The Villager 2018 February by Villager Community News

Happy New Year!

February 2018

Wishing you good health and happiness From everyone at

Pets in the workplace . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Severn rec progress. . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Moose are king . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Community Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Two-hundred years after vanishing By Ellen Cohen Two-hundred years ago we paid a steep price for over-hunting and habitat loss. Trumpeter swans - the statuesque snow white bird with a 5’ wing span, standing 5-6’ tall, sporting a coal black beak and legs – disappeared. A few decades ago, because of the Wye Marsh Nature Centre restoration program carried out by staff and hundreds of volunteers, Trumpeter swans came back. Local swan-watchers estimate 200-225 Trumpeter swans are spending the winter at Washago Centennial Park, one-fifth of the province’s population of 1,000. The Washago Centennial Park dock is THE place in our area to view Trumpeter swans. It’s even more popular since CTV Barrie ran a story about a swan that was badly injured after hitting a hydro line. It suffered bad burns and a large gash. About 20 local residents tried to rescue it but the swan avoided capture, went back to the water and, as of the weekend of January 20th, appears to be healing well. “Things don’t always turn out so well,” said Susan Best, a local resident and volunteer. “There are so many perils for our Trumpeters.” For the past 8 years, Susan spends time at the dock in the Washago Park most days during the winter. She coordinates sightings

Local residents estimate 200-225 swans are spending the winter at Washago Centennial Park, feeding on the abundance of food from the floor of this shallow and open part of Lake Couchiching. for the area, watches for injured swans, and volunteers with licensed employees of the Canadian Wildlife Services to do tagging and banding. Susan reminds us: “It’s important to remember it’s only because of the hard work of so many people we now have an opportunity to save them from extinction ever again. Let’s be careful and let’s respect their space.” Please – don’t feed the swans. Trumpeter swans don’t need our help finding food. They live here, in open water, because food is abundant. If lakes or rivers freeze over, they will leave and find open water and another food source. Susan points out, “Even if people feed them whole, clean feed corn (untreated), it would take truckloads of it to satisfy the appetite of so many swans. The best thing

is to not feed them at all. Swans are very adaptable.” She adds, “Food is often thrown onto the ice. Although it may seem like a kind thing to do, the food is then sitting on/in the ice mixed with feces. Eating this contaminated food causes the swans countless cases of illness.” Lead is another peril. A very tiny amount of ingested lead is always fatal. Think about tossing out any lead fishing tackle, be careful with fish hooks, line and nets, and clean up your own shoreline to make sure it is lead-free. NOTE: Staff from Canadian Wildlife Services and local volunteers will occasionally feed swans clean, whole feed corn to encourage swans to move close to shore for banding and tagging. Continued on page 5

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Just 25 years into a long, wild journey By Mark Bisset It has been about 11,000 years since the last ice sheet melted back to expose the land where Washago now sits and people started moving to the area. Big animals, following the ice retreat, started to disappear and soon the mastodons were all eaten up, with other species to follow. About 400 years ago the Europeans showed up. They got off to a slow start, but thanks to the original occupants’ charity they found their footing and after another 250 years, they started punching railroad lines through the bush and the trees started coming down in earnest. It was only 100 years ago the remaining rural silence was ripped by combustion engines connected to rubber wheels. Roads were built and all hell broke loose. That’s when the first voices of the modern conservation movement began to be heard above the din. Some saw things they considered part of themselves disappearing. At the time, John Muir* said “Wilderness is a necessity.” Most people simply shrugged. About 50 years ago, ordinary people started to feel less and less good about the trajectory mankind was on. They looked at the mess they had created. Really looked. They wondered if we shouldn’t reconsider some of the things they were doing. And then, about 25 years ago, a few of the descendants of that era were sitting around a kitchen table talking about the mess and wondering what might be done. It looked pretty bad and a big job to tackle. Probably too big, but even a thousand-mile journey begins with one step, somebody said.

Founding member Janet Grand and long-time supporter Don Scott, both of the Washago area, at our 2017 Annual General Meeting. This year, biologist Phil Careless will be speaking about Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park. There is no charge for the event which is open to the public. Photo credit: Cameron Curran. They each slapped some money down on the table and got to work. The Couchiching Conservancy was born and, this year, celebrates its 25th anniversary. It has played a role in permanently protecting more than 13,000 acres of ecologically sensitive land in this region. Hundreds of volunteers defend and care for it. Today the Couchiching Conservancy has annual revenues near $1 million. The organization employs seven people, sometimes more, and it has pumped well over $1.5 million into the local economy to help steward privately owned lands in the region. In the last 13 months, the Conservancy has brought close to 900 additional acres under its protective umbrella and held that land in trust for as far into the future as we can see. It’s a great way to launch a 25th anniversary year and you’re invited to help us celebrate

our community’s accomplishments. Come to our Annual General Meeting at ODAS Park in Orillia on March 3 at 3 p.m. to be part of something truly good going forward. What amazing things will we do in the next 25 years, 50 years, 100 years as new generations continue to insist that wilderness is a necessity? One thing’s for certain: it will take another ice age to cool our resolve. * John Muir, 1838-1914, was a Scottish-American naturalist, author, environmental philosopher, glaciologist and early advocate for the preservation of wilderness. Mark Bisset is the executive director of The Couchiching Conservancy, a non-profit charitable land trust dedicated to protecting the natural features of the Lake Couchiching region. For more information on the Conservancy, go to couchichingconserv.ca or call 705-326-1620.

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thevillagerpress@rogers.com 705-717-0322 The Villager, a Severn Township community news magazine, is an independently owned and operated publication delivered to households and businesses on or before the first day of every month. It is mailed through Canada Post north from the Severn Township/Orillia border to Severn Bridge and includes parts of Ramara Township. In addition to Canada Post delivery, The Villager is distributed each month through high traffic locations along the Highway 11 corridor and in many other select locations in Orillia. For a complete list of locations email thevillagerpress@rogers.com. Editorial and advertising material is protected by copyright. Reproduction of any article, photograph or graphic is forbidden without the express permission of the publisher. The sentiments of our columnists do not necessarily reflect those of The Villager. The Villager’s liability to advertisers for errors is limited to the portion of the advertisement in which an error occurs and only if the error is the fault of The Villager. Community event submissions and prearranged editorial contributions must be received by the 10th of each month for the following month’s publication. Advertising space must be booked by the 10th of each month in order to appear in the following month’s publication, with 5 business days thereafter to complete the advertising artwork and proof approval process.

The Villager P.O. Box 5 Washago, ON L0K 2B0

Art director: Cathy Cleary, 705-345-3878

I had a wonderful visit with a Great Horned Owl on my recent trip to a mountainous region in California. From the Publisher:

Good, loving people - and memories My ‘Quigley cousins’ invited me to stay with them in a beautiful rented house high atop a mountain many hundreds of vertical feet above Carmel Valley, California. At first, I hesitated. I had so much to do. Could I afford the time away? It’s so much trouble to get ready for an extended trip. I’ll need to get a pedicure and a haircut! I hate driving to the airport and I don’t travel well. Whine. Whine. Whine. I gave myself a shake and accepted their kind offer. What, after all, is life about if not about new experiences with good and loving people? Besides delicious meals and long talks, Big Sur, Pebble Beach and more, here are a few of my experiences I’d like to share: The 360 degree view from the stone patio was breathtaking. Golden Eagles soared slowly by the spot where we sat. Most of us have seen large birds high in the sky but, up in the mountains, eagles and hawks are at eye level as they look for food below. I could see their ruffled feathers. One day I woke at 6 a.m. to the sound of owls. I went outside in the pre-dawn light, looked up at the top of a tree about 30’ from where I sat, and spotted a large owl with pointed ears. It was a Great Horned Owl. Never had I seen one before this moment. Every couple of minutes, she turned her head about 90 degrees, looked at me, then turned back to look west and hoot at her partner who hooted back every time. And at night – well, I have never thought a night sky could be so beautiful. I am used to seeing fabulous displays of stars from my home on Lake Couchiching, but this 360 degree view was beyond description. We were all mesmerized by this sight. For the first time in my life I could understand there really are billions of stars. Never would I have had these memorable experiences had I not given myself a shake and stopped whining. I seized the opportunity. As a result, I feel enriched. My ‘Quigley cousins’ are wonderful, generous and loving. I thank them for the memories! I will be forever grateful.

Letters to the publisher are welcome and may be emailed to thevillagerpress@rogers.com. Letters may be edited.

Celebrate with us in 2018

Two-hundred years after vanishing Continued from page 1

The Washago and District Lions Club members aim to please our community and would like to welcome you to more exciting events in the New Year. Saturday, March 17th, 2018 is our St Patrick’s Day Dance at the Washago Community Centre with our favourite DJ, Grant Galloway. It will be a fun night for all so plan to dance the night away. We will have a bar and yummy food. As a bonus, dress in your favourite costume and win a prize for one of the best three costumes. More details in the March Villager. Also plan to attend our always successful Canada Day event. Our entertainment specialist Lion Doug is already making plans. Don’t forget our famous pancake breakfast at the Lions Hall starting at 8:00 a.m. Lastly, thank-you to everyone who helped make our 2017 Oktoberfest so successful. It was a fantastic event with a band and lots of great food and drink.

Busy supporting those in need Looking back at 2017, I see we had a very busy year. We hosted four Court Whist card parties with lunch, sold 50/50 tickets on Canada’s 150th birthday, catered events, made 100 meat pies, and had our annual Xmas Bazaar with Santa. Then we took time out of our busy schedule to ring the bells for the Salvation Army. Our donations supported local families; four camps for children (dialysis, diabetes, the deaf, and the blind); the guide dog program; hospice; and our own Lions Club. We also heard from numerous organizations needing our assistance. It is our plan to have an open house this spring and we hope you will join us. There will be more information in the next issue of The Villager so please watch for it. We thank you for your support in 2017 and look forward to seeing you in 2018.

The sight of 200+ swans is nothing short of breathtaking. If we work together and help to reduce the perils they face, in twohundred years our ancestors will thanks us as they enjoy the winter view from the Washago Centennial Park dock. Record sightings: trumpeterswan@live.com or visit www.wyemarsh.com Injured swans: Shades of Hope Wildlife Refuge, 705-437-4654, info@shadesofhope.ca, or Speaking of Wildlife, 705-327-9450, www.speakingofwildlife.ca Facebook Page: Ontario Trumpeter Swans Now O

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Pico de Gallo Garnish 1 roma tomato, ¼-inch dice ¼ seeded jalapeno pepper, ¼-inch dice ¼ cup diced white onion METHOD: ¼ cup chopped cilantro In a heavy medium-sized pot, sauté celery, carrot, red pepper until Juice from 1 lime softened. Add stock and the rest of the ingredients except the lime Combine together in a small bowl and toss with lime juice. Serve as wedges and coriander. Bring to a simmer and lower the heat. a garnish with the soup. In the meantime, make the pico de gallo garnish (see adjacent). Serve with pico de gallo, lime wedges, pickled jalapenos and fresh Chef Becky Lennerton is the proprietor of Black River Food Company and coriander. a teacher in our region for Loblaw Companies Limited.

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Cooper, the dog, helps local business By J. Mizzi-Fry “My dog is the cat’s meow,” says Jenna Welch, physiotherapist and owner of Junction Rehabilitation, a physiotherapy, massage therapy and reflexology clinic located on the main street of Washago. The dog is Cooper, rescued by Jenna and her partner, Mat more than four years ago. He is a large and well-mannered lab mix. As is common with many rescues, Jenna said that Cooper had a few issues at first. However, after months of training and an incredible amount of love, he became an ‘assistant’ to Jenna in her practice. “Patients really like being greeted by him. He’s very gentle and loves all the attention. I have an Alzheimer patient who has totally connected with Cooper. I see them interacting and its very special”, said Jenna. Welch is sensitive to the fact not everyone is a dog lover. “I truly respect my clients’ needs and concerns with having a dog in the office. So, I’ve added a line to my intake form advising new patients he will on occasion be here.” So far, patients are appreciative of Cooper as Jenna’s ‘healing helper’. Experts agree with Jenna. For example, including pets in the workplace has a positive effect in the form of reducing stress which in turn improves general physical and emotional health. A pet can also improve workplace morale and productivity, all of which reduces overall health costs, reducing time spent in the health care system. A definitive U.S. based study by Human Animal Bond Research Initiative (HABRI) indicates that in the United States the positive results of pet ownership has an $11.7 billion annual savings on health care

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Shown above is Jenna Welch of Junction Rehabilitation in Washago, and her ‘healing helper’, Cooper. alone, specifically in costs such as physician visits. Most significant is the conclusion of the study that pets can be identified as a proactive method of staying healthy and avoiding health issues. Canada, of course…” to: Canada, of course, has universal health care and the financial impact of pets in the workplace are not readily available. But, even if we can assume similar results, this should encourage local entrepreneurs to think about the results of the HABRI study. At the very least, business owners can look at Jenna Welch’s results. It may very well be worthwhile to introduce their own friendly and well-behaved dog or cat to their customers and staff. Joan Mizzi-Fry is proprietor of Pawrama: Northern Exposure. She share tips, stories and tales for pet lovers.

Do you have a Community Event in March? m•

Please submit the information by February 15th.

thevillagerpress@rogers.com

Upcoming 2018 events and scholarship info Technical Scholarship: The Rotary Club of Washago has proudly awarded a technical scholarship in the amount of $500 each spring to an applicant who is participating in post-secondary education, either in an apprenticeship or institutional training program. This scholarship has helped applicants in the past with things like purchasing tools required for their trade, offsetting their fuel expense to drive up to the college in Bracebridge, and much more.

If you know someone in an apprenticeship or skilled trade program, please have them fill out the application on our website www. washagorotary.ca (under the Youth heading on the top bar) and e-mail the completed form to info@washagorotary.ca before the March 15th deadline. The successful applicant will be notified by April 1st 2018. Our third annual Kegs and Corks is March 10th at 6 p.m. A $15 ticket includes 3 sample tickets. Additional tickets are available for $1 each. There will be craft beer, craft cider and artisan craft inspired hors d’oeuvres. Stop by anytime between 6 and FROM THE WASHAGO POST OFFICE 9 p.m. Steve, Kait, Jennifer, Anne, Deb and Joy want to send out a big Come to the 13th thank you to all the wonderful people of Washago who brought annual Wild Game Dinner in an overwhelming amount of amazing treats. is May 5th at the Washago You helped us get through our busiest Christmas season ever. Community Center and We are all at least 5 pounds heavier but it made such a difference enjoy expertly chef to us to be thought of by so many people in our community. prepared wild game. Past ALL THE BEST IN 2018 TO ALL OF YOU! delicacies have included

wild boar, bison, venison, bear, elk, moose, Lake Erie pickerel, pheasant, duck and free range potatoes. Entry is $50 and features a cash bar. Our Beer for a Year raffle tickets are available for just $20. There are only 500 tickets available, so buy early! The lucky winner will receive a $40 gift card weekly for a total prize value of $2,080. Lottery Licence # 735971. The draw date is May 19, 2018 at 6 p.m. Message us on Facebook or email info@washagorotary.ca for your tickets. New meeting time is 5:45 to 7 p.m. and we are now meeting twice monthly - the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month. The first meeting of the month takes place at the Washago Community Center and the second rotates (the original concept of Rotary) between member’s homes and businesses. Check out what we’re all about and come and sit in on a meeting. E-mail me at info@washagorotary.ca to confirm the meeting location! All the best in the New Year!

MARCH 16, 17, 18, 2018 • Washago Centennial Park, Washago, ON 1st Annual

Fire deaths in Ontario, 2018 By Dianne Kyle, Fire Prevention Officer, Severn Township In my role as Fire Prevention Officer, I find it disturbing that just a few short weeks into January, 2018 we have lost 8 people in fire related deaths and closer to home another 5 in critical condition. After these recent structure fires, social media became active with rants from fire service personnel all over Ontario writing of their frustration and disappointment. The fire service has talked about installing smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms, testing and maintaining them to ensure they are in operating condition. The industry leaders in smoke alarms have created even less maintenance by creating a sealed 10-year battery. This means all you have to do to ensure they operate is test them monthly, at the very least, and follow the recommended maintenance. There are many choices of easy to maintain alarms to choose from. As well, dual smoke/CO alarms are available.

Unfortunately, fire safety is not often considered in many homes. At Christmas in particular, it seems thoughts are more to what needs to be purchased, decorated or

REMINDER - It is the law to have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. You can be served with a certificate of offence if you don’t have both. Or worse, your life can be turned upside down with a fire tragedy because your home and your family were not properly protected. completed before the big day. It’s not about checking and asking ourselves: are the lights are still safe to use on the tree; should we switch to flameless candles instead of real ones; have we tested our smoke and carbon monoxide alarms; or do our visitors know where our meeting place is and how to evacuate the home? All fire departments are active in educating the public, including the Township of Severn. I must say that after

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on our hard-packed trail through the forest. Keep your eyes open for owls. And deer, moose and wild turkey tracks as you circle a large beaver pond. Warm up at four checkpoints and have a chance to draw the winning hand. Depart the Hall anytime from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. but you must be back at the hall by 4:00 p.m. in order for your hand to be entered for cash prizes

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Happy New Year to all! By Marylynne White In this New Year, the Seniors Club continues to be committed to providing fun and interesting events for all club members. To that end, at our first meeting in January we had a Pot Luck lunch with a Western theme. Many members dressed in western duds and wore some really cool hats. After lunch we watched a delightful YouTube consisting of Western songs sung by Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Hank Williams and many more old favourites. We followed that by getting up and moving to old time rock and roll music. We had a games afternoon at our second meeting of the month on January 17th. We set up many card tables with a different game placed on each table. Some brain teasers, card games and some fun action games. The hall was filled with laughter and joy. Everyone enjoyed the afternoon so much that requests for another games afternoon were duly noted!! January Birthday kids were acknowledged with a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday and afterwards birthday cake, tea and coffee.

The conservancy protects land where spunky and enthusiastic Bobolinks thrive.

Gemstone of February:

Amethyst

Amethyst, the birthstone for Aquarius, is a well-known violet/ purple quartz gemstone. It is found mostly in small hexagonal crystals and in the internal lining of geodes. The biggest factor in the value of amethyst is the colour with deepest purple most valued. In ancient Greece, amethyst was considered an antidote against drunkenness and was used for wine goblets. In the middle-ages, it was used to decorate English Royal regalia. For more information about this gem, visit richardsjewelrydesigns.com.

An invitation from your local conservancy For 25 years, the Couchiching Conservancy, a non-government land trust, has led the effort to protect lands and rivers. Dozens of volunteers and a handful of staff work every day to protect 13,000+ acres of crucial habitat. The meeting will include a presentation by biologist Phil Careless. He will be speaking about Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park, a spectacular

nearby 82,000+ acre natural environment parcel of land with access off Black River Rd. Plan to enjoy a couple of hours of celebration and recognition of what this organization does to help protect your local plants, animals, forests and rivers. The meeting and celebration will take place on Saturday, March 3rd at ODAS Park, starting at 3:00 p.m.

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Local theatre group opens new production

Characters ‘Chris and Annie’ in the Mariposa Arts Theatre production of All My Sons. It starts February 8th.

Over the years, local theatre buffs have likely attended at least one production of the Mariposa Arts Theatre (MAT), the most recent the highly successful production of Chicago. MAT is a non-profit organization, made up of a volunteer cast and crew. They have a reputation of producing sold-out shows to standing ovations. In February they are following up Chicago with what appears to be another successful although very different show. All My Sons opens on February 8th. It is the first of the great plays written by Arthur Miller that established him as the most important American dramatist of the twentieth century. The play is set in 1947 and World War II is over. The future is apparently bright and sunny for the Keller family but the losses, the strains, and the betrayals of war have left a dark aftermath which can no longer be ignored. At once a touching love story and a moving tragedy, the play deals with issues which recent wars in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan have brought to new relevance.

Director Iain Moggach of Barrie’s Theatre By The Bay talked about the quality of Miller’s writing. “In Miller’s plays, the words shape the universe,” he says. “The themes of All My Sons are universal: the lines we are willing to cross for our families; the ruthlessness of business; the moment when kids learn that their parents are human.” Moggach directs a strong cast, most of whom will be familiar to audiences from recent MAT productions, although ten year old Lachlan Sharpe will be making his first appearance on the MAT stage. All My Sons will be at the Orillia Opera House Studio Theatre, Thursday-Saturday, February 8-10 and 15- 17, 2018, with matinées on Sunday, February 11 and 18th at 2.00pm. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for groups of 10 or more. Contact the Orillia Opera House box office 705-326-8011 or www.orilliaoperahouse.ca.

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Employer subsidies and tax filing information By Simcoe North MP Bruce Stanton I hope everyone has had a great start in 2018. There are a couple of updates I wanted to make sure that you heard about, the first concerns the Canada Summer Jobs program, and the second relates to a recent announcement from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) about filing your 2017 taxes. As you may have heard, the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program is now open for applications, until February 2, 2018. The CSJ program provides wage subsidies to employers to create employment for secondary and post-secondary students. Again this year, CSJ welcomes applications from small businesses, notfor-profit employers, public sector and faith-based organizations that provide quality summer jobs for students. CSJ has three objectives: • providing work experiences for students • supporting organizations, including those that provide important community services • recognizing that local circumstances, community needs and priorities vary widely I have heard from a number of local businesses and organizations about how helpful the CSJ program has been to them, and want to make sure as many as possible have an opportunity to benefit in 2018. For more information on the CSJ program, or to obtain an application kit, please visit www.canada.ca/canada-summer-jobs The second update concerns the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), which recently announced a new service they are rolling out called File my Return. This will allow Canadians with low income, or who are on a fixed income that is unchanged from year-to-year, to file their income tax and benefit return over the phone. The CRA estimates that approximately 950,000 Canadians will be eligible for File my Return, and if you are eligible, you will receive a personal letter inviting you to use this new service starting in February 2018. File my Return uses information the CRA has on record plus answers the user gives during their automated phone call to complete and file income tax and benefit returns. It allows all the deductions, benefits and credits the user is eligible for. The File my Return service is available 21 hours a day, from 6 a.m. to 3 a.m., Eastern time, 7 days a week, throughout the tax-filing season. I will post updates on the File my Return service as it becomes available, on my website, www.brucestantonmp.ca.

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Ready to roll for 2018! The Severn Recreation staff is working on and will complete several exciting projects in 2018. The Washago Centennial Park washrooms are expected to open in 2018. They have been closed for many years and we hope plumbing and electrical updates will go smoothly. Also planned for Washago Centennial Park is the installation of hydro for the pavilion. The Township is currently waiting on grant announcements on several projects. Those include funding assistance for the Westshore Recreation Facility and new gates for the Uhthoff Trail. We hope to hear soon. The Coldwater & District Community Centre will have a new roof installed. This will help during the warmer months when the ice is in as well as during the summer for the building to be cooler. More energy efficiencies is our goal. Structural work will also be included. Work begins as soon as the ice is taken out. Other projects in the works include new parkland to be developed on Couchiching Avenue as part of the Couch Cove development being completed; and ball diamond improvements in both Washago and Coldwater are planned (diamond material, new bases and players’ benches). The Hedgemere Landing boat launch will have improvements including a new concrete ramp and improved parking area. To research your facility and program needs, or to book facilities don’t forget to view them online 24/7 on the Township of Severn’s website at www.townshipofsevern.com. Then call us at 705-3252315 to make it happen.

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GREAT TEAM EFFORT EVERYONE - THANKS!! A big thank you to the volunteers as well as the parade participants for making our annual Santa Parade a great success. The rink is open and we wish to thank a group of adult volunteers and 3 local youth, Joe, Bjorn and Dillon who came forward and have been cleaning and flooding the rink under some extremely cold conditions. LINE DANCING & EARLY YEARS NEWS A big thank you to Anne Sixsmith who led line dancing on Friday evenings. Those who came enjoyed the evening but, unfortunately, there were insufficient numbers to continue the program. Early Years have reorganized their programming and will no longer be offering their program in Washago. If there is anyone who would like to volunteer to conduct a play group for preschoolers at WCC, please contact Rose at 705-689-6424.

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Moose: King of the northern forest a source of sodium, an essential nutrient that is lacking in woody twigs. By Ron Reid The prominent snout on a moose is ideally designed for underwater feeding. Water pressure causes the nostrils to close, When the snows lie deep and temperatures and the sensitive upper lip provides a plummet, most woodland animals snuggle flexible feeler to search for aquatic plants. into their dens; even the bears disappear into hibernation. Not so the mighty moose. This long-legged animal that stays active year-round is built for navigating the deep snows of the boreal forest. Washago is on the southern edge of the moose’s range in Ontario. Over the past few decades, the increasing amount of young forest in this area has allowed this species to expand southwards, to the point where seeing a moose, or at least moose tracks, is no longer a rare event. But moose populations in this area are unlikely to increase to the numbers seen in Algonquin Park or some other areas in the north. The primary limiting factor is a tiny © Can Stock Photo / bobloblaw66 parasite called a brainworm that tips the balance between deer and moose. This The mighty moose eats about 70 pounds of parasite is common in deer, but doesn’t succulent twigs and shrubs every day. create any problems for these animals. The eggs of the parasites, shed by the deer in Moose populations across much of their poop, are eaten by snails, where they Ontario and the northeastern U.S. have enter another stage of their life cycle. They been in decline over the past decade. cause these snails to climb to the very tips There is lots of debate over the cause, but of shrubs, where they are eaten by browsing one important factor appears to be high moose. As the parasites migrate to the brain infestations of moose ticks, which weaken of a moose, they cause a disease called affected animals. Hunting pressure may “moose staggers” which eventually kills be a factor in some areas, although many its host. hunters would point the finger of blame This fascinating life cycle was worked out on wolves and natural predation instead. by a former professor of mine at University Biologists believe that healthy adult moose of Guelph, Roy Anderson. The effects of can deter predation pretty efficiently – brainworm help explain why, in areas unlike most mammals, moose can kick out where deer and moose overlap, deer often with their powerful hooves in any direction. struggle in harsh winters, but they can For most of us, just seeing a moose is a compete with the better-equipped moose. thrill. There is something fascinating about Other factors play a role as well. Moose watching a large animal so well fitted for can thrive in winter, but hot summers are survival in a challenging environment. far more difficult for them. Since they are May our grandchildren have that same browsers, feeding mostly on succulent opportunity to marvel at a moose. twigs of shrubs and trees to the tune of about 70 pounds per day, they spend most A regular contributor to The Villager, Ron of their days foraging in the woods. But in Reid is a natural heritage consultant and the co-founder and former executive director of summer, they spend much of their time in The Couchiching Conservancy. He has written the cooling waters of ponds and rivers. This more than 30 magazine articles and co-authored has a double benefit, since feeding on water three books. He lives in Washago with his wife, lily roots and other aquatic plants provides Janet Grand.

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February 1/ 8 / 15 / 22 Mixed darts nights continue on Thursdays through March at 7 p.m. $8.00. Severn Bridge Community Hall, 1035 Southwood Rd. Severn Bridge. For information, call Blaine at 705-689-2291. February 1 – March 31 Hometown Glory – Orillia’s Winter Sports. A showcase of the history of talented athletes and teams from Orillia and the surrounding area. Inspired by the upcoming Ontario Winter Games March 1-4,

this exhibit provides historical local context. Orillia Museum of Art & History, 30 Peter St. S., Orillia. February 5 Pasta Lunch, including beverage and dessert. Prepared by the Severn Bridge Women’s Institute. 12 Noon. $8. Severn Bridge Community Hall, 1035 Southwood Rd. Severn Bridge. Fern at 705-687-4462. February 13 St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Washago, is hosting a Pancake Supper on Tuesday, February 13th from 4:30 to

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6:30. Hwy. 169 and Quetton Street, Washago. Free Will Offering. February 17 Ramona Winterfest. A fun-filled family event. Cross-country poker run/walk. From 10 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ski or snowshoe hard-packed trail through the forest. Cash prizes. Euchre tournament 1:30. Children’s craft corner. Delicious food. LLBO. $5 entry. Ramona Hall, 2212 Fairgrounds Rd., Washago. February 19 Passport to Nature: Snowshoe, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Explore the trails of East Coulson Swamp. Mini-lessons in geology and biology throughout the hike by Brittany Hope of the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Snowshoes available courtesy of Sojourn Outdoors. Directions and complete information at Eventbrite. ca or visit couchichingconserv.ca. February 19 Wye Marsh Family Day activities, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Explore, learn and play. Interactive activities all day. Explore the trails by ski or

snowshoe. Winter games. Roast bannock by an open fire. Native reptiles and amphibians up close at 1:00 p.m. Rates and information at wyemarsh.com. February 17 Ontario Family Fishing Events is a province-wide opportunity to fish Ontario waters without the mandatory fishing version outdoors card. February 17-19 (12:01 a.m. Saturday to 11:59 p.m. Monday). Visit ontariofamilyfishing.com for details. March 1-4 Ontario Winter games throughout several world class facilities in Orillia and area. Many events in Orillia, Rama and Midland. All events, times and locations can be found at orillia2018.ca. MARK YOUR CALENDAR: March 16, 17, 18 is the 1st Annual Washago Carving Event. Live chainsaw carving show. Hand sculpted treasures. Auction on Sunday, March 18. Centennial Park Washago. More details to follow.

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To Our Customers: A big THANK YOU for shopping local! It is because of your patronage we are able to support local families, schools, clubs and organizations. We are very grateful. Mary and Rod Harth

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