Volume 7, Issue 3, November, 2007   Penokean Hills Field Naturalists Inc. P.O. Box 74, Elliot Lake, ON P5A 2J6 http://www.penokeanhills.ottawaweb.com Phone:  Dorothy Kutt (705) 848-5834

The Wolf Howl

 

Mission Statement:   The Penokean Hills Field Naturalists exists as an organization to educate and promote interest, knowledge, conservation and preservation of the natural history, habitat and environment of our region for its members and the community at large.

 

Please join us at the Moose Family Centre for our meeting on November 13, 2007 at 7:00 p.m.

Our Speaker will be Liz and Phil Barnes with a presentation entitled “By Road to Alaska”

To keep up to date, please check our message board – http://www.penokeanhills.ottawaweb.com

 

President’s Message

2008 Sherriff Creek Calendar pick up your copy at the November meeting Excellent Christmas gifts $10.00 each 10% of proceeds to the Hospital

We are looking forward to hearing Liz and Phil Barnes’ presentation on their 16,500 km. journey via the Alaska Highway to the Yukon and Alaska. We look forward to seeing everyone at the meeting.

 

We were very disappointed and sorry that the calendars weren’t ready for

our October meeting but the wait has been well worth it.  They have

exceeded our expectations. We now have our calendars and many of you

have already been contacted and purchased your calendars, others are

picking theirs up at the meeting.  If you haven’t already received your

calendars, you can pick them up at the November meeting.  A special

thanks to everyone on the Calendar Committee – Gerrit Hamer, Dan

Humeniuk, Dave Young, Terry Carr, and Claudette Ladouceur for their work on the calendar.  Thank you also to C&R Variety on Esten South, Grams and Kilos, and the Civic Centre for supporting us and selling calendars on our behalf.                      Ontario Nature

PHFN Christmas Party Our Christmas dinner will be at the Renaissance Centre on Tuesday, December 11 Dinner 6:00 p.m. Cash Bar open 5:30 p.m. Special appearance by Men of Song Tickets $12.00 each Pick up your tickets at the meeting

                                                            In October, Joan and I represented you at the Ontario Nature Regional

                                                            meeting at Kilarney Provincial Park.  We learned a lot on the weekend

                                                            and heard a great presentation by Franco Mariotti from Science North

                                                            on “Hope in Changing Landscape and What do Easter Island and

                                                            Sudbury have in common?”  Our report, to the 5 clubs present,

                                                            included the calendar and they were very impressed by the pictures and

                                                            the beauty of Sherriff Creek.  Our club is one of 140 clubs throughout

                                                            Ontario who are members of Ontario Nature.  The goals of Ontario

                                                            Nature are to protect and restore nature in Ontario, to build protected

                                                            areas and nature reserves, to connect people with nature, and to build

                                                            Ontario’s Nature Network.  They are the voice for nature in Ontario

                                                            and provide opportunities to educate the public on the importance of

                                                            nature in all of our lives. Ontario

Nature is also our advocate at Queen’s Park, working with the

government to create policies that protect wildlife and nature areas. 

The new Endangered Species Act passed because of the work of

Ontario Nature and their Advocate for Nature Team.  Sign up at the

meeting to be notified when important conservation Action Alerts are

sent out.

                                                            Northwatch Forest Project

                                                            Do you have concerns about forestry around Elliot Lake? Would you

                                                            like to have your voice heard? If so, then come out to the Northwatch

                                                            Forest Project and hear a FREE presentation to learn how you can have

                                                            a say in how our Crown forests are managed!  "Getting Started: An

                                                            introduction to forest management planning" is a multi-media

presentation that covers some basics about the forest and the issues facing the forest industry, then explains the planning process for forestry on Crown lands, while focusing on the five opportunities for public input.  The 2-year planning process for the North Shore Crown forest will begin this winter. During this process, decisions will be made regarding how the forest will be accessed, harvested, and renewed over the next ten years. A public voice is essential if we are to manage our Crown forests sustainably. Now is the perfect time to learn how you can get involved!  Come to the Algo Inn on November 16 for this 1.5 hour presentation which will be presented twice – at 3:00 p.m. and again at 6:00 p.m.

 

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Upcoming Outings

Please note:  The Penokean Hills Field Naturalists Club, its officers or agents will not be held responsible for any accident or liability whatsoever incurred as a result of participation in any meeting, activity or field trip organized by them.

Come to outings dressed appropriately for the day (check the weather forecast).  Trip leaders have the right to refuse people who are not properly equipped.  Participants must make leaders aware of any serious medical condition that may arise during an outing.  Bring water, a snack or lunch depending on duration of outing.  Also your binos, camera, and field guides.

For general outing information, call Hans Kamps at 461-7737.  For scheduled outing information, please call the leader of the outing.  Sign up sheets will be available at the PHFN general meeting, and any member interested in participating in any activities should obtain more specific information by calling the trip leader(s).

 

Wednesday, November 14th, Tour of Elliot Lake Water Treatment Plant - Leader:  David Young  848-9590.  Meet at Spine Road plant main entrance parking lot just past St. Josephs Hospital at 1p.m. sharp.

The tour is conducted indoors. There are some stairs and ladders to climb so wear sensible footwear.

This outing will be very informative on the processes required to provide us with clean and safe drinking water.  Duration: 1-2 hrs.

 

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SHERRIFF CREEK SANCTUARY SPEAKS...................

This past summer, visitors to my cattail marsh saw so many water lilies that they almost seemed to form a carpet across the water. Since water lilies need calm conditions, the marsh is ideal for them, allowing their roots to provide important nutrition for those of my residents like moose and beavers and porcupines.  Have you ever seen a porcupine swimming out to dine on these plants?  Not many of my visitors have, but they do indeed, being lucky enough to have hollow quills which act as a personal flotation device.  All water lily eaters benefit from the high sodium content of these plants; their sodium level is over a thousand times greater than that of any land plants.

 

Now is the time when water lilies concentrate their nutrients into their roots which can extend up to 3 metres into the bottom sediment.  In spring, new leaves and flower buds reach the surface on long stems, and insects do the essential job of pollination.  Did you know the fertilized flower is then pulled beneath the surface by the stem which starts to coil up?  After several weeks under water, seed pods containing as many as 700 seeds per flower have formed; eventually these pods break off from the stem and float away.  As the pod covering dissolves in its watery surroundings, the seeds descend to the bottom to wait for spring.

 

The beauty of the water lily flower has been prized through the ages, inspiring ancient Egyptians, Greek myths, eastern religions, artists of many nationalities.  North American aboriginal people value the entire plant for food and medicine, and yet it is in danger because wetlands are in danger.  The constant draining of wetlands for other uses puts into jeopardy water lilies, cattails and all plants, animals and insects which require such a habitat.

 

 

Penokean Hills Field Naturalists Club Board of Directors

Executive                                                          Directors at Large                                      Advisors                                Wolf Howl Pub/Dist

Gerard MacGillivray     President                   Ray Cormier          Membership                  Heather Fulford                    Joan MacGillivray

Gerrit Hamer                  Vice-President          Hans Kamps         Outings                          Peter Kennedy 

Shelley McLennan       Secretary                   Liz Powell                                                      Jim Lindamood

Bob Montgomery        Treasurer                   Bernie McCabe                                             Elizabeth Matheson