Excitement builds as two Ontario cities, Hamilton and Burlington, wrap up their applications in the process of becoming a Certified Bird Friendly City. A collective Bird Team for both Hamilton and Burlington has been working tirelessly to ensure a safe haven for birds in both cities.
Barry Coombs and Sara Shwadchuck, the co-chairs of Bird Friendly Hamilton Burlington, are hard at work ensuring that they become Canada’s next Nature Canada Certified Bird Friendly City.
What was the inspiration behind starting a Bird team in Hamilton and Burlington? “I’m an avid birder. I always enjoy seeing new and rare birds but participation in many bird counts and surveys has been very rewarding and has offered me a way to give something back to birds and our ecosystem. I jumped at the opportunity to join our Bird Friendly team and work with” says Barry.
The Bird Team in Hamilton/Burlington is made up of passionate activists, birders, volunteers and leaders from various organizations such as Burlington Green Environmental Association, Environment Hamilton and Hobbitsee Wildlife Refuge.
Dave Tourchin is another member of both Burlington Green and the Hamilton/Burlington Bird Friendly City Team. Dave facilitates litter clean-ups, tree plantings, and invasive species removals in his community.
With her passion and ten years of experience in environmental education and restoration work, Erica Forrest brings a variety of amazing skills to the Hamilton/Burlington Bird Friendly Cities team!
Kelly Spanik is Burlington Green’s participating member on the Bird Friendly Hamilton Burlington team.
Peter Ormond is not only a member of the Hamilton Burlington Bird Team but his passion for conservation and biodiversity can be seen in his writing, radio show hosting and Fringe play writes.
Bob Bell is another amazing member of the Hamilton/Burlington Bird Friendly City Team. Bob is a passionate birder and thoroughly enjoys sharing and teaching his love of birds with people of all skill levels, and enjoys introducing them to the huge variety of beautiful birds that can be seen in the Hamilton and Burlington areas.
Sara Shwadchuck is the co-chair of the Hamilton/Burlington Bird Friendly City Team alongside Barry Coombs. Sara was also a volunteer coordinator for Hamilton FalconWatch and the team lead for Global Bird Rescue the past two seasons.
A few of their outreach tactics so far on their Bird Friendly City journey include:
A letter campaign asking individuals to write to their city councillors to urge them to adopt bird-safe building standards
Community awareness of their multiple Important Bird Areas (IBAs)
Leading and participating in Global Bird Rescue events
Bird Feeder Long-Term Care Project with Hobbitsee Wildlife Refuge at over 50 locations
Developed an informative presentation on birding for the Hamilton Public Library system
Organized World Migratory Bird Day events
Delegated to Council committees in Hamilton and Burlington
Currently, the City of Hamilton is considering an increase to its urban boundary, which is a huge threat to bird species in the area as urban sprawl and habitat loss can lead to large bird declines.
The Hamilton/Burlington Bird Team has delegated to the Planning Committee in opposition to this proposal. The team has also delegated and written to Council members and the Planning Department to advocate the use of bird-friendly window covers and other measures in site planning to keep bird conservation at the forefront.
If you are interested in learning more about the Hamilton/Burlington Bird Team’s efforts or would like to become a Bird Team member yourself, please follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!
The post Bird Team Spotlight: Hamilton/Burlington, Ontario appeared first on Nature Canada.
What an amazing month August has been! Nature Canada launched its August Ontario 50/50 Raffle, running from August 3 – August 26 and with its outstanding success, YOU are ensuring that Ontario’s wildlife and wilderness are protected. So from the bottom of our hearts, thank you!
Now, let’s take a look at our August winners!
Our Grand Prize Winner of:
$3,915
Bruce Winterbon
Deep River, ON
“I was making my usual annual donations and entered the raffle. I was astonished to win!!”
And our Early Bird winner for August is…
Our Early Bird Prize Winner of:
$500
Adèle Proulx
Brechin, ON
Congratulations to our August winners!!
Our September Raffle is about to wrap up, but you can still buy tickets to be eligible for this month’s prize until September 30 at 11:59 PM ET. And did you know that our October 50/50 Raffle launches on October 4th? Check out how to play at nature5050.com. Make sure you don’t miss out!
The post Congratulations to Our August 50/50 Raffle Winners! appeared first on Nature Canada.
The benefits of urban forests, defined as all natural and planted trees in or near an urban area, are well known. However, research finds that there is inequitable access to urban forests and green spaces. Urban tree canopy tends to be higher in higher-income neighbourhoods with fewer minority residents. Unequal access of low-income and racialized Canadians to urban forests results in unequal access to their benefits, creating an environmental injustice.
With the government of Canada committing to plant 2 billion trees (2BT) over the next 10 years, the expansion of urban forests and urban parks is a political priority. With about 82% of Canadians living in urban areas, designing cities to be more livable through greater urban forest cover is an important priority.
Source: This is your brain on trees: Why is urban nature so good for our minds, and what happens when a pandemic isolates us from it?
Proposals for how to make urban living more equitable are numerous and diverse. In February 2021, Dr. Cecil Konijnendijk, Professor of Urban Forestryat the University of British Columbia (UBC), started promoting the 3-30-300 rule for urban forestry as a means of creating greener and healthier cities. Based on current evidence on the benefits of urban trees and green spaces, the rule calls for every resident to be able to see at least 3 decent-sized trees from their home, live in neighbourhoods with at least 30% tree canopy cover, and live no more than 300 meters from the nearest public green space. Obviously, such a rule needs nuancing and adaptation to local situations, but it also represents a powerful way of communicating the benefits of urban forests and green spaces to politicians, experts from other sectors, and citizens.
Nature Canada sat down with Cecil to understand his motivation for developing this framework and to better understand how Canadian municipalities could leverage the federal commitment to plant 2 billion trees in ways that create equitable access to urban spaces for urban residents. Cecil is also the Director of the Nature-Based Solutions Institute in Spain. Cecil is passionate about using trees and nature to develop better cities and always stresses the importance of building meaningful relationships between people and places. He has advised international organizations such as the Food Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, as well as national and local governments in more than 30 countries.
Q: Thank you very much for taking the time to talk to us today. Why do urban forests matter?
Urban trees and urban green spaces provide a lot of benefits. There are three main benefits. The first is to human health. One of the most important benefits of urban forests is the interception and reduction of air pollution. Secondly, is the potential of urban forests to support climate change adaptation. The increase in heat and heat-related health problems is especially prevalent in cities, where the urban heat island effect increases the impact of heatwaves. Third, trees, especially the mature ones, perform a key role in terrestrial ecosystems. Trees are critically important, especially in urban areas, as they provide food and habitat for birds, invertebrates, mammals, and plants. Improving and maintaining biodiversity is necessary for a sustainable city. So, the added value is that people can come into contact with this biodiversity. So, trees provide multiple benefits simultaneously and are relatively cheaper compared to technical infrastructure.
Q: The 3-30-300 rule is gaining a lot of attention. Why 3-30-300 and what was your motivation?
I have often been asked by cities: what should we have as canopy cover? What should be the nearest distance to green spaces? I have always been very careful in responding because I want to make sure my proposals are evidence-based. But sometimes you also need to have a simple message that people can remember. Many of us working in this field are familiar with Frank Santamour’s 10-20-30 rule for ensuring species diversity in the urban forest. The rule states that no tree species should make up more than 10% of a municipality’s urban forest, no genus should have a share larger than 20%, and no single family should make up more than 30% of the urban forest. Although this rule has been debated, it has become widely known and adopted, most likely having a positive effect on urban forest structure and diversity. The 10-20-30 rule, however, does not have a specific focus on the benefits provided by urban forests.
Given the current climate, biodiversity and public health urgencies, as well as a range of other challenges, I felt it would be useful to introduce a guiding principle for urban forest programmes, and city greening across the world, that ensures that all residents have access to trees and green space and the benefits these provide. As a consultant who works a lot with politicians and decision-makers, I started thinking about how I could package the evidence in a way that people would remember.
Regarding the formula, the European Regional Office of the World Health Organization recommends a maximum distance of 300 metres to the nearest green space (of at least 1 hectare). A safe 5-minute walk or 10-minute stroll from their homes is often mentioned.
As for the 30% canopy cover, research in Australia shows that 30% is the minimum cut-off for health benefits. Cities can strive for higher canopy covers whenever possible. But where it is difficult for trees to grow and thrive the target should be at least 30% vegetation. Recent research also finds that visible greenery is extremely important for mental health and we have seen that during COVID. The Danish municipality of Frederik has a tree policy that calls for every citizen to see at least one tree from their house. So, I thought to myself, why one tree? We need some diversity and because we already had 300 and 30, I decided to go for 3 trees. So, there is evidence behind 300-30, though may be a bit less for the 3 trees.
Q: What has the impact been so far? Which cities are adopting the rule? Specifically, are there any Canadian cities/municipalities/districts etc.?
In Canada, the District of Saanich, BC formally adopted the rule in June 2021. Several other UK local councils, e.g. Stonehouse, have mentioned the rule in their urban strategies. The ruling Green Party in the Dutch city of Utrecht has proposed implementing the rule. Also, the Nordic Council of Ministers have asked me to integrate the 3-30-300 rule into their policy guidance for urban green space. In general, all these initiatives use the rule to promote the importance of trees and green spaces for climate, health and biodiversity benefits.
Q: In Canada, the federal government has committed to planting 2 billion trees over the next 10 years. With over 80% of Canadians living in urban areas, how can this commitment be leveraged to ensure optimal benefits for climate, biodiversity and human well-being?
It’s great to see many governments and even celebrities committing to planting thousands of trees. While these commitments are important, what is more important is what we are going to do with these trees. We need to ensure that planted trees are well catered for and protected. We need to work with municipalities and communities to ensure that tree planting is meaningful. That implies planting trees in the right places and ensuring there is a management plan. Some places will not be the right places. In order to succeed we also need capacity building and training on the management of urban trees.
Q: An important aspect of building meaningful relationships between people and places is ensuring there is equitable access to urban forests and green spaces for every urban resident irrespective of their race, socio-economic status etc. How can the 3-30-300 rule enable us to achieve such outcomes in Canada?
Urban trees and greenspaces are inequitably distributed across many cities such as Vancouver. Black, Indigenous communities and people of colour tend to have less access to urban forests and urban green spaces. Applying the 3-30-300 rule will improve and expand the local urban forest in many cities, and promote health, wellbeing, and resilience. For example, in New York, neighbourhoods with lower access to urban trees and green spaces are being targeted for tree planting. This means diverting funds for developing places such as Manhattan to these neighbourhoods. Cities cannot have a general tree canopy cover target. It needs to be a neighbourhood target so that everyone can have equal access to urban forests and green spaces.
Conclusion
Providing equal access to green spaces could provide significant climate and biodiversity benefits. It can also improve mental health and reduce inequities faced by lower-income neighbourhoods and racialized communities. The pandemic has given us an opportunity to rethink how we live together, including how we live with each other and our urban forests.
The time to start this conversation with your municipality and decision-makers is now.
For more information contact: vvabi@naturecanada.ca or ewhittingham@naturecanada.ca
The post The Urgency and Opportunity to Increase the Access of All Canadians to Urban Forests appeared first on Nature Canada.
Unceded Algonquin Territory – Ottawa, ON September 21, 2021 — Nature Canada is optimistic about the opportunity to work with Prime Minister Trudeau’s second minority government.
“An overwhelming majority of Canadians voted for a party that had a plan to protect and restore nature and now they’ll expect to see cooperation on the urgent actions needed to address the crises of nature loss and climate change,” says Gauri Sreenivasan, Director of Campaigns and Policy at Nature Canada. “We look forward to working with the Liberal government and all parliamentarians to get the job done.”
The Liberals election platform included the creation of 10 new national parks, 10 new national marine conservation areas, and 15 new national urban parks. They also promised to work with Indigenous partners to support new Indigenous Guardians programs and establish more Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas. The Liberal government previously committed to planting 2 Billion trees to fight climate change and protect nature and their election platform included additional funding for nature-based climate solutions in communities across Canada.
While nature protection and restoration didn’t grab headlines during the campaign, all the parties raised their level of ambition reflecting the nature community’s calls for a credible plan to halt and reverse nature loss. It’s never been more important for Parliamentarians to work together for land and ocean protection, Indigenous leadership, natural climate solutions and environmental justice. Nature Canada is optimistic that the parties will be able to find common ground and advance an ambitious agenda to address the biodiversity and climate crisis.
“It’s all about accountability now,” says Hannah Dean, Organizing Director at Nature Canada who works with a network of over 1,000 nature advocacy groups in Nature Canada’s Nature Network. “A minority government gives Nature lovers the opportunity to apply real pressure and ensure that this government makes good on it’s campaign promises. Maybe even give them reason to do better!”
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For more information contact:
Scott Mullenix media@naturecanada.ca
The post Nature Canada Sees Renewed Liberal Minority as an Opportunity for Nature appeared first on Nature Canada.
This year’s recipient is master’s student, Amanda Dickson! Amanda has a BSc in Anthropology from the University of Calgary and is currently working towards completing her Master’s Degree in Geography. She is passionate about the study and promotion of the peaceful coexistence between humans and coyotes.
Conservation Experience
Amanda has had many meaningful experiences working with nature. She has spent over six years volunteering at the Calgary Zoo where she had the opportunity to work to improve current data collection methods to study and save the endangered Whooping Crane in Canada.
During her time at the zoo, Amanda also worked towards improving the quality of life for animals in captivity. This included monitoring the pregnancy and nursing behaviour of western lowland gorillas, observing black bears and hippopotamuses for signs of stress, and designing a research method for volunteers to monitor the responses of Japanese macaques towards enrichment programs.
In 2019, Amanda was involved in the Prairie Dog Project which worked to reintroduce the black-footed ferret into Saskatchewan grasslands through the study of its primary prey: the black-tailed prairie dog.
Passion for Nature and the Environment
Amanda’s passion for nature and the environment has also led her to participate in global research opportunities.
Through the University of Calgary, she was able to research the diet, behaviour, movement patterns and rainforest ecosystems of howler monkeys in Belize. She later continued her passion by pursuing primatology research with the university in Ghana.
In Ghana, Amanda studied the unique check-pouching behaviour present in Mona monkeys. This project required her to work alongside the local community where Amanda witnessed the importance of understanding and valuing human impacts on conservation. She was inspired to generate research to promote sustainable ecosystems through conducting interviews with the locals and traditional ecological knowledge.
A Strong Connection to Nature and Conservation
With the fast-paced way of life we all live today, it’s so easy to feel like we’re alone. “We’re a species separated from each other by many arbitrary divisions. But this isn’t how nature works”, says Amanda. “Nature takes these differences and makes them beautiful”.
Amanda finds nature to be a solid source of connection. She believes that nature takes chaos and lets everything fall into its perfect niche. “It works so well that everything in nature is interconnected, and this interconnectedness is why we thrive”.
Nature conservation is of high importance to Amanda. Her reasoning? Simply put, we cannot survive without nature and its importance cannot be measured simply by the value it provides to people.
“I was lucky enough to grow up surrounded by nature, and between befriending bugs and watching birds in my backyard and spending weeks discovering Canada’s diverse habitats – the fierce and ancient Rocky Mountains, the echoing call of a loon across a densely wooded lake at sunset, a bright red crab holding its own against the wind in a salt-encrusted tidepool on the West Coast and the gentle expanse of pure gold extending forever towards the prairie horizon – I was enamoured.”
Amanda hopes to pursue her PhD and continue her research and educate the next generation of environmentalists.
“I cannot imagine a world without the diverse beauty provided by nature, and I hope that future generations will have the chance to experience these moments of wonder for themselves as well.”
Plans for the Future
Amanda says she grew up with an “unquenchable love of learning and a burning desire to explore everything [she] could about nature”. While she’s definitely open to exploring new research opportunities and conservation experiences as they come along, she feels her contributions lie best in a university environment where she can continue to conduct research, share her passion for nature with students, and develop public education programs that will encourage others to develop a passion for sustainability and life on Earth.
“A large part of me loves being in the field, surrounded by the lush perfume released by tropical flowers during a morning rainstorm or the heady scent of sage on the prairies. [..] And then there’s the other half of me that loves sharing this little bit of wonder I’ve been so immensely lucky to experience with the world.”
A Thank You and Next Steps
Amanda would like to extend her gratitude to the Charles Labatiuk family for their generosity and for allowing her to focus on her studies while maintaining her involvement with conservation organizations, like the Calgary Zoo.
“I feel that this award helps to kindle hope for a better world as it brings students together from diverse backgrounds to build a future where humans, animals and ecosystems can thrive and everyone can experience the beauty and peace of the natural world.”
We look forward to Amanda’s next steps in the conservation world and value her passion for nature. She’ll be sharing her research experiences and knowledge through a science communication and travel blog: traveloutdoorsy.com. Although her blog is not yet quite ready for launch, she’ll be sharing updates on Instagram. Stay tuned!
The post Get to Know the 2021 Charles Labatiuk Scholarship Winner: Amanda Dickson! appeared first on Nature Canada.
