Rouge Park: world class by any standard….

Soon to be a National Park, the Rouge River Valley in northeastern Toronto is a spectacular treasure. Covering hundreds of green acres, the Rouge Park is the largest urban park in North America. It is also a valuable part of Ontario’s Greenbelt.

I recently had the chance to spend the day hiking in the Park and aside from its stunning beauty, I just couldn't believe that I was about a 30 minute car ride away from downtown Toronto. There was no noise, no honking horns, no rushing taxis or cyclists.

Peaceful. Serene. Calming.

Featuring a terrific set of hiking trails, each well marked and signed, the hike took us through wooded areas, wetlands, grasslands, and of course, trails along the river as well. We saw many areas where volunteers had planted trees, bushes and flowers.

Most residents in the GTA know the area mostly as where the Toronto Zoo is. Other than that it's not well known or perhaps not even appreciated for the treasure it is.  When we talk about “world-class cities" I find there is little conversation on our natural spaces and how they contribute to true world-class status. We tend to talk about the arts, economy, food and restaurants, infrastructure, and sport events. In the usual discourse, those areas define world class.

So let allow me to be a rabble-rouser and say unequivocally that Toronto's stature as a world-class city is vastly improved by the Rouge Park. Combine that with our vast ravine system and you have the foundation for a green city.

I look forward to the federal government making Rouge Park the first near-urban National Park as part of Canada's renowned National Parks system. Rouge Park will stand up well against some of the more iconic national parks such as Banff or Gros Morne.

In my meetings with Parks Canada officials, I've expressed the Greenbelt Foundation’s full support for the initiative, and suggested that their outreach and information materials reflect the ethnic cultural background of the people that live in the GTA.

World-class indeed.

Burkhard Mausberg, CEO, Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation

 

Walls Come Alive in York Region Elementary Schools

This is my first blog about my exciting journey of painting Greenbelt murals in York Region elementary schools.

I will start with how all began. I was one of 40 artists that were asked to make quilt squares for a quilt about what the Greenbelt meant to us for the Quilt of Possibilities. I am also a teacher. The kids saw me working on my square. They wanted to make one for our school, and so we did! 

When I told the Greenbelt people about it, they came to our school and were blown away by what the students had done. They created the "Young Friends of the Greenbelt' award just for us.

I suggested that we repeat the experience in other schools and educate more children about the importance of the Greenbelt, and here we are. I am painting murals in three more schools this spring.

The kids are so excited about painting the murals. They love the idea of painting on the school walls, and they love the fact that the paintings are permanent. Most of what kids produce in a school day is done on a computer or on a piece of paper that is disposed of. They take the permanence of the murals very seriously. I tell them when we start a mural that this is like being  part of a choir or orchestra. We work together as a team to produce something beautiful. They love the fact that painting the murals on the school walls transforms their school from institutional concrete block walls to windows on a beautiful magical world.

One child walked past the mural while we were painting and threw his arms up and said "Wow, walking here is like going on a two minute vacation!"

The students recognize the Greenbelt as being a place where birds, animals, fish and insects live and flourish. We are painting murals of rivers full of fish, beaver dams and birds, and trees full of fruit. The students tell me that having the Greenbelt so close to where they live is very valuable to them because it gives them a place to enjoy wide open spaces, forests, rivers and ponds. They talk about going for hikes and picnics and how they enjoy the sounds that are so different from the city sounds.

The kids are also aware of the farmland they enjoy having so close to home. They talk enthusiastically about eating fruits and vegetables that are grown locally. They talk to their parents about buying crops harvested nearby. They also say they hope the farms in the area will still be there for their children.

-- Katherine Laco, the wonderful teacher and artist who is heading up the Greenbelt Mural Project in York Region

Plotting Your Greenbelt Farmers' Market Tour

May marks the beginning of the farmers’ market season. Your weekly market starts up, familiar faces reappear, and your neighbourhood is reenergized after the long winter months.

To make sure you don’t miss opening season, we’ve rounded up a few of the farmers’ market happenings in and around the Greenbelt.

It may be worth visiting a new Greenbelt destination each Saturday of this month.

Start with the Milton Farmers’ Market which opened this Saturday, May 12^th. Next weekend you’re over the Creemore Farmers’ Market, followed by Aberfoyle Farmers’ Market or East Gwillimbury Farmers’ Market opening on May 26^th. 

Don’t worry - the action doesn’t stop in June. Consider dropping in on the Downtown Georgetown Farmers’ Market on June 9^th for their Biscuits and Berries Festival. They’ll be selling locally made biscuits and strawberries with whipped cream, with all the proceeds donated to their local food bank.

If you’re in Toronto, there’s lots happening on the farmers’ market front. After a successful pilot season last year, the Toronto Botanical Gardens Organic Farmers’ Market is launching a bigger and better market this year, which opens May 24^th. What a great way to spend a Thursday evening - eating fresh food and going for a walk in Toronto’s Botanical Gardens, located at 777 Lawrence Avenue East.

A few new Toronto markets to add to your rotation this year:

•  Farmer’s Market 707 is opening May 23 at Scadding Court (Dundas & Bathurst) 

• Junction Farmers’ Market, is opening Saturday, June 2^nd, and is located in the Green P Lot at Pacific Avenue

• AppleTree in the Village is opening on Tuesday, June 5^th at Rowlands Park (northeast corner of Mount Pleasant and Davisville)

Let's not forget some of Toronto’s more established farmers’ markets, including Trinity-Bellwoods Farmers’ Market opening Tuesday, May 15^th and Montgomery’s Inn Farmer’s Market opening Wednesday, May 23^rd.

If those don’t satisfy your farmers’ markets cravings, I don’t know what will.

All of these markets are part of the Greenbelt Farmers’ Market Network. The Network is now in its third year of operation, and continues to make sure all of its markets hit the ground running come May and June by providing support to over eighty farmer’s market and market managers in and around the Greenbelt.

Recently the Network held their annual Market Manager Day, where they brought in a special guest Darlene Wolnik – and independent consultant for public markets – to give the keynote address on innovative ways farmers’ markets can grow and thrive. Wolnik, a New Orleans' resident and market organizer, also shared a moving story of how the farmers' market helped to bring together community and local food after the devestation of Hurricane Katrina.The Market Managers Day was a huge success, with many managers attending and sharing their experiences with each other. The Network will also be supporting Farmers’ Markets in holding special events, so keep your eyes peeled at your local market. 
 

By the time you finish reading this a new farmers market will have opened in the Greenbelt.

 

- Bronwyn Whyte, Programs Officer

The Beaver River Wetland or How I Learned to Love the Greenbelt

April 19th was a special day for me - I visited Ontario’s Greenbelt for the first time since I moved to Canada. Even though I had a picture of what the Greenbelt looked like, I was excited to in physically experience nature and its different habitats. Grants Officer Bronwyn Whyte, wonderful colleague of mine, and Shelley Petrie, my dear boss, and I drove from Toronto into the Greenbelt. Our target destination was visiting the Lake Simcoe Conservation’s Beaver River Wetland Trail.

It only took an hour to get into the Greenbelt; it’s basically in my backyard. Along the way, Shelley described the importance of the hydrological features of the Oak Ridges Moraine, including its wetlands, kettle lakes, ponds and aquifers. I also learned how to identify if a farm has horses by its fence, or that mail isn’t delivered to door but to a mailbox. These experiences were all new to me.

Around 10:30am, we reached our destination. The surrounding area was quiet and peaceful, houses had a touch of antiquity and the Beaver River wetland looked like another world.

The defining features of the Beaver River Trail are an abandoned rail line that has been converted to a trail for recreational use, and an extensive portion of the Beaver River Wetland complex. Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRA) purchased the abandoned railway line in 1993, and has been working with partners to develop and extend the trail so that everyone can enjoy hiking, cross-country skiing or cycling through this unique landscape.

 Shelley carefully observing every move of a beaver.

 Brian Kemp and Cheryl Taylor from the LSRA led us on a walk along the trail that ran along a portion of the wetland complex. During the walk, we stopped to look over the vast wetlands, and learned a bit more about the biodiversity of the trail from our hosts. 

It was a very pleasant experience observing the activities of the animals in the wetland. Swimming beavers, flying geese, and the cattails added charm to the beauty of the wetland trail.

Geese love

To summarize, visiting the Ontario’s Greenbelt, and the Beaver River Trail was one of the most pleasant experiences I have ever had coming to Canada. I loved the fact that we have this vast landscape of land is protected for us to enjoy and that it is so accessible, economical and just an hour away.

Thank you Bronwyn, Shelley, Brian and Cheryl. My next weekend trip will be definitely be into the Greenbelt, for a hike with a picnic basket, a camera and of course with great companions like I just did.

The Greenbelt is just that close: all you have to do is experience it once to fall in love with it… 

- Namgyal Dolker, Executive Assistant, Grants

Celebrating the Art of Simplicity at Brewers Plate 2012

Julienne Spence, our Acting Communications Director, asked me if I was interested in attending the 2012 Brewers Plate. I immediately Googled it to learn about the event. I came to know that it is a fundraiser that celebrates local Ontario food and craft beer, all under one roof. This year, the beneficiary was Green Thumbs Growing Kids, an innovative program that seeks to reconnect urban youth to their food through a variety of garden-based programs. I gladly accepted the invitation.  

So, on Wednesday, April 18^th after work I left for Roy Thomson Hall along with Moe, our Communications Assistant.

Moe and I set up our table and got ready to answer the visitor’s questions about Greenbelt and its programs on local food. Our display featured Ontariofresh.ca, Ontario's Local Food Champions, and The Produce & Protein Guide from Food Service and Hospitality and the Broader Public Sector Investment Fund. Throughout the event, chefs and attendees were most interested in learning about Ontariofresh.ca, a website that makes it easier for producers, processors and buyers to connect and source local food.

Moe and Namgyal, interrupting the photo shoot. Courtesy of Molly Crealock.

Moe and I took our time to visit the food stalls, relishing in the fresh local delicacies and beer. Strolling through the stalls, I was amazed at the how simple local ingredients could be transformed into something really exquisite. One of the best examples was the Apple Delight by our table neighbours, Culinarium. I had to ask for the recipe. It was a dehydrated apple with goat cheese sweetened with lavender honey, topped with walnut and a special jelly (apple cider, rosemary and black pepper). The flavours gently exploded in my mouth, tasting immensely wonderful. Hats off to Culinarium! They amazed me with what can be done with simple local ingredients.  

Namgyal sampling the incredible tamale from Chris McDonald at Cava. This was Moe's fav dish.

Another delightful experience at Brewers Plate was while enjoying Wanda’s Pie in the Sky dessert. When I approached the station, the attendant advised me to try his bite size cherry pies at one go so that the delivery of taste and flavor is complete. He took a picture of me enjoying the pie. It was indeed very delicious and tempting, but I was too shy to ask for another blissful bite. But now I know where to go if I crave for another bite, they have a store at Kensington Market.

Check out Toronto Life's coverage on the event. But beware -- it will make you very hungry.

Coming out of this Brewers Plate, I felt closer to changing my eating habits and embracing healthy local Ontario food. Thank you Brewers Plate committee for offering us a space and for organizing such a special event. The wonderful musicians and performers added spice to the already great event.    

I could not have asked for more.

Thank you Julienne and Moe for all the fun I had at Brewers Plate.

 

-- Namgyal Dolker, Executive Assistant, Grants

How Did the Turtle Cross the Road? With Your Help, Of Course!

The Toronto Zoo has something we might refer to as celebrimals (a.k.a. celebrity animals.) There’s Charles the silverback gorilla, Twiga the Masai Giraffe, and of course the new baby polar bear Hudson.

But what about the lowly Blanding’s Turtle? His name is Colin, and Toronto Zoo staff have tracked him since he was a mere 3 1/2 years old as part of the Urban Turtle Initiative.

I had the pleasure of meeting with Bob Johnson, the Curator of Amphibians and Reptiles, and his staff members Julia and Crystal, who work for the Zoo's Adopt-A-Pond Wetland Conservation Programme. We discussed the important role the Greenbelt plays in protecting threatened species such as the Blanding's Turtle. 

Courtesy of the Toronto Zoo's Adopt-A-Pond Programme

 The main threat to the Blanding’s Turtle is habitat loss, largely through suburban development. This overarching threat creates many others:

• Road construction fragments the landscape, and creates ample opportunity for road mortality.
• Landfills created by suburban development increase the urban predator populations, such as raccoons and skunks.
• Invasive species, such as the Red-Eared Slider turtle, compete with native species for food, nesting habitat, overwintering sites and open spaces to bask, an extremely important activity for turtles (if you’ve ever had a pet turtle, it was probably one of these guys. Many people don’t realize that turtles' have an extremely long life span, and so they end up releasing them into the wild. Red-Eared Sliders are considered one of the World’s Most Invasive Species.)
• Garbage like those little plastic rings from the tops of juice containers and fishing line can seriously tangle around baby or adult turtles. Plastic bags can be swallowed.
• Pesticides, PCBs and common household items that are poured down the sink (bleach, hair-dye, paint, even your common chemical soaps, shampoos and other beauty products) end up in ponds where turtles are literally wallowing in it. These chemicals negatively impact skin, bone and egg development.
• As Blanding’s turtles can live to be 80 years old, they are particularly prone to bioaccumulation.

This is where the Greenbelt steps in. The Greenbelt prevents suburban sprawl. It facilitates the creation of green corridors so wildlife can move freely through urban areas.

But curator Bob Johnson appreciates the Greenbelt for an entirely different reason: because it fosters a kinship with everyone and everything in the Greenbelt. It promotes awareness of the important linkages between our lives and the lives of a turtle. Simply put, Bob likes the culture of the Greenbelt.

Crystal took me into the field to track young Colin.

Colin lives in Rouge Park, which borders the Toronto Zoo. He is a wild-born turtle, native to Ontario. He was discovered as a juvenile, a fortunate but uncommon event since juvenile turtles tend to stay well hidden until they are big and fast enough to avoid lurking predators. Using a fancy antennae tracking device, we found Colin - although he was hiding in the depths of a pond as it wasn’t a sunny enough day for basking. The Zoo staff track Colin at least once a week to see where he’s been and what his favourite spots are.

Blanding’s turtles are considered an umbrella species – animals that indicate the overall health of an ecosystem. Essentially, if it’s good for the Blanding’s, it’s good for most other species within that area. That is why it's imperative to gather this seemingly minute data in order to determine if this restored wetland is providing the proper environment for a healthy ecosystem and a healthy turtle population.

Blanding’s are unique in the turtle world, as they roam much farther than most. This makes it necessary to have access to large, uninterrupted tracts of land. They will travel over 3km between their summer residence, their overwintering site and their favourite egg laying spot. This particular group of Blanding's in the Rouge is a historic remnant population from the GTA before there was a GTA. 

Here are a few things you can do to help protect the Blanding’s Turtle:

• Report turtle sightings to the Ontario Turtle Tally
• Help a turtle cross the road
• Talk a walk in the Rouge – but be sure to take your trash with you, and keep your dog on a leash! Dogs will often dig up turtle eggs.
• Participate in a shoreline clean-up
• Buy local food – local food is better for the environment, and Bob finds farmers to be the most receptive conservationists, doing what they can to protect the Blanding’s by building turtle fences or leaving a few rows unplanted for them to nest.

- Emma "Moe" Berrigan, Communications Assistant

Maple Syrup Myth Busting in Sunderland

A couple of weekends back I got the chance to finally check out the Sunderland Maple Syrup Festival. I’ve been anticipating the festival for a while now, and even preparing by upping my maple syrup intake through various recipes.

I had a couple of objectives I wanted to achieve at the Sunderland Maple Syrup Festival, so I’ll give you a run-down of the results.

1.     Win the pancake eating competition. 

I felt pretty confident that I could win this competition. While I’ve only been in one other eating competition (which I won), I’ve have a good deal of experience with power eating as a former athlete and middle child (all you middle children know what I’m talking about, we don’t like sharing.) I’m sad to report that I did not make it in time. Poor weather slowed my departure, and I wanted to enjoy my drive through the Greenbelt countryside rather than high-tailing it out there. I was definitely disappointed, but the Festival had so many other things going-on that my spirits quickly picked up.

2.     Find out how maple syrup is traditionally made.

Check. At the park there was a large cauldron of maple water boiling on top of a fire. I didn’t know but the sap actually looks like water coming out of the sugar maple trees. The custom of collecting maple water and boiling it to create syrup comes to us from the Amerindians in the 1500’s. They would cut a tap with a tomahawk and fix a wooden wedge below the notch, which would then direct the maple water to a bark container. The sap was then boiled in clay pots to obtain maple syrup.

Boiling the maple water can take hours, and it only becomes maple syrup when it reaches 66.9% sugar. I learned that it requires an average of 40 litres of maple water to obtain one litre of syrup.

I also had a personal myth busted. Apparently, maple syrup grades have nothing to do with quality. All grades are the same quality. Instead grades correspond to how light or dark the colour of the maple syrup is. The colour class of the syrup is determined by the amount of light that will pass through it. The more the light that passes through, the higher the colour class will be. A rule of thumb is, the darker the syrup the bolder the flavour. 

3.     Eat pancakes at the Legion, because Legion pancakes are always the best.

This was my second Legion pancake breakfast of the year. My first was in Cannington Dog Sled Races and Winter Festival. The Sunderland flapjacks easily rivaled the ones I had in Cannington. They were big, thick, not too sweet, and accompanied by local maple syrup. What I would really like to see is some of these Greenbelt town’s go head-to-head in a pancake competition. I nominate myself as an official judge. 

4.     Buy some maple syrup.

If I wasn’t going to leave with first prize in the pancake eating competition, I had to walk away with a least a litre of local maple syrup. There were a few options to choose from but I ended up getting going with Bountiful Harvest’s organic maple syrup. I tried some the other day, and it’s excellent! I wondered if there was a certain way you’re supposed to taste maple syrup – kind of like how you’re supposed to swirl good wine around in the glass, poke your nose in, and then drink. 

I even got enough to have our own little pancake festival at work.

3/4 objectives completed isn’t bad. There was a lot more to do and see, including pony rides and horse and wagon rides, an arts and crafts show, musical entertainment, a midway, bath tub races, bus tours of maple syrup farms. I’ll definitely be headed back next year.

Call me if you want to have a pancake eating competition. You bring the pancakes, I’ll supply the syrup.

-- Bronwyn Whyte, Program Officer

Powered by Maple Syrup & Pancakes

Every week, we have a staff lunch where we share updates, talk about new projects, explain new research, and (my favorite) brainstorm ideas. It’s a great way to connect with coworkers and hear about the great work that everyone is involved in. With a small team, and a variety of projects, I think it helps us stay focused and get excited about the great things that everyone is involved in.

Yesterday, we tried something new.

With several of us pitching in to get the ingredients (thanks everyone), someone bringing in a grill (thanks Franco), naming an honorary pancake chef (thanks Shelley) the great idea (thanks Bronwyn) for a pancake lunch came to fruition.

With a team fueled by pancakes, drizzled with organic sugarbush, Bountiful Harvest maple syrup from Sunderland Ontario, we had one of the most successful (and delicious) brainstorm sessions ever. 

I highly reccomend your team trying this out for your next staff lunch. 

--Carla Balabanowicz, Communications Coordinator 

 

Ol' Jeffy

Photo Courtesy of Conservation Halton 

I have this incredible urge to call the Jefferson Salamander “Ol’ Jeffy” as if they are this incredibly wise, ancient creature that have had their share of hard times but always seems to fight back -- to some extent my nickname for them bears some truth.

I’d actually never heard of the Jefferson Salamander until I started working at the Foundation. But around here Ol’ Jeffy gets brought up a lot, so you’ve got to get acquainted. In fact, I think if the Greenbelt had a mascot it would probably be the Jefferson Salamander. It’s that popular around these parts, and here’s why:

1.     The Jefferson Salamander is an endangered species and protected by Ontario’s Endangered Species Act.

2.     In Canada the Jefferson Salamander only exists in Ontario.

3.     The Greenbelt is one of the few places it resides in the province.

4.     The Jefferson Salamander requires intact deciduous forest (trees that lose their leaves seasonally) with undisturbed forest floor and unpolluted breeding ponds as its habitat.

Photo Courtesy of Conservation Halton 

These little guys are so rare and unique that this week Maclean’s magazine highlighted efforts being undertaken in Burlington, Ontario to help protect them. The 100-member colony that lives in Burlington becomes increasingly at risk during the mating season because they must cross a road that stretches up the Niagara Escarpment to reach their breeding ponds. Unfortunately, the Jefferson Salamander is no match for speeding cars. As a result, each year many don’t make it. This month by order of the City, a portion of this road will be closed for three weeks so that the Jefferson Salamander can cross unscathed. According to the local environment group Conservation Halton, this small effort will go a long way in helping to protect this species.

Photo Courtesy of Conservation Halton 

-- Bronwyn Whyte, Program Officer

 

Celebrating Canada's Water Week

There is no doubt water is important – it brings life, health and vitality to every aspect of our lives. Where would people be without water? Well, it makes up more than two-thirds of our bodies, so without water, we wouldn’t be alive!

But humans are not the only ones that rely on water. Every living thing needs it to survive – trees, flowers, plants, and the fruits and vegetables that we eat; and all the furry friends in which we share our ecosystem with.

To all Ontarians, be grateful for your Greenbelt as it protects many watersheds across the province allowing us to have fresh, clean, and safe water to drink. With a staggering 533,000 acres of lakes, wetlands, and river valleys (and woodlands), the region’s water system removes contaminants from our drinking water, and help provide drainage to prevent flooding.

In Canada, we tend to take advantage of clean drinking water because we think we have a never-ending supply. But the lack of safe drinking water throughout other parts of the world is a serious issue. In celebrating Canada’s water week (March 19- 25), I am asking you to do your part to decrease your water usage:

·         If it’s yellow, let it mellow. Don’t flush if you are only going #1! If it’s brown, flush it down. Toilets are by the far the biggest water guzzlers in your home – standard toilets use up to 20 litres per flush.

·         Don’t leave the tap running while brushing your teeth. As a default, most of us leave the tap running. Did you know that up to 5 litres of water is wasted per minute the tap is left running?

·         Always do a full load of laundry – anything less than a full load is inefficient. Same concept applies to a dishwasher. If you do your dishes by hand, don’t leave the tap running while you lather and scrub. Better yet, try to reuse your dishes – many times dishes don’t need a full wash to be reused.

·         All you shower thinkers - I know, it’s nice to stay in the shower and just let the water fall on you – it’s relaxing but please do your thinking elsewhere! Take shorter showers. Baths and long showers use at least 4 times the amount of water as a 3-5 minute shower.

The average Canadian uses nearly 6,400 litres of water per day – check out how much water it takes to produce the food you eat, clothes you wear and the products you use everyday at www.canadawaterweek.com or discover your water footprint and pledge to decrease your water usage.

Amy Chan, Project Coordinator