Photo of the Month: Tree Sparrow

Sent in by Roy John, this photo of an American Tree Sparrow has the perfect light to capture the detail of this fine feathered friend.

The American Tree Sparrow, despite its common name, spends lots of time on the ground. It builds its nest at ground-level, often at the base of shrubs or scrubby growth, and it forages on the ground.

A common winter visitor in backyards across southern Canada feeding on seeds and berries, at this time of year the American Tree Sparrow is preparing to migrate further north, where it will primarily feed on insects throughout the summer.

Thanks for sharing this fantastic image, Roy!

If you love this photo, why not put it on your desktop? Or, you can check out previous photos in our archives.

Court Ruling Against BC Government - Protection of the Caribou

On March 19, 2010 British Columbia’s Supreme Court ruled in favor of the West Moberly First Nation’s petition against the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources and First Coal Corporation’s proposed coal mine plan that would have had significant impacts on critical habitat of the nationally endangered Burnt Pine caribou herd in northeast BC. Treaty No.8, a northern treaty signed in 1899, played a significant role in the ruling given that the Crown failed to thoroughly consult the West Moberly petitioners and also failed to accommodate their rights – especially their hunting rights. In the words of the Honourable Justice Williamson:

‘The consultation was not sufficiently meaningful, and the accommodation put in place was not reasonable.’

Chief Roland Willson, of the West Moberly Nations, expressed his gratitude towards the court’s decision saying it was able to stop both the federal and BC governments from evading their obligations to protect the caribou under Canada’s Species at Risk Act (SARA). The BC government was ordered to immediately put in place a ‘reasonable, active, program for the protection and augmentation of the Burnt Pine herd’. The lack of a satisfactory consultation for the proposed coal mine has led to a mandatory adequate consultation - except this time it is not for a coal mine but for the protection of the Burnt Pine caribou herd. They have 90 days to present this. The crown shall consult with the West Moberly people as well as ecologists and biologists from the Ministry of Environment whom are to be referred to by West Moberly.

Andrew Gage of West Coast Environmental Law said this ruling may be the cause of a series of similar events where First Nations intervene and push governments to protect species across the country.

There are currently ONLY 11 caribou left in the Burnt Pine herd. Hopefully, the new plans will make it possible to repopulate this herd.

The Reasons for Judgment can be found at the following link:

http://www.courts.gov.bc.ca/jdb-txt/SC/10/03/2010BCSC0359.htm

Wind energy assault poised for major bird flyway in Southern Ontario.

On Saturday March 27, in Leamington, Kingsville and Harrow, Ontario, Southpoint Inc, a wind energy company based out of Leamington, is holding public meetings on its proposal to build over 700 offshore wind turbines between Rondeau Provincial Park and Holiday Beach Important Bird area on Lake Erie, and off the southern shore of Lake St Clair.

These developments are within, or proximate to, a cluster of globally significant Important Bird Areas (IBAs) including world famous Point Pelee IBA, Greater Rondeau IBA, Holiday Beach/Big Creek IBA, Pelee Island Archipeligo, and Eastern Lake St. Clair IBA. This area is a rare a point of convergence of the Atlantic and Mississipi flyways, the major bird highways followed by hundreds of millions of birds flying north into central and northern Canada in the spring and south after the breeding season in the fall, in some cases as far away as Tierra del Fuego.

In other words, the area where the wind turbine density will be highest is perhaps the most significant migratory pathway in inland North America. Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair are also prone to severe weather and fog, which are conditions that are known to amplify the potential for migrating birds to collide with structures like wind turbines.

In addition to these concerns for birds, local residents, including officials from all levels of government, are opposing this proposal over fears of contamination of drinking water from the turbine installations. Construction activity will disturb the bottom sediments of the lakes which contain extremely high levels of toxins and known carcinogens from heavy industries upstream.

Due to the nature of the Ontario Government’s Green Energy Act, the door is wide open to encourage green energy. While this piece of legislation is certainly laudable, it can do as much damage as good if not applied thoughtfully and with care to protect biodiversity and cultural values like clean water.

We believe that in fairness to the wind industry, wind industry companies should not be wasting their resources on proposals and undertaking justification studies in areas where clearly the projects would undermine biodiversity and cultural values. Clearly, the Southpoint proposal would do this as it is currently framed. The Province needs clear policy on where wind energy is to be encouraged and where it must be excluded.

Concerning off-shore turbines in the Great Lakes, it must also be remembered that the Great Lakes are a shared resource with the United States of America. Several states border the Great Lakes and share the waters. Michigan already has guidelines with regard to offshore wind installations that, if applied in Ontario, would render the Southpoint project entirely unfeasible.

We cannot have a pell-mell approach to industrializing this common resource with one jurisdiction upholding high protection standards and another lacking in standards. The International Joint Commission was established for this exact reason, yet proposals like Southpoint’s are forging ahead and the provincial government appears to be averting its gaze from international obligations.

We encourage those living within range of these meetings to attend and express opposition to the proposals.

We implore Southpoint to withdraw its 1400 megawatt wind project from Lake Erie and Lake St Clair.

We encourage the Government of Ontario to re-establish a moratorium on offshore turbines until a clear policy that protects biodiversity and cultural values from industrial wind farms and other “green energy” initiatives is adopted.

Finally, we urge the province of Ontario and the Federal government to thoroughly consider the consequences of offshore wind installations in the Great Lakes within the context of its international obligations and expectations through treaties, conventions and the International Joint Commission.

Nature Canada and the International Year of Biodiversity

Recalling the commitment made by Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), to achieve by 2010 a significant reduction in the current rate of loss of biodiversity, and realizing the magnitude of efforts required to achieve this target, the United Nations General Assembly declared, in 2007, that 2010 be the International Year of Biodiversity.

Nature Canada is strongly positioned to endorse the International Year of Biodiversity. We have joined Countdown 2010, an initiative of the IUCN to help mobilize action to ensure that all governments and members of civil society, at every level, take the necessary actions to halt biodiversity loss in 2010.



As partners in this initiative, we have agreed to take action to save biodiversity and add momentum to reach the 2010 Biodiversity Target. In addition, we have pledged to:

1) Monitor the implementation of the Species at Risk Act (SARA) by the Canadian Government and engage, where appropriate, to ensure the effective protection and recovery of endangered species and their habitat
2) Monitor the Canadian Government’s promises to establish new protected areas and expand those already established. We are also pushing for completion of an effective network of parks to protect and connect species and their habitats, and enable them to adapt to a changing climate
3) Support and mobilize a network of people who care about nature
4) Protect key sites for breeding and non-breeding Canadian birds through the Important Bird Areas Program of BirdLife International (co-partner with Bird Studies Canada)
5) Recommend measurable, identifiable and feasible targets for the Post-2010 Target of the CBD (2020 Strategic Plan) to the Government of Canada
6) Spread the word about the International Year of Biodiversity at events, workshops and conferences held by Nature Canada, and frame upcoming events and communication products around the International Year of Biodiversity and various ‘awareness days’ such as the World Environment Day.

We encourage all of our members, supporters and all those who are keen on achieving this target to engage in enriching and important activities throughout 2010 to help us – and everyone around the world – achieve it.

Some proposed activities:

- Become an Important Bird Area (IBA) Caretaker and help us conserve our birds and their habitats

- Become a Species Watchdog and assist us in ensuring our species at risk are provided with legal protection (Please contact Nature Canada for more information)

- Put up bird and butterfly feeders around your home to promote the coexistence of humans and wildlife

- Build and erect a nest box for migratory species such as swallows or bluebirds on your property

- Join a naturalist club in your area and participate in regular outings – you might even participate in a Christmas Bird Count in your area

- Find out if you can volunteer with a wildlife rehabilitation centre in your region to help wildlife cope with the impacts of an expanding human population and habitat loss

- Find out what environmental by-laws are in effect in your community and make sure you follow them

- Learn at least 10 new things related to nature in your region. Then share them with 10 more people.

- Contribute some of your time by volunteering for a nature-related cause

- Make a donation to a group engaged in biodiversity conservation – and don’t forget about the potential benefits at tax time!

- Learn about at least 5 environmental initiatives in your own community, city or region

- Read at least one book with a biodiversity or environment theme this year

- Create an album of at least 12 nature photographs this year (e.g., 1 photo per month) and describe what aspect of each photo helps you appreciate nature

- Challenge yourself to buy local, organic food during the harvest times in your region

- Go on at least one outdoor expedition, such as a bird watching trip, to connect with nature

- Organize a native tree planting event in your community, or check with your town or city to see if a sponsored tree planting program exists

Nature Canada Pipes Up Against Enbridge

Twenty-one years ago, the Exxon Valdez ran aground, spilling 40 million litres of crude oil into Prince William Sound and causing irreversible damage. Now, Enbridge wants to bring the same risk to B.C.'s pristine coastal waters and rainforest.

The proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline would carry oil from the tar sands to a port at Kitimat, B.C. Supertankers fed by the Enbridge pipeline would travel the same waters where the Queen of the North ferry sank in 2006.


Nature Canada is one of over a hundred signatories - including First Nations, businesses and prominent Canadians - to an open letter opposing the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline and crude oil tanker traffic in BC's northern coastal waters. The risk oil spills pose to First Nations, communities and the environment is too great.

Add your voice and pipe up against Enbridge by sending a letter to Enbridge CEO Patrick Daniel today.

Oceanic, alpine and grassland birds vulnerable to climate change: New Report

On March 10, the State of the Birds 2010 Report on Climate Change was released. Though this report was written about birds of the United States of America, many of the examples and conclusions are very relevant to Canada.

The report presents a gloomy picture for many species already facing threats from many other factors such as habitat loss, pollution, and invasive species. This report follows the 2009 State of the Birds Report describing how approximately a third of the 800 species that occur in the United States are in varying states of decline and imperilment.

"For well over a century, migratory birds have faced stresses such as commercial hunting, loss of forests, the use of DDT and other pesticides, a loss of wetlands and other key habitat, the introduction of invasive species, and other impacts of human development", United States' Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said. "Now they are facing a new threat - climate change - that could dramatically alter their habitat and food supply and push many species towards extinction."

The report is the product of a collaboration between federal and state wildlife agencies, and scientific and conservation organisations including partners from National Audubon Society (BirdLife in the U.S.), the American Bird Conservancy, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Klamath Bird Observatory, The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, U.S.D.A. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey.

The report assessed the impact of climate change on each bird species, resulting in a classification of high, medium or low vulnerability. In the final analysis, specific groups of species appear much more vulnerable than others, due to one or a combination of the five following factors:
• migration status
• breeding habitat dependence
• ability to disperse
• highly specialized species
• reproductive potential

Most vulnerable were all 67 seabird species such as Murres, Albatroses, Puffins, and Petrels due to both threats to low-lying coastal breeding areas from flooding and alterations to food supplies caused by changes in ocean currents and ocean surface temperatures. Canada has large numbers of seabirds on Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Coasts that share these vulnerable characteristics. Hundreds of thousands of Canadians are familiar with some of the enormous colonies of seabirds in places like Ile Bonaventure on the Gaspe Peninsula, or Cape St Mary’s in Newfoundland-Labrador, or have watched seabirds feeding from the Vancouver-Victoria ferries on Southern British Columbia.

A second group considered highly vulnerable to climate change are those species breeding in Arctic and Alpine regions. They are considered to have limited options for movement as they live in, and depend upon habitats in the coldest and highest locations. As these areas warm up, as they are expected to dramatically do, species such as Ivory gull and White-tailed Ptarmigan may suffer the consequences.

Grassland species are also believed to be vulnerable to climate change. As grasslands in the central basin of North America warm, they will also become more arid. Some species respond to the changing climatic and habitat conditions by shifting their ranges northward. However, much of the northern part of the grassland ecosystem in central North America has been converted to row crops that can not support most grassland bird species. In Canada, some grassland species that are likely already suffering the consequences from the combination of climate change and habitat conversion to industrialized agriculture include Spragues Pipit and Chestnut-collared Longspur. Many of the prairie potholes in southern Saskatchewan, south-western Manitoba, and south-eastern Alberta are also expected to dry up, threatening populations of the majority of waterfowl species that live in North America.

Most species in aridlands, wetlands, and forests were attributed relatively low vulnerability to climate change. However some species that occur in Canada including Bicknell’s Thrush, Whip-poor-will and Olive-sided Flycatcher may be particularly vulnerable due to habitat dependencies.

While painting a worrisome portrait of what could be in store for many species, the report does suggest many solutions through actions, planning and collaboration of individuals and organizations that can have positive impacts on bird populations and mitigate some of the impacts of climate change. Some of the examples include conserving carbon-rich forests and wetlands, managing coastal areas differently, and using incentives to avoid deforestation to reduce carbon emissions and encourage habitat protection or restoration.

While many examples of this report could apply to Canadian birds, it is time that a “State of the Birds” including an assessment of climate change impact on bird populations, was completed for Canadian birds to inform conservation planning, monitoring and research efforts here. Through the Migratory Bird Convention, the Convention on Biodiversity, and the Migratory Bird Convention Act, among other Canadian legislation, Canada has legal and ethical obligations to assure that its bird populations are protected and managed appropriately. In order to do this, we need a clear understanding of the status of our birds, as our friends and colleagues to the south of us have done.

Photo credits:
Atlantic Puffins (Newfoundland) Shutterstock
Ivory Gull Simon Stirrup
Chestnut-collared+Longspur Al MacKeigan
Whip-poor-will Alan Woodhouse

Young Naturalists' Club of BC celebrates their birthday with a gift for you

A growing body of evidence confirms that when children spend time in nature they are healthier, happier, and smarter. Since 2000, the Young Naturalists' Club of BC has been connecting children with nature through a growing network of volunteer-led family and school nature clubs across the province. Sharp-shinned hawks, long-toed salamanders, sea otters - these are some of the wild neighbours Young Naturalists' Club members meet on Explorer Days, learn about in NatureWILD Magazine or work to protect while earning Action Awards.

Celebrate the YNC's birthday with a present for you - a chance at winning a signed Robert Bateman Print!

Robert Bateman's artwork reflects his deep connection with the natural world. He, better than anyone, knows the importance of getting children outside and exploring the natural world. You can learn more about how time spent in a nature has influenced this celebrated Canadian Artist in the spring issue of NatureWILD Magazine.

In celebration of the Young Naturalists' Club of BC's 10th birthday, Robert Bateman has generously donated two signed prints to the YNC to help raise funds and connect more children with nature.

Individuals making a donation to the YNC this year will have a chance to win one of the signed Robert Bateman prints. Names will be randomly drawn twice throughout the year - once this spring at the YNC Annual General Meeting in Kamloops May 16th and donors have a second chance to win a signed Robert Bateman Print at the YNC 10th Birthday Party during the fall. Donations can be made online at http://www.ync.ca/. Thank you for giving the gift of nature to young Canadians!

Thanks to our friends at the Young Naturalists' Club of BC for sharing this post with us.

Migratory Birds Found "Double Breeding"

Scientists have discovered that five species of North American songbirds experience a second breeding season as they head south towards their wintering habitat in Central and South America. After initially breeding in temperate regions of Canada and the United States, the birds stop over in western Mexico and breed again.

This is the first time that biologists have documented so-called "migratory double-breeding" among birds in this hemisphere, though it's been known to occur in Europe.

From Environment Canada's most recent quarterly e-newsletter:

It has been long known that yellow-billed cuckoo, yellow-breasted chat, orchard oriole, Cassin’s vireo and hooded oriole travel to northwest Mexico following breeding in the north to molt and make use of the seasonal monsoonal rains in the area. Now, a subpopulation of these species clearly breeds again in Mexico before moving further south to winter.

Why is this important? First, it suggests that some bird species have begun to depend on areas outside their traditional breeding range to sustain their numbers. Secondly, it reinforces the notion that conserving bird populations requires connectivity -- conserving multiple habitat areas along a migratory bird's flyway. As migratory birds journey from point A to B, their stopovers are crucial locations that also must be preserved -- particularly if they're doubling as breeding areas.

The need to approach bird conservation from a transborder, complete flyway perspective is, of course, why Nature Canada works with BirdLife International partners in places like Haiti, Panama and Brazil.

Here is Environment Canada's news update. The full scientific paper by Queen's University researchers appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Nature Canada's 6-degrees connection to tonight's Rick Mercer Report

I just wanted to give everyone a heads-up that Nature Canada will have a 'six degrees of separation' connection to tonight's episode of the Rick Mercer Report on CBC (8pm EST).

The show will feature the winning universities in the Spread the Net Student Challenge, which aims to reduce the spread of malaria in children across Africa. It turns out that University of Ottawa is one of the winners of the challenge, alongside Simon Fraser University.

Now here's the interesting Nature Canada connection:

My MSc supervisor, Dr. Jeremy Kerr, and Dr. Manisha Kulkarni-Woodstock and Rachelle Desrochers, a Post-Doctoral Fellow and PhD Candidate, respectively, from Dr. Kerr's lab, played key roles in the University of Ottawa's Spread the Net campaign. Students from two undergraduate biology classes at the university were also MAJOR contributors to the campaign's fundraising success - enough for 700 bednets was raised!!

During a field ecology course co-taught by Jeremy, Manisha and Rachelle in Tanzania last year, they and a group of undergrad students actually hand-delivered bednets to groups of school children across that African country.

Manisha's research, which is based mostly in east Africa as well as parts of South America, focuses on the ecology of the mosquitoes that carry malaria (Anopheles spp) and how climate change may alter their distributions - and therefore the human populations that may be at risk - over time. My former supervisor, Dr. Kerr, brings expertise on the impacts of climate change on insect distributions to the project, among many other research capacities.

I'm not sure what will air on the show tonight (remember: 8pm EST), but it looks like Rick Mercer spent some time in one of the biology labs with a few of my former labmates - See the banner image here - http://bit.ly/dmtKWg.

So, that's the '6-degrees' connection for Nature Canada to tonight's Rick Mercer Report. Enjoy the show, and think about what you can do to prevent the spread of malaria!

Mackenzie and Suffield: Opportunities for Sustainability?

The Joint Review Panel of the Mackenzie Gas Project spent two years writing a report that optimistically and ambitiously set out the conditions under which the Panel believes the basin-opening project could be the basis for sustainable development in the Mackenzie Valley and Delta.

The report tackles the big picture issues and many of its recommendations aim to mitigate negative cumulative impacts and maintain a high standard of care for future developments. If all the 176 report recommendations were to be fully implemented, perhaps the project could be a positive thing. But the chances for that are looking slim.

The National Energy Board responded last week to the Joint Review Panel's recommendations by rejecting the integrated approach to sustainability the Panel recommended. Despite claiming in November 2009 that it's taking a sustainability approach, the NEB seems inclined to taking a narrow approach to the Mackenzie Gas Project. The NEB can still reconsider after its hearings in April and the federal and territorial governments have yet to respond to the Panel's recommendations, so a commitment to sustainability might still prevail.

Yes, I'm trying to be positive today.

Another place where an opportunity to do the right thing is waiting to be seized is Suffield National Wildlife Area, or perhaps I should say EnCana's headquarters. As readers of this blog are aware, EnCana has applied to drill an additional 1,275 gas wells within Suffield National Wildlife Area. But why does EnCana still want to drill there? In North America, proven reserves of natural gas have increased substantially in the past two years, so the time may be just right for EnCana to abandon further drilling within Suffield National Wildlife Area. Read more here. And stay tuned, we'll continue to report on both energy projects, as well as the Northern Gateway.

Image: CFB Suffield by Cliff Wallis

Justice on the horizon for migratory birds

Thanks to Ontario Nature and Ecojustice, justice may be around the corner for migratory bird losses! Menkes, a Toronto property developer and manager, has been accused for the death of many migratory birds in 2008 and 2009. ”Toronto is a migratory path for millions of birds,” says bird safety advocate Michael Mesure.

Yet, the Menkes Consilium Place Office alone, and its highly reflective window surfaces, has caused the death or injury of 7,000 birds (of 82 species) according to the Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP), a non-profit group working to safeguard migratory birds from the urban environment. Between 2000 and 2006 some of the victims were the White-throated Sparrow, the Golden-crowned Kinglet, Nashville Warbler, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and the Dark-eye Junco.

Birds that collide into these buildings suffer skull and spinal fractures, as well as severe lung hemorrhage, leading to their ultimate death, says Ecojustice lawyer Albert Koehl. High rise buildings may fascinate some of us, but they also have a great tendency to confuse migratory birds. Their mirror-like windows mimic natural routes, causing birds to fly right into them – some with the hope of landing on the tree branch they thought was right there! According to FLAP, windows are the number one human-related factor killing birds in North America – a soaring 100-900 million+ deaths a year, predicts Dr. Daniel Klem of Muhlenberg College.

“There are numerous ways to make these buildings safer for birds. We hope that a successful prosecution will send an appropriate message to other building owners, including downtown building owners, that action must be taken to avoid this unnecessary tragedy,” said Koehl. It is strongly recommended that building owners make use of the commercially available window treatments to safeguard migratory birds, some of which are already in decline due to other factors. Such treatments lack the reflective feature of windows currently being used; they are transparent from the inside and provide visual cues to birds from the outside. The City of Toronto has also developed guidelines to assist building owners in mitigating the potential impacts of their buildings, such as applying transparent window coverings and turning lights off at night.

A group of Menkes companies have been charged under section 14 of Ontario’s Environmental Protection Act (EPA) and the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. Under section 14 of Ontario’s EPA alone, the property developer could be charged up to $6 M per day if found guilty. This, of course, will put a hole in their pockets and cost them more than changing windows!

Celebrating International Women's Day 2010

On this day of celebrating the achievements of women around the world, Nature Canada is highlighting our current integrated conservation and development project in Paraguay.

Working with local partners Guyra Paraguay and Fortaleser, our project will enable Paraguayan women farmers to fully participate in the integral rural development of their communities. The partners will work with 450 women farmers in four communities to improve their food security, health, gender equality and democratic governance, and to raise their awareness of the need for biodiversity conservation. The women will receive the tools and training they need to pursue organic farming, product commercialization and to reduce soil degradation and unsustainable use of natural resources.

You can learn more about Nature Canada's commitment to international conservation, and how it relates to our programs in Canada, on our website.

Photo by Fortaleser