Concurrent Sessions:
Saturday, June 9, 2007

Session 1: LANDSCAPE CHANGE

10:30 a.m. HOW GLACIERS SHAPED PETERBOROUGH COUNTY
Helen Thompson, Trent
A description and discussion of how the landscape of Peterborough County was formed and molded by the last ice age.

11:00 a.m. LANDSCAPE CHANGE IN THE KAWARTHAS
Bruce Pond, MNR
The Kawartha region has grown from 42,941 people in 1901 to 125,856 by 2001. We will explore trends in patterns of land cover and land use in the last 100 years through sensors as diverse as surveyors, census-takers and satellites.

11:30 a.m. THE LAND BETWEEN
Leora Berman, Program Manager, L.B.C.
The Land Between is a mosaic ecotone stretching from Georgian Bay to Kingston, lying between the Canadian Shield and the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Lowlands. Newly recognized as a landscape of conservation concern and importance, the Land Between’s cultural and natural values are being researched and holistically targeted for conservation. The presentation will discuss the evolution of the Land Between Collaborative, outline current projects and research, and highlight characteristics of this distinct transitional landscape.

Session 2: FLORA AND FAUNA

10:30 a.m. FLORA OF PETERBOROUGH COUNTY
Mike Oldham, NHIC
Kawartha terrestrial, wetland, and aquatic habitats are home to over 1,000 species of vascular plants, a quarter of which are nonnative. Habitats range from Precambrian Shield to Rice Lake Plains.

11:00 a.m. HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE ATLAS OF THE BREEDING BIRDS OF ONTARIO, 2001-2005
Mike Cadman, CWS
The Atlas is to be published in September 2007. A summary of the major results of the atlas project, focusing on changes that have occurred in the distribution and status of Ontario’s birds since the first atlas (1981-85) and what they tell us about changing landscape and ecology.

11:30 a.m. VERNAL POOLS
Janine McLeod, NHC Alderville
Vernal pools offer specialized habitat for unique organisms. Fairy shrimp, wood frogs and mole salamanders would not survive without small temporary wetlands. The bounty of such a pool benefits mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles.

Session 3: LAND-USE PLANNING

10:30 a.m. A NATURAL HERITAGE SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR SOUTHERN ONTARIO
Silvia Strobl, MNR
In a highly settled landscape such as southern Ontario, natural heritage systems can be an important tool for strategic landscape level management and planning. The Natural Spaces program is an approach for identifying landscapescale natural heritage systems for southern Ontario.

Two pilot areas were the focus for the methodology development that utilized an “expert systems” approach through MARXAN – systems design software that optimizes ecological and socio-economic objectives on the landscape.

11:00 a.m. PLANNING FOR NATURAL HERITAGE IN PETERBOROUGH
Richard Straka, City of Peterborough
A brief overview of the city’s Natural Area Policies with a description of how Provincial Policy (Peterborough is designated as an Urban Growth Centre) may shape policies at the municipal level, including parks and open space.

11:30 a.m. PLANNING FOR CONSERVATION ON PRIVATE LANDS
Ian Attridge, KHC
Land use planning and private conservation options shape our communities and weave natural and cultural heritage, water, landforms and scenic aspects into diverse tapestries. Learn about innovative examples: The Land Between, land trusts, lake plans and landscape partnerships.

Session 1: SPECIAL PLACES

1:30 p.m. RICE LAKE PLAINS
Todd Farrell, NCC
Tallgrass prairie and savanna covered 15,384-30,300 ha within the Rice Lake Plains. The NCC, local partners and landowners are working to protect, steward and restore this globally rare ecosystem. A presentation of the past and present and a vision of the future for the Rice Lake Plains.

2:00 p.m. KAWARTHA HIGHLANDS
Graham Cameron, MNR
This talk will focus on the significant natural features of this new 3,500 ha provincial park and discuss preliminary plans for management. The park features several species at risk: fivelined skink, Blanding’s turtle, stinkpot turtle, eastern hog-nosed snake, red-headed woodpecker, cerulean warbler, red-shouldered hawk.

2:30 p.m. ALVARS OF PETERBOROUGH AND VICTORIA COUNTIES
Wasyl Bakowsky, NHIC
Open natural communities with distinctive flora and fauna, alvars occurr on thin soils over limestone bedrock. The Carden plain alvars in Victoria County are well-known but alvars also occur further east in central Ontario, including several in Peterborough County. This presentation will review the variety of alvar vegetation types in these counties, along with their flora.

Session 2: FLORA AND FAUNA

1:30 p.m. A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF A BLACK BEAR
Martin Obbard, MNR
This presentation will discuss the ecology of black bears with specific reference to central Ontario. The talk will highlight the ecological and evolutionary factors that affect bear populations and pre-dispose bears to come into conflict with humans. Human-bear conflicts and how to avoid them will also be addressed.

2:00 p.m. BELOW THE WATER’S SURFACE: Ontario’s Fishes at Risk
Al Dextrase, MNR
North America’s freshwater species are facing extinction rates five times higher than terrestrial species. This presentation will provide an overview of Ontario’s fishes at risk, the threats they face and some of the ongoing efforts to recover this important component of our aquatic biodiversity.

2:30 p.m. FLYING SQUIRRELS
Jeff Bowman, MNR
A description of the winter behaviour of northern and southern flying squirrels. A discussion based on recent research findings of why flying squirrels are susceptible to habitat fragmentation and climate change as a result of this winter behavior.

Session 3: LIVING WITH NATURE

1:30 p.m. FIRST NATIONS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Rick Beaver, Alderville FN
The dynamic relationship of Southern Ontario indigenous peoples since the 15th century with their environment is investigated, revealing complexities in their societies, religions, subsistence practices, settlement and agriculture. They created large scale agriculture, modified wildlife habitats, founded settlements and traded throughout the continent.

2:00 p.m. NUISANCE WILDLIFE OR NUISANCE HUMANS
John Zomer
Humans share earth with other living creatures. As territories overlap, who is the greater nuisance, animals or humans? This seminar will discuss some solutions to share this planet together and make it a better place to live.

2:30 p.m. NATURAL LAWN CARE
Peterborough Green-up Staff
Abundant chemicals used to manage traditional lawns have enormous environmental impacts. Peterborough has banned pesticides on lawns and other outdoor areas. We will explore natural lawn care techniques and their importance for environmental health.

Session 4: TRADITIONS

1:30 p.m. CANOE TRAVEL IN THE KAWARTHAS
John Jennings, Trent
Kathy Hooke, historian
John will discuss Native canoeing in the area, the types of canoes used and the transition to the European “carpentered” canoe. Kathy will talk about Kawartha life centered around the canoe.

2:00 p.m. WRITING ABOUT NATURE: Catharine Parr Traill and Susanna Moodie
Margaret Steffler, Trent
Neil Steffler, Fleming
Traill and Moodie describe nature, specifically plants, in ways that reveal their own feelings as colonizing and colonized women in the Ontario landscape. They convey botanical knowledge, aesthetic taste, philosophical, cultural, moral and social ideas and opinions about the place in which they and the plants find themselves.

2:30 p.m. ONTARIO’S HUNTING HERITAGE
Ray Bonenberg, MNR
A look at how Ontario’s hunting tradition has shaped its social, cultural and economic heritage, and challenges for future resource management. Human population growth and urban development may affect wildlife populations and lead to changes in harvesting. Resource users must promote ethical hunting and sustainable wildlife management.

Session 1: AQUATIC NATURAL HISTORY

3:30 p.m. A NATURAL HISTORY OF KAWARTHA FISHES
Becky Cudmore & Nick Mandrak, DFO
The Kawarthas’ unique diversity of freshwater fishes is generally lower than other areas of southern Ontario as a result of events following the last Ice Age. Habitat alteration, overexploitation and invasive species are some of the current threats facing the unique assemblage of Kawarthas fishes.

4:00 p.m. ONTARIO’S FRESHWATER MUSSELS: A VANISHING SPECIES?
Todd Morris, DFO
Forty-one species of mussels, sometimes known as clams, can be found through-out Ontario from smallest creeks to largest lakes. A sensitive indicator of ecosystem health, heavily impacted by human development they are one of the most threatened groups in North America.

4:30 p.m. ECOLOGY AND LIFE HISTORY OF THE PUMPKINSEED
Michael Fox, Trent
A discussion of the ecology and life history in the native environment of the pumpkinseed, a common sunfish in Ontario. Demonstration of changes in body size, maturity patterns and morphology in Europe where this highly adaptive species has been introduced.

Session 2: HUMAN IMPACTS

3:30 p.m. CLIMATE CHANGE IN ONTARIO: ARE WE READY?
Paul Gray, MNR
This talk reviews known and potential impacts of climate change in Ontario and describes some of the local-global tools and techniques available to mitigate impacts and help people adapt.

4:00 p.m. MANAGING INVASIVE PLANTS IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO
Cara Webster, Parks, Forestry & Recreation, City of Toronto
For 10 years Urban Forestry has implemented active management of invasive plants in parkland and ravines and has developed innovative control methods. City parkland includes 1500 parks and 7 watersheds. Tested control options for targeted invasive plants will be discussed as well as decisions that can be applied to other jurisdictions.

4:30 p.m. ONTARIO TURTLES: THE CONSERVATION CHALLENGE
Joe Cebek, Trent
The Kawartha Lakes region has a rich diversity of turtles. Six of Ontario’s eight species are considered Species at Risk. This talk will examine factors which put turtles at risk and consider long term prospects for turtles in the province.

Session 3: PLANNING FOR NATURE

3:30 p.m. ROUND TABLE
Guided by attendees at the conference.
What are the patterns of change in the Kawarthas and Southern Ontario? What can we do to reverse undesirable trends?

Session 4: LIVING WITH NATURE

3:30 p.m. ALTERNATIVE ENERGY: THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF SOLAR ENERGY FOR HOMEOWNERS
J.P. Pawliw, Generation Solar Renewable Energy Systems Inc.
A brief introduction to renewable energy technologies that are readily available to urban and rural homeowners and a discussion of their impact on climate change.

4:00 p.m. EXPERIENCING THE NEAR NORTH - WATERFRONT LIVING
Terry Rees, FOCA
Ontario's "near north" is an accessible yet wild refuge for an increasingly urban Southern Ontario. The mix, and the changes in land uses of this region within a few hours' drive of the
GTA, is reflected in the type of outdoors we experience, especially in the areas' precious waterfronts.

4:30 p.m. ALTERNATIVE DWELLINGS
Chris Magwood, Camelback Construction
Straw bale building is a great way to reduce heating costs and use environmentally friendly building materials. Straw bale homes offer insulation values of R-40 to R-45, more than double that of standard frame homes. This talk will cover the basics of straw bale building and provide information on how you can build your next home from straw!

SATURDAY WORKSHOPS

10:30 a.m. Workshop 1: NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY
Rick Stankiewicz and Ben Walters
What do pollen grains on the back of a fly have in common with the Moon? They can both be captured by your digital camera. This workshop will discuss and illustrate how you can get the most from a digital camera. From exploring what to look for in the purchase of a digital camera, to what you can expect the camera to do for you in the field. There will be lots of tips on buying a camera and how best to use it afterwards.
Requirements: No experience with digital cameras required.

1:30 p.m. Workshop 2: COMMUNITY POWER
Bill Kemp will discuss Renewable Energy and Off-Grid Living. He will present the challenges and potential solutions as Ontario moves towards a more sustainable energy system which includes the agricultural and community sectors. J.P. Pawliw will join Bill to discuss practical applications.

10:30 a.m. Workshop 3: DRAGONFLIES AND DAMSELFLIES (NOTE: previously 1:30PM, changed to 10:30 a.m.)
Colin Jones will first present a talk on “The Dragonflies and Damselflies of Ontario” covering their life history, conservation and habitats. We will then venture outside to explore the diversity of the local area. Bring binoculars and nets if you have them.

3:30 p.m. Workshop 4: ILLUSTRATING NATURE
Peter Burke
A talented natural history illustrator, Peter will show how he captures natural images; what he takes into the field, how he retains an image, how he can present a rare or unidentified bird on paper.

10:30 a.m. Workshop 5: GARDENING WITH NATIVE PLANTS (NOTE: previously 3:30PM, changed to 10:30 a.m.)
Cathy Dueck, Director, Peterborough Ecology Park
There are time-honoured links between native plants and the wildlife they support. Returning native plants to our gardens celebrates regional beauty and provides an oasis for many native animals. This workshop will explore some of Ontario's native plants suitable for gardens, and discuss methods of propagating them.