[BNS_members] April, 2022-Newsletter from the Blomidon Naturalists Society

[e-Newsletter Editors]

Here's what's happening this month

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April 2022 Newsletter

Tundra Swan, near Canning, NS, late March, 2022.  Photo credit: Richard Stern

President's Message
Soren Bondrup-Nielsen

We are entering the month that I like to think teases us about the coming of spring. For example, towards the end of March, we had some lovely sunny and warm days, but then the other day, there was snow on the ground, and it was below freezing and quite cold. We will undoubtedly see beautiful days followed by snow and cold through April. Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds are back, but there must be days when they wished they were not. The pond across the road from me has a pair of Canada Geese on it – they nest on the small island each year, but so far, the geese are just swimming around together, waiting.

The big news in this newsletter is the large grant from ACOA that we received together with the Wolfville Farmers' Market and Earth Rhythms. This is a grant to promote tourism in this area. Tourism, you might say, why are we getting involved with tourism? It is not for the traditional concept of tourism but for the relatively new concept of experiential tourism. We, the BNS, got involved because we take people on field trips to learn about the local ecosystems, including flora and fauna. The Wolfville Farmers' Market has many vendors who are small-scale farmers running ecologically sustainable farm practices. This is where we can work together because of our knowledge about ecosystems and biodiversity. Earth Rhythms is a private business operated by one of our BNS members, Celes Dewar, who works across Canada helping tourist operators transition to experiential tourism. Traditional tourism generally caters to people from afar coming to an area and just looking and taking pictures. They may
stay at a B&B or hotel and eat at a restaurant, but that is generally it. Experiential tourism promotes a connection to an area by participating in activities, hands-on learning, and involvement, leaving with a deep understanding of the local landscape, its people, and nature. This is what got me excited about this project, as I see the BNS contributing in a meaningful way by connecting people to the landscape, the ecology, and where and how the food they eat is grown. Over the next couple of months, much more information will come out about this initiative.

Every day from now on there will be little signs of the coming of spring with intervening cold day and snow, but that is okay – the days are getting noticeably longer and spring is on its way...


** UPCOMING EVENTS
------------------------------------------------------------
April Monthly Meeting: Jijuktu’kwejk Watershed Alliance

Our next monthly meeting is scheduled for mid-April (week of April 18th) at 7:30 pm online on Zoom. PLEASE NOTE: This date is pending final confirmation with our presenters and may change from the regular third Monday of the month to accommodate their exam schedules.

Our presenters this month will be Keeler Colton and Jonas Gow, summer students in 2021 with the Jijuktu'kwejk Watershed Alliance.

The Jijuktu'kwejk River runs through Kings County from Berwick to Wolfville, and faces challenges from agricultural use and pollution. Keeler and Jonas will talk about their summer research work focusing on monitoring, protecting and understanding this river, which included projects such as a beaver monitoring project, a cold water refugia project, and projects looking at water quality, endangered Bank Swallows, Atlantic Salmon and Wood Turtles.

Stay tuned for a final confirmation and Zoom link to be published on our website (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=d28a2568fc&e=b24cf58224) , circulated by email and posted on social media.

Flying Squirrel Adventures

Flying Squirrel Adventures is leading many nature programs and events as we move into spring. Community events include the weekly Queer and Trans Friendly Nature Hikes every Saturday from 2:00-4:00 pm in Wolfville, and a Nature for Newcomers Celebration of Spring Hike on April 16th at the Kentville Bird Sanctuary (see more info on these events here (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=feeb14b29c&e=b24cf58224) ). Spring/summer programs open for registration include Girls Outdoor Adventure & Leadership (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=11380045e4&e=b24cf58224) , Wild Explorations: Adventure & Leadership for Male Youth (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=ab01ab689b&e=b24cf58224) , Forest Play (ages 3-5) (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=7173a92556&e=b24cf58224) , and Coyote Classroom (ages 5-11, forest school program) (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=9304775b7b&e=b24cf58224) .

Check out the Flying Squirrel Adventures website (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=3091b14dc5&e=b24cf58224) to learn more about these fun and exciting events and programs!
Upcoming Courses!

We are excited to present our upcoming schedule of courses on a variety of topic. Courses offered at Ross Creek Centre for the Arts (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=187bc5c42f&e=b24cf58224) will include lunch. Stayed tuned for registration details.

Beginner Birdwatching - May 21
Ross Creek Centre for the Arts -  Soren Bondrup-Nielsen
This course is for people just getting into birds and those who are interested in learning about birds.  Participants will learn about basic bird biology, the different groups of birds, and what to look for when trying to identify birds.

Advanced Birding by Ear - May 28
Ross Creek Centre for the Arts -  James Churchill
This course will teach participants about listening to bird songs and call notes, and how to associate them with specific species of birds.

The Acadian Forest - June 5
Location TBA -  Riley Scanlan and Soren Bondrup-Nielsen
Participants in this course will be guided through how to be in and experience the Acadian Forest ecosystem, as well as how to read the forest.

Nova Scotia Wildflowers - June 25
Location TBA -  Alain Belliveau
Participants in this course will be guided through what to look for in wildflowers in order to identify them.

Fun with Fungi - September 10
Ross Creek Centre for the Arts -  Allison Walkers and Keith Egger
Participants in the course will learn about fungi, their importance and variety, and how to identify them.

Lichens - October 1
Ross Creek Centre for the Arts -  Presenter TBA
Participants in the course will learn about local lichens, their importance, different varieties, and how to identify them.

Chipping Sparrow. Photo: Lucas Berrigan, BNS archives.
Our Website!

You can find our 2022 calendar of activities and events on our website. (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=178048ef2b&e=b24cf58224) It is updated throughout the months with new presentations, field trips, courses, and more! You can also find lots of informative articles, past newsletters and archives, photos, and past presentations and webinars (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=e79f12a992&e=b24cf58224) (NB this page is in progress).


** BUTTERFLYWAY PROJECT
------------------------------------------------------------
Planning a Biodiverse & Pollinator-Friendly Garden

Spring is here ... it's time to start planning gardens! (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=2ec7ed2358&e=b24cf58224)

We have a new article featuring tips and tricks for pollinator-friendly, ecological and biodiverse garden planning, with suggestions and ideas for a planning a new garden, amending an existing garden, and making use of small spaces. If you are wondering how to support pollinators in your garden and yard,this article written for the BNS website (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=2b9fbf89a4&e=b24cf58224) provides some ideas to check out and think about!

Even if you are not planning a garden this year and simple want to learn more, this article provides some ideas to think about. (Photo source: Sierra Club Canada).
https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=f8ab36d87d&e=b24cf58224
We have lots of resources on our website on pollinators, and how to support them!
Butterflyway Project Information & Resources (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=d2c58ec7e7&e=b24cf58224)


** BNS PODCAST
------------------------------------------------------------
We've started a podcast, currently entitled the Blomidon Naturalists in Conversation... This podcast gives us a new way to help inspire an appreciation for nature and to tell more stories about this landscape. We hope to cover a rage of topics, including discussions with members of the BNS, fascinating aspects of the natural world, and issues around conservation and biodiversity, and more.

Currently the podcast is available on our website (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=682f8e6a52&e=b24cf58224) and on the Podbean podcast platform (you can listen on you browser or the app on your phone).

Website: https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=565128bc4f&e=b24cf58224
Podbean: https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=2ec0b41df1&e=b24cf58224

Our most recent episode is with long-time BNS member and naturalist Jim Wolford. We chat about a variety of things, notably the annual eagle count and the rise of the bald eagle population in Kings County.


** GET INVOLVED
------------------------------------------------------------
Kentville Ravine Remains Closed

The Kentville Ravine, home to old growth forest including Hemlock, remains closed after severe slope erosion following a major February storm (CBC story here (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=7f7ca0e28a&e=b24cf58224) ). The ravine has been the recent subject of a GoFundMe project to stop the progress of the Woolly Hemlock Adelgid (more info here) (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=8596c080c9&e=b24cf58224) , which can kill these magnificent trees, some over 200 years old.  Although there is no ETA for opening the trail, The Town of Kentville will advise of progress via their web page (here (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=b296121a61&e=b24cf58224) ).
Spring Cleanup Can Endanger Overwintering Pollinators....  Just say No, and Relax!
Last Hope Wildlife Corridor - Seeking Support & Letter Writing to Protect the Forest!

The Forest Protectors and all those engaged in protecting the Last Hope forest down in Beals Brook, Annapolis County, are seeking supporters to write letters to the Premier once again! Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables Tory Rushton has lifted the hold he had placed on the cut at the Last Hope corridor, when Species At Risk lichens were found there. In theory, 100m buffer zones have been entered in the harvest plan for each of these lichens and will show up on the harvester's GPS, however only 5 occurrences of lichens have been accounted for when the expert hired by DNRR reported 7. The forest is still slated for harvest despite ongoing calls from many to protect it. The government has pledged to protect 20% of the lands and waters in this province by 2030... they need to start doing so.

Please send a letter or email calling for the protection of this 24-hectare ecologically significant forest and wildlife corridor. See a template here (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=2487c402ad&e=b24cf58224) (with the area in bold a good place to add a personal touch).

>From the folks of XR Nova Scotia: "Please send it in either by email or snail mail. (But please do not share or post on Facebook). We need A LOT of voices. This government pledged to listen to us. Let's give them something to listen to. If you choose to send the letter via email, please send the letter as an attachment to the email and also Bcc a copy to xrns at riseup.net (mailto:xrns at riseup.net) "
Support Federal Legislation on Environmental Racism

We need to protect our natural world, and we also need to protect our communities.

All people in Canada have the right to a healthy environment, yet pollution and environmental degradation disproportionately harm racialized communities... this is evident here in Nova Scotia (especially through the work of Ingrid Waldron to document it in her book There's Something in the Water). The proposed Bill C-226 would provide a national strategy to identify, address and prevent environmental racism, and advance environmental justice.

If you like, you can ask your MP to support Bill C-226! Here's a template made by the David Suzuki Foundation. (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=06971e6b89&e=b24cf58224)


** IN THE NEWS
------------------------------------------------------------
BNS, WFM & Earth Rhythms Receive Exciting Funding!

Some of you may already have heard about the exciting news announced by our MP, Kody Blois, on March 24th. The Wolfville Farmers Market, the Blomidon Naturalists Society and Earth Rhythms, a local company promoting experiential tourism, were selected by ACOA to receive a one year grant of $265,000 to develop local food and nature based experiential activities. It states that it is for tourists, however, the concept of tourism is undergoing a change from travelling and looking to travelling, both locally and abroad, and experiencing. This means tourists taking part in the local landscape of nature, food and culture, often through story telling.

More information will be coming out about this including how to take part in this initiative such as being a story teller.



** Lamenting the loss of the Acadian forest that I never got to know
------------------------------------------------------------
An article appeared this past month in SaltWire, by none other than our own Riley Scanlan!  Riley is currently completing the Master of Environmental Studies program at the school for resource and environmental studies at Dalhousie University.   Give it a read here! (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=684179bc7d&e=b24cf58224)
10 Must Knows from Biodiversity Science

On March 15th,  the Leibniz Research Network for Biodiversity (Leibniz-​Forschungsnetzwerk Biodiversität) published a list of "must knows" from biodiversity research, created by 45 scientists who aim to halt further loss of species diversity and to promote biodiversity. These 10 must knows from biodiversity science can inform scientific, political and community action. View the whole article here. (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=666a2cbd0d&e=b24cf58224)

1. Achieving climate and biodiversity protection together
2. Strengthening planetary health
3. Considering invisible biodiversity
4. Promoting biocultural habitats
5. Using forests sustainably
6. Transforming agriculture
7. Protecting land and resources
8. Expanding transnational infrastructures and education for sustainability
9. Ensuring open access and use of research data
10. Settin biodiversity-​friendly incentives


** RESOURCES & PUBLICATIONS
------------------------------------------------------------


** Common Lichens of Northeastern North America: A Field Guide
------------------------------------------------------------
For those keen to get into lichens following the "Lichens of Nova Scotia" talk by Sean Haughian (see the recording here (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=2b71a7c6eb&e=b24cf58224) ), a very good resource is Common Lichens of Northeastern North America: A Field Guide by Troy McMullin and Frances Anderson.

Frances Anderson is happy to hear from BNS members who would like to purchase this wonderful field guide. Please email her at fanderso[at]glinx[dot]com (NB no "n")
.
Beautiful Past BNS Newsletters

The printed newsletters of the BNS contain many wonderful stories and insights on the ecology of this area. If you would like a collection of copies of past issues, a member has some available to a new home. Please contact coordinator at blomidonnaturalists.ca to arrange. Must be able to pick up in Wolfville.
A selection of past issues - looking for a new home to be read and enjoyed!
We acknowledge that we live in Mi’kma’ki, the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People. This territory is covered by the “Treaties of Peace and Friendship” which did not entail the surrender of lands and resources, but recognized Mi’kmaq title. We want to recognize that outdoor education and play would not be possible without access to the natural world that has been stewarded since time immemorial by the many Indigenous peoples of this land. We acknowledge that we have a responsibility to honour and learn about their histories and current cultures and to actively work in support of reconciliation. We are committed to fostering respectful and sustainable relationships with the Indigenous Peoples of this land, with all other organisms, with the land and with the water.
Renew or Join Membership (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=e323402dc7&e=b24cf58224)
If you enjoyed reading this, please feel free to forward it to someone you think might also appreciate it.

If you would like to submit content and notices for the next e-newsletter, please email newsletter at blomidonnaturalists.ca. Thank you!

As a non-profit, the Blomidon Naturalists Society relies on the tireless effort of our volunteers and the support of individuals such as yourself. If you are able, we ask that you might consider donating to further enable this work.
Donate Now (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=d94d70cb55&e=b24cf58224)
Donate Monthly (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=bcec63d559&e=b24cf58224)

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