To:  All Members

At the February 14 PHFN General Meeting, attended by about 40+ members and guests, Mr. Luc Lance detailed the history of his involvement with radon gas testing.  During the mid '70's the Federal and Provincial Governments set up a task force to conduct radiation surveys throughout Canada.  Because of the uranium mining industry here, Elliot Lake was one of the areas surveyed by the task force.  In 1976 and 1977, as a result of their investigations, high levels of radon gas were found in housing units throught the city.  Criteria for radon levels were established by the task force and were set at 0.020 WL (working levels)..  Due to the high levels of natural radon found in homes in Elliot Lake, the Provincial Government amended the Ontario Building Code Act (O.Reg 555/78) requiring that radon levels not exceed 0.020 WL for all new housing units or businesses built in Elliot Lake.  As a condition for occupancy of a building in the city, the owner has to provide the City Building Inspector with appropriate radon test results showing that the radon progeny level is at or below 0.020 WL (Resolution 219, dated April 26, 1978).

To ensure radiation levels are maintained at or below the criteria, many types of radon reduction systems were installed in houses and apartment units.  To name a few, for example:

  -  Sub-floor ventilation system with exterior fan
  -  Sump fan installation system
  -  Venmar ventilation system
  -  Sealed basement system

The gas is emitted by buried uranium and is still prevalent in Elliot Lake and surrounding area.  Radon is inert, invisible to the naked eye, has no odour, and does not react with other chemicals.  However, lung cancer is the result of inhaling the gas over an extended period.  This health hazard was known, and some structures built between 1970 and 1976 had high levels.  Radon particles are found in damp, sealed structures and current building codes accept as safe 0.020 per million in one cubic litre of air (the above noted "working level").

To fix the problem, sub-floor venitlation systems are installed which remove radon gas and vent it outside.   Special monitors are used to actually detect the radon particles on a Kodak film and can be analyzed using a microsocope.   Some buildings, including houses, had such high levels of the gas that air exchangers and roof vents were required and installed.  A radon fan, vented to the outside and installed in the sump area also helps rid a house of the gas.  Unfortunately, over the years some homeowners removed the venting fans and conduits, and the only way to determine whether the hazard still exists is to have basements re-tested.  Tests involve taking an air sample, and collecting radon particles on a filter.  The reading taken indicates the level of radon in a building.

When the mines were in operation there were several other environmental technicians in town, but since the mines closed Mr. Lance is the only one who remains in the area.  The cost of re-installing a venting system was brought up at the meeting, and in addition to Mr. Lance's charge for his testing, a radon fan costs about $140.00 (Algoma Builders/Home Hardware is one local source), and material/labour for the sealed venting system itslef would be in the $400.00 range.  Any general contractor can carry out the installation.

The presentation, with actual testing equipment displayed and explained by Mr. Lance, was a real eye-opener to many of us.

In order to ensure that radiation levels remain below the government criteria, mitigation systems installed in buildings must be maintained and kept functional.  It is important to note that fans used for remediation have a limited life expectancy.  Caulking used for sealing lfoor and wall cracks deteriorates and basement foundations move.  Any of these circumstances may cause points of entry for radon gas to migrate into a building.

The Atomic Energy Control Board, Ministry of Labour (Radiation Protection Branch), Candian Institute for Radiation Safety and CANMET Radiation Laboratory were involved in montoring radiation levels. However, they are no longer in Elliot Lake.  Radon monitoring and maintenance of mitigation systems must be continued and Mr. Lance of Algoma Radon Service and Systems Inspection is qualified to test and inspect your home or business.   He has been involved with radiation monitoring and systems inspections for over 21 years.

[For more information on Radon gas see Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety ]

Trip leaders should be contacted for specific dates and particulars.  There will be sign-up sheets available at the appropriate General Meetings.  Should there be any changes necessary, they will be posted on the PHFN website.

March 2006
Bird "Sanctuaries" of the North
Terry Carr 461-9123

Survival & Tracking
Jim Johnston 848-7377

We are trying something new on our Homepage... a new picture each month.  This month's picture has been widely distributed on the internet and identified as "baby porcupines", however they are in fact baby African Pygmy Hedgehogs!  Unlike our familiar local porcupines, hedgehogs are not rodents and are unrelated to porcupines.  Anyone who has come close to "Ralph", the resident porcupine at Science North in Sudbury, will know that porcupines, to put it bluntly, stink. Hedgehogs do not have an unpleasant smell, nor do their "quills" come out. African Pygmy Hedgehogs are purported to be great pets, even better than hamsters or guinea pigs.  -Webmaster

Marretta Warianko and Tony Wooding monitored and cleaned out all the Bluebird/Swallow boxes in the Panel Mine, Quirke 1, Equestrian Field and Stable areas.  In February, 2006, on two separate occasions, Terry Carr, Gerard and Joan MacGillvrey, Naomi Maggs, Dave Young, Bill Young and Marretta Warianko cleaned out all the boxes at Sherriff Creek Sanctuary.

8 boxes were monitored in the Panel Mine Peninsula (end of road) area, 3 of which had been successfully nested producing 14 14 Swallow fledglings.
8 boxes were monitored in Quirk 1 (past Panel Mine road) area, 3 successfully nested producing again 14 Swallow fledglings
9 boxes were monitored in the Equestrian Field* area, none of which were successfully nested.
4 boxes were monitored in the Equestrian Stable area, one was successfully nested and produced 4 Bluebird fledglings.
13** boxes were monitored in Sherriff Creek area, 7 had been successfully nested, 1 nested by red squirrel but the number of fledglings produced is unknown.
7 Wood Duck boxes were monitored, 2 were successfully nested but again, the number of fledglings is unknown.

* Bluebirds did not nest in this area during the summer of 2005, likely due to golfer disturbance.
**There were 15 boxes at Sherriff Creek but 2 were missing and presumed down.

Marretta Warianko led two outings to see the Bluebird and Swallow nests last year.  On May 25, 2005 Naomi Maggs, Jan Towns, Carolyn MacKenzie and Marretta discovered a Bluebird nest containing two eggs in the Equestrian Stable area.   On June 6, 2005, Elizabeth Titherington, Heather Fluford and Marretta explored three Swallow nests, some with eggs and some with babies.

At the February 14 General Meeting, past President Elizabeth Matheson's many hours of dedication and effort, when PHFN was having difficulties, were (belatedly) recognized. Maxine Forsythe, PHFN Secretary, on behalf of the Board of Directors and the membership, presented Elizabeth with a small token of appreciation: a calendar of photographs of Sherriff Creek's flora and fauna taken in all seasons of the year by enthusiastic photographer Claudette Ladouceur.  During Elizabeth's term(s) as President the club benefitted greatly from her direction and expertise.

Mr. Sandy Guse will be guest speaker at the March 14 PHFN General Meeting.  Mr. Guse has been affiliated with the Search and Rescue facility in Sault Ste. Mariefor many years, and is an expert on survival.  This should be a very informative evening and we trust that all members will make an effort to attend for his presentation.

At the April 11 PHFN General Meeting Terry Carr and Steve Van Duin will make a slide presentation on "Wildlife in Southern Arizona".  Also on display will be several vintage (1959) Arizona Highways magazines from the writer's collection.

Waxwings are crested, gregarious, fruit eating birds with black masks and yellow tips to their short tails.  They are named for the red wax-like spots on the wings of adults.  They eat fruits and berries, also catch insects as flycatchers do.   In flight their silhouettes and flock formations resemble those of starlings.

Large flocks were recently seen in the area, cleaning up left over crab apples and berries, and eating road salt.  This is the eastern edge of the Bohemian's winter range and they are not as abundant as the ubiquitious Cedar Waxwing.  The large flocks are vagrant except during breeding season and they may follow the food supply.  They can be mistaken for Cedar Waxwings since their plumage and calls are similar, but with practice they can be quickly identified.  They lay 3-5 spotted eggs in a bulky shallow nest in late summer.

Stop the spread of destructive pests by not moving firewood or other types of wood from regulated areas.

These include: Trees, Nursery Stock, Pruned Branches, Logs and Forest Products with bark attached.

A particular threat is the presence of The Asian Long-horned Beetle in the Toronto/Vaughn area in Ontario, and The Emerald Ash Borer in Southwestern Ontario.

For further information visit the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website at www.inspection.gc.ca (after entering site choose "Invasive Alien Species" from the "Hot Topics" menu)