Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
This Issue:
Successful Prescribed Burn to Restore Oak
Savanna in Peter’s Woods Provincial Park
New Property at Burnley Creek
Protected
Building Relationships on the Rice Lake Plains
New Prairie for 2007
New Communications Materials for Rice Lake
Plains Unveiled
Forestry News from the County of
Northumberland
Update from the Alderville Black Oak
Savanna and Tallgrass Prairie
Welcome New Partners and Thank-you to the Oak Ridges Moraine
Foundation!
On the Rice Lake Plains, located in the rolling hills north of Cobourg, you will find one of Ontario's last remaining tallgrass prairie and black oak
savanna habitats. Today, of the one million square kilometres of prairie and savanna habitat that once covered central Canada and the United States, less
than one percent remains. It is one of the rarest ecosystems in eastern North America.
Members of the Rice Lake Plains Joint Initiative, conservation partners and local landowners are working together to protect and steward this globally imperiled habitat and the species which live here. The Rice Lake Plains Joint Initiative is a partnership project created by the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Ontario Parks, County of Northumberland, Lower Trent Conservation, Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority and Wildlife Habitat Canada/ Wetland Habitat Fund, which has now been joined by new conservation partners! Read on to find out more!
Successful Prescribed Burn to Restore Oak Savanna in Peter's Woods Provincial Park by Susan Grigg, Ontario Parks
On the 20th and 21st of April 2006 a total of 13 hectares of Black Oak and Oak-pine savanna within the existing Peter's Woods Provincial Park and the north block of the proposed Burnley-Carmel park addition were burned. This was the first year of prescribed burning in the park. This prescribed burn project was a partnership between the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), Ontario Parks and the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), with funding from the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation.
Periodic fire prepares the ecosystem for natural regeneration, slows the growth of woody vegetation, and promotes growth of fire-tolerant savanna and prairie plants such as big bluestem, blazing star, prairie ragwort and shrubs like fragrant sumac and New Jersey tea.
A prescribed burn is a deliberately ignited ground fire that is allowed to burn within pre-determined boundaries under strictly controlled circumstances. The spring 2006 prescribed burn was carried out by MNR Haliburton fire control staff - the same staff that fight fires in Ontario - with more than 60 years of experience in conducting such burns. The burn did not affect adjacent lands, and smoke was localized and dispersed quickly.
Successful Prescribed Burn to Restore Oak Savanna in Peter's Woods Provincial Park by Susan Grigg, Ontario Parks
An Update from the Rice Lake Plains Joint InitiativeNews fromthe Field
No.3No.3
The Peter's Woods Preliminary ParkManagement Plan is scheduled for release in
Spring of 2007, followed by an opportunity for public review and input.
The document will be made available on the Ontario Parks website at:
www.ontarioparks.com/english/pete_planning.html
For more information please contact: Susan Grigg, Park Planner, Ontario Parks, Southeast Zone
Tel: (613) 531-5722 / email: [email protected]
www.BlueChairDesigns.com
MNR fire control staff conduct the prescribedburn at Peter's Woods; photo by Ontario Parks.
cont’d...
Page 1
New Property at Burnley Creek Protected by Bridget Stevenson, Lower Trent Conservation Lower Trent Conservation's (LTC) efforts to protect important headwater areas of local waterways received a boost in the past year with the donation of a significant property, now known as the Burnley Creek Natural Habitat Area (BCNHA), by Mr. Robert Wilson. This 43.3 hectare (107 acre) property, which contains a significant portion of the headwaters of Burnley Creek, is of a size and ecological value that makes it a welcome addition to LTC's network of conservation lands.
BCNHA is at the eastern end of the Oak Ridges Moraine, which is prized for its hydrological contributions to the ecology of southern Ontario. It joins a series of protected properties in the area, including, LTC's Alderville Woods Natural Habitat Area, two properties owned by the Nature Conservancy of Canada, the Ministry of Natural Resource's Peter's Wood Nature Reserve, and nearby segments of the Northumberland County Forest.
Some of the birds identified by a species inventory at the property include Hooded Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Eastern Screech-Owl (including rare 'red' morph), Winter Wren, Hermit Thrush, Blue Headed Vireo, Broad-Winged Hawk, Louisiana Waterthrush, Winter Wren, Hermit Thrush, White-throated Sparrow and Purple Finch, Barred Owl, and ravens. The property also contains a variety of Warblers, including Northern Parula, Canada, Mourning, Nashville, Magnolia, Black-throated Blue, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Green, Cerulean, and Blackburnian. Another interesting find was a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, singing as if on territory.
The transfer of the property to Lower Trent Conservation was made possible by the very generous support of the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation and the Ontario Land Trust Alliance. For more information on the Burnley Creek Natural Habitat Area, please contact Lower Trent Conservation: (613) 394-4829, or visit www.ltc.on.ca
New Property at Burnley Creek Protected
Building Relationships on the Rice Lake Plains by Laura Mousseau, Nature Conservancy of Canada Local relationships are a critical factor in achieving conservation success. This summer, the Nature Conservancy of Canada's (NCC's) Rice Lake Plains Joint Initiative Intern Janine McLeod met with landowners all over the Rice Lake Plains who shared her deep appreciation of the globally rare prairie and savanna habitat. Janine spent much of her summer meeting with landowners who happily took her on tours of their properties, sometimes revealing unknown areas of beautifully intact prairie patches. Janine shared her knowledge of prairie species with the landowners who were thrilled and sometimes surprised to hear of the ecological importance of their properties. But no matter their knowledge on rare species and ecosystems, landowners in the area agree that the Rice Lake Plains is a very special place.
"It was really exciting to go and meet with these landowners who share my enthusiasm for this natural environment," says Janine. "People here put their energy where their interests are and that's very inspiring."
Janine's landowner contact work was a major boost for NCC recognition in the area and helped to raise awareness of the unique plants and animals of the Plains. Landowners also learned about restoration opportunities and local stewardship programs to help them protect and rehabilitate their own prairie properties.
During the rest of her time with NCC this past summer, Janine helped coordinate Rice Lake Plains events including a Volunteer for Nature butterfly count and photography workshop that took place in June. Janine's contribution to NCC's efforts and to conservation in general on the Rice Lake Plains has been very valuable. In fact, it continues to this day - Janine is now the new Natural Heritage Coordinator for the Alderville First Nation Black Oak Savanna, and has already begun to work on developing more partnership projects. Well done, Janine!
Building Relationships on the Rice Lake Plains
About 20 people attended a pre-burn information session on March 23 in Centreton, and notices were handed out door-to-door in the park area the day before the burn to ensure adjacent landowners were aware of the project. Since burning can only be conducted under specific weather conditions, the weather was closely monitored for several weeks before the burn dates were chosen, and on the burn days weather conditions at each site had to be within specific ranges.
The burn occurred within three separate sites - two open grassy sites and one woodland site. This was a low-intensity burn, and all sites burned relatively slowly and low to the ground, with good coverage of the areas targeted. A visit to each site in early summer showed some prairie and savanna species were already growing. Ontario Parks and NCC staff will be doing detailed vegetation monitoring this summer to determine the progress of this first burn in restoring the prairie and savanna habitat. Restoration of this habitat will be dependent on a long term burn regime, with direction from the park management plan that is in progress.
Most of the sites burned in 2006 will not have sufficient fuel load to burn again until 2008. It is anticipated that additional savanna sites within the North Block will be burned in the spring of 2007.
For more information on this project contact Greg Walsh, Acting Park Superintendent, Darlington/Peter's Woods Provincial Park (905) 436-2036 or Todd Farrell, Science and Stewardship Coordinator, Central Ontario, Nature Conservancy of Canada (905) 862-2642.
Successful Prescribed Burn to Restore Oak Savanna in Peter's Woods Provincial Park (cont’d)
Page 2
New Prairie for 2007By Todd Farrell, Nature Conservancy of Canada
The Nature Conservancy of Canada is currently working to protect and restore a 4.5 hectar (11 acre) tallgrass prairie site on Red Cloud School Road next to the well-known Red Cloud Cemetery, a pioneer cemetery that has already been restored to its prairie splendour through the dedicated efforts of community volunteers. The new property, once restored, will be an important buffer and expansion of the prairie plant communities found in the area, and will provide an unparalleled opportunity for public tallgrass prairie interpretive activities. There are many sensitive sites within the Rice Lake Plains where human impact must be kept to a minimum, but this new property will be accessible to the public for educational purposes. A management plan will be completed for the property in 2007 and will involve detailed inventories of site conditions, plants and animals. The plan will also address future stewardship activities on the property.
NCC intends to manage and restore tallgrass prairie on the Red Cloud School Road property in a way that complements and supports the ongoing stewardship of the Red Cloud Cemetery prairie. This includes ecological restoration and the development of interpretive material for the NCC site. We plan to be good neighbours, and we very much look forward to collaborating with the Red Cloud Cemetery Board and the Township of Crahame.
New Prairie for 2007
Forestry News from the County of NorthumberlandBy County of Northumberland
The County of Northumberland is pleased to report that a youth intern has been hired to assist with the management plan for the Northumberland County Forest - welcome Mia Frankl, our new Forest Information Officer! The first task was to seek approval for a Forest Advisory Committee, which was County Council approved on January 24th 2007. This Committee is currently being formed. We also look forward to the opportunity to hold two prescribed burns on forest property sometime this spring, and we are pleased to continue our role in the Rice Lake Plains Joint Initiative. Keep an eye out for more news in your local County newspapers or check out our website www.northumberland.ca!
Forestry News from the County of Northumberland
Page 3
New Communications Materials for Rice Lake Plains UnveiledBy Laura Mousseau, Nature Conservancy of Canada
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) and Alderville First Nation (AFN), along with members of the Rice Lake Plains Joint Initiative (RLPJI), officially released prairie and savanna habitat information and restoration guides at an event at the Alderville Community Centre on Sept. 29, 2006. The launch of the two publications, A Landowner's Guide to Restoring Central Ontario's Rice Lake Plains Tallgrass Prairie, 2nd Edition, by the Peterborough Stewardship Council and To Know This Place, 2nd Edition by Ruth Clarke, coincided with the unveiling of new interpretive signs for the Rice Lake Plains.
The event was a great success with local media and representatives from all of the RLPJI partners attending. AFN's Economic Development Officer introduced AFN Chief JimBob Marsden who opened the event and preceded speeches from NCC's Mark Stabb, Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation's Kim Gavine, Peterborough Stewardship Council's Peter Mabee, and Ruth Clarke. The event ended with a tour of the Alderville Black Oak Savanna given by fomer Natural Heritage Coordinator Alison Clark. Media, partners & guests were treated to an informative tour on the savanna under a vivid blue sky. Rick Beaver of AFN provided additional information and species identification on the tour.
The habitat restoration guide published in September by the Peterborough Stewardship Council, in partnership with NCC, was funded in part by the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation, the driving financial force behind RLPJI. The restoration guide is free to interested landowners and local conservation groups. To obtain a copy please contact [email protected] (1-800-465-0029 ext 246). Ruth Clarke's To Know This Place is an extensive guide to the species, stewardship and trails of the AFN's exceptional prairie and savanna site. Copies of To Know This Place can be purchased for $14.95 from Sweetgrass Studios (www.rickbeaver.com).
New Communications Materials for Rice Lake Plains Unveiled
Update from the Alderville Black Oak Savanna and Tallgrass Prairieby Janine McLeod, Alderville First Nation
The 119 acre Alderville Black Oak Savanna supports some of the most impressive tracts of Black Oak savanna and tallgrass prairie in central Ontario. Here are some of the exciting things that happened here in 2006:
10 acres of land adjacent to our restoration site was acquired with the generous assistance of the Nature Conservancy of Canada.With the help of hard working dedicated volunteers, over 17 kg (38 lb) of seeds were collected in the fall. Most of this will be used to plant the newly acquired piece of land this spring.Butterfly and moth inventories were completed during the summer. An insect collection was started and will be an asset for educational and research purposes. The collection includes a wide variety of beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, butterflies, dragon flies and bees.
Update from the Alderville Black Oak Savanna and Tallgrass Prairie
cont’d...
CONTACT US:
Nature Conservancy of CanadaMark Stabb(905) [email protected]
County of NorthumberlandJudy Snider(905) 372-3329 ext. 261 [email protected]
Ganaraska Region Conservation AuthorityKen Towle(905) [email protected]
Lower Trent ConservationAnne Anderson(613) 394-3915 Ext. [email protected]
Ontario Parks: Susan Grigg(613) 531-5722 [email protected]
Northumberland Land TrustFrankie Libertyinfo@northumberlandlandtrust.cawww.northumberlandlandtrust.ca
Northumberland County Stewardship CouncilGlenn McLeod(705) [email protected]
Alderville First Nation Black Oak SavannaJanine McLeod(905) [email protected]
The Rice Lake Plains Joint Initiative is dedicated to the identification, protection and stewardship of the best remaining tallgrass prairie and black oak savanna within the Rice Lake Plains.
The Savanna Sentinel is a publication of the Rice Lake Plains Joint Initiative - dedicated to the identification, protection and stewardship of the best remaining tallgrass prairie and black oak savanna within the Rice Lake Plains, funded by the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation.
A herbarium collection was started to provide tangible evidence of the diversity of plants on the site; over 45 species have been pressed and stored.The 18 nest boxes on site were used by Eastern Bluebirds, Tree Swallows and House Wrens. Two of our boxes were used by all three species in sequence. 86 nestlings successfully fledged, including 26 Eastern Bluebird chicks.
The Alderville Black Oak Savanna and Tallgrass Prairie offers visitors a wonderful variety of plant life, birds, butterflies, dragonflies and other insects. If you would like more information please contact Janine McLeod at [email protected]
Update from the Alderville Black Oak Savanna and Tallgrass Prairie (cont’d)
Events and Workshops to watch out for:
Rare Species and Habitats hosted by the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority
and the Nature Conservancy of Canadath
May 27 , Harwood. Please visit: www.ormf.com/whats_Caring.html
for more information
Grassland Bird Workshop hosted by the Nature Conservancy of Canada
May 12th, Alderville First Nation Community Centre. For details,
please contact [email protected]
Welcome New Partners and Thank You to the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation!
The partners of the RLPJI are pleased to announce that the Joint Initiative has been granted additional funding from the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation through the Foundation's "Caring for the Moraine" initiative. This new "Caring for the Moraine in Northumberland County" project will complement the RLPJI's current strategic focus on
tallgrass prairie and savanna conservation, stewardship and restoration by also promoting stewardship of woodlands, riparian areas and other priority habitats on the Rice Lake Plains. Among other activities, a landowner contact staff person will be hired for the summer to provide free site visits to willing landowners with an interest in habitat conservation projects.
Joining the original RLPJI partners to accomplish this work in 2007 will be the Northumberland County Stewardship Council,
the Northumberland Land Trust and the
Alderville First Nation. The partners are very pleased at the interest shown in collaboration in Northumberland County, and will be coordinating efforts with groups involved in other Project Areas on the Moraine, most notably the Ganaraska Hills Project Area that borders the Northumerbland County to the west. For more information on all the Moraine Project Areas, please contact Kate Potter at [email protected] or 905 579 0411 ext 106.
(continuing their activities on non-prairie and savanna projects)
NATURECONSERVANCY
Find NCC on the web!Our website has all the latest news and background information on the Rice Lake Plains Joint Initiative, as well as details of upcoming stakeholder meetings, property tours, and volunteer days. Visit www.natureconservancy.ca and look for the "Rice Lake Plains" page.
