RESTORE COOTES

McMaster University: Saturday, October 1, 2011. The roar of happiness fills the air, as McMaster's football team takes a commanding lead in the annual Homecoming Weekend game. Even this far from the field of play the enthusiasm is audible, yet to my surprise, the parking lots west of campus are nearly empty...

This has nothing to do with the upcoming election, and all to do with helping the Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG) win $25,000 from, gulp, an oil company. The plan is to use the cash to re-naturalize the famous "Burlington Heights" overlooking Cootes and the Hamilton Bay, reversing 200 years of environmental degradation The RBG describes the project this way: Royal Botanical Gardens will carry out the following activities: - Recreate pre-settlement vegetation communities by planting native plant species and removing non-native plant species that pose a threat to the area's environmental sustainability. This will also alleviate the need for power mowing, which will help reduce our carbon footprint. - Rejuvenate the land by converting an abandoned parking lot to a natural setting, to promote the growth of new vegetation from surrounding woodlands. - Convert a former maintenance works area to seasonal wetlands. - Highlight the area's historical and natural si...

What would the world look like if Nature had rights? Looking to give the natural world a chance, it appears Bolivia is moving to awarding nature equal rights to humans. plastic litter in Spencer Creek, Dundas ON - photo by Randy Kay Never mind the fact that human rights are often trampled when government or corporate power/profit is concerned, but this initiative at least recognizes the fact that all species deserve a fair chance. And the law recognizes the interconnectedness of all living things, and the fact that we NEED the natural world to survive. It is a promising development, and hopefully the message of conservation will become part of the human consciousness around the world.

night settles on Princess Point in Cootes Paradise, August 21/11. Photo by Randy Kay

Searching for Spiny Softshells The eastern spiny softshell turtle   Apalone spinifera spinifera   is a Threatened Species at Risk historically found at Royal Botanical Gardens. For decades the RBG population has been reduced to one or two individuals seen every few years. The last confirmed sighting was in 2003.   This summer RBG made signs asking visitors to submit photographs and information if they have seen this turtle. Only a few days later we got a response! It was quickly sent to the Spiny Softshell Recovery Team, only to find that it was not our native spiny softshell.   The submitted photo was of an exotic softshell that likely made its way here through the pet trade. This turtle, narrowed down to one of two types of softshells native to the Texas area, has low chances of making it through the winter. Releasing exotic pets into the wild can also introduce diseases to naturally occurring populations and competition for food and space. It was a false ala...

The short article (see below) lists some impressive accomplishments for Great Lakes rehabilitation, including successes in Cootes Paradise. I have chosen a few highlights that we should consider when addressing local issues, like parking lots and roads in former wetlands: "Nearly 60 per cent of original wetlands have been destroyed on the Canadian side of Lake Ontario, even more between Toronto and the Niagara River. In some parts of southwestern Ontario, the loss has reached 90 per cent, one of the highest rates in the world." “We have to take care of the little things. If we’re successful in taking care of the little things, little things become big improvements.” "In the past, wetlands were considered breeding grounds for mosquitoes that should be drained or paved. But they are to be treasured. They brim with more life than any other ecosystem — 200 species of birds and 50 species of mammals are dependent on wetlands, which are often sanctuaries for endangered s...

McMaster University Office of the Provost Vice-President (Academic) Ext. 24301 provost@mcmaster.ca May 10, 2011 Mr. Randy Kay Restore Cootes P.O. Box 19 1280 Main Street West Hamilton ON L8R 1Y3 Dear Mr. Kay, Thank you for your letter of March 31 , 2011, addressed, inter alia, to University Planning Committee. I am responding as Chair of the University Planning Committee. We share your interest in retaining and enhancing the beauty of Cootes Paradise and our surrounding environment. Your reference from our Campus Master Plan is evidence of our commitment, as is our alternative modes of transportation through increased biking facilities and car sharing. Our Office of Sustainability is actively engaged in improving our environment and engages students and faculty in support of our goals. Their annual report can be found at http://www.mcmaster.ca/sustainability/documents/Annual%20Report%202010.pdf Unfortunately, the demand for vehicular transportat...