Nature Canada is excited to announce the launch of our Hug-a-Tree Contest, hosted by Nature Explorers!
Trees give us so much – clean air, vital medicine, delicious food and a home for some of our most precious creatures. Forests cover 31% of the earth’s total land area and are central to the livelihood of 1.6 billion people around the world.
Nature Canada is passionate about connecting Canadians with nature and building a nature ethic across the country. Nature Explorers is Canada’s on-line destination for youth and their families to discover new ways to connect with nature and share their experiences. Visit Nature Explorers to find an outdoor activity in your area, connect with fellow nature lovers and of course, enter the Hug-a- Tree contest!
Whether you think your photo boasts the biggest tree hug, the most amazing tree hug or best group tree hug, our contest has a category for you. Submit your photos by January 3rd and you’ll enter to win great prizes, like an iPad, a collection of Boreal Teas or endangered species themed games from Anouk’s Ark! You can submit as many photos as you like so don’t be afraid to get creative. Good luck everyone!
Volunteer inspects trees at a tree nursery in Oviedo, Dominican Republic
On Monday I had the opportunity to spend the day at a learning conference that Nature Canada, as a member of the Canadian Coalition on Climate Change and Development (C4D), helped organize.
C4D brings together many of Canada's development and environmental organizations around climate change adaptation, financing and other climate change issues that affect our partners in developing countries. Nature Canada participates in C4D primarily because our integrated conservation and development work cannot ignore climate change and to advocate for the protection of nature and ecosystem-based approaches in climate change adaptation policy and action.
This year, C4D decided to learn more about REDD - the mechanism that is being negotiated internationally to reduce emission from deforestation and forest degradation - and about the debates around its potential impact on small farmers, indigenous peoples and other marginalized and vulnerable people. Earlier this year we held a small learning session about REDD and on Monday 4 panels of fabulous speakers from Canada and the South helped us learn and reflect on the upcoming meeting of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Durban in November and the upcoming Rio + 20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in June 2012; REDD and other financing mechanism for mitigation; the role of agriculture; and the opportunities for Canadian civil society organizations around these international fora.
I am still taking all this in, but I heard a few clear messages:
1. Governments are not listening to scientists and are not acting on the opportunity to keep climate change below the level that may avert great human and ecosystem harm (an average increase of less than 1.5 degrees Celsius) before it is too late
2. The most vulnerable, including women, will suffer the most: climate change is a social justice issue, and developed countries need to fund and support adaptation. We need to build RESILIENCE
3. Social and local mobilization are sources of hope, as are, potentially, municipal and provincial governments
4. Upcoming meetings promise little if any progress; but we need to avoid bad decisions, particularly on agriculture, technology transfers and forests
5. Every effort to support action on climate change mitigation and adaptation counts: we can't give up!
Learn more, talk to others, talk to your government, mobilize!
The conference was organized by C4D in collaboration with the Canadian Council for International Cooperation (CCIC) Africa Canada Forum and Asia Pacific Working Group and Canadian Food Security Policy Group. It was possible thanks to the support of Canadian Foodgrains Bank, CARE Canada, CCIC with support from the International Development Research Centre, and the Royal Norwegian Embassy.
Reading suggestions, more detail on the conference and a related public event held Monday night are available here.
A webcast of the conference will be available soon. Check back on this blog for the link.
Want to know more about Nature Canada's work in developing countries? Check out our projects in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Nature Canada, with the support of the Canadian International Development Agency and working with BirdLife, proudly supports our partner in Hispaniola, Gupo Jaragua, in their work to improve peoples livelihoods and conserve biodiversity and natural resources.
On 7 September we told you about the threats to Kenya’s Tana River Delta Important Bird Area from plans by the Canadian company Bedford Biofuels to establish a jatropha (biofuel) plantation. Since our post Bedford has been in touch to express their disagreement with our criticism of their project (see the comment posted). However, our concerns continue. Nature Canada has written to the Canadian government to bring our concerns to their attention and find out whether the government is supporting this project. We will let you know their response.
In the meantime, here is a summary of the latest information provided by our BirdLife partners at Nature Kenya:
At the start of this week Bedford Biofuels and Nature Kenya met in Nairobi. Bedford was accompanied by their lawyer and more than 20 people from the Delta supporting the Bedford proposal. However unfortunately despite a long (around 5 hour) and at times rather tense meeting Bedford was not prepared to recognize the concerns of Nature Kenya and others from the Delta or willing to respect the land use planning process under way.
In summary, Nature Kenya and others are worried that jatropha is untested, that Kenya has yet to adopt a biofuels policy and that 10,000 ha is too big to be a pilot. Also that the proposed project is within the very sensitive Delta floodplain and that there needs to be a land use plan for the Delta in place to provide a strategic framework before individual large-scale developments proceed. For all these reasons Nature Kenya is maintaining their challenge to the Bedford consent and hoping that the Kenyan Government will act on NEMA (the National Environment Management Authority) advice to cancel the Bedford consent.
It is very encouraging to see the land-use planning process for the Delta now firmly underway. Between 14-17 September around 65 participants took part in a high-level meeting in Malindi to discuss the need for a strategic plan for the Delta. The Kenyan Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) hosted the meeting with NEMA and Nature Kenya jointly providing the Secretariat. It was attended by representatives from key Kenyan government ministries and agencies including NEMA, the Ministries of Finance, Lands, Agriculture, Environment and Mineral Resources, Water and Irrigation, Fisheries, Kenya Forest Services, Kenya Wildlife Service, TARDA (Tana and Athi River Development Authority), together with NGOs, media and international experts in the fields of land use and delta planning and environmental assessment. The meeting included a workshop plus a field visit into the Delta to provide the opportunity for participants to see the Delta and speak to the local people to understand the issues first hand.
The meeting closed by adopting a Communiqué of the Inter-Ministerial Consultative Meeting on the sustainable development of Deltas in Kenya. This confirmed the launch of the Tana Delta planning initiative, including agreement on a road map leading to the long-term sustainable development of the remarkable Tana River Delta in ways that will provide for economic prosperity, stable social conditions and lasting environmental quality.
Specifically the meeting agreed:
To the establishment of a local Tana Delta planning process which will be steered by a local committee (the Planning Implementation Committee) and will involve a combination of strategic planning and strategic environmental assessment (SEA)
The output will be a long-term strategic land use plan representing a ‘truly sustainable’ future to the Delta.
That this process will combine scientific, economic, social and environmental evaluation tools alongside extensive public participation and will be a collaborative exercise involving all relevant government ministries and agencies, counties, districts and communities, Civil Society and NGOs, International Partners and investors
The process will take place over the next 18 months, with the support of DFID (UKAid).
Things are now moving quickly with the Inter-Ministerial meeting scheduled to meet again on Tuesday 27 September to discuss the terms of reference for the SEA. This is exciting news.
Apple picking is a great way to get outdoors and enjoy locally grown products. With September being the height of apple season, this the perfect time to head out to a local farm to experience this classic fall activity. Here are a few tips for a great apple picking experience:
1) Choose the right farm – Apple picking can be enjoyed across the country but farms will vary in terms of facilities and growing practices. For example, some farmers choose to grow their apples organically, while others may have more dwarf trees, which can be better suited to children. Check with your farm of choice before heading out to make sure it’s right for you.
2) Bring proper gear – Bring along a bucket to store your apples in and pack a lunch for the day. Some farms also offer hay rides, corn mazes and petting zoos, so make sure to dress comfortably for a day on the farm.
3) Know how to spot a good apple and how to pick it – A good apple will be crisp, firm and easily picked from the tree with a gentle twist of the stem. It can be any colour from dark green, to yellow, pink, orange, bright red, dark red or even a combination of colours, depending on the type of apple. The ripeness can be calculated using the number of days since the tree flowered, so ask the farmer for advice on where to find the best apples in the orchard.
Apples ripen from the outer edges of the tree to the inside, so try to pick the apples on the outlying branches of the tree first. Roll the apple upwards off the branch and give it a little twist. Make sure to place them gently in the bucket. Apples will last longer if they are bruise free!
4) Store apples in a cool place – Keeping apples cool will increase their shelf life and help ensure they can be enjoyed for weeks for come. A cool basement or the fruit or vegetable drawer of a refrigerator will make a perfect home for your apples. Try to refrain from washing them until you are ready to use them as moisture will accelerate spoiling.
5) Enjoy! - From baked apples and applesauce to dumplings and apple pie, there are lots of great ways to enjoy your haul! Try a new recipe, prepare an old favorite or enjoy a fresh apple on its own for the perfect fall treat.
How many trees have you seen since you woke up today? Did you wish any of them a happy National Tree Day? What about a happy National Forest Week? Dig you hug any of those trees??
Don't worry if these questions take you by surprise, since 2011 is the debut year for Canada's National Tree Day celebrations, spearheaded by the Tree Canada Foundation, which focus on the "great benefits that trees provide us - clean air, wildlife habitat, reducing energy demand and connecting with nature". Nature Canada's celebrations today include our Hug A Tree Photo Contest, which we're asking all of our supporters to enter for their chance to win!
I started National Tree Day thinking about the innumerable ways that trees (and forests) benefit me and my family each day. For example, we have 16 species* of trees and woody shrubs in our small Ottawa yard, which offer us shade, improve our air quality and attract lots of birds and insects to our backyard. I also have several beautifully handcrafted pieces of wood furniture in my home. Those items represent a market for value-added forest products that can be a big incentive for ecologically and economically sustainable forest management, including things like Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification of forests. Plus, markets for non-timber forest products are growing in Canada and elsewhere, which makes me think of how much I love wild blueberries and cranberries! Not to mention Canada's amazing forest protected areas!
I've also been thinking about how important trees and forests (such as the Boreal forest) are to many of the migrating birds we're watching head south right now, as well as other wildlife that rely on forests seasonally and year-round. Just think of all the bird species that use trees for nesting, from Woodpecker species to Great Blue Herons!
And having spent time as a kid in 'working forests' with my then-silviculturist father, I can't overlook the importance of trees and forests to many communities across this vast country. The Canadian Forest Service reports that the forest industry - in all of its forms - is the "largest non-urban employer in the country".
In closing, there's really not a better time to kick-off Canada's National Tree Day celebrations than the 2011 United Nations International Year of Forests. Here are some quick facts about global forests from the UN's International Year of Forests (IYF) website:
Forests are home to 80% of Earth's terrestrial biodiversity
Forests are central to the livelihoods of over 1.6 billion people worldwide
Forests cover 31% of the Earth's total land area
For more on what Nature Canada is doing for the IYF, check out our website and our interactive map of Canada's forests. And don't forget to enter our Hug A Tree Photo Contest for your chance to win!
Have a wonderful National Tree Day, and a thoughtful National Forest Week!
All photos by A. MacDonald
* No, not all of these are native species, but I'm working to increase the proportion that are native over time.
Once again autumn has arrived in Canada and for billions of birds this signals the ancient event of migration. No matter where you reside, you will see the populations of birds in your local area fluctuate as some birds leave for more southern climates, and some birds arrive from northern latitudes. There are of course many year-round residents that will hold tight to their territories, but they will soon be hosting some new visitors.
Migration itself is a fascinating biannual movement that has ignited countless theories and driven many people, scientists and non-scientists alike, to wonder about the exact mechanisms and routes taken by individual species. The intricacies of migration will be fodder for a future blog post, so stay tuned! For now, we’ll concentrate on tips that may help migrating birds get to their destination, or at least provide them with some fuel and energy for the voyage.
Photo: Murdo Messer
1. Leave Out Your Hummingbird Feeders Contrary to popular belief, leaving your hummingbird feeders out will not cause delayed migration in hummingbirds. Migration is a powerful instinct and leaving the feeders out until all birds have left may well provide some extra nutrition for young birds that may need an extra boost, or for some that are merely passing through. As always, clean and change all feeders regularly to prevent the spread of disease.
2. Re-Stock Your Regular Bird Feeders As with the hummingbird feeders, the availability of extra food in regular bird feeders may help passing migrants fuel up on the way to their destination. Every little bit helps!
3. Do Not Disturb Shorebird Fueling Stations
Photo: Kate Messer
Each autumn billions of shorebirds gather in huge flocks to eat as much as they can over a short period of time. At the CWRC we live near one of these very important areas: the Bay of Fundy. Getting enough food during these stopovers is absolutely critical to allow these birds to fly for long distances to reach their southern destinations.
Please respect these areas and keep disturbance to a minimum. Limit walking on the beach when this is happening and do not let dogs off leash to flush or scare these birds off. They are often only in the area for brief periods. Tide intervals already limit foraging times so unnecessary interruptions are costly. Please refrain from leaving garbage on beaches too, as the scent will attract predators which will further disturb the birds.
Cuckoos. Photo: Murdo Messer
4. Look for Hurricane and Weather Refugees Extreme weather can interrupt migration, send birds on errant paths, and damage food supplies and habitat. Watch for unusual birds in your area after weather events and if it seems that a bird is in the wrong place, let wildlife officials know or contact a rehabilitation centre. Often birds in the wrong place can re-direct themselves, but sometimes they need a helping hand.
Post Hurricane Katrina, we had 6 calls in 30 min about yellow billed cuckoos seemingly dropping from the sky. Oddly enough these calls all came from the same neighbourhood. They were certainly in the wrong place at the wrong time and were in poor condition.
5. Turn off the Lights
Photo: Murdo Messer
Millions of migrating birds are killed every year by something we never even think about: office towers that leave lights on overnight. This is particularly an issue when downtown cores are in the middle of migration corridors. One of the most problematic areas in Canada is downtown Toronto. Become educated about this problem in your local area and if it’s an issue, try to convince building managers to shut lights off at night. It’s good for the environment too. For more information on this issue, please visit www.flap.org , a group dedicated to addressing this issue in Toronto and other areas. Other migration hazards include power lines, windows, wind turbines and other sources of light at night (including industrial flares). Become educated on these issues and let your government officials know you want policies that reflect your concerns. 6. Provide Natural Food Supplies Items like apples, rosehips, berries, snags and fruit trees provide important nutrition for birds. Plant native species that provide food sources for migrating birds and don’t be too quick to pick up things like fallen apples.
7. Cut Out Pesticides It is encouraging to see more and more municipalities banning the use of pesticides. Insect eating birds are on the decline throughout North America with habitat loss, climate change and loss of food supplies being among the cited reasons for the declines. Please avoid the use of pesticides. Insect eating birds rely on an abundance of different species of insects, and do a great job of keeping their numbers under control in an environmentally friendly way.
Most importantly this migration season, enjoy being a spectator for what is arguably the most remarkable natural phenomenon. Consider recording first and last seen dates for different species and make it an annual tradition. Spend time outside and enjoy the spectacle in your own backyard, you never know what you might see!
Nature Canada believes in a flyways approach to the conservation of migratory birds. To that end, for the past two years, we have supported integrated conservation and development efforts by our BirdLife partners in key Caribbean biodiversity areas where "Canadian" migratory birds, like the Bicknell's Thrush, spend the winter.
You've read about our successes in Haiti's Macaya and in the Dominican Republic's Jaragua-Bahoruco-Enriquillo. In Cuba, our partner, the National Protected Areas Commission (Comisión Nacional de Áreas Protegidas-CNAP) has also been working to establish ecotourism, tree nurseries and agroforestry plots in an area that was once as critical to the Cuban revolution as it is today to biodiversity. Find out what we're accomplishing.
This work is supported by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
Significant brushing and habitat disturbance began without public notice in a section of approximately 25,000 square metres of the Ostrander Point Crown Land Block last week. Ostrander Point is a highly controversial naturally vegetated block of land owned by the Province of Ontario, in the heart of the Globally Significant Prince Edward Point South Shore Important Bird Area. It is part of a candidate Provincial Area of Natural and Scientific Interest due to its rare alvar habitat. It has a unique breeding bird community and is on the flight path of hundreds of thousands of migrating birds each spring and fall. Ostrander is the home of at least two federally listed Species at Risk, and was described by an official from the Federal Government as one of the most important spots for migratory birds in Southern Ontario. In 2006, Gilead Power Corporation of Peterborough began its application process to build 12, ninety metre high wind turbine towers with 45 metre long blades attached on this public land, along with a grid of roads and infrastructure to connect them, and a transformer station to link into the provincial grid on this highly significant bird habitat. More recently they submitted their final proposal, which includes 9 turbines, some within 200 metres from Lake Ontario, and supporting studies to the Province of Ontario for an Energy Approval Permit. If granted, this permit would allow them to construct this industrial project on this highly sensitive and signficant habitat.
Last week local guardians, opposed to Gilead's industrial project, noticed workers actively brushing (destroying woody vegetation on strips of land) within the Ostrander Point Crown Land Block. Through questioning, it came out that this work is being conducted by contractors searching for and decommissioning unexploded ordinance from the Department of National Defence, which conducted training on parts of Ostrander Point about 50 years ago. Many believe that this work is really being done to pave the way for Gilead's project.
"All of this seems like too much of a coincidence," says local IBA champion Myrna Wood. "This is in the timeframe of Gilead Power’s application for a turbine project on this Crown land. It has been 50 years since this site was abandoned by the military and the South Shore has never been cordoned off from public use during that time. It seems clear that the reason for the investigation of possible unexploded ordinance is at the request of the MNR due to planned development projects."
Nature Canada, along with provincial partner Ontario Nature and the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists, has requested both the developer (Gilead), and the Province to find another location for this project which has high potential to be very damaging to migrating birds, the local breeding bird community, species at risk, and migrating bats if allowed to proceed.
In 2011, just 13 male greater sage‐grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) were recorded on “leks” in Alberta. Next door, in Saskatchewan, there were only 35. These numbers represent a greater than 95 percent decline since 1968 -- a decline that has continued unchecked despite official designations on provincial and federal species at risk lists.
The reasons for the collapse of greater sage‐grouse populations are well known by scientists and governments, as is what's needed to reverse the declines. Yet, as an iconic bird species is poised to disappear forever from Canada, two things are quite clear:
1) current efforts are failing to prevent the extirpation of the greater sage‐grouse and protect its habitat 2) there is an urgent need for immediate action and substantive measures if the imminent extirpation of the greater sage‐grouse from Canada is to be prevented.
A panel of scientists and conservation organizations, including Nature Canada, held an emergency summit on the future of greater sage‐grouse in Canada on September 7 and 8, in Calgary. The sense of urgency was palpable, and the desire to spark action was strong.
A public communiqué was issued at the end of the summit, signed by more than a dozen scientists and conservation groups from Canada and the United States. You can read the whole thing on our web site. Here, though, is a partial list of the actions that must occur to save the sage grouse:
Designate additional critical habitat as identified on proposed critical habitat maps produced in 2010.
No new developments in critical greater sage‐grouse habitat. Major concerns are regarding prolonged or expanded industrial development and associated activities in and around critical habitat.
Restore existing critical habitat, including removal of industrial infrastructure.
To allow for future recovery, previously occupied range outside current critical habitat must be restored to functionality suitable for greater sage‐grouse.
Any new development outside of critical habitat but within the identified zone of influence (15 kilometres)must not contribute to the disturbance of the species or destruction of critical habitat.
Summer may be drawing to a close, but there’s still a lot of fun to be had in the great outdoors. Beginning in September, a steady autumn wave makes its way across the country, transforming local leaves into vibrant colours of red, yellow and orange. This creates a spectacular backdrop for an adventure in nature!
There are lots of ways to soak up the fall colours. Head out to a local park for a hike or a bike ride and bring your camera along so you can take a snapshot of your picturesque surroundings. If you’ve got time, make an afternoon of it by packing a fall picnic to enjoy among the foliage.
In Canada we’re lucky to be home to some of the best places in the world to view fall foliage, so consider visiting a new natural area to take in the autumn scenery. Fundy National Park in New Brunswick, Parc national du Mont-Tremblant in Quebec and Jasper National Park in Alberta are just a few of locations in Canada that are world-famous for their fall colours. The timing of the change in colour depends on a number of variables so check regional foliage reports for the best time to experience the foliage in your area. Make sure to bring your binoculars and keep an eye out for birds on their fall migration.
Can't make it to a park? Take a stroll through your neighborhood to see how your local trees have changed with the colder weather.
No matter where you choose to view the foliage, take advantage of this colourful time to enjoy nature and all it has to offer.
Nature Canada is concerned that a Canadian company – Bedford Biofuels – plans plans to set up a jatropha tree plantation in Kenya's Tana Delta, an area that provides refuge for 350 bird species. When we learned of the Calgary-based company's plans last year, we contacted the company to discuss the potential impacts on biodiversity of the proposed project. The company did not respond to our letter, but recent developments make us hopeful that Bedford Biofuels will abandon this project. The latest news from our BirdLife colleagues in Kenya is as follows:
A Nairobi newspaper reports that, after consideration of the scientific evidence, Kenya’s National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has decided to advise the Kenyan Government to halt the planting of the biofuel crop jatropha within the Coast region of Kenya. Proposed jatropha plantations would do irreparable damage to coastal Important Bird Areas (IBAs), including the Tana Delta and Dakatcha Woodlands.
The reported decision has been applauded by BirdLife Partner NatureKenya, which has been fighting a vigorous campaign against the destruction of woodland and other coastal habitats to make room for biofuel crops. NatureKenya also provided much of the evidence on which NEMA’s decision was based, especially recent research which has cast doubt on the supposed benefits of jatropha as a “green” alternative to fossil fuels. Scientific studies now recommend growing jatropha only as a hedge or living fence.
Even before NEMA’s decision, a company planning to grow oil seed crops on 28,000 hectares of the Tana Delta pulled out after consultations with NatureKenya and other BirdLife Partners, citing concerns over environmental impacts and long-term climate change effects.
In July, two directors of NEMA were suspended after accusations that they had acted irregularly in granting a licence to the Canadian company Bedford Biofuels to grow jatropha on a 10,000 hectare “pilot” site in the Tana Delta. According to the Nairobi press, NEMA’s Chairman, Mr Francis Ole Kaparo, said that the licence had been awarded in spite of mounting scientific evidence which has exposed the claims made for jatropha as false. “There is nothing to prove jatropha is viable. In fact, all evidence shows it has failed,” Mr Kaparo is quoted as saying.
NEMA has advised the Kenyan government to cancel Bedford’s licence, but the company is challenging the cancellation. Bedford’s local representatives have organised demonstrations in favour of the jatropha plantations, which have been described as an attempt to “intimidate” the authorities.
“We congratulate the NEMA Chairman, Mr Francis Ole Kaparo, the NEMA Director General Dr Ayub Macharia, and NEMA technical staff for their wise decision”, said NatureKenya CEO Paul Matiku. “NEMA is on the right path to sustainable development, by using science to avoid irreversible environmental, social and economic costs. We hope the Ministry will follow this advice and cancel Bedford Biofuel’s licence for a ‘pilot’ of 10,000 hectares of jatropha at Tana, and that this wise decision has been made clear to Kenya Jatropha Energy Limited at Dakatcha.”
He added: “Globally, biofuel crops, originally viewed as substitutes for climate-damaging fossil fuels, have replaced food crops and natural habitats, leading to rising food prices and loss of critical wildlife habitats and ecosystem services.”
The Tana Delta has long provided local communities with food and livelihoods. Its value to the nation includes ecosystem services such as water storage, shoreline protection and marine life spawning grounds. It also has huge tourism potential. But as demand for land to grow commodity crops has increased globally, the Tana Delta has become the focus of interest for international speculators and investors.
“Over the last decade, conflicts have been increasing in the Tana Delta as the demands for competing land uses, natural resources, nature conservation and community interests have intensified,” said Paul Matiku. “It is for this reason that NatureKenya and stakeholders, led by the Office of the Prime Minister, are initiating a combination of strategic planning and integrated assessment to develop a long term General Management Plan.”
Bedford Biofuels commented on September 13, 2011:
Recently, articlessuch as this, riddled with misleading errors and false accusations have beencirculating regarding Bedford Biofuels’ 10,000 ha Jatropha biofuel project inthe Tana Delta Region of Eastern Kenya. These articles were published withoutinput from Bedford. Bedford also did not recieve correspondence from NatureCanada before this post was published.
Contrary to what is being reported by Nature Kenya, Bedford’s license to planthas not been revoked. The EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) license wasissued to Bedford on May 25, 2011 by NEMA (National Environment ManagementAuthority)Kenya and remains in effect. Nursery preparations began in July andthe Jatropha seedlings will be transplanted starting in November.
Nature Kenya has also erroneously reported that Bedford intends to plantJatropha in the delta area of the Tana Delta Region, which is causing concernbecause of the delta’s biodiversity and ecological importance. First andforemost, in order to obtain its license from NEMA, Bedford had to complete anEnvironmental Impact Assessment of the Tana Delta Region which includedthorough research pertaining to the wildlife, existing flora and soilconditions. Approval of the EIA License was granted under the condition thatBedford agrees to abstain from planting in the delta.
Second, Jatropha will not grow in flood plains or areas of standing water suchas a delta, it thrives in semi-arid to arid conditions. In order to maximizeour yields, Bedford has engaged the world’s leading experts in Jatropha and hasa team of agronomists experienced in growing Jatropha to advise the optimalgrowing conditions and location for Bedford’s Jatropha project. Lastly, Bedford is an advocate of conserving the environment and is currentlyworking alongside the Lower Tana Delta Conservation Trust to ensure that thedelta area is preserved and the local community’s standard of living isimproved.
Nature Kenya has also been vocalizing it’s skepticism about the benefits ofJatropha as a “green” alternative to fossil fuels and recommends that Jatrophashould only be grown as a hedge or living fence. This makes sense if you are atrying to prevent a Jatropha project from coming to fruition, but I am certainthe many scientists, multinational organizations and governments around theworld who have invested tens of millions of dollars into the research ofJatropha as a sustainable and viable biofuel feedstock would strongly disagree.NASA, for instance, has flown Jatropha to space to test the impact of zerogravity on its growth; the international airline, Lufthansa, is using Jatrophabased jet fuel on daily commercial flights; China has earmarked 13 millionhectares to grow Jatropha to help reduce their dependence on foreign oil;Jatropha has properties that can be used in the production of pain killers andother medications; and above all, it produces a clean oil that is superior tofossil fuel – an oil that is not derived from a food crop, but from a non-foodbiofuel. This is the evolution of biofuel.
Part of Bedford’s mandate is to educate people about our intentions to employlocals and to bring food security and improved quality of life to the region.We are doing it all by the book and we certainly don’t want to be implicated inallegations of irresponsible management and unfair practices.
Sarah Kirkpatrick-Wahl is a volunteer at Nature Canada. She is collaborating on designing and creating a geodatabase for species at risk within Canadian federally protected areas. This summer Sarah took a break from volunteering with us to work with two conservation projects studying the two largest cats in the Americas. Her first conservation project took her to Belize, where she tracked jaguars deep into the jungle. In this post, Sarah shares her story of tracking a cougar family – and capturing a kitten – in western Canada’s Cypress Hills Interprovicial Park.
Spanning the border between Alberta and Saskatchewan is a unique island ecosystem in the prairies, the Cypress Hills. All the top predators were removed from the area 100 years ago by extensive hunting, trapping and poisoning campaigns. In the past decade cougars have started to reclaim their home in the Hills.
I traveled to Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park in May to work with Carl Morrison, a masters student at the University of Alberta working under the supervision of Dr. Mark Boyce. Carl is studying the impact that the seasonal flux of human use of the area has on cougar habitat selection, movement and dispersal.
To study this cougars are captured and fitted with a GPS collar. Capture work is no doubt one of the most exciting aspects of this research, mostly done in the winter when the cougars can be tracked by their prints left in the snow. However I was lucky enough to assist with some capture work this summer – it was a thrilling experience!
Tracking the Ghost Cats
At the end of June we headed to the West Block of Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park to track down SK2, an adult female collared this past winter. Camera traps set around the park showed her with three kittens. Her kittens were born in May 2010, so at just over a year old they were large enough to be fitted with a collar.
I was part of the first team to head out and pin point SK2's location. Since she was already collared we are able to track her using radio telemetry. We started in the area that she had last been heard from, and a morning of thorough searching only proved that she was certainly not in that area. A frustrating morning to be sure, especially since when we met up with the rest of the team we learned they had picked up her signal driving into the park from another direction. No searching at all for them!
The day was really hot, so we waited until late afternoon to head out and get an exact location on SK2 to move in. Lorne Hindbo with South Ram Outfitters brought five hounds for the capture. So many hounds were brought in because we were potentially going after four cougars. We moved into a small patch of bush right between the park and a private residence. I got to lead one of the dogs. She was so excited, and pulled me through the bush to keep up with the pack.
Getting the dogs ready for the capture
We got to the point where Carl could pick up SK2's signal with just the receiver, no antenna or cable, which means that she was very close!
There were a bunch of people out for the capture, and we all lined up on the plateau facing the bush and Lorne walked into the bush with the dogs. I guess the dogs have an easier time picking up the scent on clear track in the snow in winter, because it seemed like they found the cougars bedded down before they even picked up the scent. It was pretty neat to watch. The bush was really quiet, and then an explosion of barking dogs and shaking trees.
It was all over in a few moments. We heard Lorne over the radio letting us know that 2 cats had treed, one being SK2. When threatened cougars climb a tree so that they are out of reach of the threat. This is great for the researchers because we were able to walk right underneath the tree without putting ourselves in a dangerous situation, and the cougars generally feel safe and calm up in the tree. Collaring SK9
Walking into the bush I was awe struck when I looked up and saw SK2’s kitten – it was the first cougar I had ever seen in the wild. It would be collared and called SK9. He had no problem staring straight into the eyes of the people below and focusing on each of us in turn. It is a pretty intense feeling looking a wild animal in the eye.
Just a little ways off was SK2. She has been through the ringer! Her once perfect face was covered in scars and looked swollen. She was clearly in a pretty serious scrap with another cat. Her rough shape just goes to illustrate the rough reality that these cats face in the wild. But that hasn’t stopped her from caring for three nearly full grown kittens in addition to herself.
Taking measurements of SK9
Carl shot SK9 in the tree with a tranquillizer dart and he fell asleep very quickly. He slid out of the tree as he fell asleep. It was a short fall and we were ready with a strong tarp to catch him in a fireman's catch and slowly lowered him to the ground. The fall really could not have gone more perfectly! Once on the ground we took various measurements including body length, canine length, head size and paw size as well as weight. He weighed 85lbs. His large paws showed that he still has a lot of growing to do. We had bottles of ice cold water to help keep his temperature down, and we were constantly monitoring his breathing, heart rate and temperature. I got to listen to his heart beat which was really cool.
The entire time SK2 was just up in her tree watching us. She seemed very relaxed considering what we were doing to her kitten Carl administered the reversal drugs and, SK9 woke up very, very slowly. We left him when we were sure that he was awake and gaining mobility. It was getting dark by the time we finally finished.
A couple of people went out to check on them the following morning. SK2 and SK9 were together, and they had moved somewhat, so we were able to confirm that he was ok. Since the capture we have been receiving GPS data for both SK2 and SK9, and the family is doing very well in the Cypress Hills.
SK9 will now be tracked for a year, in which time we will monitor his movements and visit locations of high activity to determine what he is feeding on. It will be especially interesting to see him reach maturity and disperse from his mother and siblings. Cougars in the Cypress Hills are thriving and enjoy an area mostly devoid of competing predators and an abundant prey base – SK2 and her family are no exception!
