IBA Caretakers: People Protecting Birds Across Canada - Saskatchewan

Last week, we heard from two Important Bird Area Caretakers in Alberta, where young naturalists and city dwellers are getting involved in bird conservation.

This week we follow Ted, Nature Canada’s manager of bird conservation, as he heads to Saskatchewan to speak with Lori Wilson, IBA Caretaker for Reed Lake IBA.

Like many Caretakers, Lori has been an avid birder from a young age. She’s also part of a group of local naturalists who regularly monitor birds in the area. Hear Lori talk about her reasons for joining the IBA Caretaker Network and about an innovative project that links communities in Canada, the United States and Mexico through a shared interest in protecting migratory shorebirds.

Lori, already an active birder in her community, brings her interest in bird monitoring and her network of local birders and naturalists, into the IBA program by becoming a Caretaker. They are part of a larger network of volunteers that participate in the IBA Caretakers program. Their work promotes effective bird conservation in Canada.

Do you want to protect your local birds and habitat? Consider becoming an Important Bird Area Caretaker!

You can find out more about becoming a Caretaker and explore Important Bird Areas in Canada at ibacanada.ca.

Stay tuned for our next post where you will hear from a Caretaker in Quebec who owns a very special island in the St. Lawrence.

Declare Your Favourite Lake or Water Body by Signing the Love My Lake Declaration

As lakes across Canada started to phase from water into ice earlier this month, I asked if any of you has a favourite lake or water body. I also mentioned that Nature Canada is introducing the first national Love My Lake Declaration. Well now I'm back to invite you, your friends and family, your co-workers and your fellow freshwater-lovers to sign it!

The Declaration represents a list of people from coast, to coast, to coast (and beyond!) who want to declare their love for Canada's lakes and other (fresh)water bodies. Simply fill out and submit the form below and voilà, you've made official your love of Canada's aquatic environments - in all their wondrous and valuable forms.

Last week I shared my fervor for two Canadian waterscapes: Frozen Ocean Lake in Kejimkujik National Park, Nova Scotia and Big Trout and Trout Lakes in Ontario's Algonquin Provincial Park - and I've already added them to the Declaration. But let's not 'dam' the enthusiasm for waterscapes there... add your favourite lake or water body now!

So don't click away until you've had a chance to sign the Declaration below! Check back soon for an update on how many Canadian waterscapes have been listed.

	Canadians love their waterscapes, and here's your chance to tell us which lake or water body in Canada is special to you and why. Simply fill out the form below to add your name to the national  Love My Lake declaration.  Fields marked with * are required * Name: First Required Last Required * Email: Required * Postal Code:
	*Question - Required -Name of your favourite lake or water body?
	*Question - Not Required -Town or community nearest to the lake (please be as specific as possible)
	*uestion - Required -Province/Territory of your lake or water body?
	Question - Not Required -GPS coordinates of your lake or water body? (optional)
	*** Question - Not Required -Why is this lake or water body special to you?

Spam Control Text: Please leave this field empty

Federal Government Must Prevent Extinction of Sage-Grouse in Canada

The stunning Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus urophasianus) is facing extinction in Canada. It could disappear from Alberta within a year if action for its protection is not taken immediately.

Today, through a legal petition issued on our behalf by Ecojustice, Nature Canada called on the federal Minister of the Environment, the Honourable Peter Kent, to recommend that Cabinet issue an emergency order to prevent further degradation of Greater Sage-grouse critical habitat and take the necessary measures to ensure the survival of this iconic species.

We are joined in this effort by 11 other conservation organizations, including our partners in the Canadian Nature Network, Nature Alberta, Nature Saskatchewan, Grassland Naturalists and Lethbridge Naturalists Society, as well as our US partner in BirdLife International, the National Audubon Society-Rockies.

We're also calling on the public to send letters in support of immediate action to save the Sage-grouse.

The Canadian population of Sage-grouse declined by almost 90 per cent between 1988 and 2006. By 2010, there were only 42 males at 2 active breeding grounds or “leks” in Saskatchewan. In Alberta, there are thought to be only 13 males remaining with the total provincial population estimated at approximately 30 birds in 2011.

The alarming population decline of Greater Sage-grouse demands immediate attention both to prevent the species from disappearing from Canada and because of what it tells us about the mounting habitat degradation in Canada’s grasslands. In Alberta, only 30% of native grasslands remain. Less than 2% of Alberta's grasslands natural region is protected, yet it supports 70% of the mammal, bird, reptile, and amphibian species at risk in that province. Greater Sage-grouse are indicators of the health of Canada’s shrub-steppe and Great Plains ecosystems. Measures taken to protect and restore sage-grouse habitat will benefit many other species at risk including: Burrowing Owl, Swift Fox, Badger, Sprague’s Pipit and Great Plains Toad.

The Greater Sage-grouse has long been the subject of fascination and research because of its elaborate and spectacular courtship displays. In early spring, males congregate in large numbers at areas referred to as leks to perform their annual courtship rituals. The male's notorious "strutting display" is described as a series of forward struts, "wing swishes", inflations and deflations of the throat sac while making popping and whistling sounds, fanning out of its tail and erecting its head plumes while throwing its head back and forth.

Females rear their young on their own with no help from males. The average clutch size ranges from six to nine eggs and the incubation period is 25 to 29 days. The Greater Sage-grouse's young are precocial, meaning they leave the nest soon after hatching.

The Greater Sage-grouse reside in warm, dry, grasslands, as sagebrush, which grows in the described area, is their main food source. Although young and adult birds will feed on other plant species and some insects in the summertime, sagebrush consists of 47-60% of the adult bird's diet in the summer and 100% in the winter.

Sage-grouse need large blocks of unfragmented sagebrush grassland habitat to thrive. Their range in Canada has been reduced to only 6% of its historic extent because of loss and degradation of this habitat. Sage-grouse are now found only in the southeast corner of Alberta and southwest corner of Saskatchewan.

Sage-grouse are highly sensitive to disturbance. Recent scientific research suggests that rapid encroachment of oil and gas development on the areas where Sage-grouse spend the winter, breed, nest and raise their young is the leading factor in their extreme population drop. ­

Alberta and Saskatchewan each have a Wildlife Act and voluntary guidelines for energy development near sage-grouse habitat, but provincial protections are so lax that Sage-grouse continue to decline.

Under section 80 of Canada’s Species at Risk Act (SARA), the federal Cabinet has the power to make an emergency order to protect important habitat of an endangered species anywhere in Canada. The emergency order can prohibit any activities that may harm the species or the habitat necessary for its survival or recovery. Under SARA, the federal environment Minister has a mandatory duty to recommend that Cabinet make an emergency order if he or she is of the opinion that the species faces “imminent threats to its survival or recovery”.

In addition to seeking federal protection for sage-grouse under SARA, we are calling on the oil and gas industry to voluntarily provide sage-grouse with the protection they need. You can learn more about Greater Sage-grouse, read our petition and send a letter to Environment Minister Peter Kent asking for immediate emergency action to prevent this shameful extinction!

Celebrating Nature Canada’s Members and Partners

Brian Lipskie, President of Rae & Lipskie Partnership, addresses members at our recent member appreciation event.

Mark Dorfman, past Chairman and current member of the Nature Canada Board of Directors, hosted Nature Canada’s Member Appreciate event in Cambridge, Ontario this fall.  He recounts a day spent connecting with Nature Canada’s diverse members and supporters.

As the past Chairman of the Board of Directors and a local resident of the Waterloo region, it was my honour and delight to host Nature Canada’s Member Outreach and Appreciation event, held a few weeks ago at Langdon Hall in Cambridge, a beautiful spot so near to the Grand River watershed. With over 50 members from Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph, Cambridge (and a few from as far as Hamilton and Brantford) attending the celebrations, it was an excellent turnout and capacity crowd. 

It was wonderful to welcome and meet the diversity of people who make up the Nature Canada community, from hikers, birders, botanists, to parents, teachers and professors. With so many naturalists in the room together, it showed me once again that there are people who recognize the beauty of nature, its importance, and who understand the need to protect it. It was also a joy to have the opportunity to re-connect with each other.

I spoke of my two favourite memories of the past year. I fondly remembered participating at the dedication ceremony for the Malcolm Bluffs Shore Nature Reserve, a stunning piece of the Bruce Peninsula now protected forever thanks to a bequest left by the late Hugo Germeraad, a Nature Canada member. Attending the Board of Director’s annual general meeting held at Oak Hammock Marsh, an Important Bird Area near Winnipeg, Manitoba was also a highlight for me.

I enjoyed introducing the participants to Ian Davidson (who himself is a graduate of the University of Guelph’s wildlife management course) who has been doing an excellent job of leading Nature Canada since he joined the organization over two years ago.  Ian spoke about the organization’s continued focus on protecting critical habitats and species through the lens of birds, highlighting key successes in our Important Bird Areas work and the numerous local volunteer Important Bird Area Caretakers who are fundamental to its success. Ian began his presentation by introducing the crowd to the cat “bib” which led to a lively discussion about the impact of outdoor cats on bird populations.

He also talked about Nature Canada’s efforts to engage children and youth with nature through the My Parks Pass program, run in partnership with Parks Canada. Given this is the 100th anniversary of our National Parks system, I believe it’s more important than ever for Nature Canada to be actively involved in encouraging the next generation to care as deeply about these magnificent places. 

Ian finished by thanking the members and donors of Nature Canada for their dedication and commitment to nature and its protection. Their personal engagement leads to positive action and our many successes.

Our  Member Outreach and Appreciation celebration was sponsored by our portfolio Investment Counsel, Rae & Lipskie who oversee our investments, including the Charles Labatiuk Nature Endowment Fund. Both Ken Rae and Brian Lipskie were in attendance and I thanked them for their continued partnership with our organization over the past decade and invited Brian to speak on behalf of the firm.  Brian outlined the ways their company is actively involved with the local community and thanked us for the opportunity to be involved with such a worthwhile charity.

In concluding the event, I made sure to thank our local partners in attendance such as Fraser Gibson, President of the Kitchener Waterloo Field Naturalists, and Mike Kelly, President of the Guelph Field Naturalists, for their support in our collective efforts. It can be said that the greatest threats to nature cannot be solved by any one organization. Conservation success comes thanks to our strength in numbers. 

I most enjoyed the opportunity to meet and thank each of the supporters in attendance (including Legacy donors, Nature Builders, Guardian of Nature monthly donors and annual members), letting them know that it is their loyal and dedicated support that has sustained Nature Canada year after year, for decades.  Our members are core to what we do, and the many successes we will achieve in the future.

A lively question and answer session ensued and many members stayed on longer to have the opportunity to chat with Ian, myself and staff.

Give a Green Gift this Holiday Season!

Homemade jams. Photo: kayakeverwhere via Flickr

Helene Van Doninck, a wildlife veterinarian at the Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre and a regular contributor to the Nature Canada blog, shares 11 great green gift ideas for friends and family this holiday season.

The holiday season is rapidly approaching, and with it  comes the task of finding gifts for loved ones. In my world, most people are trying to decrease the amount of “things” in their homes , so I honour that when selecting gifts. It is also important to me to pick items that are green or earth friendly.  Doing this doesn’t mean changing my entire strategy or even the traditional  categories of gifts for people. It just means altering choices to pick items that are less harmful to the environment, and many of these gifts end up being more meaningful to the recipient.

Green gift strategies can apply whether you enjoy  the process of finding the perfect gift  for everyone, or if you normally dread the decision making process and want it to be as quick and painless as possible. Gift suggestions will follow but some general guidelines for making your holiday spending ecologically responsible include:

• Buy locally, from independent services, stores, crafters and artisans. This will keep dollars in your community and decrease the footprint of your purchases. Farmer’s markets and craft cooperatives are fun places to shop.
• Choose products whose components are sustainably obtained.
• Consider gifts of experiences, events , or outings which appeal to the recipient. This supports local businesses and won’t add more possessions to the person who is trying to scale back.
• Avoid excessive packaging, both in your purchase and when you wrap the item. Tea towels and  fabric throws make great re- useable wrapping and homemade cards can be fun for the giver and the recipient.
• Reduce, re-use,  and recycle are always good principles to keep in mind.

11 Green Holiday Gifts:

1. Gift Certificates - Often thought of as the easy way out,  but they are really the perfect gift: satisfaction guaranteed and no returns. Even better: support stores and services that have a good environmental record.

2. Concert/event tickets – Tickets to an event, series, or a gift certificate to a local cultural centre will give the music/arts lover on your list something to look forward to in the new year.

3. Outdoor Gear – Anything that encourages people to get out and experience wilderness is bound to convert them to  active stewards of their little piece of the world. Consider things like binoculars, bird guides, backpacks, snowshoes, skis,  and outdoor clothing.

4. Green  Stars – Bicycles, bicycle gear, public transport passes, composters, wind-up radios and flashlights, re-useable insulated ceramic or steel coffee mugs, or anything that encourages a lower footprint.

5. Food – Choose items that are local and ethically sourced, or fair trade.  Even better are items you make yourself such as a tin of cookies, preserves or anything homemade. Farm cooperatives are now widespread and a membership  will provide  fresh local vegetables and support farmers.

6. A Night Out – This can include movie passes, restaurant gift certificates, and even babysitting services.

7. Donations/Memberships to Environmental Organizations – These can be very meaningful  to both the organization and your loved one. Consider symbolic adoptions of animals for rescue/wildlife groups and concepts like symbolic donations of medical care, education and sustainable food/enterprise to developing countries. Our wildlife rehabilitation centre produces a wildlife calendar as an education tool each year , featuring  past patients . Supporters have purchased this as a holiday gift and it has become a major fundraiser for us.  Supporting Nature Canada is a great a way to help protect local wildlife and habitat.

8. Green Up Your Traditional Gifts – If you generally buy clothing or bath products , purchase items made from organic cotton, bamboo or hemp, and choose bath and cosmetic products made from ethically sourced ingredients that are not tested on animals. Local crafts are always good choices too.

9. Wildlife Friendly Gifts – A gift certificate for trees,  shrubs , plants or gardening services redeemable in the spring will provide habitat for local wildlife. Tuck this in a  basket of gardening tools. Bird feeders and nest boxes are great presents too and will provide years of enjoyment.

10. Educational Gifts – Think about books on environmental topics,  vegetarian cooking, or even an e-reader.  Gift certificates to workshops, courses, or lessons that fit your recipient are also fun. Maybe they have always wanted to  learn to ski,  make pottery, build bird houses,  cook,  weave, etc.

11. Gifts of Time and Memories – Creative gifts include  handmade gift certificates for things like babysitting, cooking a meal, pampering, or yard care. A CD ,  DVD , or album featuring a compilation of family photos or videos is a cherished gift. Also remember that the holiday season is a particularly difficult time of year for some people , so remember to visit, contact, or include these people in festivities if possible.

Happy Holidays and have a safe and Happy New Year!

Do you have a favourite lake or pond?

Ice formation, Stan Wojtaszek

With Fall well underway, Canadians are saying "see you soon" to lakes and ponds all across the country for yet another winter. Swimming, paddling, fishing and visits to the lakeside cottage have, among other things, been put on hold for awhile. But now is a great time to reflect on the many ways that lakes and ponds help us connect to nature throughout the year; how they are part of our experience of the 'true north, strong and free'. And I can't forget all the opportunities lakes offer for pond hockey, ice-fishing and skating during the winter months!

Canadians love their waterscapes, it's pretty much a fact. Saskatchewan-based author Allan Casey explores the almost intrinsic relationship Canadians have with lakes and other water bodies in his 2010 Governor General's Award-winning book Lakeland: Journeys into the Soul of Canada. Through a series of encounters with several of Canada's lesser-known but nonetheless well-loved lakes, Casey explains how lakes are an integral part of the Canadian experience. In the opening chapter he writes:

"Like a lot of Canadians, I have been drawn irresistibly to lakes my whole life. Access to pure lakes is fundamental to my quality of life in my home and native land. I love them all." (from p.2)

That excerpt resonates with me in many ways. I didn't grow up on a lake, nor did I grow up with a lakeside family cottage or taking annual paddling trips or attending summer camp. But I did grow up with fond memories of lots of time spent at lakes and ponds, giving me a great appreciation of them as accessible water bodies. For me lakes were not the ocean, which in my experience on the Bay of Fundy was an all-at-once powerful, beautiful and merciless body of water. Lakes were by no means innocuous in my mind, but they were more palpable, more enjoyable - they were more fun.

With my training in environmental science and biology, lakes came to mean even more to me and my experience as a Canadian. Lakes are so much more than just bodies of water or habitat for "fish". You can read all about lakes as habitat and how to promote healthier human and wildlife habitat along Canada's shorelines at The Living By Water Project. You may also be interested in a report our own Ted Cheskey recently co-authored, called Birds At Risk: The Importance of Canada's Boreal Wetlands and Waterways.

Since expanding my perspective on lakes, I've become an avid paddler (whenever I get the chance) and I love exploring lakes in search of birds, fish, crustaceans, freshwater molluscs, dragonflies and other invertebrates, submergent and emergent plants, solace, recharge... you name it. And now as a parent I have the opportunity to see lakes through my daughter's eyes. I look forward to our first paddling trip together, or the first time we skate on a wide open pond. We had lots of fun this summer exploring lakes in baby-steps (literally) and finding out how fun it is to get Mummy and Daddy wet.

Do I have a favourite lake in Canada? Absolutely! I love a waterscape called Frozen Ocean Lake in Kejimkujik National Park, Nova Scotia. I have fond memories of introducing good friends to open water paddling on that lake, and the back-country campsites are amazing! I also love Big Trout and Trout Lakes in Ontario's Algonquin Provincial Park. And I'm always glad to expand this list!

So, do you have a favourite lake or pond? If so then stay tuned to our blog. Why? Because we're starting Canada's first 'Love My Lake' Declaration - a list of people who want to declare that Canada's lakes are special to them. Check back soon for more details on how you can get involved!

Connect with Nature: Celebrate Universal Children's Day

Did you know that November 20th is Universal Children's Day? The United Nations first proclaimed this day in 1954 to promote child welfare across the world. There are few better ways to celebrate than helping a child connect with nature!

In his 2005 book “Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder”, Richard Louv reported a startling decrease in the amount of direct exposure that many of today’s children have to nature. In a recent study, 73% of parents reported that their children spend their after-school hours watching TV, reading or playing video or computer games, rather than enjoying outdoor play or physical activity. The same study found that children are spending an average of six hours per day in front of a computer or television screen outside of school hours.

The effects of this problem – dubbed “nature-deficit disorder” by Louv – are troubling. A growing number of studies are demonstrating a link between this lack of interaction with nature and problems like childhood obesity and attention-deficit disorder. Luckily, help can be as close as your own backyard. Doctors are reporting that spending as little as 20 minutes per day in an urban park, community or personal garden, can have a positive impact on our physical and emotional heath.

This Sunday, celebrate Universal Children’s Day by spending a little extra time outdoors. Not sure where to start? Check out this list of fun nature activities for families or join a presentation by a nature club or young naturalist club near you.

Photo by Brenda Foubert

IBA Caretakers: People Protecting Birds Across Canada - Alberta

In our last post, we heard from Important Bird Area Caretakers in British Columbia. In this post we follow Ted, Nature Canada's manager of bird conservation, to Alberta where he speaks with two Caretakers about the value of the IBA Caretaker Network.

For Judy Boyd, caring for Bearhills Important Bird Area was a good fit with her volunteer work with a young naturalist club in Red Deer, Alberta. Part of what she does as a Caretaker is monitor birds at the IBA – and counting birds is something young naturalists are more than ready to help out with!

In this video Greg Wagner, IBA Caretaker for Frank Lake Important Bird Area, talks about the special features of this IBA, which lies just 50km south of Calgary, Alberta. Greg also explains why he thinks IBA Caretakers can effectively promote bird conservation by talking to local stakeholders.

As IBA Caretakers, Greg and Judy channel their passion for nature and protecting birds by monitoring  birds, assessing habitats, and conducting conservation activities at Important Bird Areas. They are part of a larger network of volunteers that participate in the IBA Caretakers program. Their work promotes effective bird conservation in Canada.

Do you want to protect your local birds and habitat? Consider becoming an Important Bird Area Caretaker!

You can find out more about becoming a Caretaker and explore Important Bird Areas in Canada at ibacanada.ca

Next week, we’ll hear from a Caretaker in Manitoba who has been a passionate birder from a young age. Stay tuned!

Celebrating Charles Labatiuk’s Life and Legacy

Chuck Priestly, Natalia Labatiuk and Bill Labatiuk at Beaverhill Lake IBA

In celebration of National Philanthropy day in Canada, Jodi Joy, Nature Canada’s manager of legacy giving, shares a story about the legacy of the late Charles Labatiuk.

“I still remember the day of his birth,” said Natalia Labatiuk, “Today would have been his 55th birthday.”

Instead his parents, Bill and Natalia, and myself celebrated Charles’ life and spirit by visiting Beaverhill Lake Important Bird Area (IBA), a place that was so dear and close to his heart. 

On our drive to Beaverhill Lake Important Bird Area, located just outside Tofield, Alberta, I laid eyes on the prairie landscape for the first time, being a Northern Ontario girl myself.  I saw widespread rolling hills and grasslands galore.

Bill, Natalia and I met Chuck Priestly, the Executive Director of the Beaverhill Bird Observatory, at the gate.  We passed by cattle that share this space with shorebirds that migrate through and stop over at the site.  Chuck then toured us through the IBA visiting the “Herrier Highway” where we viewed some juvenile harriers in flight.

Walking past the fence, he remarked on the importance of the fence to ensure protection from the local cow herd that was trampling on nest sites and knocking over nestboxes, thus negatively impacting the success of the nesting birds, and thanked Nature Canada for the funds to erect it.  And we passed by the 200 or so songbird boxes that are maintained and repaired each year.  Next we visited the bird banding station where he updated us on recent monitoring trends.  The lab is over twenty years old and this year's Labatiuk Endowment funds helped repair the roof and upgrade facilities and cabins.

Sitting over lunch we reminisced about Charles' many memories and accolades.  His legacy continues on in the great work being achieved by the volunteers at Beaverhill Bird Observatory.  We wondered about Jeff Howard, the first recipient of the scholarship in Charles' name and Annie Buckton, the 9 year old whose exceptional initiative and volunteerism was also recently awarded, and pondered how this recognition will nurture their own dreams. Bill and Natalia reflected that Charles would be happiest to know that this special space and the birds that depend on it will be protected for others to enjoy for years to come.

What a fitting birthday tribute to Charles. We all hope to be remembered so fondly.

Through a generous legacy gift, the Charles Labatiuk Nature Endowment Fund supports bird conservation work at Beaverhill Lake Important Bird Area, provides an entrance scholarship for a young naturalist for their post-secondary studies in the natural sciences and rewards volunteer excellence.
 

Polar Bear Listed As Species of Special Concern

Thanks in large part to letters you sent, the federal government has officially declared the Polar Bear a species of special concern under the Species at Risk Act. 

Nearly 63,000 Nature Canada supporters asked the federal government to take action for polar bears. You asked for these three things:

• List the polar bear in law,
• Complete the required management plan ahead of the three-year legal deadline and
• Take action on climate change to protect polar bear habitat

Today, Nature Canada supports the government’s decision to recognize the perilous condition of Canada’s Polar Bear population by listing it under the Species at Risk Act (SARA).

The listing in law officially recognises the at-risk status which the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) has assigned to the polar bear since 1991. This important milestone means that, by law, a plan must be devised within three years to prevent the species from becoming endangered or threatened.

During the public comment period for the proposal to list the Polar Bear as a species of special concern, 99% of the comments received by the government supported the proposal. The vast majority of comments called for official designation under SARA and fast action on climate change.

The message was clear: listing the polar bear, coupled with action on climate change, are necessary to save one of Canada’s most iconic species.

With nearly 15,000 polar bears, Canada accounts for 60 per cent of the world's polar bear population. But dramatic changes, caused by global warming, are taking place in the Arctic that threaten the survival of this spectacular species.

Climate change is causing polar ice caps to melt, robbing the bears of the ice floes they need to hunt prey. 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.

Thousands of Nature Canada supporters asked the federal government to act now before it’s too late – and  much work still needs to be done to protect the Polar Bear.

Nature Canada urges the federal government to take fast action on climate change to prevent the extinction of this spectacular species, and strongly recommends that a management plan – mandated by law – be completed in advance of the three-year deadline.

Minister Peter Kent joins My Parks Pass in launching Canada’s Coolest School Trip contest

This morning in Toronto, Canadian Environment Minister Peter Kent joined Grade 8 students from École Secondaire Étienne Brulé and Gordon A. Brown Middle School to kick off “Canada’s Coolest School Trip”, the newest contest for the My Parks Pass program.

The contest, run in partnership between My Parks Pass, Brewster Travel Canada, and Banff Lake Louise Tourism, with the support of Air Canada, challenges Grade 8/secondary 2 classes to re-create a significant moment related to a Canadian national park, national historic site or national marine conservation area. This could mean recreating the moments leading up to Confederation at Sir George-Etienne Cartier National Historic Site, reliving the sinking of the W. L. Wetmore at Fathom Five National Marine Conservation Area or even joining in the Yukon gold rush at Dawson Historical Complex.

The My Parks Pass program works to connect Grade 8/secondary 2 students across the country with Canada’s national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas. Nature Canada is pleased to be partner in the My Parks Pass program and share in the opportunity to engage Canadian youth in our natural and cultural heritage. “Few countries have been as profoundly shaped by nature as Canada,” said Ian Davidson, Executive Director of Nature Canada. “Canada’s parks, historic sites and marine conservation areas provide a vital link to our shared history and culture, and it’s important our youth have the chance to experience them.”

Stay tuned! Starting January 9th, we’ll be calling on the public to vote for their favorite video on the My Parks Pass website. The winning Grade 8/secondary 2 class will win a trip to Banff National Park for 4 days of fun. This is as cool as it gets.

Thank You Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club!

On Tuesday evening, I was invited as speaker for the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club (OFNC) monthly meeting in the theatre of the Canadian Museum of Nature. My topic was Important Bird Areas, but I was not going to miss the opportunity to bring the local club up to date with recent changes in Nature Canada. It had been many years since a Nature Canada staffer had talked to the OFNC; in fact no one could remember the last time. Nature Canada Executive Director, and member of the OFNC, Ian Davidson, was in attendence, and by the end of the presentation, he was an active participant in the lively round of questions.

Forty-four people were in the theatre, many of whom confided that they did not know that there was an IBA in their backyard (Lac Deschenes). I am grateful for the opportunity to talk to our local club, and discuss the IBA program with its members and to consider opportunities for collaboration. Nature Canada's roots are with the naturalists of Canada. Staying connected to our 'foundation' is important to Nature Canada as an organization and to me personally as a naturalist.

I was delighted that two friends of mine, Jeff Skevington and Linda Burr, both members of the OFNC, introduced me and thanked me. I look forward to working with OFNC members on common projects around Lac Deschenes and other areas of joint interest. I also look forward to my own participation in the OFNC as a member and a participant in some of their events, such as the Christmas Bird Count.

IBA Caretakers: People Protecting Birds Across Canada – British Columbia

Across Canada, Canadians are engaging their communities to protect birds and their habitats by becoming Important Bird Area Caretakers.

As a Caretaker, they are part of the Important Bird Areas Caretaker Network, a nationwide initiative involving volunteers who watch over and protect natural spaces that are vitally important for breeding, migrating, staging and wintering birds.

Ted Cheskey, Nature Canada’s manager of bird conservation, recently met with Caretakers from British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan.

In this blog series, we follow Ted as he makes his way back east and discovers the many ways Important Bird Area Caretakers are making a difference on the ground to protect our birds.

Picking up where the last post left off, Ted pays a visit to the southern Okanagan Valley of British Columbia where he speaks with Doreen Olsen, an Important Bird Area Caretaker for White Lake IBA.

People join the IBA Caretaker Network for a wide range of reasons. For many, a love of birds and wild spaces in their communities drew them to the network and inspired them to become Caretakers. In this video, Doug Brown, a bird bander at Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory in south Okanagan Valley, briefly explains why he was motivated to become a Caretaker for Osoyoos Oxbows IBA.

Conservation of Important Bird Areas is a cornerstone of effective bird conservation in Canada and around the world. Caretakers – the eyes, ears and feet on the ground – make this important work possible. As a Caretaker, they channel their passion for nature and protecting birds by monitoring  birds, assessing habitats, and conducting conservation activities at Important Bird Areas. To date, there are Caretakers in every province in Canada.

Do you want to protect your local birds and habitat? Consider becoming an Important Bird Area Caretaker!

You can find out more about becoming a Caretaker and explore Important Bird Areas in Canada at ibacanada.ca

Next week, we’ll hear two Caretakers in Alberta talk about what makes the Important Bird Areas that they care for so special. Stay tuned!

Are you new to this blog series? Read the latest news on IBA Caretakers and watch more one-on-one interviews with Caretakers.

Nature Canada presents at the Earth Day 2011 EcoMentors Youth Conference

This past weekend, Nature Canada had the pleasure of taking part in the Earth Day 2011 EcoMentors Youth Conference in Ottawa.

The EcoMentors program provides training and resources for youth ages 15-24 looking to become community leaders for the environment. This year’s conference welcomed youth from across the country for a day of interactive workshops and activities designed to inspire participants to promote positive change for the environment. Nature Canada was pleased to be on-hand to present our Nature Explorers program model and share with participants how we use on-line tools to inspire off-line, nature-based action in Canadians.

The ultimate goal of the Nature Explorers program is to connect one million Canadian youth and their families with multiple positive experiences in nature over the next three to five years. We look forward to building this relationship with EcoMentors and being a part of this exciting opportunity to empower Canadian youth to become environmental leaders in their own communities.

Photo by EcoMentors

Connect with Nature: Set up a backyard bird feeder

As the weather gets colder and some birds prepare for a long winter at home, this is a perfect time to set up a backyard bird feeder. Backyard feeders provide birds with a good source of energy for the cold winter months and create excellent bird watching opportunities. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your backyard birding experience.

Choose the right feeder: There are lots of feeder types to choose from. Depending on your region, you could be visited by dozens of different bird species. The ideal feeder is sturdy enough to withstand winter weather, easy to clean and tight enough to keep bird feed dry. Suet bird feeders can be particularly good for birds this time of year because of the high energy content in suet mix, made from hard fats and other ingredients like peanuts or cornmeal. Hopper, or “house” feeders, offer good protection from the winter weather and are attractive to a wide range of feeder birds. Want to attract as many bird species as possible? Provide several different feeder styles and types of feed to maximize the species you see in your yard.

Pick a good location: Place your feeders in a quiet area where they are easy to see and convenient to refill. If you can, offer birds a refuge by placing feeders close to trees or shrubs where they can wait their turn to feed. Another factor to consider when choosing a location is the risk of window collisions. Birds can perceive a reflection in your window as a pathway through your house, so make sure to choose a location that will reduce this risk. Monitor your feeder to assess its location and if collisions become a issue, consider consulting Cornell's Lab of Ornithology for tips on how to mitigate the problem.

Keep it clean: Birds can become ill from leftover bits of seed and bird droppings that accumulate on feeder trays. Give your feeder a thorough wash with soap and water every few weeks or more often if necessary during heavy feeding periods. If you are setting up a suet feeder, make sure to be extra vigilant about keeping it clean. Suet mix can spoil easily in warmer weather.

Get to know your visitors: Bird watching continues to be one of the most popular pastimes around. Keep an eye on the birds that frequent your feeder and spend some time observing their size, shape, colour and behavior. If you’re having trouble identifying the species, snap a quick photo and use a field guide or allaboutbirds.org to narrow the possibilities. Don’t forget that you can always share your photos with fellow nature lovers through our Flickr pool or Nature Explorers community!

Make your observations count: Once you’ve got your bird feeder up and running, consider joining Project Feederwatch. Participants in this project periodically count the birds that appear at their feeders and submit their data to Bird Studies Canada, Nature Canada's co-partner in delivering the Important Bird Areas Program. By submitting your data, you’ll be helping scientists determine how bird populations are changing across North America. It’s open to all skill levels and is a great way to contribute to an international bird conservation effort.

Photo by Dbarronoss

Unlikely Partnership Paves the Way for Grasslands Conservation

Fernando Adauto is a cattle producer in Lavras and a key figure in leading collaborations between cattle producers and conservation groups

Grasslands are arguably the most threatened ecosystem globally. In North America less than 20 percent of native grasslands remain intact. The Southern Cone of South America has seen the conversion to agriculture, plantations or urbanization of around 50% of its grasslands and conversion continues at an alarming rate. Grasslands biodiversity, including birds, and the gaucho culture are at risk.

Cattle born and raised on natural grasslands

But an unlikely partnership between local producers and conservationists is trying to turn this around.

I had the opportunity this past week to participate in the fifth gathering of the Alliance for the Grasslands, known as the Encuentro de Ganaderos de Pastizales Naturales (Gathering of Natural Pasture Cattle Producers) in the town of Lavras do Sul, in southern Brazil.

These unique Encuentros have been bringing together Aves Argentinas, SAVE Brasil, Guyra Paraguay and Aves Uruguay - the BirdLife Partners from the region - with a growing number of landowners, experts, government officials and other groups and individuals interested in the conservation of natural grasslands, biodiversity and the traditional gaucho way of life.

Among the many ambitious and exciting projects of the Alliance is a certification system for beef produced on native grasslands, for which they've agreed on the overall guidelines and are working out the implementation details. The Alliance is also working with rice producers and on recognizing the ecosystem services provided by natural grasslands and providing economic incentives to conserve them.

As it celebrates five years of these Encuentros, the Alliance asked Nature Canada to carry out an evaluation of its progress. I had the opportunity to do this analysis and participate in the V Encuentro to share the preliminary findings and conduct a workshop to gather feedback from participants. I hope that this evaluation will be helpful to the Alliance in identifying gaps, opportunities and in planning its priority actions for the coming years.

I led a workshop with producers to gather feedback on the preliminary evaluation findings where participants identified the need to bring technical expertise to producers so can they improve the productivity of ranches based on natural pastures. The group has proposed creating an international training program to build on and share existing knowledge and know how.

Facilitating a workshop with ranchers from the Pampas of South America

At the same time, the exercise has been a fabulous opportunity to learn about this groundbreaking initiative supported by the BirdLife partnership and for bringing lessons back to North America.

Nature Canada, along with our BirdLife partners National Audubon in the US, and Pronatura in Mexico are looking forward to taking part in a project of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation that seeks to strengthen links in support of healthy ecosystems and communities in the grasslands of North America.

Many of these efforts will benefit the same birds because many of "our" declining grassland birds (including Bobolink and Swainson's hawk, to name but two) migrate to the grasslands of the Southern Cone of South America.

An opportunity still exists to save the grasslands of the Americas, but we urgently need to step up the effort. Despite the many challenges, the Alliance of the Grasslands of the Southern Cone of South America gives me hope that we can do this both in North and South America!