCA will ensure that this important waterfowl and wildlife habitat area is protected for years to come. S
Top: LSRCA has protected 664 acres of important wildlife habitat. Bottom: Inland riverine systems provide quality habitat for waterfowl.
DUC receives Environmental Education Award
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On Jan. 22, 2009, the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) announced the winners of their 2008 Conservation Awards, established in 1992 to honour and recognize those in the community who have made outstanding contributions towards improving our natural environment, and ultimately the health and quality of life in the Essex Region. Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and partner Talisman Energy were jointly presented this year’s Education Award, in recognition of their organizations’ outstanding contributions to environmental education.
Talisman Energy and Ducks Unlimited Canada accepted the Education Award during the Essex Region Conservation Authority’s 2008 Conservation Awards celebration. Left to right, Anthony Leardi (ERCA), Alan Putters (Talisman Energy), Stephanie Walker (Ducks Unlimited Canada) and David Brister (ERCA)
In 2008, DUC and Talisman Energy formed a five-year national partnership to provide students across Canada with a wetland experience where they have the opportunity to discover the value of wetlands and appreciate nature in general. With a location in Essex County, Talisman’s interest in this area translated into a commitment to sponsor 200 classes (40 classes per year for five years), who will each participate in Project Webfoot, DUC’s wetland education program. Each class will receive a wetland resource kit and then be sent on a field trip to the local wetland site, Hillman Marsh, another DUC partner where DUC and ERCA jointly restored two significant wetland projects over the past decade. So far, 22 classes within the county’s local communities have participated in the program where they also received a barbecue or pizza lunch provided by Talisman Energy. “We are very excited about this partnership,” says Stephanie Walker, DUC Ontario’s education specialist, “and the opportunity that Talisman Energy is providing almost 5,000 students over the next five years, to learn about and experience wetlands first-hand.” To further demonstrate their appreciation of Talisman Energy, DUC and ERCA will be hosting a Spring Wetland Day in 2009, where four classes will be invited to participate in fun-filled wetland activities alongside Talisman Energy representatives. Educating youth about wetlands is a key part of DUC’s wetland conservation mission. If you would like more information on Project Webfoot or other information and educational resources available to you, visit www.education.ducks.ca. S
Regular maintenance a part of DUC’s program
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Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) has a long history of creating, enhancing and restoring wetlands in southwestern Ontario. Many of these previously completed projects require routine bio-inspections, engineering inspections and if necessary, maintenance, to continue operating at their optimum waterfowl and wildlife capacity. In some cases, existing projects are further enhanced to add to or protect existing features of the wetland habitat. Recent maintenance in southwestern Ontario included a survey at the Hillman Marsh bypass channel to determine the level of siltation taking place and when redredging may be necessary, reconstruction at the Wawanosh Wetlands in Sarnia to correct a seasonal flooding problem on the walking trails, and major dike repair to a 16-acre wetland along Otter Creek near Wallaceburg. Additionally, two university students were hired last summer to complete thorough biological reconnaissance of DUC projects in this area. The cost of maintaining and operating existing projects is a large part of DUC’s conservation efforts and annual expenditure. These undertakings exemplify DUC’s mission to conserve, restore and manage wetlands and associated habitats for waterfowl, wildlife and people, in southern Ontario and throughout the province. S
Hillman Marsh
e a s t e rn r e g i o n ( o n t ar i o )
Sharing a family tradition in wetland conservation
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Arthur Raymond (Ray) Oliver (1925-2008) loved nature and animals. This hard-working family man, a devoted member of Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) for more than 25 years and an extraordinary steward of DUC’s wood duck nest box program, shared his love of the environment with his children, who now plan to continue the family tradition in wetland conservation. North of Minden in Haliburton Township, there is a parcel of land overlooking Halls Lake which has been passed down through four generations of the Oliver family. Ray Oliver’s grandfather emigrated from Wales in early 1900 to farm the land with his family. Ray and his twin sister were born in the original farmhouse (which still exists today) in 1925 and grew up with little time for anything other than work and life on the farm. In 1939, Oliver left the farm to continue his education in Toronto. At the University of Toronto he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and met and married Joy Gilley, his wife for the next 56 years. They stayed in Toronto to raise a family, but looked forward to weekends and holidays to return to the farm and Halls Lake. Eventually, Oliver retired to his beloved farmhouse and property in Haliburton, where he spent many happy years doing extensive renovations to the farmhouse and outbuildings. His love of wildlife and concern for the environment led this longtime member of DUC to join the nest box program in 1997. Oliver installed a number of wood duck nest boxes throughout the property’s 40-acre beaver pond wetland in addition to planting wild rice over the last 10 years. Oliver continued to monitor and maintain the boxes with help from family and friends. Son Peter remembers: “I, my brother and his wife, my sister and her husband, and even some of my father’s friends all helped him with the nest box program over the years. At various times each of us helped Dad to clean out and fix up the nest boxes as well as count the hatched and unhatched eggs.”
Looking back over the years, records show 120 wood duck eggs have hatched in the six nest boxes on the Olivers’ property. Peter Oliver plans to one day retire at the new cottage he and his parents had built on the top of the bluff overlooking the lake. Last year, he, along with his brother and sister and their families are all grateful for the many weekends, summers, Thanksgiving holidays and other family gatherings on the land their father cherished. “Dad taught me to love nature and I have the same abiding love of animals and trees that he had,” says Peter Oliver, “and I plan to continue the nest box program for as long as I can.” Ducks Unlimited Canada would like to thank the Oliver family for their dedication to the conservation of wetlands and wildlife habitat and for sharing their story of family traditions. What better tradition to pass along to future generations than that of conservation? S Ray Oliver developed a lifelong passion for flying when, at a young age, he witnessed a barnstorming pilot land nearby. Flying was another passion shared with his son Peter, pictured here with his father and his father’s Cessna 152 GFX airplane in 1994.
Looking out over the beaver pond wetland on the Oliver family’s property where the wood duck nest boxes are located
Everything you ever wanted to know about ducks…
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“Duck Research and Management in a Changing World” is the theme of the fifth North American Duck Symposium and Workshop (NADS 5) co-hosted by Long Point Waterfowl and the University of Guelph. It will be held at the Delta Meadowvale Conference Centre in Mississauga on Aug. 17-21, 2009. The symposium and workshops are forums for scientists, biologists, managers and students who are passionate about the conservation and management of ducks. Building on the success of four previous symposiums, NADS 5 is an exciting mix of workshops, invited plenary lectures, poster presentations, and papers that address cutting-edge waterfowl conservation issues. This event is open to the public. For more information contact Owen Steele at the Barrie office or visit www.northamerican ducksymposium.org. S
Nest boxes benefit waterfowl across Ontario
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Ducks Unlimited Canada implemented the very first landowner nest box project in 1974, and today, there are more than 6,700 nest boxes on hundreds of DUC projects all across Ontario. These boxes have been installed, inspected and maintained over the years by DUC staff, landowners, contractors and volunteers. Regular annual inspections and maintenance of the nest boxes is critical to their success. Once a cavity nesting bird successfully nests in a natural cavity or nest box, it is likely to return to raise many broods over the years. Removing old nesting material and debris from the boxes and replacing with fresh shavings annually, along with general repairs, is all that is necessary to keep the nest boxes functional and support the breeding populations of their tenants. DUC and the Canadian Wildlife Service have created a database to analyze the nest box data. For many years, landowners, volunteers and nest box maintenance contractors have been annually filling out monitoring forms to report on nest box success and usage by various species of wildlife. All of this information is being analyzed to determine where nest boxes are working, which species are using them and what the success rate is for waterfowl. This type of information is critical to the evaluation of the nest box program and facilitating improvements that enhance its value to nesting waterfowl. Without the continued efforts from all the nest box program participants, Ducks Unlimited Canada could not continue this critical program. Thank you for your support! S
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: Eastern Region Atlantic: Kelly MacDonald Quebec: Bernard Filion Ontario: Lynette Mader Western Region Prairie-Western Boreal: Marci Dube Pacific: Wendy Fister Flyway production staff Director of Communications and Marketing: Madeleine Arbez Editor: Duncan Morrison Assistant: Deb Menard Art Director: Tye Gregg Graphic Designers: Lindsay Pikta-Marie, Aquila Samson, Jeope Wolfe © Ducks Unlimited Canada, 2009 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 Jim Brennan (705) 721-4444
Nest Box Program
2007 Preliminary Analysis Results Nest boxes used by waterfowl 53% Success Rate 78%
Science and Planning Owen Steele
Nest boxes used by other non-waterfowl species (including birds and mammals)
24%
Education Program Coordinator Stephanie Walker (705) 721-4444
Total nest box usage
77%
77% of DUC nest boxes are benefiting wildlife
(705) 721-4444
Manager, Landowner Programs Lynette Mader (705) 721-4444
Government Relations Julie Cayley
(705) 721-4444
Fundraising Development Aaron Everingham James Lee
(705) 738-9929 (416) 712-1971
Provincial Manager of Event & Volunteer Programs Steve Stinkowji (705) 544-8437 Event & Volunteer Customer Service (613) 389-0418 (866) 389-0418 publication agreement #40064849