MEOPAR-Lincoln Blog

  • Protecting snapping turtles and other wetland species

    Thursday, April 30, 2020 | By

    Wetlands are beautiful habitats where many unique species of animals can be found. We are all
    able to help protect and conserve these critically important ecosystems.

    In Ontario, most of our important wetlands have been mapped and are protected through various regulations. Wetlands that support critical habitat and species are called Provincially Significant Wetlands (PSW) and are protected from development and disturbance. However, simply drawing a line around a wetland and saying it is “protected” is not enough to ensure the protection and survival of the species it contains. Many wetland species, such as turtles, snakes, and frogs, are mobile and capable of traveling great distances to find food and suitable habitat for breeding. When wildlife moves between habitats, they become extremely vulnerable to threats that could impact their ability to survive (and thrive).

    Everyone can play a part in helping to protect and conserve our treasured wetland species. One
    simple thing we can all do to help is to be mindful of the presence of wildlife on our roadways.
    Springtime, in particular, is a vulnerable time for many wetland species as they are on the move to find suitable nesting areas. Snapping turtles are of special concern in Ontario because they often lay their eggs in gravel along roadways in late May and early June and are at high risk of road mortality.

    You can help snapping turtles and other turtles by safely removing them off the road if you see
    them. Many tips and tricks can be used to ensure you do this without harming yourself or the
    turtle, but here are a few of the basics:

    • Never lift a turtle up from the tail, as the tail is attached to the turtle’s spine. To a human,
      this would be like being lifted up by your neck.
    • Snapping turtles have long necks and can extend their mouth past their front legs. You
      can safely pick up a snapping turtle by holding the very back of its shell behind its back
      legs.
    • Large snapping turtles can be effectively maneuvered backwards across road surfaces by
      pulling on the back part of their shell. Although slightly bothersome to them, it can save
      their life without hurting them.
    • Mats from your car can also be used to wedge under large turtles and move them to
      safety.
    • Leave a nesting turtle alone while she is egg-laying in the sand, gravel, or even loose soil
      (she will appear very docile, almost as if she is asleep, while she is laying eggs). Brightly
      coloured objects such as pylons, painted rocks (which can be a great craft for young kids)
      or safety vests can be placed beside a nesting turtle on the edge of the road to increase her
      visibility for other drivers. This will not bother her, as she will be focused on the job at-
      hand.

    The Toronto Zoo’s Adopt a Pond YouTube video also offers a variety of useful and clever
    techniques for safely removing turtles from roads. Just remember, if you see a turtle on the road, remove it in the direction it was traveling and be mindful of traffic. It is never worth putting your personal safety at risk.

    The researchers involved with the MEOPAR project are working to raise awareness about the
    impacts of climate change and how communities can effectively adapt, and increase resilience, to these changes. Follow along with our blog every week (written by researchers Liette Vasseur,
    Meredith DeCock, Bradley May, Pulkit Garg, Sam Gauthier, and Jocelyn Baker). Visit our
    website at brocku.ca/unesco-chair or email meopar-lincoln@brocku.ca.

    Categories: MEOPAR-Lincoln Blog, Updates of the Chair

  • MEOPAR BLOG: The Importance of Niagara’s Wetlands

    Tuesday, April 21, 2020 | By

    The Great Blue Heron is one of the many diverse species that rely on Niagara’s wetlands for survival.

    Access to clean, healthy water is critical for life. With more surface water than any other country in the world, Canada is also home to 25 per cent of the world’s wetlands. Canadian wetlands include fresh and saltwater marshes, wooded swamps, bogs, seasonally flooded forest, sloughs and any land area that can hold water long enough to let wetland plants and soils develop.

    Wetland ecosystems are important to the social, economic and ecological health of Canadians, providing a wide range of leisure opportunities including fishing, hunting, boating, and swimming; purifying and filtering nutrients, sediments and other pollutants from surface water; and protecting the country’s drinking water systems.

    Often referred to as vital lifelines of nature, wetlands provide links between water and land habitats, making them one of the world’s most productive and biologically diverse ecosystems.

    Wetlands support over 100,000 freshwater species globally, providing food and habitat for a large variety of species — including humans. Rice — the most important source of nutrition of nearly half of all human-kind — is grown in wetland complexes, for example. Not only that, but most commercial fisheries depend on wetlands for part of their lifecycle, with fish providing almost half of the world’s population with a significant portion of their nutritional protein needs.

    Habitat loss and degradation are recognized as the single greatest threats to plants and animals (biodiversity) in Canada. Despite the important contributions that wetlands provide, over 87 per cent of our global wetlands have been lost, primarily to land conversion, invasive species and climate change. A quarter of all wetlands in Canada are found in Ontario, and Southern Ontario has lost over 90 per cent of its original wetlands due to urbanization (housing and businesses) and, to a lesser degree, agriculture.

    People and nature have co-existed for thousands of years and now, more than ever, people are understanding the role that nature plays in both mental and physical health and well-being. Residents of the Niagara Peninsula are incredibly fortunate as this region has highest diversity of plants and animal species in all of Canada. In fact, the Niagara Region is one of the most biologically diverse life zones in all of North America. Its local climate is moderated by the Great Lakes and the Niagara Escarpment, which supports the existence of plants and animal species that are not found anywhere else in Canada. An example is the ancient white cedars, which can only be found within the Niagara River gorge and along parts of the Niagara Escarpment. Many of these species, such as the endangered Northern Dusky Salamander, are dependent on wetlands for survival. Ensuring the sustainability of wetland ecosystems is therefore of great concern — not only for the species they contain, but also for the well-being of the humans that cohabitate these regions.

    The researchers involved with the MEOPAR project are working to raise awareness about the impacts of climate change and how communities can effectively adapt, and increase resilience, to these changes. Follow along with our blog every week (written by researchers Liette Vasseur, Meredith DeCock, Bradley May, Pulkit Garg and Sam Gauthier). Visit our website at brocku.ca/unesco-chair or email meopar-lincoln@brocku.ca.

     

    Categories: MEOPAR-Lincoln Blog, Updates of the Chair

  • MEOPAR Blog: How much do we consume?

    Thursday, April 09, 2020 | By

    Reducing our footprint is crucial for ensure the sustainability of our world.

    Have you ever considered how much you consume? The amount that we consume is known as theecological footprint (EF). It is a value that was developed in 1990 by two researchers, Mathis Wackernagel and William Rees, at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. It is an effective tool to estimate our current individual environmental impact on the planet and which factors contribute to it, such as the energy required to operate homes, electronics, clothes, food, magazines, restaurants, travel, and more.

    The ecological footprint is calculated by determining and then comparing the cycle of supply (what we already have) and demand (what we want).  The tool first measures the resources that are already produced in our ecosystem and how much waste the planet can absorb. What is naturally produced is classified into a few categories: food and fiber, livestock and fish, timber and other forest products, energy, and space for urban infrastructure. The tool then compares what we effectively use as an individual, a population or a country.

    Currently, the planet cannot keep up with the demands we are placing on it. In fact, the planet needs one year and eight months to produce the resources that we are currently using and then absorb what we waste. That cycle may even become longer in the future, with estimates that it may take two years for the planet to replenish its resources and absorb the waste necessary to keep up with our increasing demand by 2050! It’s clear this is not sustainable.

    The ecological footprint also varies widely from country to country. The computation of the EF indicator incorporates all the inputs (resources) and transforms them into one parameter called ‘global hectare (gha)’. One global hectare (gha) is equivalent to one hectare of bio-productive land with world average productivity. In 2014, each Canadian required roughly 8.26 global hactares (gha) to meet the country’s demand, i.e. the amount of land to grow the food or materials extracted from various places in the world to produce the resources we need. Comparatively, people in the African countries of Cameroon and Burundi needed only 1.66 gha and 0.66 gha, respectively. If every country had similar consumption patterns as Canada, we would need the equivalent of five planets to keep up with the demand!

    With that in mind, it is important to consider your own ecological footprint and how your actions can help decrease the unsustainable demand on our planet. You can start by calculating your own EF here, and then use these data to think about different ways you can reduce this EF. This may include reducing resource consumption (saving water, saving electricity), making diet changes (buying local foods, eating less meat), using sustainable transportation modes (biking, busing) and efficiently managing waste (recycling, composting). You can start any time, and in very simple ways —and every little step helps.

    The researchers involved with the MEOPAR project are working to raise awareness about the impacts of climate change and how communities can effectively adapt, and increase resilience, to these changes. Follow along with our blog every week (written by researchers Liette Vasseur, Meredith DeCock, Bradley May, Pulkit Garg and Sam Gauthier) to learn more about the project and how you can get involved. You can also visit our website at brocku.ca/unesco-chair or email us at meopar-lincoln@brocku.ca.

     

    Categories: MEOPAR-Lincoln Blog, Updates of the Chair

  • MEOPAR BLOG: When do plants flower? A fun way to enjoy the outdoors

    Tuesday, April 07, 2020 | By

    Capturing a backyard shot of one of the first blooms to upload to the PlantWatch app.

    Do you enjoy the outdoors, springtime walks or gardening? Have you noticed which flowers have already been blooming? Plants are amazing at telling us how the weather is changing from one year to the next. In fact, many spring plants are sensitive to the number of nice, sunny days we get with temperatures higher than 0 degrees Celsius. It only takes small temperature changes to cause plants to flower early or late. This means that a cold spring will later be reflected by several spring flowers blooming late.

    The recording of these dates of first or full blooms is a science in itself: It is called phenology. But why bother recording these dates? Doing so helps us understand how our climate is changing over time. This is not really new; records in Europe were first recorded bySwedish scientist and artist Linnaeus (father of the taxonomic classification of species) in 1750. In Canada, Nova Scotia appears to be one of the first provinces that systematically recorded phenological data. This was organized by Nova Scotia’s Superintendent of Education, Dr. Alexander H. MacKay, who requested that students collect the dates of plant flowering between 1897 and 1923. Thanks to these historical records from across North America, for example, we know that some plant species are now flowering earlier due to climate change.

    Anyone can record dates of blooming plants in their neighbourhood. It is part of a citizen science initiative where your data can be integrated into a national monitoring program called PlantWatch. You can find more information, add your data and see your data on the map at naturewatch.ca/plantwatch/. As part of a network of “watchers,” you are kept informed of the results and the trends in our province and in other parts of Canada. This is a fun and completely free way to enjoy the outdoors. It’s also a great way for kids to learn about different plants, their names and how flowers open and produce seeds.

    The researchers involved with the MEOPAR project are working to raise awareness about the impacts of climate change and how communities can effectively adapt, and increase resilience, to these changes. Follow along with our blog every week (written by researchers Liette Vasseur, Meredith DeCock, Bradley May, Pulkit Garg and Sam Gauthier) to learn more about the project and how you can get involved. You can also visit our website at brocku.ca/unesco-chair or email us at meopar-lincoln@brocku.ca.

     

    Categories: MEOPAR-Lincoln Blog, Updates of the Chair

  • MEOPAR Blog: The Pledge For Planting Two Billion Trees By 2030

    Friday, March 27, 2020 | By

    Planting two billion trees by 2030 will be a crucial step towards achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

    During the 2019 election campaign, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined teen activist Greta Thunberg at the Climate Strike in Montreal, where he promised that his Liberal government would plant two billion trees over the next 10 years. This pledge is a $3 billion effort to harness the power of nature to fight climate change and reach net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. Net-zero GHG emissions are balanced by absorbing an equivalent amount from the atmosphere.

    Adding two billion new trees could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by millions of tonnes annually. A hectare of mature trees, for example, can remove up to 6.4 tonnes of emissions per year from the atmosphere. This is the equivalent of driving 30,000 kilometres in a mid-sized car. The program would also help restore and protect our forests, grasslands, agricultural lands, wetlands and coastal natural areas, which help clean our air, safeguard our water, and provide crucial wildlife habitat. Along with the environmental benefits, the program may also help our economy. The federal government estimates that 3,500 seasonal tree planting jobs will be created to grow and plant the young trees.

    It is important to note that these new trees, which are promised to be planted by 2030, are not meant to replace trees that are cut down by timber companies or cities, but will add to the current tree count. There must also be careful planning, implementation and monitoring of this program to ensure we do not replace land that is already forested, or wetlands that are essential for water irrigation, flood prevention, and water filtration. Trees also need to be planted in places where they can survive and flourish. This means planting in geographically suitable areas as well as considering the future climatic conditions of those areas. Trees planted today will still be standing in 80 to 120 years, which means there needs to be consideration for how climate change will impact the future temperature and precipitation in the places where these trees are planted.

    You can learn more about this program on the Liberal Government’s website.

    The researchers involved with the MEOPAR project are working to raise awareness about the impacts of climate change and how communities can effectively adapt, and increase resilience, to these changes. Follow along with our blog every week (written by researchers Liette Vasseur, Meredith DeCock, Bradley May, Pulkit Garg and Sam Gauthier) to learn more about the project and how you can get involved or email us at meopar-lincoln@brocku.ca.

     

     

    Categories: MEOPAR-Lincoln Blog, Uncategorised

  • MEOPAR Blog: Spring Migration of Birds in the Niagara Region

    Friday, March 20, 2020 | By

    During the spring months we often see beautiful birds, such as the Rose Breast Grosbeak shown above. Photo courtesy of Marcie Jacklin.

    The Niagara Region and its 12 municipalities are located between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, making it an ideal corridor for migrating birds. The various habitats in the region support an exceptional diversity of migratory birds during the spring and fall.

    Many species will come through Niagara during the spring migration. In fact, with the warmer temperatures we have been experiencing in the region this spring, many of these species are already back.  Spring migration is unique because we begin to see some of the amazing songbirds that only visit the region for a short time, such as the Scarlet Tanager, Rose Breasted Grosbeak, and Blackburnian Warbler. Some of these species also come here for the summer to breed.

    Aside from the songbirds, there are also many other species of birds whose migration patterns can be observed during this period. Some of the first birds to return are different types of waterfowl that visit Lake Ontario. A number of these migrant birds, such as the Northern Shoveler and the Blue Winged Teal, are only present for one to two weeks—so make sure you watch for them and check them off your birding list!

    Niagara is home to many different bird watching areas, and with the mild weather we have been having this spring, birdwatching is a great way for people of all ages to pass the time and learn something new while practicing social distancing.

    The Niagara River Corridor, Port Weller East Pier, and wooded areas along the Lake Erie and Lake Ontario shoreline are great locations for spotting some of the region’s most amazing birds.  Many local conservation parks and trails, such as Beamer Memorial Conservation Area and Mud Lake Conservation Area, currently remain open for passive recreational use and are also perfect places for birdwatching (all buildings within the parks, including public washrooms, are presently closed, however).

    There are also great resources online if you want to learn more about local bird populations from home. The All About Birds resource from Cornell, for example, has a searchable bird database and other great resources for new or veteran birdwatchers alike.  The National Audubon Society website is another great resource, providing information about ecosystem-wide conservation initiatives and local bird populations, as well as hosting citizen science initiatives like the Christmas Bird Count.

    Niagara Birds by John Black and Kayo Roy can also be accessed online, offering 25 articles and 368 species accounts authored by professional ornithologists and highly experienced amateur birders.

     

     

     

     

    Categories: MEOPAR-Lincoln Blog, Updates of the Chair

  • MEOPAR Blog: Bring back the bank swallows

    Friday, March 06, 2020 | By

    Photo Caption: Shoreline bird nests along the banks of the Lincoln coastline are at risk as the shoreline continues to erode. 

    Many people living in coastal communities have likely been lucky enough to experience the magic of bank swallows zipping through the air, showing off with an aerial display of acrobatics. Bank swallows are widely distributed across the world and can be found on every continent except for Australia and Antarctica.  Canada’s largest populations of bank swallows occurs between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.  These birds migrate through the Greater Niagara Region during the spring and summer months and can often be spotted in the Town of Lincoln. Unfortunately, their population has been declining since 1970, and they are now considered a threatened species in North America.

    Several factors are believed to be responsible for the decline in bank swallow populations. These birds prefer to nest in burrows along the shoreline (or banks) of rivers and lakes with vertical faces of silt and sand deposits. With the effects of climate change on shorelines causing erosion and land degradation, this is a major contributor to the decline of bank swallow populations. Coastal development and the addition of hard infrastructure along the shores have accelerated this phenomenon. This loss of breeding, nesting and foraging habitats for these shorebirds forces them to look elsewhere for these resource-rich areas. Many of these birds are now also found in sand and gravel pits where the banks remain suitable, although not ideal. This also presents many challenges to the species as activities in gravel pits, such as digging and movement of trucks, may affect their survival.

    Due to the Species at Risk status of bank swallows, they are protected by the government to ensure their populations do not continue decreasing. The population of bank swallows is beneficial for the community as increasing biodiversity results in healthier ecosystems. As individuals, you can help encourage their conservation by protecting their habitat. With proper adaptation strategies used to protect shorelines, you can increase the survival of bank swallows. Homeowners living on the shoreline may even be eligible for stewardship programs that support the protection and recovery of Species at Risk and their habitats, which is a great way for coastal communities to contribute to the conservation and restoration of their shorelines.

     

    Categories: MEOPAR-Lincoln Blog, Updates of the Chair

  • MEOPAR-Lincoln Project Research Team Calls for Community Feedback

    Friday, February 28, 2020 | By

    Bradley May, member of the MEOPAR-Lincoln Project research team and  Adjunct Professor at Brock University’s Environmental Sustainability Research Centre presents research at a community outreach event.

    For the past seven months, the MEOPAR research team has produced weekly blog posts to enhance the understanding of various aspects related to climate change. We thought it would now be a good opportunity to provide an update on the progress of the research project and gather some feedback from our readers.

    We have been busy since launching the Lincoln-MEOPAR project in late 2018. We have been conducting a number of interviews with key stakeholders and holding meetings to discuss our research on climate adaptation and resilience. From those meetings, we developed a community profile that we have been comparing to other MEOPAR case study sites located in other communities along the St. Lawrence. We are also in the process of finalizing a social network analysis of different stakeholders in the community. A shoreline vulnerability mapping project is also near completion. Our focus groups on agriculture and youth are now underway and are spurring engaging dialogue with participating community members. Our next upcoming event is focused on the tourism sector and how it can adapt to the changing climate. It will be held Wednesday, March 4 from 5:30 to7 p.m. at the Lincoln Library, Fleming Branch. The event is free and open to the public. If you would like to attend, please RSVP via email at meopar-lincoln@brocku.ca . Please reply as soon as possible as space is limited.

    There’s still time to enter your submission for our annual Sustainability Poetry Contest under the theme of International Year of Plant Health. The deadline has been extended to Saturday, March 1 at p.m. Poems are accepted from anyone living or studying in the Niagara region. In English or in French, and can be submitted though the UNESCO Chair’s website at brocku.ca/unesco-chair/sustainability-poetry-contest/

    We’re also looking for your input and invite you to send us comments on what articles you have found useful so far, and what you’d like to see us focus on in the future. You can read our posts here. Please fill out the following survey on our website and send us your ideas—we look forward to your input.

     

     

    Categories: MEOPAR-Lincoln Blog, Updates of the Chair

  • MEOPAR BLOG: Looking to Mother Nature for solutions to climate change

    Friday, February 21, 2020 | By

    Restored wetlands are a great example of Nature-based Solutions. They can retain more water during heavy rainfall events plus their presence increases biodiversity of the area.

    Have you ever noticed that nature has some ingenious ways of dealing with changes? Natural systems can adjust to respond to changes in the environment or the climate, such as changing blooming cycles or growing slower during droughts. This can be also be a source of inspiration for us, as well. This is what we call Nature-based Solutions (NbS).

    Nature-based Solutions are any actions that address challenges that societies are facing by protecting, sustainably managing, and restoring natural or modified ecosystems. These challenges can stem from environmental or climate changes and usually lead to threats in the sustainability of the communities where the changes occurred. Therefore, NbS aims to simultaneously provide human well-being and biodiversity benefits. Ecosystem-based Adaptation, which we have discussed in previous articles, is one example of NbS where green infrastructure can help a single residence to an entire community adapt to a change in climatic conditions. The addition of green spaces in an urban centre can also become a NbS if it helps reduce the heat island in the centre of that area and thus refreshes people during heatwaves. A heat island phenomenon occurs when an urban area is warmer than the surrounding rural area due to the replacement of vegetation with built structures that absorb and release heat throughout the day. Adding community garden plots into that green space has the added bonus of also helping residents produce food and reduce food insecurity.

    NbS can also be combined with grey infrastructure (sewage drainage, permeable sidewalk, etc.) when physical modifications are needed to accommodate new natural systems. For instance, the impacts of a flash flood from heavy rainfall can be reduced by combining an upgrade to the municipal sewer system with the addition of little creeks or the restoration of removed or degraded wetlands from the surrounding area. This combination provides more locations where excess water can be stored, thus reducing the stress on the wastewater treatment plant.

    NbS is based on equity, the inclusion of all sectors of society, and the restoration or protection of biological diversity as a top priority. Decisions can range from very local (neighbourhood) to a large landscape (regional), but in all cases, decisions should be transparent and integrate sustainable ideas and solutions for all. NbS are also a viable approach for meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and ensuring that basic societal needs are met in a safe and sustainable environment. These solutions can be quite innovative, and many of them are coming directly from people like you, who reside in the very community where these changes will have the biggest impact. Think about it—you may even have some ideas of your own!

    The researchers involved with the MEOPAR project are working to raise awareness about the impacts of climate change and how communities can effectively adapt, and increase resilience, to these changes. Follow along with our blog every week (written by researchers Liette Vasseur, Meredith DeCock, Bradley May, Pulkit Garg and Sam Gauthier) to learn more about the project and how you can get involved. You can also visit our website at brocku.ca/unesco-chair or email us at meopar-lincoln@brocku.ca.

     

    Categories: MEOPAR-Lincoln Blog, Updates of the Chair

  • Overcoming the fear around climate change

    Thursday, February 06, 2020 | By

    Reading your local waste guide can lead to the reduction of compostable and recyclable materials being sent to landfill.

    Climate change, global warming, sea-level rise, extreme weather events: these are some daunting topics of conversation that can often feel overwhelming. When something as big as a global catastrophe come to mind, a common reaction might be to feel utterly helpless. It can also raise the question: “what could I possibly do as one person?” If you have ever felt this way, you are certainly not alone; this phenomenon is called ecoanxiety. The next time you ask yourself that question however, it may be helpful to stop considering it a rhetorical question and start reflecting on what it is you actually can do.

    Everyone has their own strengths and attributes that can influence change. This can happen on an individual, household, workplace, or community level. People too often think their actions don’t have any impact, but our world’s ecosystems do not operate in vacuums—all actions count.

    Fear often goes hand-in-hand with climate change and can originate from the presence of risks due to hazards such as storms or heavy rainfall. Recent storm events in the last few years may have left people feeling anxious about what is to come. The best action is to respond to this fear with adaptation. There are many solutions and strategies that you can consider, such as thinking proactively about how to prevent flood damage or looking into what changes you can make on your property to ensure proper drainage. Our suggestion is to start small. Maybe pick one thing this month and see how it goes, then next month re-evaluate and consider adding something else into your routine.

    The United Nations developed an amusing yet helpful “Lazy Person’s Guide to Saving the World” that provides tangible actions for people to help in addressing these big global issues. They have even broken the actions down into different levels of effort or commitment. To see the complete guide, go to: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/takeaction/.

    The researchers involved with the MEOPAR project are working to raise awareness about the impacts of climate change and how communities can effectively adapt, and increase resilience, to these changes. Follow along with our blog every week (written by researchers Liette Vasseur, Meredith DeCock, Bradley May, Pulkit Garg and Sam Gauthier) to learn more about the project and how you can get involved. You can also visit our website at brocku.ca/unesco-chair or email us at meopar-lincoln@brocku.ca.

    Categories: MEOPAR-Lincoln Blog, Updates of the Chair

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