There is no better place to spend an Ontario summer than on a dock by a lake.  It is for just this reason the demand for waterfront properties continues to grow every year and why many folks are retiring to the lake year round.  Is there a limit to which we can enjoy these sensitive and complex lake environments before our presence becomes problematic for the inhabitants of the lake?

Eventually, shoreline development will have direct effects on the ecosystem health of our lakes.  One of the larger side effects of development is increased amounts of nutrients in the runoff from properties that makes its way into the lake.   In particular, phosphorous is a nutrient that can contribute to excessive aquatic plant and algae growth in a lake.  It is this nutrient and its accompanying effects that the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Natural Resources is concerned about when a lake experiences an increase in waterfront development.

The question these two Ministries ask is how many cottages can a lake sustain before the impacts begin to affect the life found in its waters? Some lakes in Ontario have been designated as “at capacity” by the Ministry of Environment.  This designation means that development which has the potential to add additional phosphorous into the lake should not be permitted within 300 metres of the lake.

These designations are specifically for lakes that have populations of lake trout, a fish species that is very sensitive to changes in temperature and oxygen levels. As part of their life cycle, juvenile lake trout rely on cooler waters found in deeper areas of lakes to avoid becoming a meal for their adult counterparts.  Typically, the juvenile fish reside in the cooler, deeper areas, while the adults stick closer to warmer, more shallow sections of the lake.

When additional nutrients are added to a lake, this can adversely affect juvenile lake trout by reducing the amounts of oxygen available to them. As phosphorus increases, so does algae and plant growth, and the decomposition of these elements causes a drop in the oxygen levels, thus harming the trout.

To find out just how much oxygen is available to fish in the lake, the Ministry of the Environment samples lakes, measuring the water temperature and oxygen levels at different depths. Ideally, lake trout require 7 parts per million (ppm) of oxygen to remain healthy and continue their life cycle.

The “at capacity” designation is given to a lake if the oxygen level is consistently below 7 ppm. Lakes that are close to the 7 ppm threshold are sampled more frequently to gain a more accurate reading of oxygen as small inaccuracies in the readings may occur.

If a lake has a reading consistently above 7 ppm, then new developments on that lake are not an issue, however if monitoring  continually comes back below 7 ppm, no new development is recommended to the municipality by designating a lake as being “at capacity”.

Lakecapacity designation and how it relates to lakes that have populations of lake trout is the topic that will addressed at this year’s Lakeland Conference. The Conference is being held in Faraday (just 9kms south of Bancroft) this year, from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Faraday Community Centre, 13 Lower Faraday Road.

The Lakeland Conference will be featuring speakers who will explain the science behind the “at capacity” designation along with municipal planning staff and lake community group representatives who have experience with the implications for municipal planning and property owners on lakes that have been designated “at capacity”.

Admission to the conference is $10 per person or $15 per couple, and those interested in attending can contact Jennifer Card at 613-332-3940 ext 260 to pre-register.

Lake trout are a vital part of manylakeecosystems inOntario.  Learning about this important fish species and how our daily lakeside activities can have an effect on its populations creates a better understanding of how we can all do our part to better protect our beautiful lakes.

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As the mid-point of the summer holidays approaches, many youngsters – and their parents – are looking for something to pass the time before school begins. For those parents who thought they missed the boat with summer camp registrations, there is still time to sign your children up for a bit of summer fun.

During August, Peterborough Green-Up’s Ecology Park is hosting a series of “Earth Adventures” children’s programs. Every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, from 1:30-3:30 pm, Green-Up educators will be in Ecology Park (1867 Ashburnham Drive) to run nature-based camps for children ages 5 to 10. Participants will enjoy a range of activities, including games, crafts, science and stories. Each day features a new theme which activities are based upon, from “Insectamania” to “Growing Garden Fun”. Parents may sign children up for one or more dates, at a cost of $7.00/child per session.

Ecology Park, is located beside Beavermead Park and is a calm and welcoming place to bring the whole family during the summer months. Its popular Children’s Garden offers a number of interactive displays and gardens for children t learn about nature. To register for Earth Adventures, or for more information on the program, contact Johanna Hart, educational programs coordinator, at (705) 745-3238 ext. 217, or at ecoed@greenup.on.ca.

 

Here’s an article about Earth Adventure’s that ran in today’s Peteborough Examiner by columnist Mary McGillis.

It’s hard to believe but it will be three years next week since I moved to Peterborough. It’s been an interesting ride, with its ups and downs (definitely more ups), but an adventure I would never regret.

One of the first places I visited upon moving to the city was the Ecology Park on Ashburnham Drive. We were in the midst of a hot, dry spell and I was writing this very column on a gardening technique called Xeriscaping, or gardening with very little water. A name that came up again and again was new co-worker, Cathy Dueck, the park’s coordinator and expert in just about anything in the realm of gardening.

That was just the first of many visits to “Peterborough’s Crown Jewel”, a title bestowed upon the Ecology Park by Communities in Bloom judges visiting the city from across Canada a few years back. Few realize how the park got its start in our community and the history behind it. A story I will briefly cover today.

Back in 1991, Cathy and a few others from Trent University met at the Kawartha World Issues Centre to plan a demonstration food garden to teach how to grow food organically, a very new concept at the time.

Ecology Park has its roots in East City at the Rogers Street Community Garden. After a couple of extremely successful years in that location the garden outgrew the space and the eager gardeners wanted to expand into growing trees and shrubs as well. They wanted to get residents thinking not only about growing food for humans, but food for all living things and creating and protecting habitat at the same time.

Expansion of such a worthwhile project also was on the mind of the City when the Parks Department approached Cathy, offering the current five acre parcel of land in Beavermeade Park. The original garden was moved to its current home in 1993, and his been flourishing ever since.

Much has changed since the early days of the Ecology Park. There are now several demonstration gardens showing

ecologically sound ways to garden naturally, without the use of pesticides, and literally dozens of different examples of habitat that is home to hundreds of species of flora and fauna.

Not only has the park seen growth and expansion over the past 20 years, but there has been a change in the way we think about the environment; people as a whole are much more aware of how their day to day routines can affect our planet.

There are many great examples of how techniques that were relatively new 20 years ago are mainstays today. Back in the early 90s composting was a new concept to many. To promote backyard composting, the City and the park worked together to set up a compost demonstration area to teach young and old a like the art of composting and the many benefits of doing it at home.

Another area that Cathy says she’s seen significant change in is around the topic of pesticides and chemicals. Like composting, growing a successful and chemical-free garden, no matter the type, was a new concept to many and few were practising it. Much has changed on the chemical front, especially with the introduction of a ban on many toxic garden chemicals, first on the local front and then provincially.

With the help of the park, people were quick to realize that even without chemicals it was possible to have a beautiful lawn, healthy garden and even control many common insect pests, all without resorting to chemicals and poisons.

With 20 years of ecological education behind it, there are no signs of anything slowing down at the park. Cathy sees the city as a great place to focus environmental education and that we can live in harmony with other living creatures found in our natural world.

They are also plans in the works to build a new greenhouse and indoor teaching facility so that teaching about ecological issues can happen not only in the spring and summer but into the colder months as well.

20 years later and after hosting thousands of visitors, it’s clear that Ecology Park is one of the most important outdoor educational areas in our city, and as time passes that importance continues to grow. From elementary school children, to adults, the park has touched many lives over the years and has laid the groundwork for Peterborough to continue to be one of our country’s greenest communities.

 

-MH

Water. We depend on it for our very survival every day. Water is an essential part of our lives, yet few of us take the time to consider where it originates before it comes out of our taps.

For most in more denser populated, urban areas, drinking water is supplied by the municipality. Treated and delivered to thousands of homes en masse, this water can come from a supply such as a river, lake

or reservoir. For those of us who live in more rural areas, the water we use to brush our teeth and wash our clothes comes from another source, far below the surface of the earth–the groundwater supply.

Having a reliable  access to the groundwater supply is important and part and parcel with this means having a reliable well to access it with. Just like a car, your well requires annual maintenance to make sure its operating at its best. You might wonder what can go wrong, but frankly, there’s any number of problems that can arise.

This is where the Well Aware program comes in. Our certified Well Guide will lead you through a guided self-assessment and will teach you the ins and outs and responsibilities of well ownership, give you tips on how to better care for your well and recommend any changes that might be necessary to ensure the quality of your water remains high.

Well Aware is free, completely confidential and non-regulatory. Information discussed between you and the Well Guide isn’t shared with anyone else and recommendations made by the Guide are totally voluntary. The goal of the program is make well owners more aware of what they can do to better protect our ground water resources, an in turn keep their drinking water supplies safe from contanimation.

To book a Well Aware visit call 1-888-745-3238 ext 208 to speak to program coordinator, Corinne Harris.

Your eyes are not playing tricks on you. If you scroll down you’ll see the last post in this blog was November 2009–closing in on two years ago. In complete honesty, I forgot this blog existed, hence the lack of posts.  In this age of digital communication, blogs are just as important as Facebook and Twitter, so consider the Green Update revived.

It’s been a busy summer here at Peterborough Green-Up. We had just cooled our heels from the Green Expo in April, and it was then time  to gear up for the busy season at Ecology Park. 2011 marks the 20th year for “Peterborough’s Crown Jewel” and we celebrated with a garden party on Wednesday evening.

With close to 50 people in attendance, the evening featured live music courtesy of Beau Dixon and delicious eats from our Aylmer Street neighbour, Black Honey. Folks mingled among the colourful blooms and chatted with Ecology Park manger Cathy Dueck about how far the park has come over the last 20 years and where it’s headed in the future.  For a full history of the park, check out this week’s Green Update column in Wednesday’s Peterborough Examiner.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter (@ptbogreenup) and like us on Facebook. We promise to have more blog posts in the very near future!

-MH

Children of all ages like music, and there’s no better time to cater to that likeness then during the holiday season. Local musician Glen Caradus recently released a CD with kids in mind!

Titled Song Gardens, the CD is not only geared towards kids, but local kids themselves play a starring role, singing along to the environmentally themed songs. Students from Nicola Jennings’ grade 5 class at King George Public School recorded the CD, Song Gardens, with 14 songs dedicated to nature and the outdoors.

Not only is this a locally produced CD featuring local children, it is also “green” CD as it was recorded using a solar-digital recording system powered completely by the sun in the Ecology Park itself.

Song Gardens features 14 songs dedicated to nature and the outdoors. The CD features songs such as “Frog Song”, “Lots of Bugs”, “ABC Ecology Park Song” and many more!

The CD sells for $20 with all proceeds going to the Ecology Park. CDs are available for purchase at the Peterborough Green-Up office, 378 Aylmer Street, the Toy Shop on Hunter St., Titles Books and Blue Streak Records on George St North. and the Canadian Canoe Museum. It makes an excellent and memorable gift!

In today’s world of e-mail communication, there’s nothing quite like opening the mailbox and finding a letter form a friend or loved one. However, more often then not, opening the mailbox reveals flyers, bills and leaflets and a wide assortment of other paper based material that was not asked for nor is appreciated by many. It doesn’t have to be this way, thanks to a little-known opt out program offered by Canada Post.

Simply by attaching a red dot sticker, or sign (“no ad mail” or “no junk mail”) on your mailbox, Canada Post will no longer deliver unaddressed advertisements. Those who receive their mail in community mailboxes, group mailboxes or post offices boxes, are asked to put the dot or sign on the inside of the mailbox door as the letter carrier won’t see the outside of the box when delivering mail.

You have to keep in mind that for the most part Canada Post doesn’t deliver flyers from the big box stores, that is generally taken care of by newspapers or other delivery agents. Unfortunately this program won’t work for flyers from those sources. For reducing flyers from those sources, your best bet is to get in touch with your flyer distribution company.

Canada Post will continue to deliver community newspapers, Elections Canada material, both provincial and municipal electoral notices and House of Commons mailings.

Canada Post reports that only 2% of Canadians participate in the “Consumer Choice Program”

For more information on the topic, go to http://www.reddotcampaign.ca/ and learn about the movement that is trying to get red dots on mailboxes across the country!

Links:
Canada Post Consumer Choice Program

We are so lucky to live in the Kawarthas. We have our beautiful lakes, of course, but also acres and acres of unspoiled wilderness that serves as crucial habitat for thousands of species of flora and fauna. Groups like the Peterborough Field Naturalists cater to our curiosity of nature and allow us to explore, learn and share knowledge with others.

The Junior Field Naturalists, which is part of the overall Peterborough Field Naturalists club, is targeted at the younger generation of naturalists in our area. The program which is run by coordinators Neil Fortin and Dan Chronowic, is aimed at 5-12 year olds and encompasses a wide range of outings and activities focusing on natural history, environmental issues and outdoor recreation.

The group tries run an outing once a month, usually meeting at Camp Kawartha and the new Camp Kawartha Environment Centre. They also meet at other spots in the area as well.

The next outing for the group is happening on Sunday Nov. 22nd at the Camp Kawartha Environment Centre at 2:00 p.m. where they will have a variety of activities for youth to participate in. Everything from bird feeder building, (kids can either take one home, or leave it for the centre to use) nature crafts, hot chocolate (bring a mug) and animal games. Local musician Glen Caradus will be helping out with some songs from his CD “Song Gardens” which is available for sale at Peterborough Green-Up for only $20. It makes a great gift!

For more information, contact Neil Fortin 292-6185 or nkfortin@sympatico.ca

Like many non-profit organizations here in Ontario, Peterborough Green-Up applies to the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) for funding. We are always pleased to find out we are successful with a grant application and those monies have funded many terrific programs that have directly benefited the greater Peterborough area over the years.

We were elated to announce that Peterborough Green Up is one of 19 finalists for the OTF’s prestigious 2009 Great Grants Awards. The awards recognize Ontario organizations that have demonstrated exceptional results, innovation and a lasting impact on the communities they serve.

Unfortunately, we didn’t win the big prize, but being nominated is an honour in its own right. We were chosen out of literally thousands of grants awarded across the province every year, and that is no small feat.

The specific grant that garnered the attention was for our urban forestry program, in partnership with the City of Peterborough. Peterborough school children are learning why trees are vital to a community’s health and well-being and then pulling their families outside to conduct backyard and neighbourhood tree inventories.

Thirty youth and adult volunteers are being trained to serve as urban foresters, under the watchful eye of program coordinator Chirs Gooderham. Staff at local garden centres, Trent University, a hardware store and golf course gave a tree care workshop. All are part of the Urban Forestry Program, a program that engages residents to preserve and enhance the urban forest in their neighbourhood. The city is developing a new municipal forestry policy to ensure the Peterborough’s green canopy is regularly nurtured and maintained.

We were awarded a three-year $162,500 OTF grant (awarded June 2007) is underpinning this community forest movement.

Our executive director Sue McGregor-Hunter and Green-Up Landscape program coordinator Cathy Dueck have been in Toronto since yesterday participating in the awards ceremony. Today the duo is passing on their expertise by participating in a “speed granting” session, offering advice to others who want to be more successful.