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Initially nominated by the community in 2000, the Frontenac Arch Biosphere (FAB) Reserve was designated as Canada's 12th biosphere reserve by the UNESCO "Man and the Biosphere" programme in November 2002. It was re-designated in 2007, with a larger land area including Frontenac Provincial Park. In October 2019, its designation was reviewed by UNESCO and its UNESCO Biosphere status has been maintained. The FAB biosphere reserves overlaps with the traditional territories of the Anishinaabe (Algonquin) and Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) lands and covers a region from Brockville and Gananoque, extending north of Kingston including Harrowsmith, Verona, and Westport. It encompasses and area of approximately 2,700 sq. km. The FAB is one of Canada's 18 official UNESCO biospheres and part of the Canadian Biospheres Reserves Association. These biospheres are important because they are not just about preserving our natural ecosystems, but also about the fostering sustainable human lifestyles that are connected to nature. 
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Join the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Foundation for their Opening Ceremony and festival. You will be able to hike, paddle, or cycle select trail. Enter to win prizes by posting selfies with #fabtrails (your team name).  Ontario Nature is working on developing a Long-term monitoring protocol (LTMP) for snakes that we piloted in 2018 at various sites across southern Ontario. We are looking to expand the number of sites for 2019 to include Lost Bay Nature reserve.
As you may already know, in Ontario, population trend data does not exist for many snake species, causing difficulties when assessing their conservation status, especially cryptic and lesser-studied species. There is a need for widespread, standardized, long-term monitoring protocols for snakes in order to gather baseline information about Ontario's snake populations. The LTMP that we've been piloting uses cover board transects to monitor snakes. A total of 24 cover boards are placed in suitable habitat, and checked between May 1 and July 15 for a total of 8 surveys per site (with 5-9 days between each survey – ideally surveys should be spaced apart by one week). We also collect habitat data for each site, and during each survey record temperature and weather data, as well as survey effort. The long-term goal of these protocols will be to develop and implement a widespread monitoring program for Ontario's snakes that will be capable of detecting a population decline of 10% or greater. Through collaborations with partner organizations and individuals, we will collect standardized data that addresses knowledge gaps and helps to monitor Ontario's snakes. Please let me know if you think this project is of interest and whether someone would be able to check the boards on a weekly basis from May 1 to July 15. Ontario Nature staff would be able train participants, but unfortunately we will not be able to visit the boards during the monitoring period Regards, Smera ______________________ Smera Sukumar, Conservation Projects Coordinator Tel: 416-444-8419 ext. 238 | Toll free: 1-800-440-2366 | smeras@ontarionature.org 214 King Street West, Suite 612 | Toronto, ON M5H 3S6 | www.ontarionature.org Invasive species reduce the ecological integrity of natural areas - a significant issue in the A2A region. The Ontario Invasive Plant Council is working with landowners and agencies to combat invasive species. Find out more about the Council and their conference in October here.
Free lunch in the woods, really? Check out the edible wild plants around you. For expert help, come to Woodland Foraging for Edible Plants on March 22 in Kingston with lifelong forager, Barbara Roch.
Hosted by the Ontario Woodlot Association, Limestone Chapter, it includes their annual general meeting. Barbara Roch has been dining in the woods all her life, so she knows the whole story on edible wild plants. Barbara will present a powerpoint show on edible plants and mushrooms, including locations, safety and sustainability. She supplies area chefs, retailers and individuals with native plants and mushrooms, and enjoys creating new recipes. Edible plants are free, hardy, nutritious, and fun to find. Location: Cataraqui Conservation Outdoor Centre at 1641 Perth Road. Doors open at 6:30 and the show begins at 7 pm.  With spring just around the corner, it’s time to start planning Ontario Nature's spring 2016 Ontario East regional meeting. Regional meetings are a great opportunity to meet other groups in your area, share ideas, hear from guest speakers and learn more about Ontario Nature's programs.
The meeting is scheduled for Saturday April 2nd at the Bloomfield Town Hall in Bloomfield, ON. Thank you very much to the Prince Edward Count Field Naturalists who will be hosting it. Lisa Richardson, Nature Network Coordinator, will be circulating the finalized meeting agenda in the next couple of weeks. Please let her know if your group would like to do a presentation or lead a discussion on a local issue that is important to you: lisar@ontarionature.org
This is a friendly reminder to join us this Thursday, February 11, at 7 p.m. at the Huntington Veterans Community Hall, 11379 Hwy 62, Ivanhoe, where we present Our Forests: Benefits and Threats. We are very much looking forward to hearing and seeing what these passionate speakers have in store for us. If you haven’t seen the press release, which provides details of what to expect, please visit our website. We hope to see you there.   Registration is now open for the 29th Annual Kemptville Winter Woodlot Conference to be held on Wednesday, February 24, 2016 at the North Grenville Municipal Complex! This year’s keynote speaker is Bruce Di Labio on “Changes to Bird Life in Eastern Ontario” Bruce will discuss the population changes in various species from the Turkey Vulture to the Northern Cardinal, the decline in other species such as the Loggerhead Shrike and the Red-headed Woodpecker, the impact of land clearing and the importance of maintaining a healthy forest landscape for bird habitat. Other speakers and topics include:
This year’s conference will feature live sawmill demonstrations by “Logs to Lumber” (Bob Parent, Oxford Mills, ON) courtesy of Wood-Mizer Canada. Registration Registration in advance is required by February 19, 2016. The registration fee is $30 and includes refreshments and lunch. You can register and pay by Visa, MasterCard or PayPal by visiting the Eastern Ontario Model Forest website to access the "Ways to Contribute" page and the "One-Time Payment" window or by calling 613-258-6587. Location: North Grenville Municipal Complex (see map here). Time: 8:00 am-4:00 pm. Registration, coffee & exhibits from 8:00 am-9:00 am. Download the flyer and share widely!  |
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