Workshop On Local Species At Risk

Did you know that we have 190 species listed as 'at risk' in Ontario? The Oak Ridges Moraine across Northumberland County is home to many of these species including the red-headed woodpecker, eastern hog-nosed snake, whip-poor-will and butternut tree. Even once common species, like the snapping turtle, have recently been added to the list.

Species at risk are a growing concern for us here in Ontario and across Canada. Since the new Endangered Species Act was implemented in 2008, there have been some important changes in what is being done to help protect them. This Act has made Ontario a "North American leader in the protection and recovery of species at risk and their habitats", according to the Ministry of Natural Resources website.

The Caring for the Moraine Project partnership in the Rice Lake Plains is hosting a workshop to provide more information on local species at risk. We will take a closer look at what the label 'at risk' really means for a species. The new Endangered Species Act will be briefly explained and how it is working to protect our species at risk, by local MNR Species at Risk Biologist Melissa Laplante. We will also look at what species are in peril locally and what you can do to help protect them. Kristina Hubert with the Nature Conservancy of Canada is currently working on projects involving species at risk and will discuss the local species she is targeting. Kristina's work is supported by funding from the MNR Species at Risk Stewardship Fund.

This will be a fun and informative workshop with prizes available throughout the evening.

This FREE workshop is happening on Wednesday, November 4th, 6:30 pm at the Alderville Black Oak Savanna Ecology Centre, 8467 County Rd 18 (west off highway 45, 25 min north of Cobourg). Registration is appreciated for planning purposes but is not required. Please contact Ashley Wilson at ricelakeplains@ltc.on.ca or phone (613) 394-3915 x 225.

The Caring for the Moraine Project in the Rice Lake Plains Area is made available through a partnership of organizations including Alderville First Nation, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority, Lower Trent Conservation, the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Northumberland County, Northumberland Land Trust, Northumberland Stewardship Council, Ontario Parks and Tallgrass Ontario. Funding for this program is provided by the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation as well as the partners listed above. The Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation was founded in 2002 to help protect, preserve and restore the Oak Ridges Moraine, a prominent geological formation stretching 160 km across Southern Ontario and key in protecting our water resources. Please visit www.moraineforlife.org for more info.

Updated 10.26.09 Written by Lower Trent Conservation Authority

Related links:
www.ltc.on.ca
www.moraineforlife.org

NorthumberlandView.ca - A View Like No Other - Workshop On Local Species At Risk.

Seaton development will be anything but a sustainable community

To the editor:

Don't be fooled by the provincial central development plan for Seaton in Pickering. The provincial government is giving away huge amounts of provincially owned land to developers in Pickering. They say it's to save the Oak Ridges Moraine. Don't be fooled by the spin doctors. Seaton land is more environmentally sensitive that any land in the greenbelt area.

The Province conducted a non-comprehensive "class" Environmental Assessment that did not fully examine the effects of urban development on the 111 wetlands, 38 species of fish, three cold-water streams, Duffin creek, 38-per cent woodlots, wildlife habitat and three aquifers in Seaton.

The Province's resulting Central Pickering Development Plan will fragment Seaton into 13 neighbourhoods surrounded by natural corridors. But 42 roads, bridges and utilities will cross the natural corridors to connect those neighbourhoods.

Dr. Ken Howard, a hydro-geologist in a review of the provincial plan, says the provincial plan ignores the complex hydro-geological systems, the sensitive aquifers and the potential long-term impacts of urbanization on the quantity and quality of water in local wells and river systems. From a hydro-geological standpoint, the provincial plan as it currently exists, is unacceptable.

A full individual environmental assessment would have included a complete sub-watershed study and the validity of the provincial plan for Seaton. The City of Pickering has not demanded a complete sub-watershed study. The City of Pickering does not have any development sustainability laws to this day.

Dalai Lama once said people know how to solve problems like hunger and environmental degradation but they don't act. Therefore the biggest challenge of our time is making bystanders take action.

Is our natural environment not worth our best effort?

David Steele

Pickering

Link: newsdurhamregion

Opposition to wind turbines starting to grow

Opposition to wind turbines starting to grow
GREEN ENERGY: Health effects, noise, costs are concerns
By CONNIE WOODCOCK


There's a farmer in Northumberland County, east of Oshawa, who wants to build a house for his daughter on his farm, but he can't because he's on the heavily protected Oak Ridges Moraine.

But it's OK to lease his land to a company that will put up multiple wind turbines and turn his property into a wind farm. And they'll pay him five figures a year to do it.

That's just one of many contradictions emerging as wind project proposals multiply like rabbits across Ontario -- hundreds, totalling more than 3,000 turbines and counting, several of them on the moraine. (Only 10 major sites are running so far.)

Here's another: In the same week that Premier Dalton McGuinty rolled out his green energy strategy, one group of Northumberland residents jammed a hall to protest the moraine wind farm while another celebrated the arrival of a new factory -- to build wind turbines.

And all over Ontario, wherever similar events are taking place, lots of people who consider themselves green energy fans are beginning to have doubts.

Every time there's a public meeting to discuss a project, crowds gather with questions: How far should they be from homes? Are there health effects? Do they produce enough energy? How much noise should they be allowed to create? And what happens if they're not sustainable? Do we have rusting hulks dotting the landscape? (The recent unveiling of a solar energy project the size of nine Rogers Centres near Napanee to provide electricity for a mere 1,000 households did nothing to ease fears.)

Central Ontario is one of several prime targets. Others include Lake Erie and the Owen Sound area. At one public meeting in my area, 150 people turned out in a village with a population of half that. In Prince Edward County, another attracted more than 300. And in the City of Kawartha Lakes, a crowd of 500 got so worked up fist fights broke out.

"It looked," says one observer, "like the wild west."

And at every meeting, people already coping with wind turbines point out the problems: Nobody really knows about health problems or what proper setbacks should be. And it seems to take a whole herd of them to produce a significant amount of energy.

But McGuinty has made it clear there'll be few obstacles in the paths of the companies rushing to install them. No NIMBYism allowed, he's said. A London Free Press report recently revealed 31 projects in the last four years have gone ahead with no provincial environmental assessment.

Funny thing, but the more environmental activists I meet, the more doubts I hear. These are people who originally saw wind turbines as the answer to everything -- free, clean and everywhere. As one woman told me, much as she loves green energy, "those structures are completely inappropriate" on the Oak Ridges Moraine. Substitute Lake Erie, Georgian Bay or Lake Ontario for the moraine and you've got the views of many others.

Gwyer Moore, of Grafton, east of Cobourg, knew nothing about turbines until Energy Farming Ontario decided to put some near him. He knows you can't stop these projects, but he hopes to talk neighbours out of hosting them and convince the province it should rethink some of its regulations. So he helped form a protest group, one of the 33 in Ontario so far.

Conservative MPP Bill Murdoch of Owen Sound, where towers are proliferating, will ask the province to declare a moratorium until the potential health problems are investigated. But don't count on it actually happening. A spokesman for Energy Minister George Smitherman has already said green energy is too big a part of the green energy strategy.

I still remember my first glimpse of a wind farm nearly a decade ago. The towers seemed massive, otherworldly, majestic --and a hope for the future.

Now? In Dalton McGuinty's Ontario, all I expect is a bigger hydro bill.

Opposition to wind turbines starting to grow - The Sudbury Star - Ontario, CA.

Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority New Web Page

The Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority has announce that their newly developed website is now live and would like to welcome the public to view it.

You will find it here... http://www.grca.on.ca/

The new website also provides information about the Ganaraska Forest Centre (GFC), the Authority's new outdoor education centre located on Cold Springs Camp Road north of County Road 9.  The Centre is also home to the Oak Ridges Moraine Information Centre, serving as a connection point and local information hub for the residents and municipalities of the Oak Ridges Moraine.

Don’t let Markham become ‘upscale Scarborough’

Markham

October 13, 2009 03:02 PM

Keely Grasser

Markham should not expand its urban boundary for five to 10 years, according to the Friends of the Rouge Watershed.

The group, a non-profit dedicated to protecting the local watershed system, appealed for slower growth in Markham, where council is currently reviewing the Region of York’s official plan, a document that will shape how this area will grow in the next several decades.

The plan works around a forecast that has Markham’s population at more than 423,000 by 2031.

“Can you imagine the traffic, can you imagine the congestion?” Jim Robb, general manager of the watershed group, asked council at a Tuesday general committee meeting, adding that it will create a voter revolt.

He also raised concerns about environmental impacts of further growth.

Mr. Robb suggested, aside from the moratorium on urban sprawl, that three quarters of whitebelt lands — which will eventually be considered for development — be designated as greenbelt, thus making them untouchable. The town should also reduce its 25-year population growth target from 50 per cent to 25 per and increase intensification to 50 per cent.

He also asked council to support Rouge Park becoming a national park.

The group also suggests the town create strategies for foodland protection, subwatersheds, natural heritage, First Nations and pioneer heritage and infrastructure financing and susceptibility before making any decisions on expanding the urban boundary.

Mr. Robb equated the proposed growth as building a house of cards. If everything works out perfectly, he said, it may work. But he added that things often don’t work as planned.

“Markham should not become an upscale Scarborough,” he said, adding that is what the town will become if it expands.

These comments came as general committee discussed how to comment on the region’s draft plan, which it hopes to pass by year’s end.

The committee eventually decided to delay giving the region its comments, until it can hold a workshop and go through the plan piece by piece.

“This is the most important issue facing this town for the next 30 years,” said Councillor Erin Shapero, who added, “I just feel we’re doing ourselves a disservice if we don’t look at this in the detail it deserves.”

“This is not something that is philosophical ... This is our road map for next 20 or 30 years,” Regional Councillor Joe Virgilio said.

Regional Councillor Gordon Landon said the town is under a lot of pressure to get its comments to the region.

Valerie Shuttleworth, the town’s director of planning and urban design, said there is urgency.

The region was looking for comments by the end of September, she explained.

She said she will advise regional staff that Markham is still working on it.

Ms Shapero said that if the largest municipality in York Region is not ready to go ahead with the proposed official plan, maybe the region should take a step back.

She has a feeling the region is trying to pass the plan before next year’s municipal elections, she said, adding she doesn’t want to feel rushed.

Mr. Virgilio said he understood, from a regional workshop, that if the urban boundary isn’t increased, there may be difficulty paying for infrastructure already in place.

“If that’s the driver, we need to know,” he said.

The urban expansion issue isn’t likely to be in the original official plan, said Mr. Landon. Instead, he said, it will likely be addressed in a future plan amendment.

Mr. Virgilio asked about how the public is being consulted.

Mr. Landon said information meetings held on the proposed plan weren’t well-attended.

He suggested going out to the public and showing what their communities will look like after intensification.

“That’s when you’re going to start getting the reaction of the public,” he said, adding that the town has to get the message out or it will face push back on every development application that comes through.

York Region has been working on the official plan since 2005. It takes into account a number of new acts that have changed how planning is done in Southern Ontario, including the Oak Ridges Moraine, Greenbelt, Clean Water and Places to Grow acts and Metrolinx.

Official plans affect many facets of communities, including development, economics, infrastructure and the environment.

Backyard Naturalization Workshop & Project Tour

Backyard Naturalization Workshop & Project Tour

Interested in learning more about Backyard Naturalization and the Rice Lake Plains?

On October 24th, the Caring for the Moraine Project is hosting a FREE educational family fun day to thank local landowners. This event is dedicated to those landowners that are helping to conserve the natural features of the Oak Ridges Moraine in the Rice Lake Plains area. Learn more about the Oak Ridges Moraine, backyard naturalization and how to get involved in stewardship in your community. Everyone is welcome to attend.

The Caring for the Moraine Project is now in its third year in the Rice Lake Plains and has worked with many landowners to help them learn more about stewardship opportunities in the area. This program makes stewardship a one-stop-shop by bringing together various conservation groups, governmental and other agencies offering stewardship services.

"So many people are interested in learning more about their property and what they can do to be a good steward. The Caring Project actively gets people involved by providing them with the resources they need, instead of the landowner having to figure out who to contact," says Ashley Wilson, Landowner Contact Specialist with the Caring for the Moraine Project.

"This family fun day is a way to say thanks to those that have participated in the program so far, while also getting new people out to learn more about their local environment."

Roseneath, Centreton, Grafton & Baltimore area landowners are invited to a Backyard Naturalization Workshop and Project Tour, Saturday, October 24th, at Fenella Hall, 8071 Highway 45, just 20 minutes north of Cobourg.

Guests are invited to attend all day, but can register to attend only morning or afternoon sessions. The morning portion of the event is a backyard naturalization design workshop running along side a kid's project session where they will make backyard projects to take home. A FREE lunch will begin at 12 pm, followed by a presentation by Monitoring the Moraine and a project bus tour of landowners in action. Please reserve your spot by emailing Ashley Wilson at ricelakeplains@ltc.on.ca or phone (613) 394-3915 x 225.

The Caring for the Moraine Project in the Rice Lake Plains Area is made available through a partnership of organizations including Alderville First Nation, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority, Lower Trent Conservation, the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Northumberland County, Northumberland Land Trust, Northumberland Stewardship Council, Ontario Parks and Tallgrass Ontario. Funding for this program is provided by the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation as well as the partners listed above. The Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation was founded in 2002 to help protect, preserve and restore the Oak Ridges Moraine, a prominent geological formation stretching 160 km across Southern Ontario and key in protecting our water resources. Please visit www.moraineforlife.org for more info.

For further information please contact:

Ashley Wilson - Landowner Contact Specialist, Caring for the Moraine Project: Rice Lake Plains Project
Area
c/o Lower Trent Conservation, 714 Murray St., Trenton ON, K8V 5P4
Telephone: 613-394-3915 ext 225
Email: ricelakeplains@ltc.on.ca
Fax: 613-392-5226

Marilyn Bucholtz - Communication Coordinator
Lower Trent Conservation, 714 Murray St., Trenton ON, K8V 5P4
Telephone: 613-394-3915 ext 216
Email: marilyn.bucholtz@ltc.on.ca
Fax: 613-392-5226

This program has been made possible by the Caring for the Moraine Project: Rice Lake Plains Project Area partners and with funding from the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation.

Updated 10.09.09 Written by Lower Trent Conservation Authority

Related links:
www.ltc.on.ca

NorthumberlandView.ca - A View Like No Other - Backyard Naturalization Workshop & Project Tour.