Protect Canada's Forests in 2011

What would we do without forests?

Forests are essential to human, animal and plant life – they support the majority of the earth’s biodiversity.

As the “lungs of the earth”, forests absorb carbon dioxide, reducing the effects of climate change. Among other things, forests provide wildlife with a place to live, reduce sedimentation and regulate flooding, and help people reduce their energy consumption by shading buildings and screening winds.

Since Canada is home to 10% of the world’s forests – forests cover half the Canadian landscape – Canadians have a key role to play in the global effort to conserve and sustainably manage forests.

We can start by asking the Government of Canada to take five important steps to protect and conserve our forests by:

• Forming an interconnected network of protected areas

• Adopting recovery strategies for species living in forests

• Improving Canadian forestry practices

• Reducing emissions from logging

• Increasing efforts to settle land claims

Take action in this International Year of Forests – Sign the petition now!

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March Photo of the Month

This prickly mammal was caught munching on the branches of a tree near Wishart, Saskatchewan. Thanks for sharing this great photo, Peggy Sandirson!

The porcupine, Erethizon dorsatum, is a large member of the rodent family that lives across most of Canada and western parts of the United States, and has been spotted as far south as Texas.

Most porcupines make their home in coniferous forests, feeding on the foliage and inner bark of trees during the winter and adding deciduous leaves, forbs and herbs to their diet in the spring and summer.

Quills cover almost all of a porcupine’s body, leaving only its face, belly, inner limbs and underside of the tail quill-free. To defend itself against would-be predators, the porcupine will either passively collide with a threat, or actively slap its tail to drive quills into a predator’s flesh.

The porcupine is the only mammal in North America with body hairs modified as quills.

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Is There a Dark Side to Springtime?

By March I've usually had my fill of snow, so I tend to welcome the annual spring melt -- but wait, is there a dark side to spring? One environmental chemist says so.

From a University of Toronto Scarborough press release:

“During the winter months, contaminants accumulate in the snow,” says [University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) environmental chemist Torsten] Meyer, an expert on snow-bound organic contaminants and a post-doctoral fellow at UTSC. “When the snow melts, these chemicals are released into the environment at high concentrations.”

In a specially designed, temperature-controlled laboratory at UTSC—which includes a homemade snow-gun and a chemical pump—Meyer creates large baths of fresh snow already tainted with organic contaminants. This one-of-a-kind set-up enables the researcher to slowly melt his “dirty” snow, collect the melt-water and track which chemicals emerge from the snowpack and when.

Meyer’s research reveals a worrying surprise. “One of the main findings is that there is a peak contaminant flush at the very beginning of the melt,” he says. With the advent of spring, according to Meyer, comes a deluge of pollution.

By the time snow has turned black with muck and grime, many harmful chemicals — including those from pesticides, car exhaust, telecommunications wiring insulation, water repellent clothing, paints or coatings — may have already seeped out of the snow and into the surrounding ground water or surface water.

Contaminant-laden early spring melts are particularly ill-timed for many aquatic organisms, who are at a vulnerable stage in their life cycle. As Meyer points out, his findings could be used to reduce that risk to wildlife -- for example, municipalities can choose snow dump sites that are well-contained to protect against that early flush of pollutants.

Preventing Bird Deaths from Lead Poisoning

In her second guest post, wildlife vet Helene Van Doninck shares troubling stories about human-wildlife interactions. Lead poisoning is the topic of this entry – Helene tells us how you can prevent unnecessary bird deaths that result from this toxic substance.

As a wildlife veterinarian and rehabilitator, I get a first hand glimpse into what happens when wild birds and humans interact. While many of these encounters are positive, I often see the results when the outcome is negative for the bird. More than ninety percent of the admissions to our rehabilitation centre are a direct result of interaction with humans or our structures.

Each year we analyze the reasons birds and other wildlife are brought to us seeking medical aid.  The top reasons for admission include birds that are: hit by a vehicle, victims of cat predation, poisoned (lead poisoning in particular), injured from striking a window, orphaned, oiled, and shot.

We spend a considerable amount of time trying to provide education that will help to decrease the number of animals that are victims of human interaction. People who bring us birds often ask how they can help. For several of the causative reasons listed above, the solution is obvious.

Thousands of wild animals are struck by vehicles every year and simply driving slower and being more aware during dawn and dusk-periods of increased activity may help decrease collisions. Birds of prey and scavenging species are often struck when they opportunistically consume other vehicle collision victims. To help prevent this (not for the faint of heart), I personally carry a shovel in my vehicle and if it is safe to do so,  will move dead animals to the ditch or well off the road to prevent another wildlife death. In 2010, we admitted 2 bald eagles that had been struck while scavenging. Both died of their injuries despite medical care.

In recent years we have seen an increase in bird deaths due to lead poisoning. Sadly, these deaths are easily preventable. It has been known for years that lead is toxic, yet it is still used to make hunting and fishing gear and in the manufacturing of other items. Lead shot was banned in waterfowl hunting years ago, but it is still legal to use for hunting other species.

The most common species to get lead poisoning are bald eagles and common loons. Eagles can ingest lead shot (just one ingested pellet or sinker can kill) when scavenging bodies or remnants of bodies left behind by hunters. Some animals are also wounded but not killed and then scavenged by eagles. Loons can ingest lead sinkers or lures left behind on lake beds – lines are often cut when the sinker or gear gets entangled under the water. It is thought that loons either see the reflective lure and go after it, assuming it is a fish, or accidentally ingest the sinker when picking up bits of rock on the lake bed, which is necessary for proper digestion.

Lead poisoned loons are weakened and unable to fly or dive. They will stop eating, have seizures, and get diarrhoea and paralysis of neck muscles. Lead poisoned bald eagles are usually found on the ground unable to fly in a weakened and thin state. They often have a drooped head and wings and are unable to respond to threats by other predators. The poisoning is fatal without treatment and can be fatal even with treatment if the lead levels are high enough or the animal goes too long without receiving care.

Anytime we receive a bald eagle that is unable to fly, but with no signs of injury, lead is my first suspicion. The bird is x-rayed to look for lead, though absence of lead on an x-ray still warrants further investigation in a symptomatic bird. If the eagle ingested the pellet more than two weeks ago, the powerful muscles and presence of other grit in the digestive tract will grind the lead down and release it into the blood stream, making it undetectable by x-rays. In these kinds of cases, a blood sample is sent to confirm the diagnosis and then we start the long process of chelation therapy to try and remove the lead from the victim. This means injections for five to ten days, follow-up blood work, intravenous fluids and tube-feeding to support an animal too sick and weak to ingest food or water. These birds require high maintenance, supportive care until they can stand and eat on their own – they will be in recovery for weeks to months if they survive.

One typical case we received involved a loon seen swimming in circles and unable to dive. The people who noted this were unable to capture it and monitored the loon for one day. The next day the bird, a mature male, was found on land in a weakened state. It was brought to us and died within hours despite medical therapy – it was simply too far gone. We confirmed a diagnosis of lead poisoning with x-rays, blood tests and an autopsy. One lead sinker killed this bird. The person who found the bird called me several days later to tell me that its mate swam back and forth near where the poisoned loon beached, making distress vocalizations for days after its mate died an unnecessary death.

How can you prevent this?

The answer is simple. Avoid using products containing lead, and in particular, do not use lead shot or fishing gear. Alternatives such as steel and bismuth do exist and are available.  Ask for and demand these alternatives in tackle, hunting and bait shops. You may just save a life.

An x-ray of a lead sinker inside the body of a loon admitted to Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre

Connect with Nature: Signs of Spring

A springtime robin sits in a tree.
Photo by J. Lim

Spring has sprung! The snow is melting and the sun is shining -- at least in most places across the country. The sights, smells and sounds of the changing seasons are all around us.

Some of our staff have started to see robins in their yards, and the geese have been flocking back north in their distinctive patterns. As gardens are uncovered, we can see the delicate green spikes of crocus and snowdrops pushing through the soil.

Is a crocus your first sign of Spring?
Photo by Eleanor Dallow

Getting outdoors and discovering all these signs of Spring can make a great weekend activity for the whole family. Why not turn it into a scavenger hunt to see who can spot the most seasonal changes? Or just take a few moments to appreciate the return of warmer weather on your way to or from work, or over your lunch.

And don't forget to let us know what signs of Spring are showing up in your neighbourhood in the comments below. If you'd rather capture the season in photos, why not upload them to our Flickr group? Your photo might even be selected as a photo of the month!

Take the Plunge – Pledge to Save Water on World Water Day

With some of the most beautiful and ecologically important rivers, lakes and wetlands in the world, Canadians have many reasons to celebrate World Water Day. From the mighty Mackenzie River in the north, to the wetlands of the boreal forest, and the Great Lakes, our country lays claim to 60% of the world’s fresh water.

Yet a recent survey found that Canadians use twice as much water as people in France and the Czech Republic. A seemingly limitless supply of this natural resource means some of us don’t think twice before watering the lawn in the middle of a hot summer day, or letting the tap run as we brush our teeth.

But those small actions add up – it’s time for us to let go of the myth of water abundance.

Fortunately, it’s easy to make a few small changes to your water consumption around the house that can make a big difference. Take Nature Canada’s water pledge to use water wisely in and around your home and save 10 gallons (38 litres) a day.

These are some EASY ways that you can save water around the house:

• Don’t run the tap while shaving or cleaning your teeth – save 1 gallon (3.7 litres) a minute

• Add an aerator to any tap – save 1 gallon (3.7 litres) a minute

• Reduce the length of a shower by one minute – save 2.5 gallons (9.5 litres)

• Install a low flow shower head – save 3 gallons(11.3 litres)a minute

• Install a toilet tank displacement device – save.5 gallon (1.8 litres) a flush

• Run the dishwasher only when it is totally full – save 10 gallons (37.8 litres) each saved load

• Water your lawn at night and save 65% lost to evaporation when watering during the day – save 5 gallons (19 litres) a minute

To date, 2,942 people have pledged to save a total of 40,805,540 litres. Take the plunge and make your pledge today!

Have a Happy World Water Day!

Canada’s Boreal Forest – World’s Largest Water Source

The Olive-sided Flycatcher, a boreal bird 

Yesterday, the Pew Environment Group released a report that said Canada’s boreal forest contains more unfrozen freshwater than any other ecosystem in the world and its protection should become a global priority.

Released during the International Year of Forests and one week before World Water Day, the report brings attention to the need for provincial and federal governments to restrict industrial development in the world’s largest wetland habitat.

Why should we care?

The report, A Forest of Blue: Canada’s Boreal Forest, the World’s Waterkeeper, compiles decades of research that shows the great environmental and economic value of the boreal forest, which:

• Contains 25 percent of the planet's wetlands, millions of pristine lakes, and thousands of free-flowing rivers, totaling more than 197 million acres of surface freshwater.

• Provides an estimated $700 billion value annually as a buffer against climate change and food and water shortages.

• Offers the last refuges for many of the world's sea-run migratory fish, including half of the remaining populations of North American Atlantic salmon.

• Maintains freshwater flows critical to forming Arctic sea ice, which cools the atmosphere and supports marine life, from sea algae to polar bears.

• Stores more than 400 trillion pounds of carbon in lakes and river delta sediment, peatlands and wetlands–more than any other terrestrial source in the world.

The report concludes by recommending that governments protect at least 50% of the boreal forest by preserving entire river, lake and wetland ecosystems and restates Pew’s support for the Boreal Forest Conservation Framework.

In addition, the report recommends:

• Mining legislation must be reformed to require aboriginal consultation and improve habitat protection and water quality.

• New hydroelectric facilities should not be approved unless it can be proved there will be minimal impact on ecosystems and there has been a comprehensive environmental review.

• Canada should follow Manitoba’s lead and develop a national peatlands stewardship strategy.

• The Mackenzie Basin Agreement, which links land-use policies in several provinces and territories aimed at preserving the watershed, should be fully implemented.

Nature Canada supports the Boreal Forest Conservation Framework, an alliance of conservation groups, First Nations, and leading Canadian companies whose aim is to protect 50% of the region and support sustainable practices in local communities. To date, it has resulted in the protection of more than 12% of the boreal forest. As a country, Canada has made good progress in protecting parts of the boreal forest – a review of recent achievements can be found here.

Not only is the boreal forest a globally important source of fresh water, it is the nesting ground for over 300 different species of birds – for many of these species it is their only nesting place. As North America's Bird Nursery, the boreal forest is the summer breeding ground for over 300 species of our most treasured birds, including the rapidly declining Rusty Blackbird and Olive-sided Flycatcher, and home to the some of the planet's largest populations of wolves, and woodland caribou.

Read more about Nature Canada’s projects that are protecting and restoring this pristine area, and find out how we’re working with First Nations in James Bay to preserve boreal forest wetlands in their homelands.

Photo credit: Mark Peck

Opposition to Ostrander Point Wind Plant Continues to Build

On Tuesday, March 8, the Kingston Field Naturalists organized a special workshop on the significance of eastern Lake Ontario for birds in light of several proposals to build wind energy projects in the area, and the high number of bird casualties reported at Wolfe Island wind energy plant . Representing Nature Canada, I gave a presentation on the Important Bird Area Program, placing the Wolfe Island wind plant and the proposed Ostrander Point wind plant in the context of this program.

Kingston Field Naturalists have a rich and long history of documenting birds within the Kingston area, which stretches from the west end of Prince Edward County to the Thousand Islands on the extreme east end of Lake Ontario. The workshop included a number of presentations by local naturalists and field ornithologists, who painted a picture of a part of Ontario with extremely high significance for breeding and migrating birds.

Data presented on behalf of Ron Weir, local ornithologist and bird record keeper for the club for decades, described how monitoring night migrants by their call notes to each other has demonstrated that millions of birds pass over the area each fall and spring. David Okines, life-long field ornithologist and manager of the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory, (PEPBO) described the nature of the migration in detail, from the streams of diurnal raptors that hug the coast and funnel into the Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area, to variations within the timing of migratory movements of individual species of songbirds. PEPBO is on the tip of the Long Point peninsula on the southern coast of Prince Edward County, about 10 kilometres east of Ostrander Point. Okine’s presentation of observatory data collected over dozens of years left little doubt that the area is truly a concentration point for land birds and waterfowl, and that wind plants built in the area would inflict a heavy toll on some species.  However, the question of whether nocturnal migrant birds migrate along broad fronts, or form distinct corridors of movement was never clearly resolved, with perhaps the best answer being “yes.”

Valerie Wyatt of Stantec Inc., had a much greater challenge in presenting the methods and results of their study of bird deaths at the Wolfe Island wind plant, owned and operated by TransAlta Corp.  She explained, to a tough and cynical audience, that Stantec’s monitoring methods are considered the best in the business, while maintaining that the casualty rates at Wolfe Island are within the range of kill rates expected at wind farms, and below threshold levels of acceptable casualty rates set by the government regulators.

Local naturalist Kurt Hennige’s presentation of monitoring efforts of the Short-eared Owl – carried out for decades by members of the Kingston Field Naturalists on Wolfe and Amherst Islands – reached a different conclusion about the impact of the Wolfe Island wind plant. Hennige’s findings strongly suggest that the distribution of Short-eared Owl on Wolfe Island has changed because of the wind plant – they  no longer occupy the area around the turbines that have been their core wintering grounds for decades. The Short-eared Owl, a species that has declined steadily over the past 40 years, is listed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) as "Special Concern".

Hennige also noted that the long-time resident Red-tailed Hawks were absent from their perches on the west side of Wolfe Island for the first time since observations were gathered dozens of years earlier. Observers who did the regular winter surveys became familiar with individual birds, recognizing their behaviour and consistent use of the same perches. Stantec’s monitoring crew had discovered 10 dead Red-tailed Hawk beneath the turbines, likely including the resident pairs.

The spotlight gradually shifted from Wolfe Island to Ostrander Point, where Gilead Power Corporation, is planning to build nine turbines on the Ostrander Point Crown Land block. Local volunteer naturalists from the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists, Myrna Wood and Cheryl Anderson, described in cool, unemotional detail where the turbines are being proposed on this environmentally significant property. They pointed out that the specific locations of the nine turbines are within the provincially recommended 120 metre setback from provincially significant features, including provincially significant forest, wetland or habitat of species at risk, such as the Blanding’s Turtle.

Left to right: Cheryl Anderson and Myrna Wood

No matter where on the property the turbines are situated, the proposed wind plant would be only seven kilometres from the Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area, designated for its value to migratory landbirds, within a candidate Provincial Area of Natural and Scientific Interest, in the heart of a globally significant IBA, and in an area recognized by the Canadian Wildlife Service as one of the best locations for migrant birds in Southern Ontario. It boggles the mind to consider what provincial regulators were thinking when Ostrander Point was put on the table as a location for a potential wind energy plant.

The meeting was closed by John Bennett, Executive Director of the Sierra Club of Canada. Bennett was invited by conference organizer Chris Hargreaves in response to an Action Alert released a few weeks earlier by the Sierra Club that included this statement:

There appears to be a backlash against wind energy across Ontario. Is it real? It looks suspiciously like a campaign sponsored by Ontario’s opposition Conservative Party and its backers. Using misinformation about costs and safety, it plays on people’s fears in order to destroy public support for Ontario’s Green Energy Act.

In an extraordinary and unanticipated reaction, and much to his credit, Bennett accepted the offer, and turned up for the last part of the workshop. He faced a hostile audience. Bennett did not apologize for Sierra Club’s position, emphasizing the overwhelming consensus that climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels like coal to generate electricity, is the issue that requires people’s attention and support, and that the attack on wind energy will put Ontario back 20 years in its campaign to get off coal. However, after taking in Myrna’s and Cheryl’s presentation, and describing Sierra Club’s position and reasons, he acknowledged that locating wind energy plants in areas of great significance for birds was both bad for biodiversity and bad for the wind energy industry, and that this element of rolling out wind energy will have to receive more consideration by Sierra Club .   In the end, Bennett agreed that Sierra Club would consider adding its voice to the growing opposition to the Ostrander Point wind project.

Leaders Celebrate a Decade of Conservation Efforts as U.S. Bird Protection Law Turns Ten



Ruby-throated hummingbird

 As millions of birds wing their way back to North America this spring, leaders in the conservation movement are gathering tonight in Washington D.C. to celebrate the passage of a key American wildlife law ten years ago.

For 10 years, the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act has catalyzed bird conservation in the Americas with the investment of $125 million through an innovative public-private partnership that triples every dollar taxpayers invest by matching government grants three-to-one with private dollars.

In the process, the legislation has energized local, on-the-ground conservation and habitat restoration initiatives throughout the Western hemisphere, including Canada.

The passage of this act has had a hugely positive impact on bird conservation efforts throughout the hemisphere. From breeding grounds in Canada, to wintering sites in the south, and all points in between, projects supported by this law are helping us understand what is happening to bird populations and take coordinated action to preserve entire species.

Our executive director, Ian Davidson is joining ambassadors from several western hemispheric nations and leaders in bird conservation at the D.C celebration event, held at the Hall of the Americas. The event is hosted by the National Audubon Society and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

From disappearing marshlands along the Gulf Coast, to pesticides and pollution along major flyways, migrating birds like Red Knots, Swainson’s Hawks and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds face an arduous journey in search of healthy habitat. More than one third of all Neotropical species are in decline. Since its passage in 2000, the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act has helped protect more than 3 million acres of vital bird habitat.

In Canada, funding from the act helped community stewardship of local bird habitat at Important Bird Areas (IBAs), with the launch of the Canadian Important Bird Areas Caretaker Network. Initiated by BC Nature, and now operating in seven provinces, Caretakers are matched to specific IBAs to monitor birds, assess habitats, and conduct conservation activities.

Since 2007, funding from the act has also helped Nature Canada to work with its BirdLife International partner in Haiti, Haitian Audubon Society, to conserve rare forest habitat of migratory bird populations like the Bicknell's Thrush.

The project is located in the community of Formon, on the edge of Macaya National Park, an important wintering habitat for the Bicknell’s Thrush, a secretive and threatened songbird that breeds in Atlantic Canada. Threats to the songbird, which has declined in Maritime Canada (Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) by 15% annually over the last two decades, include atmospheric pollution, climate change and loss or degradation of its forest habitats.
Community residents are provided an incentive – children attend school for free if their parents agree to stop cutting down the forest and help with reforestation – to adopt sustainable forest management practices which relieve pressure on important habitat for migratory birds. Over 80% of the parents have agreed, and for the second year in a row, the school has offered hope for 300 girls and boys.

The true significance of legislation like the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act is that it encourages cross-border conservation efforts -- which, for migratory birds, is the only truly effective means of saving species. It's an act that deserves continued support.

Connect with Nature: Explore the Natural World on March Break

It's the perfect time of year to spend more time outdoors: winter sport enthusiasts can still get in a few more excursions to skate, ski or slide this season, while signs of spring may be popping up as well (more on this in two weeks!). With students out of class for March Break this month, why not set aside a day to clear your head and connect with nature?

Your local naturalist club or a nearby wildlife conservation area may have special activities planned throughout the March Break. Many libraries, museums, zoos and community centres also offer programs during this month that will let you get outside and explore. Some of these activities require registration or have limited availability, so be sure to call ahead and check.

If you'd rather do your own thing, there's still time for a winter wildlife walk -- make sure to adjust for the late-winter conditions by adding some waterproof layers if it's a bit soggy out. It's also a great opportunity to check on your gear for your favourite spring and summer activities to make sure that everything's ready to go as soon as nicer weather arrives.

What will you be doing this March Break to connect with nature? Let us know in the comments below.

Hope for Prothonotary Warbler in Canada

Photo courtesy of Allan Woodhouse

The Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) is a small migrating songbird. Its name evokes the yellow robes worn by the Roman Catholic Church officials known as protonotarii. In Canada, this beautiful warbler breeds only in a few sites of Carolinian forest along the shores of Lake Erie, nesting in tree cavities like no other warbler.

The Prothonotary Warbler is declining at a continental level. In Canada, where it is at the edge of its northern range, we have seen it decline from an estimated 40 plus pairs in the 1980s to approximately 10 pairs now. The key threats identified are the loss and degradation of its habitat, both in its breeding grounds (in Canada and the U.S.) and wintering grounds (southern Mexico through Central America and northern South America).

This songbird is one of 27 bird species listed as Endangered under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). Nature Canada has been monitoring the implementation of SARA for the survival and recovery of Prothonotary Warbler, since it was assessed by COSEWIC as Endangered in 1996.

Once listed as Endangered, the Prothonotary Warbler and its residence gained automatic protection through SARA, which prohibits harming or taking individuals of the species and destruction of its residence. The Act also requires the government to prepare a recovery strategy, followed by an action plan and to identify and protect the species' critical habitat. A recovery strategy was due in June 2006, but has only now been completed.

We are cautiously encouraged that the final Recovery Strategy has incorporated some of the recommendations we have provided on two drafts subject to public consultations, first in September 2007 and recently in December 2010. Notably, the Recovery Strategy sets a scientifically credible recovery goal: to recover the population of 40 plus pairs in the long term and to increase it to 15-20 pairs by 2015. Also of great importance, the Recovery Strategy identifies critical habitat based on available scientific information in 11 sites within the municipalities of Chatham-Kent, Essex, Hamilton and Norfolk.

We are disappointed, however, that while the Recovery Strategy claims to take a precautionary approach, as required by SARA, an action plan will not be produced until 2015. An action plan is needed to spell out the specific measures that will be taken to achieve the recovery of the species, and specify roles and responsibilities around those actions. How will the goal of 15-20 pairs be achieved by 2015, if the action plan will only be completed in the same year? Without an action plan, there's no guidance for those interested in contributing to the recovery of Prothonotary Warbler, nor is there a mechanism for accountability.

Prothonotary Warbler has suffered a 50% decline since 2007. At this pace, instead of recovery we might see the extirpation of this songbird in Canada before an action plan is implemented. This delay is anything but precautionary and we hope the Government of Canada produces the action plan at a much earlier date.

Why does Nature Canada do this work?

Canadians care about birds and other biodiversity. Nature Canada believes the Species at Risk Act can help recover species if it is adequately implemented. That is why we are committed to a watchdog role on SARA implementation. However, with 631 species listed as at risk in Canada (including those considered Extinct, Extirpated, Endangered, Threatened and of Special Concern), this is obviously a huge task that we can't tackle alone. Fortunately, we work closely with other organizations like Ecojustice and the David Suzuki Foundation. As Canadian co-partner in BirdLife International, Nature Canada is committed to monitoring implementation by the federal government with respect to birds at risk, while our colleagues in these and other organizations focus on other species.

Our SARA watchdog work involves detailed review of government actions with respect to each species, from the moment COSEWIC recommends that it be listed under the Act. We follow the listing process, we review draft recovery strategies and action plans or management plans, and watch for other actions required under the Act. Our main objectives are to ensure the Act is effectively implemented and that the best available science is the basis for any decisions on actions to save or recover species. Many of these decisions pose challenges from a socioeconomic perspective, but it is important for society to make those decisions based on science. In carrying out our watchdog role, we are very aware of the challenges faced by those developing and implementing these strategies on the ground.

There is a significant backlog of recovery strategies, management plans and action plans. Over the past year, Nature Canada participated in many public consultations on SARA implementation documents, including providing comments on proposed recovery documents for Burrowing Owl, Loggerhead Shrike, Cerulean Warbler, King Rail, in addition to Prothonotary Warbler. As the government continues to tackle this backlog -- and sadly as more species are added to the list of species at risk --  Nature Canada will continue to ensure the Act is effectively implemented to give these species a chance.

Canadians more willing than Americans to pay more for renewable energy

Read our position on wind energy

A recent poll shows that Canadians are more willing than Americans to pay more for renewable energy – they’re also more likely to accept evidence of climate change.

A survey by the Public Policy Forum and Sustainable Prosperity found that 73% of Canadians would be willing to pay up to $50 more every year for renewable energy. Their American counterparts were less willing to do the same – only 55% agreed to a $50 hike in yearly energy costs.

“The results are encouraging and in line with much of the research that we have recently published,” said Sustainable Prosperity’s Alex Wood in a statement. “The numbers are clear, Canadians want smart climate change policy, and the evidence here is that they believe carbon pricing to be a central element of smart climate change policy.”

This translated into support for cap and trade and carbon tax policies by the majority of Canadians surveyed. Not surprisingly, 40% of Canadians agreed that federal and provincial governments should take action against climate change.

It’s notable that Canadians’ support for smart climate change policies – even at the cost of an extra $50 per month – stands in contrast to Americans’ opinions. Why the difference? There are likely many factors involved in shaping public opinion on climate change policy, but a fundamental factor is how strongly people believe in the phenomenon of climate change.

According to the poll, Canadians are more likely than Americans to believe in climate change: 80% of Canadians believe there is strong evidence to support climate change, compared with only 55% of Americans. One reason for this gap could be the degree to which Climategate affected Americans’ views on climate change compared to Canadians, which is alluded to in the survey’s comments section.

Despite the 2009 email scandal involving prominent climate change scientists, Canadians showed strong support for the idea that climate change is happening – 90% believe it’s a serious problem.

The survey attracted a lot of media attention for highlighting the difference between Canadian and American views on climate change, but perhaps the greatest take-away message was that Canadians want to see their government enact environment-friendly energy policies.

Greening the Lower Mainland

Pull ivy at Campbell Valley Park, Langley BC

Want to tackle environmental issues and have fun? If you live in BC’s Lower Mainland, the Lower Mainland Green Team might be the group for you!

They get together once a month to help an environmental group, non-profit organization, charity or city tackle an environmental issue that needs co-operation and teamwork. Gloves and tools will be supplied as well as refreshments! Some of their activities include:

• Pulling invasive plants that are overtaking native flora
• Planting of native plants/trees
• Restoring areas along a stream, river, marsh or shoreline
• Beach/River/lake clean up
• Harvesting organic fruits/veggies
• Trail building/maintenance
• Restoration of wildlife sites

For more information, check out their website: http://www.meetup.com/The-Lower-Mainland-Green-Team or email the Team at lowermainlandgreenteam@yahoo.ca

Nature Canada’s Ian Davidson Appointed to Canadian Arm of International Conservation Body

We're very happy to announce the recent appointment of Ian Davidson, Nature Canada's executive directory, to the Canadian Committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The IUCN is one of the world’s largest global environmental networks. Founded in 1948, this leading authority on the environment supports scientific research, manages field projects all over the world, and brings governments, NGOs and local communities together to solve some of the planet’s most pressing problems.

As a member of the Canadian Committee of the IUCN, Nature Canada joins a diverse group of people from the Canadian conservation community to help shape policy and decision-making on the protection and conservation of wildlife and habitat.

“In most countries, the IUCN plays a strong and central role in facilitating conservation action and linking domestic agendas with global ones. I think that Nature Canada should be part of the global dialogue on nature conservation and participate in setting the agenda of the IUCN in Canada,” said Ian Davidson.

What makes this committee stand apart from all the others?

The Canadian Committee of the IUCN is a unique group on the national conservation scene – it brings representatives from government, non-profit organizations, academia and Aboriginal groups around one table to talk about conservation issues of global and national concern, such as climate change, biodiversity, and indigenous peoples’ rights and interests. The arctic, both in a Canadian and global context, is an issue that the Committee is eager to address, with plans in the works for a panel session on key events to which participants would be invited.

Nature Canada’s work promotes conversation, engagement and action on all of these issues.

In the coming year, we'll be working with fellow Committee members, including Parks Canada, Environment Canada, Nature Conservancy, Canadian Wildlife Federation and Aboriginal groups, among others, to promote conservation awareness and action on biodiversity in Canada.

“As a member of the Board of the Canadian Committee for the IUCN, we can advance the nature agenda on the national stage and then from there, on the global stage,” said Davidson.

The Committee will also help its members prepare for the 2012 World Conservation Congress in Korea by providing support for conservation forms and committee meetings across the country. The next big push will come this fall – a meeting has been called to bring members together in order to outline their priorities and responsibilities during the upcoming Congress.

The forum, scheduled to take place in September, will provide “an opportunity for the Canadian conservation community to share ideas and offer solutions on behalf of wildlife in this country and beyond,” said Davidson.