Caring for Land

Tree planting tips and myths

by Michael Richardson

In many cities, the urban forest is in crisis – development, climate change, exotic disease and insects, apathy, scarce financial resources, and lack of replanting all play a part in the decline. In the City of Toronto, their street tree program is being redesigned to improve survival, while in many municipalities, tree planting programs are virtually non-existent. Arborists can play a vital role in the renewal of the urban forest by using their knowledge and expertise to plant high quality trees that will best complement site conditions and withstand the tests of time. Experience is showing that carefully selected planting stock installed by dedicated professionals has the highest chance of survival.

Caring for Land

Ohio quakes could incite fracking policy shift

In Ohio, geographically and politically positioned to become a leading importer of wastewater from gas drilling, environmentalists and lawmakers opposed to the technique known as fracking are seizing on a series of small earthquakes as a signal to proceed with caution.

Earthquakes caused by the injection of wastewater that’s a byproduct of high-pressure hydraulic fracture drilling, aren’t new. Yet earthquakes have a special ability to grab public attention.

Caring for Land

Oh. Canada's become a home for record tracking

Early last year, deep in the forests of northern British Columbia, workers for Apache Corp. performed what the company proclaimed was the biggest hydraulic fracturing operation ever.

Workers on a natural gas drilling rig near Longview, Alberta. (Larry MacDougal/Canadian Press via AP Images)The project used 259 million gallons of water and 50,000 tons of sand to frack 16 gas wells side by side. It was "nearly four times larger than any project of its nature in North America," Apache boasted.

Caring for Land

Lead poisoning threatens eagles

Birds getting sick, dying after eating bullet fragments in animals, vet says.

Van Doninck, a veterinarian who operates the Cobequid Rehabilitation Centre, a charitable organization that provides care to sick, injured and orphaned wildlife, said she sees cases of lead poisoning in eagles and other birds every year.

Caring for Land

MacDonald Mine rehab delayed for new proposals

It was hard for latecomers to find a chair on the evening of Nov. 23, for the unveiling of the rehabilitation plans for the MacDonald Feldspar Mine in Hastings Highlands. The basement of the Bird's Creek community centre was packed with representatives from Hastings County, Hastings Highlands' council and municipal staff, the Bancroft Chamber of Commerce, the Bancroft Gem and Mineral Club, the Ontario Highlands Tourism Organization (OHTO), local residents, and regular visitors to the area.

Caring for Land

Species of the Month Porcupine

Quinte Conservation's featured Species of the Month for November is the Porcupine. Porcupines are easily recognized by the stiff, thick quills that cover their body. Conservation Education Coordinator at Quinte Conservation, Nicole Campbell says, "Porcupines are short, fat and covered with as many as 30,000 spiny quills. Usually these quills lie flat against the body, but if danger threatens the porcupine will raise and spread them. The head is roundish with a blunt muzzle and small ears and eyes."

Caring for Land

Snapping turtles at risk but still legally hunted

The snapping turtle is Canada’s largest freshwater and terrestrial turtle, and can be found most often in shallow waters, hiding under soft mud and leaf litter, although at one time they were a common sight crossing roads during the summer in search of nesting sites, food and mates.

Caring for Land

Become a stream steward

November 1, 2011 by Louise Livingstone

Join us for this tow-day workshop provided free of charge to individuals interested in becoming Stream Stewards - helping protect streams within their community and flowing through their land. Topics will include:

Stream and Wetland Ecosystems
Protection and Rehabilitation Projects
Aquatic Species at Risk
Funding and Permits
Assessing Your Stream
In-Stream Demonstrations

Event Date and Time:

November 5, 2011 - 09:00 - 17:00

November 8, 2011 - 18:00 - 21:00

Location

Goodrich Loomis Conservation Area

1331 Pinewood School Rd.

Codrington, ON K0K 1R0

Canada

44° 7' 47.028" N, 77° 49' 22.7532" W

See map: Google Maps

Trenton Woodlot Conference

October 18, 2011 by Louise Livingstone

Mark your calendar for the Trenton Woodlot Conference on Friday November 25. This will be the 22’nd year for the Woodlot Conference, an event where forest practitioners, woodlot owners and forest industry professional gather along with exhibitors to share ideas and knowledge about “caring for our forests”. The doors open to the exhibitor room at 8 am followed by speaker presentations from 9:30 until noon. A hot lunch (included in the $25 registration) is followed by a selection of options in the afternoon, including two separate field trips or an indoor session as described in the brochure attached.

Event Date and Time:

November 25, 2011 - 08:00 - 16:00

Location

Knights of Columbus Hall

57 Stella Crescent

Trenton, ON K8V 1W6

Canada

44° 6' 35.7876" N, 77° 33' 54.4752" W

See map: Google Maps

Forest Fest OWA Quinte Chapter Fall Workshop

September 10, 2011 by Louise Livingstone

Come on out to the OWA Quinte Chapter's Annual Fall Workshop. This year it is based around getting to know each other, and some good food and fun events. We encourage members to join in andwould love to get some new faces and fresh ideas on our chapter board. Following our short meeting there will be an all you can eat hearty fall lunch provided, bring your appetite.

Event Date and Time:

September 10, 2011 - 10:30

Location

2277 Moneymore Rd.

Roslin, ON K0K 2Y0

Canada

44° 21' 9.0936" N, 77° 18' 6.66" W

See map: Google Maps

Caring for Land

Sustainability

Caring for Land

November 1, 2011 by Louise Livingstone

Location

October 18, 2011 by Louise Livingstone

Location

September 10, 2011 by Louise Livingstone

Location