Parks Protect Biodiversity

The Canadian Parks and Wildlife Service (CPAWS) has released their annual report and the findings, while not surprising, act as a reminder of the importance of limiting development where species at risk are concerned.
The CPAWS report addresses large parks, but the findings are easily transferable to Hamilton's largest urban wildlife reserve in Cootes Paradise.
Wildlife benefit from large uninterrupted natural areas,with roads and other developments being a negative influence, to the point of extirpation for vulnerable species.

The report recommends:

Creating new parks and expanding existing park boundaries;
Maintaining and restoring wildlife movement corridors (so that wildlife have the large ranges they often need);
Restricting roads and other damaging developments;
Limiting recreational activities; and
Practicing good park management focused on healthy ecosystems as a first priority.

We have seen the Royal Botanical Gardens move to limit some recreational activities, but we certainly could use an expanded park boundary (with restoration of lost marsh habitat), and in terms of this blog's purview, "restricting roads and other damaging developments."

[photo - Cootes Paradise from Desjardins Trail at RBG Fish Lift - rk]

Comments

Slow Sign and Turtle Time

THEY SAY: Information Report: April 3, 2017 SUBJECT/REPORT NO: Rare Turtle Recovery, Wildlife Corridor Issues and Roads of Issue at Cootes Paradise (PW16024a) - (City Wide) Traffic Issues on Cootes Drive Traffic Operations & Engineering has been working with the Ward 13 Councillor on traffic signage along Cootes Drive. Four (4) traffic signs (with flashing lights) operating during turtle migration season will be installed in the spring of 2017. The migration period for turtles is generally around the months of June, early July and September but can vary due to weather conditions. The traffic signs are useful in alerting motorists of potential turtle crossings on that roadway. RESTORE COOTES SAYS: Is it working? Is there any evidence that it is helping turtles or even slowing vehicles? We're betting it has little to no impact - the light is always flashing, if turtles are present or not, the road is built for speed and it makes it dangerous to slow down. We hope

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Urquhart Butterfly Garden speaker series

A lovely butterfly garden is the perfect setting for this annual speaker series. August 4, 2018, Guest speaker: Doreen Nicoll You cannot have Monarch Butterflies without milkweed. Doreen Nicoll has recently become a heroine for monarch butterflies, by insisting on her rights to grow milkweed in her naturalized garden in Burlington. Doreen Nicoll has long understood that garden with nature and not against her is the best thing for our planet. She also knows that native plants are great at attracting butterflies and bees of all species. Doreen will be the first presenter in the Summer Series at the Urquhart Butterfly Garden and her topic will be Monarchs and Their Milkweed and naturalized gardening. She has wealth of information and is fun as well! The session will begin at 11 am Saturday on August 4 and last approximately one hour. Please bring a chair. If it rains the session will be cancelled. For more information about the Urquhart Butterfly Garden please visit ur

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