Piping Plovers Return to Sauble Beach for Fifth Season

Photo: Brendan Toews

Nature Canada supporters and volunteer Piping Plover guardians, Kim and Brendan Toews, have been providing us with updates on the return of Piping Plovers to Sauble Beach in Ontario for several years. Here is their update for the 2011 season:

Without question, Piping Plovers are one of the most glorious birds and worthy of every conservation effort. The Piping Plover is the rarest of Ontario's four breeding plover species.  There really is something special about seeing an endangered species in its natural habitat.  Piping Plovers have faced many threats in the past 45 years which have led to its endangered status.  Significant contributing factors to its decline are accidental destruction of nests by pedestrians and vehicles; the disturbance of nesting birds; predator species such as Merlin, gulls, crows, foxes, raccoons and skunks; high water levels from the mid 1970's, to the 1986 peak levels, either flooded or remodeled much of the suitable beach habitat in the lower Great lakes.  This extensive habitat loss coincided with the timing of the extirpation of the Piping Plover from the lower Great Lakes.  Additional threats to the Piping Plover include daily beach grooming, oil spills, hurricanes, boats and West Nile virus.  The Piping Plover was declared an endangered species in Ontario in 1977, and in Canada, by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), in 1985.

Mid April

North nest:
Our fifth field season officially began.  The first banded male in full alternate plumage arrived on the beach.  This male was a returning plover from the 2010 season.  It hatched in 2009 at Port Inland, Michigan.

Late April

North nest:
The male plover called vigorously while scraping a shallow depression with his feet in the sand.  The female inspected the scrape while the male stood in the depression with partially outstretched wings and a fanned tail. 

South nest:
A second banded male arrived on the beach.  In 2009, this male hatched at Platte North 4. In 2010, it had two nesting attempts at Tawas, Michigan but lost both nests to flooding.

Early May - Two nests this season.

North nest:
With the aid of my spotting scope, I observed one pale buff coloured, black-speckled egg in the scape (nest).  Once the full clutch of 4 eggs was laid both adults shared incubation duties.

Mid June

North nest:
The first 4 Piping Plover chicks of the year hatched.  Within an hour of hatching and drying off, the downy, young Piping Plovers left the nest and were carefully guarded by both parents.  Plover chicks are precocial, so the parents do not have to provide food for their young.  The newly hatched chicks moved around and pecked at things almost immediately.  During the first couple of weeks the chicks sought refuge and warmth under the adults due to the cold, wet weather.

Early July

North nest:
Observed two chicks and both adults were around to care for them.  A Merlin is a medium-sized falcon, and as suspected, they were the biggest challenge this season.  Day time disappearance of two chicks.  It is likely that the cause of this disappearance was predation. Merlins nested nearby and were observed hunting on the beach.  These predatory birds flew along the beach just above the sand spooking shorebirds into flight.  The two remaining chicks were active, foraging up and down the beach. Plovers walk with their feet turned inward, leaving a distinctive footprint in the sand.  The chicks were banded and very healthy.

South nest:
Three tiny, downy chicks hatched.  Within hours of hatching the chicks were on the run, scurrying about at speeds that made it challenging to follow them with a spotting scope or camera.  To keep warm, the chicks brooded often under the adults.  One egg was presumably not viable since the adults were no longer incubating it.  The egg was collected by an Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources species at risk biologist.

Mid July 

North nest:
The female had abandoned the family to begin her southward migration, leaving the male to care for the two chicks as they built up strength and ability to migrate to the Gulf coast for the fall and winter.  The young plovers were beginning to stretch their wings and jump up into the air.  Later in the week they attempted their first short flights and are now able to fly proficiently.  The predatory nest exclosure and perimeter fencing were removed from the site.

Late July
It was a banner season and a tremendous success to have five fledged and healthy young result from two nestings which added to the Great Lakes population.  The success of these birds was a tribute to the great skill of the four adult plovers.  They have all begun their migrations to the Gulf Coasts where they will feed in small flocks until next April, when my Mom and I will be watching the beaches for their return.

Photos by Brendan Toews Photography ~ btoewsphotos.zenfolio.com

Connect with Nature: Your Long Weekend Camping Checklist

What could be more Canadian than a long weekend camping trip? Take advantage of the upcoming holiday to relax, unwind and reconnect with nature. Whether you're going hiking, on a day trip, or staying overnight, planning is the key to a successful camping experience, so make sure to check the following items:

HIKING

Photo by Arlen Tees via Flickr

Before you go

1. Prepare your route and gather maps
2. Check whether there is an entry fee, if pets are allowed on the trails, etc
3. Leave your itinerary with a friend

Don't leave home without

1. Hiking boots or sturdy shoes
2. Backpack
3. Water bottle
4. Sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat
5. Insect repellant
6. First aid kit
7. Compass
8. Rain gear
9. Plastic bags
10. Picnic lunch and/or snacks

Awesome Add-ons

1. Spare pair of socks
2. Camera
3. Binoculars
4. Flashlight
5. Whistle

DAY TRIP

Photo by Colleen Proppe via Flickr

Before you go

1. Prepare your route and gather maps
2. Ensure your vehicle is trip-ready
3. Leave your itinerary with a friend

Don't leave home without

1. Water
2. Sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat
3. Insect repellant
4. First aid kit
5. Rain gear
6. Plastic bags
7. Food and drink cooler
8. Dishes and utensils
9. Camp stove and fuel
10. Outdoor activities (frisbee, football, soccer ball, etc.)

Awesome Add-ons

1. Camera
2. Flashlight
3. Camp chairs
4. Portable stereo
5. Swimwear and a towel

OVERNIGHT CAMPING

Photo by GREDELEGRE via Flickr

Before you go

1. Reserve your campsite and bring the confirmation number with you
2. Ensure your vehicle is trip-ready
3. Leave your itinerary with a friend

Don't leave home without

1. Tent
2. Sleeping bag and pillow
3. Water
4. Multi-tool
5. Rain gear
6. Plastic bags
7. Food and drink cooler
8. Camp stove and fuel
9. Flashlight
10. Toilet paper

Awesome Add-ons

1. Camera
2. Hammock
3. Folding table
4. Tarp
5. Canoe and paddles

For more ideas and comprehensive checklists, visit:
Parks Canada - Learn to Camp
Camping Canada
Canadian Parents - Family Camping Checklist
Canadian Tire - Camping Gear

Is there something that you always take with you on a camping trip? Let us know in the comments below. Enjoy your long weekend!

Participate in Survey on Proposed Marine National Wildlife Area

Tufted Puffin

Environment Canada is asking for your participation in a survey that looks at how Canadians value the Scott Islands marine ecosystem, and their attitudes and beliefs toward marine conservation in general. The survey, conducted by a graduate student at Simon Fraser University, may also be used by Environment Canada’s Canadian Wildlife Service and its partners in their work to establish the proposed Scott Islands marine National Wildlife Area.

The proposed Scott Island National Wildlife Area is expected to encompass more than 11,000 square kilometres of ocean around the Scott Islands, a group of five small islands and numerous islets off the northern tip of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. They support the highest concentration of breeding seabirds on Canada’s Pacific coast – forty per cent of the seabirds that breed in British Columbia nest on these islands. This includes about half of all Cassin’s Auklets in the world and 90% of the Tufted Puffins in Canada, as well as 7% of the world’s Rhinoceros Auklets. The rich waters around the Scott Islands also attract five to ten million migratory seabirds every year, including globally at risk birds such as the Black-footed Albatross and the Sooty Shearwater. In Canada, two other species that depend on the Scott Islands are listed under the Species At Risk Act: Short-tailed Albatross and Pink-footed Shearwater.

Protecting this marine ecosystem, which is also an Important Bird Area, is an important part of ensuring these birds have the food and breeding sites they need to survive. By participating in this survey, you will be helping researchers better understand the value of this marine ecosystem to people and birds.

Advancing Nature Conservation in the North

Earlier this month, Nature Canada was officially recognized as a Partner in the Northwest Territories Protected Areas Strategy (NWTPAS).

As a partner, Nature Canada joins a group comprised of Aboriginal organizations, federal and territorial governments, environmental non-governmental organizations, and industry that oversee a conmmunity-based process to establish a network of protected areas across the Northwest Territories.

Using the best available traditional, ecological, cultural, and economic knowledge, the NWTPAS aims to identify and protect special natural and cultural areas and core representative areas within each of the 42 ecoregions of the Northwest Territories. Since the Strategy was signed in 1999, six new National Wildlife Areas have been proposed in the Northwest Territories through this process.

“The NWTPAS is an invaluable forum for identifying and advancing landscape conservation goals in the North,” said Alexander MacDonald, Nature Canada’s manager of protected areas. “We are honoured to participate in this process as an official partner. Our hope is that together, we can ensure National Wildlife Areas are established where they are most appropriate for wildlife and northern communities through a balanced approach to conservation and economic development.”

The most recent National Wildlife Area proposal calls for the protection of a largely aquatic area on the north arm of Great Slave Lake, called Kwets'oòtł'àà. The proposed National Wildlife Area lies about 50 km west of Yellowknife, and overlaps with the globally significant North Arm of Great Slave Lake Important Bird Area where Tundra Swan, Canada Geese and other waterfowl, as well as at-risk Wood Bison, Boreal Woodland Caribou, Wolverine, Rusty Blackbird and Common Nighthawk live. Kwets'oòtł'àà is also the northernmost known breeding area for Caspian and Black Terns.

Following the proposal for a candidate National Wildlife Area from the Tłįcho Government last year, Environment Canada is applying for a five-year interim withdrawal of surface and subsurface lands in the study area this summer.

Once approved, this will ensure that among other limitations no new mining or oil and gas rights can be established for the land beneath the proposed Kwets’oòtł’àà National Wildlife Area during the planning process for the protected area.

National Wildlife Areas are sites that contain “nationally significant” habitat for migratory birds, support wildlife or ecosystems at risk, or represent rare or unusual wildlife habitat for a given biogeographic region. They also perform important natural services – they filter and store fresh water, and limit the effects of climate change.

National Wildlife Areas are established and protected under the Canada Wildlife Act and managed by Environment Canada or another designated department or organization, including First Nations and Aboriginal organizations. Due to the increased pressure the Northwest Territories has faced in the past decade to develop northern resources, establishing National Wildlife Areas is one way to ensure the wildlife, habitat, and cultures of this area are protected and sustainably managed.

Nature Canada’s new role as an NWTPAS Partner reflects our ongoing work to advance the conservation value of National Wildlife Areas in Canada. In addition to national parks (Nááts’ihch’oh and Thaidene Nene) and territorial protected areas, the new National Wildlife Areas proposed in the Northwest Territories form part of an important core of northern protected areas that will preserve ecological and cultural values in perpetuity.

“We are inspired by the NWTPAS vision, ‘the land takes care of us, we take care of the land…’, and are enthusiastic about forging new relationships and learning through this important conservation planning initiative,” said MacDonald.

Conserving Nature, Empowering Women in Paraguay

Paraguayan farmer (left) proudly presents her produce with Carla Sbert, Nature Canada manager of conservation programs and legal issues

Nature Canada is very proud to have successfully completed our latest project in Paraguay, where we helped nearly 500 women farmers in four rural communities to increase their food security, improve their health and strengthen their awareness of their own democratic rights.

We worked in conjunction with our BirdLife International partner, Guyra Paraguay, the Gatineau-based Place aux agricultrices : nurricieres du monde (who invited Nature Canada into the project as a “sponsor” due to our international experience), and the Paraguay social development organization Fortaleser.

What does this have to do with nature conservation?

Many of the women in this project live in or adjacent to the buffer zone of the San Rafael Reserve and the San Rafael Important Bird Area (IBA), a place that contains one of the last large remnants of the endangered Atlantic Forest in Paraguay. Guyra Paraguay has been working for more than a decade here to strengthen its relationships with the San Rafael communities and build support for biodiversity protection – namely promote sustainable agriculture and prevent deforestation and monocultures.

Integrating conservation work with development projects like these is based on the belief that for conservation efforts to be effective, they must deliver benefits to local people. As a partner within the BirdLife International network, Nature Canada has been working with partners in the Americas since 1999 on projects that balance conservation objectives and local needs—social and economic.

This project, by improving the lives of the people in these communities, is also helping to secure a future for the region’s wildlife, including twenty-five species of bird that are at risk globally, like Endangered Black-fronted Piping-guan, Vulnerable Helmeted Woodpecker, and Near-Threatened Solitary Tinamou.

Today, 478 women farmers are practicing organic agriculture. Their organic vegetable gardens are providing fresh produce for their families and for sale. On average, the women increased their consumption of vegetables from three or four products to more than 12. The majority of beneficiaries have seen their income increased by more than 50%, and many are cooperating to market their produce. Awareness of gender equality and the rights of women improved, with some women actively demanding their rights be respected and denouncing acts of domestic violence. By the end of the project, women farmers had formed 10 committees that obtained municipal recognition. Some have started to engage with municipal organizations to further their goals.

The project was supported by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

You can read more about the project and its outcomes on our web site.

Support Adding the Polar Bear to the Species At Risk List: Send Your Letter Now!

Last week we shared the news that Canada's Environment Minister, Peter Kent, has proposed adding the polar bear to the Species at Risk list. Thousands of Nature Canada supporters have sent letters and signed petitions to the federal government demanding action to protect the polar bear, as global warming destroys the bears' habitat and scientists raise warnings about the future of the species.

There is a 30-day comment period to voice support for the Environment Minister's proposal, and we've prepared a sample letter that you can send. Here it is.

The deadline for adding your comments is August 1, 2011. So make sure Minister Kent knows you support adding the polar bear to Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act as a species of special concern. Every letter counts!

Taking Strides to Protect Habitat for the Piping Plover

Photo: Brendan Toews

We’ve talked about the Piping Plover quite a bit over the past few years. Many of you will remember the inspiring story of Annie Buckton – her fundraising efforts to protect the Piping Plover, a bird she grew to love during summer vacations on Sauble Beach, earned her the Nature Canada 2011 Charles Labatiuk Volunteer Award.

Here at Nature Canada, we have been working alongside Annie to protect this migratory bird. In our latest effort, we submitted comments on the proposed Species at Risk Act (SARA) Action Plan for the Ontario population of Piping Plover to the Canadian Wildlife Service at Environment Canada.

The Plover, like 84% of Canada’s at-risk species, is threatened with extinction because of loss of habitat. It is also one of Canada’s most studied birds with two distinct populations – one which ranges from Alberta to Ontario (Charadrius melodus circumcinctus), and the other along the Atlantic coast and Gulf of St. Lawrence (Charadrius melodus melodus). Unfortunately, Piping Plover breeding habitat often overlaps with popular areas for human recreation and is often destroyed by activities such as sunbathing, boating, and ATVs, as well as cottage and resort development.

Piping Plover populations living in Atlantic Canada and those living in the prairies, and around the Great Lakes are classified as endangered under SARA. The Act requires a recovery strategy and an action plan to be prepared for each species legally listed under SARA. The list is compiled using recommendations from the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), an independent body of experts responsible for assessing and identifying species at risk.

After combing through the proposed Action Plan (AP), we concluded that while it is generally good, it could be strengthened to better respond to the apparent expansion of the Piping Plover population in the Great Lakes region. As this Great Lakes population increases, the long term goals of the Plan should be updated to reflect the change in the Piping Plover’s distribution. However, we also agree with Environment Canada that not enough is currently known about the growing Great Lakes population – and so we suggested that yearly surveys be conducted to collect new breeding information in places like Manitoulin Island.

For more on Nature Canada’s comments on the proposed SARA Piping Plover Action Plan, read our letter to the Canadian Wildlife Service at Environment Canada.

Celebrate Parks Day 2011 - Send an eCard!

This Saturday, July 16 is Parks Day in Canada, which celebrates our natural and historic places across the country. This year is particularly special - it marks Parks Canada's 100th birthday!


Share your love of Canada's national parks with friends and family - send a beautiful eCard featuring a selection of stunning photos of our natural spaces.

Do you have photos of national parks, historic sites or marine conservation areas? Share them on our Flickr Group and we will post a selection on our Facebook page and send a tweet at @NatureCanada.

And if you haven't already, check out our 10 tips to making the most of your trip to a national park, historic site of marine conservation area this summer.

Polar Bear to be Added to Species at Risk List

At last, in part thanks to thousands of letters sent by Nature Canada supporters, Canada appears set to list polar bears under Canada's species-at-risk legislation.

Ottawa gave notice July 2 of the proposal to list the polar bear as a species of special concern under the Species At Risk Act, something Canada’s scientific Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife has been recommending since 1991.

The proposal is undergoing a 30-day public comment period, and a final decision is anticipated to be made in November.

This important milestone means that, by law, a plan must be devised within three years to prevent the species from becoming endangered or threatened.

Polar bears are the world’s largest land predators, and the most majestic creature of the Far North. But dramatic changes, caused by global warming, are taking place in the Arctic that threaten the survival of this spectacular species.

Global warming is melting the polar ice caps, robbing the bears of the ice floes they need to hunt prey. As the annual sea ice melts, polar bears are forced ashore to spend their summers fasting. If the Arctic ice cap continues to melt sooner and form later, polar bears will become too thin to reproduce and many scientists predict they will become extinct by the end of this century.

The Arctic sea ice, which some reports say is shrinking by up to five per cent every ten years, not only provides hunting ground for polar bears, but shelter and transportation for seals, walrus, arctic foxes, and the Inuit people. The underside provides a surface for algae that supports cod, char, beluga, and narwhal. The white sea ice also has a cooling effect on climate by reflecting light away from Earth’s surface. As it melts, global warming advances even more quickly.

The United States designated the polar bear as threatened in May 2008. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature added the polar bear to its "Red List" of the world's most imperiled wildlife in 2006.

COSEWIC has said four of Canada's 13 polar bear subpopulations are at risk of becoming threatened over the next few decades, due to shrinking sea ice in some areas and overhunting in others. In 2009, the IUCN Polar Bear Specialist Group (PBSG) cited climate change as the greatest challenge to the conservation of polar bears, and concluded that 1 of 19 subpopulations is currently increasing, 3 are stable and 8 are declining. For the remaining 7 subpopulations available data were insufficient to provide an assessment of the current trend.

There are approximately 15,000 polar bears in Canada, accounting for 60 per cent of the world's polar bear population, according to federal estimates.

Nature Canada and its supporters have been actively lobbying for the polar bear to be added to the Species at Risk list. More than 3,100 people sent letters demanding official designation, and over 40,000 people signed our petition for fast action on climate change to save the polar bear.

We encourage you to take part in the 30-day comment period – let Environment Minister Peter Kent know your views on listing the polar bear on Canada’s Species at Risk list.

Give Nature a Break!

Sometimes, nature needs to be left alone in order to thrive and do its job well.

That's the message Carla Sbert, Nature Canada's manager of conservation programs and legal issues, shared with CBC Radio One's Ottawa morning show listeners on behalf of everyone who feels nature deserves a break.

Inspired by her daily commute to our office in downtown Ottawa, Carla asked the National Capital Commission to help Monarch butterflies by leaving fields standing through the summer. Here's Carla's story, which was read by the show's co-host, Stu:

I have been cycling to work from Gatineau to downtown Ottawa through Leamy Lake Park  for five years. Every summer I am pained to see beautiful fields along the bike path razed down in the middle of summer. This year that happened last week and early this week, even before Canada goldenrods started blooming and just a couple of weeks after the first milkweed did. This is so unnecessary. These fields are important for declining pollinators and birds, like bees, swallows and other insect eating birds and bats. They are important for monarch butterflies, too. I hope you’ve heard about the latest research showing the importance of milkweed for monarch butterflies and the role of milkweed loss in their decline. Please give nature a break and leave fields standing through the summer.

Do you want to help monarch butterflies in your backyard or garden? Check out Nature Canada's tips on how to plant a monarch butterfly friendly garden to get started!

If there's a natural space where you live that needs a break, share your story with us. Tell us what inspired you to protect it and what can be done to ensure it gets a break in the comments section below. And don't forget to advocate for this natural space just like Carla did!

Red Knot Suffers Rapid Decline: Latest Report

A new draft report on the status of the Red Knot has been released -- and the news isn't good.

Except for a slight increase seen in 2009, the number of rufa knots (an imperiled subspecies) wintering in Tierra del Fuego has been in decline for the last decade. This year's update reports one of the sharpest declines yet, from 16,260 birds in 2010 to now 9,850 – a nearly 40% loss. There's also apparently no evidence that horseshoe crab numbers are recovering; their eggs provide critical nutrition for knots as they refuel on the U.S. mid-Atlantic Coast en route to Arctic breeding grounds.

The draft report is available here.

The Red Knot is one of many bird species that stop over along the coasts of Hudson and James Bays before migrating south to destinations in the Caribbean, Central and South America. Protecting birds along their flyway – the route between breeding and wintering areas – is the cornerstone of global bird conservation. The health and integrity of these sites are important in maintaining stable and thriving populations of migratory birds. Engaging these northern communities is an important step toward protecting these birds.

That's why Nature Canada's manager of bird conservation, Ted Cheskey, has travelled repeatedly in the past year to the region, where we're working with First Nations communities to find ways of protecting migratory birds that nest, breed and feed in Important Bird Areas in Cree homelands.

Review of Enbridge Northern Gateway Project Begins

Photo: Tom Middleton

On July 12, 2011, Nature Canada and BC Nature officially registered to participate as interveners in the environmental assessment review of the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline project. As interveners, Nature Canada and BC Nature will provide information on the impacts that the project could have on birds, bird habitat and terrestrial wildlife to a panel that will ultimately decide whether the project is in the public interest.

As we've said here before, this tar sands shipping project poses unacceptable risks to the ecosystems and biodiversity of the Northern B.C. Coast. There are 28 Important Bird Areas in the Northern B.C. coast and the whole Queen Charlotte Straight is an extremely globally important area for marine birds, other marine animals and fish. This rich ecosystem would be exposed to oil pollution from increased tanker traffic and an impossible-to-rule-out oil spill. The pipeline will also fragment the pristine habitat of boreal birds and other wildlife, including Caribou and Grizzly Bears.

Over the next year or so (assuming no delays) a Joint Review Panel (JRP) will examine the application submitted by Enbridge, as well as evidence and comments from First Nations, individuals, environmental organizations, and other interested persons regarding the project and its environmental impacts. There JRP will hold hearings starting in January 2012 to decide whether the project is in the public interest. The deadline to register as an intervener today, Thursday, July 14, but there are other ways you can  participate and comment.

We hope that the Panel will not allow the project to proceed after considering the impact on wildlife and many other objections to the project, particularly from First Nations. But we're at least a year away from that decision with much work ahead. We will keep you posted!

Connect with Nature: Celebrate Parks Day with Free Entry for All

This photo was submitted by Maryn in the My Ultimate Parks Pass Experience contest.
See all the great photos in the photo gallery.

You already know that Nature Canada is a proud partner in the My Parks Pass program that gives grade 8 students free access to over 200 national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas for a full year. You also know that My Parks Pass holders can get a discount on a family/group pass when you visit. But did you know that everyone can visit any Parks Canada location for free on Parks Day 2011?

Parks Day is a national event celebrating Canada’s amazing natural and historic places from coast to coast to coast. It is held each year on the third Saturday of July – this year on July 16. Plus, since this year marks the centennial of Parks Canada the events at national parks, historic sites and marine conservation areas will be bigger than ever. Find a location near you to start planning your trip today!

Can’t get away from the city? Celebrate Parks Canada’s 100th birthday in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver with free concerts and family activities on July 16. Paint the town green this summer and experience Canada’s parks in the heart of the city with this rare meeting between artists, culture and nature.

Bring your family, bring your friends and enjoy all that Canada has to offer on Parks Day!

Celebrate Canada's National Parks

Paddlers in the Bay of Fundy in Fundy National Park. Photo: Camille

This Saturday, July 16 is Parks Day in Canada - and there's a lot to celebrate this year!

2011 marks the 100th year of Parks Canada, the oldest national parks agency in the world. Over the past century, Parks Canada has worked to establish one of the most extensive and best-managed parks systems found on earth. As a result, national parks form part of the Canadian identity - we beam with pride at the natural beauty conserved within Canada's parks system.

Of course, there's always room for improvement. This Parks Day, ask the government to continue their great work in establishing a national parks system. Send a letter to Environment Minister Peter Kent asking him to create a national park in each of the 39 natural regions in Canada. You will be adding your voice to the call to continue the tradition of protecting pristine wilderness for current and future generations of Canadians.

This weekend, join us in celebrating Parks Canada's centennial by visiting a national park for FREE. On July 16, Parks Canada will be opening its doors free of charge.

Check out our 10 Things to Do in a Day to plan your trip. And if you or someone you know is a Grade 8 student, Parks Canada is giving away a free pass to visit a national park or national historic site any time this year! Go to MyParksPass.ca to get your pass.

When you get back from your trip, why not share your photos by adding them to the Nature Canada Flickr Pool - help everyone enjoy Canada's natural beauty!

Wolfe Island Wind Farm Still one of most Dangerous for Birds, Bats

Tree Swallow via Marshall Segal on Flickr

TransAlta has just released its fourth Report on bird and bat monitoring from its Wolfe Island wind plant located on the west side of Wolfe Island, near Kingston Ontario.

The report affirms that TransAlta's Wolfe Island Wind Energy plant is one of the most destructive for birds and bats in North America.

Easily visible from the Kingston waterfront, the 86 turbines continue to kill large numbers of birds and bats. Most of the casualties described in the report are the same species reported in the three previous TransAlta studies of bird and bat deaths at their Wolfe Island plant, with Tree Swallow and Purple Martin at the top of the list, and including Bobolink and Barn Swallow, both listed as Threatened by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC).

All of the Ontario swallow species listed in the report are suffering long-term population declines, which makes the unforeseen impacts of the wind energy plant on wildlife all the more troubling. Only two raptors casualties were reported, which may be more a reflection of reduced search efforts in this period, although winter raptor surveys on the island revealed higher numbers of several species compared with the previous year, in particular, Rough-legged Hawk and Short-eared Owl. However, raptors do not appear to be using the habitat on which the wind plant in the north-west corner of the island is situated, and where the turbine density is highest. Three migratory species of bats, including Hoary, Eastern Red, and Silver-haired, comprised the balance of the bat casualties. Unlike birds, which are struck by the fast spinning tips of the turbine blades, bats are killed due to "barotrauma," a condition caused by the sudden change of pressure around the blades that result in damage to their lungs.

The report presents the findings of monitoring programs that began in June 2009, which will produce reports approximately every 6 months over the first three years of the wind plant's operations. The current report represents the third six-month period of monitoring. (The first Report was for a two-month period). Several aspects of the plant's impact on birds and bats are monitored, including casualty rates of birds and bats, displacement of waterfowl and distribution and behaviour of raptors.

The results of the report reinforce the significance for birds and bats of the open scrubland habitat on the offshore islands at the eastern end of Lake Ontario, and onshore alvar habitats such as those found on Ostrander Point in Prince Edward County or Amherst Island. Wind energy plants, transmission towers, and other types of developments that put birds and bats at high risk should be excluded from these significant areas. All of Wolfe Island and a portion of its surrounding waters were recognized as a globally significant Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International's Canadian partners, Nature Canada and Bird Studies Canada.

Taken together, the reports show that TransAlta's Wolfe Island Wind Energy plant has one of the highest annual rates of casualties, reporting 16.5 birds per turbine and 43.7 bats per turbine, based on the 6 month study period from July 1 to December 31, 2010. Over a year, this would amount to approximately 1,500 birds and about 3,800 bats. Only one wind plant of the 45 reported on in a landmark 2010 study cited in the TransAlta Report by the US National Wind Coordinating Committee killed more birds per turbine. That plant, the Buffalo Mountain Wind Farm in Tennessee, which is consisted of only three .66 MW turbines at the time of the study, and so makes for a poor comparison. Most wind energy projects have much lower casualty rates for birds and bats.

It is also becoming clear that the July to September period (when the Swallows congregate and the bats migrate) is the most devastating for birds and bats. In my view, it is time that TransAlta implement serious mitigation, and turn off the turbines during this high risk period. This would save the lives of hundreds, if not thousands of birds and bats.

Your Guide to Fun Summer Activities at Canada’s National Parks and Historic Sites

10 Things to Do in a Day

With summer holidays right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about how you can make the most of those long, hot summer days.

Here’s an idea: plan a trip to one of Canada’s 200 national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas. Plus, if you have a Grade 8 student in your life they can flash their My Parks Pass for an instant family or group discount.

Whether you need a pit-stop where you can cool off, take a swim and have lunch, or you have always dreamed of a family vacation where you can tune into nature or immerse yourself in our nation’s history, there’s an adventure waiting for you at Parks Canada’s network of natural and historic areas.

1. Grab a bite – With benches, washroom facilities and food concession stands, national parks and historic sites can be great places to stop for a snack and some fresh air. Walk along a trail and find a quieter, shaded area for a perfect afternoon picnic.


2. Hike a trail – You don’t need to be an ambitious hiker to enjoy the trails at most national parks. Take a walk along the coast, hike to a viewpoint, or find an interpretive trail where you’ll learn more about the people and animals that call this park home. Heading through Banff this summer? Make a stop at the new Rocky Mountain Legacy Trail and experience Canada's oldest national park the way the first visitors did – on foot!

La Mauricie National Park

3. Get out on the water – A relaxing and peaceful way to explore the rivers, lakes and coasts of Canada’s national parks is by boat. Canoeing, kayaking and rowboating are the best ways to enjoy the lakes at La Mauricie National Park. You can glide quietly, closely observing the natural world on and around the water.

4. Get snap-happy – You never know when the perfect photo opportunity will come along when you’re exploring national parks. Teeming with wildlife and spectacular vistas, national parks are a great place for amateur and professional photographers alike to capture iconic species and landmarks on film. The unique landscape of Waterton Lakes National Park, where the prairies meet the mountains, is home to many deer, elk and black bears. Grab your camera and start snapping!

Waterton Lakes National Park

5. Bring home a souvenir – Don’t know what to get your friend for their birthday? Souvenir stores at national parks and historic sites sell one-of-a-kind pieces of Canadiana that make great presents.

6. Enjoy a performance – During the summer, you can watch re-enactments of famous battles, military drills and everyday Victorian life at many national historic sites. If you’re visiting Montreal, why not discover Old Montreal's little known heritage jewel the Sir George-Étienne Cartier National Historic Site in honour of our famous Father of Confederation?

Sir George-Étienne Cartier National Historic Site

7. Take a step back in time – Ever wonder what life was really like just a few hundred years ago? Step right into 19th century life by dressing up in period costumes, becoming a Mountie for a day and sampling heritage recipes at places like Fort Walsh.

8. Get to know our feathered friends – Try to identify as many birds species as you can as you stroll along a trail or drive through a national park. At the southernmost point in Canada, Point Pelee National Park is also one of the most spectacular nature hotspots in North America. New to birding? Check out our beginners guide to bird watching.

Fathom Five National Marine Park

9. Explore an underwater world – Discover a world of vibrant marine life at Canada’s four national marine conservation areas. . Check for sea stars in tidal pools. Spy whales off the coast. And don’t forget to look up – you don’t want to miss seabirds flying to their nesting colonies. Want to take an even closer look? Explore shipwrecks as you snorkel or take the glass bottom boat at Fathom Five National Marine Park.

10. Tour the past – Let Parks Canada interpreters guide you through key moments of Canada’s history. Their wealth of knowledge brings the stories to life as you walk in the footsteps of some of our most famous Canadians. If you’re in the Maritimes this summer, don’t miss the Halifax Citadel – this attraction is so popular that it was voted the top wonder of Halifax!
Got More Time?

If you plan on staying for more than just one day, there are plenty of activities that will bring you closer to nature. Extend your day-hike to a multi-day hike, add an overnight stay at a campground, or spend another day practicing your surfing skills.

This year, with Parks Canada celebrating its 100th birthday, there are even more opportunities to build your adventure in our national parks and historic sites. Get the inside scoop on upcoming special events and learning opportunities throughout the summer – each month has an exciting theme that celebrates Parks Canada’s past and future.

Remember: if you have a My Parks Pass, use it all summer long for great discounts on entrance fees to all of Parks Canada’s locations. Know the past. Enjoy the present. Protect the future.

Interactive Map of Canada's Forests

View Nature Canada: Conserving Our Forests in a larger map

To celebrate the 2011 International Year of Forests, we have created a map that highlights Nature Canada’s work to conserve forests in Canada.

We encourage you to explore some of this country’s rich and diverse forest ecosystems by navigating this 2-page, 6-zone map of Canada’s forested areas. Click on a coloured zone to learn about the trees in each region and the wildlife they support.

Follow the links to Nature Canada’s work in each zone to learn more about how we are helping to conserve nature for future generations across the country.

This map does not include all forest ecozones in Canada. For a complete listing, refer to the NRDC web site links below.

The Atlas of Canada – Natural Resources Canada


Forest Ecozones of Canada – Natural Resources Canada

Is Cairn Energy Prepared for an Arctic Oil Spill?

We were all transfixed by the environmental destruction of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill last year. Yet, however bad the spill in the Gulf of Mexico was, almost everyone agrees a major spill in the Arctic sea would be worse. How much worse? Last November a report commissioned by the Pew Environment Group examined that question, and concluded a cleanup could take years – if it’s even possible at all. Efforts would be hampered by wintertime temperatures that can drop below minus 50 degrees Celsius, fierce Arctic storms, endless darkness and fog that shrouds the region for more than half the days of the year.


Yes, drilling in the Arctic is reckless, and dangerous – and something big oil companies are quite eager to do.

Case in point: Edinburgh-based oil and gas company Cairn Energy has plans to drill off the coast of Greenland – without making its oil spill response plan public. This is a document that an oil company has to draw up explaining how it would clean up a spill. They are nearly always made public, but Cairn is keeping its one secret.

On Thursday, Nature Canada joined 53 other international organizations – including Greenpeace, the David Suzuki Foundation, and Council of Canadians – in sending a letter to Greenland’s Prime Minister, Kuupik Kleist, expressing serious concern over the lack of transparency regarding Cairn’s operations in this unique and fragile region.

Cairn is gambling with the pristine wilderness of the Arctic. Walrus, seal, bowhead whale and polar bear habitats could be disrupted and entire remote communities wiped out if a toxic spill eliminates their means of subsistence living.

A spill in this region could be devastating to arctic seabird colonies feeding on the ice floes at Important Bird Areas along Nunavut’s northern coast, Baffin Island or as far south as Labrador. Ivory Gulls, Northern Fulmars, Black-legged Kittiwakes, Thick-billed Murres and many other seabird or water bird species would be at risk.

Our changing climate –due in large part to the burning of fossil fuels -- is melting the Arctic sea ice, changing the nature of one of the most remote, and vulnerable places on earth. It is time to place a moratorium on new offshore drilling, including the Arctic, and to end our reliance on dirty, polluting fossil fuels in favour of responsible development of clean, renewable energy.

Here in Canada, the Government should delay new off-shore drilling projects until a consistent, strictly enforced set of regulations is in place that protects the environment, oil and gas workers and coastal communities.

Even with preventive measures in place, accidents are certain to occur, so it is important to identify places of great ecological significance and permanently protect them. Establishing a comprehensive system of marine and coastal protected areas is essential before development begins, so that irreplaceable natural habitats aren't lost forever to unsustainable development projects and unforeseen accidents. Important Bird Areas and existing Migratory Bird Sanctuaries are good starting points to better protect habitats for birds that, in many cases, Canada shares with the rest of the hemisphere.