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International Day of Action for Rivers
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International Day of Action for Rivers

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International Day of Action for Rivers

By Gina|2019-03-12T11:04:40-04:00March 12th, 2019|Uncategorized|

International Day of Action for Rivers

Written by Gina Pannunzio for The Egret, Issue 35- Number 1

*Aerial photo of Peche Island, showing the beginning of the Detroit River by Lake St. Clair. Photo credit: the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup.*

Each year on March 14, International Day of Action for Rivers recognizes and celebrates efforts made around the world to protect and restore rivers. Globally, rivers often share boundaries with numerous jurisdictions, and this day highlights the shared goal of strengthening regional and international networks who steward these resources.

The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of the Windsor-Detroit area and is one of the busiest waterways in the world. It connects Lakes Superior, Michigan, and Huron to Lakes Erie, Ontario and the St. Lawrence Seaway. It is also designated as an American Heritage River and a Canadian Heritage River, the only river in North America to have this dual designation.

When the Windsor-Detroit area underwent rapid industrialization at the turn of the 20th century, the Detroit River became notoriously polluted. Years of extensive industrial, urban, and agricultural development along the Detroit River resulted in the historical release of harmful legacy pollutants from industry, bacteria from wastewater treatment plants, and nutrients from agricultural runoff. These environmental issues have caused the impairment of several beneficial uses. As part of the international cleanup effort, the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) was signed between Canada and the United States in 1972, committing both countries to protect and restore the Great Lakes Ecosystem. The Detroit River was designated as an Area of Concern (AOC), which are regarded as the most environmentally degraded sites within the Great Lakes. The 1970s and 1980s saw the development of a massive conservation effort aimed at cleaning up the Detroit River.

Both the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup (DRCC) and the Friends of the Detroit River (FDR) implement separate Remedial Action Plans (RAP) for Canada and the United States. Through community-based partnership between the government (federal, provincial/state, municipal), local industries, researchers, environmental organizations, and citizens working together, the goal is to protect, restore, and enhance the Detroit River ecosystem.

Remediation efforts from both Canada and the United States in the Detroit River include sediment cleanup and remediation, habitat restoration, municipal and industrial wastewater treatment, infrastructure upgrades, non-point source pollution management, as well as a suite of ongoing studies, investigations, monitoring, research, education and outreach.

To learn more about the DRCC, FDR, and associated RAPs, please visit their websites: www.detroitriver.ca and www.detroitriver.org respectively.

Cedar Creek Christmas Bird Count

By Gina|2019-03-12T11:05:29-04:00March 12th, 2019|Uncategorized|

Cedar Creek Christmas Bird Count

Written by Paul Pratt for The Egret, Issue 35- Number 1

The thirty-fourth Cedar Creek CBC was held Saturday December 15, 2018. This count originally started in part to help count the huge winter roost of American Crows in Essex. Although relatively few crows have been counted in recent years (32 in 2018) our peak count recorded 117, 149 in 2000. By 2004 the Essex roost started to decline as crows shifted to the winter roost in Chatham. This year thirty-seven observers tallied 15,032 individual birds of 79 species. The most common birds recorded were Canada Goose 2911, Starling 2641, House Sparrow 1398, Blue Jay 528, Brown-headed Cowbird 513, Red-breasted Merganser 509. Lower numbers of American Tree Sparrows were found (86 vs and average count of 500). Unusual counts included 235 Canvasback (a record high), 23 Sandhill Crane, 1 Gray Catbird and 1 Orange-crowned Warbler. An after-count compilation and pot-luck was hosted by Tom & Peggy Hurst for all participants.

Summary from BioBlitz at Point Pelee National Park

By Gina|2019-03-12T09:30:32-04:00December 10th, 2018|The Egret Article, Uncategorized|

Written by Point Pelee National Park Staff for The Egret, Issue 34- Number 4

This year was the 100^thbirthday of Point Pelee National Park (1918 – 2018). To help commemorate the occasion, several signature events occurred in the park throughout the year. On the weekend of July 21-22, 2018, a special Point Pelee 100 BioBlitz was held from 12:00 noon on July 21 to 12:00 noon on July 22. This was the first All TaxaBioBlitz in Point Pelee National Park and it encompassed the entire park.

Despite the cool, rainy weather, over 35 dedicated expert scientists, naturalists and assistants came to the park to offer their skills, knowledge and time to discover as many living species within the park boundaries as they could. We also benefited from 10 wonderful, committed event volunteers who helped the experience run smoothly! The number of citizen science participants who came to partake in the expert hikes, presentations and general BioBlitz excitement was between 80 – 100 people.

Point Pelee 100 BioBlitz Results

Number of Observations:
iNaturalist observations:973
Other observations: 907
TOTAL observations: 1880
Species Observation Highlights:
- Total number of species inventoried: 598 as of December 5, 2018
- Species At Risk observed: 13

Cool Finds!

While we are still waiting for some data to come in, following is a snapshot of the unique species that made an appearance for the Point Pelee 100 BioBlitz!

The rare Pawpaw tree (Asimina triloba) was historically recorded in Point Pelee National Park but had not been seen since 1990. Thought to beextirpated from the park, our tree expert was on a mission to rediscover it. He was rewarded when he found itpoking out from the underbrush near the Woodland Nature Trail. A tree species that was thought to be lost from the park was a very exciting find!

A lichen expert participated in the BioBlitz andcreated the first ever lichen species list for the park. There were 12 lichens found and identified,down to the genus or species. This is a great list to build from for future lichen research.

Dr. Steven Paiero, from the University of Guelph Insect Collection, has only started going through our catch of insects from the Middle Island portion of the BioBlitz but here are a few things of note. Three species of shore bug (Saldidae) were found out on the rocky shores, many hanging scorpionflies (Bittacus strigosus, Bittacidae) and the damsel bug Nabisamericolimbatus (Nabidae) on the interior of the island, and a lot of gall-making plant lice (Psyllidae, Pachypsylla celtidismamma) and metallic woodboring beetles (Buprestidae, Agrilus) on the hackberry. Highlight swere a massive dock spider (Dolomedes tenebrosus) and Phloeotribussca bricollis, a species of scolytine weevil that bores into the Common Hop Tree that has only been collected in southwestern Ontario from Middle Island!!

Spoon-leaved Moss (Bryoandersonia illecebra), an endangered species, has been recorded in the park in only 3small, fragmented locations. During the BioBlitz the endangered moss was identified in a new location in the park where it had never been recorded before. Avery exciting extension of a struggling population!

Preliminary data analysis shows that in total, 47 species(3 plants, 2 trees, 1 caddisfly, 12 mosses, 12 lichens and up to as many as 17moths) found during the BioBlitz may not have been previously listed for the park. Most of them are common species,some of them are invasive, but they represent an increase in our knowledge of the park and its inhabitants. Early detection of invasive species is also a huge benefit for park management strategies.

This inaugural BioBlitz for Point PeleeNational Park has created much excitement and encouragement for park staff,connecting them with many experts and participants who are as passionate about our local nature in Essex County as they are. It was a thrilling and humbling experience to see the BioBlitz come together and be a success. We were very happy with the outcomes.

We would like to give a big thanks to the Essex County Field Naturalists who helped before, during and after the event. And, a big thank you to the greater community of nature-lovers who supported and participated in the event. It was a blast! See you next time!

‘Massive’ Dock Spider (Photo credit: Steve Paiero)

Point Pelee 100 BioBlitz Group Photo (Photo credit: Parks Canada)

Click here to return to the December 2018 Egret newsletter.