SPRING ISSUE, 2002
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The Cruickston Carriage
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VOLUME 1, NO 1
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Establishment of Cruickston Charitable Research Reserve
On Wednesday, 13 February 2002, 370 hectares (913 acres) of land at Cruickston Park were transferred to Cruickston Charitable Research Reserve (CCRR) by Jan Chaplin and Mark Fretwurst to be preserved for future generations. The objects of CCRR are:
- To preserve, protect, restore and improve the natural resources and environment of lands in the Regional Municipality
of Waterloo (“Region”)
- To encourage, promote and foster an understanding and awareness of the Region’s natural resources, history and environment and their value in enhancing the public’s quality of life.
- To conduct research, seminars, interpretive activities, conferences and public forums about the flora, fauna, agricultural practices, hydrology and geology of the Region.
- To preserve, protect, enhance and expand wildlife habitat in the Region.
- To promote the advancement of education in the Region and at Ontario institutions of higher education.
- To purchase, maintain and preserve historical buildings and archaeological sites in the Region and to display such buildings and any artefacts which are discovered to the public.
Where is Cruickston Charitable Research Reserve?
Cruickston Charitable Research Reserve (CCRR) is located in North Dumfries Township and the City of Cambridge
in the northwest corner of the city. The Grand Trunk Trail maintained by the City of Cambridge offers the best
opportunity at this time to view Cruickston Charitable Research Reserve.
The Grand Trunk Trail provides a section of trail to both the region’s Walter Bean Trail and the Trans Canada Trail System.
When the walking trails that are proposed in the Environmental Management Plan for Cruickston are completed, there will
be about 5 km of trails providing visitors opportunities to view a variety of landscapes – floodplain, alvar and limestone cliffs –
and to walk through diverse habitats including: old fields, shrub thickets, forests, and wetlands (on boardwalks, of course).
These walking trails will be self-guided with interpretive signage. In the meantime, enjoy a walk through Cruickston along the
city’s Grand Trunk Trail.
Click here to view the future trail proposals.
Congratulations from ...
“Cruickston Park is one of the finest examples of a preserve that we, as a community, are
very fortunate to have.” Doug Craig, Mayor, Cambridge13 February, 2002
“... preserving Cruickston Park, this beautiful [natural area], is going to have a huge
impact on our community...” Janko Peric, MP Cambridge13 February, 2002
“You are to be commended for your generosity and outstanding commitment to the
community. The land... will also create one of the largest urban natural areas on the continent...
a wonderful natural legacy for generations of Ontarians to explore and enjoy.” Michael D. Harris,
Premier of Ontario5 March, 2002
Carriage Tracks
On Saturday, 25 March, 2002, the Legacy Cambridge Task Force visited portions of Cruickston
as part of a day-long tour to become acquainted with natural landscapes and habitats in and about the
City of Cambridge.
During 2001, the Cruickston Park Ecological Advisory Team undertook an all-season
biophysical inventory of Cruickston Park and prepared an Environmental Management Plan. This report,
Cruickston Park into the Future, was released in February 2002. The report is posted online at
www.cruickston.com/links.html and a reference copy is on file in each
of the four branches of the Cambridge Public Library System.
The BIG Film Company was at Cruickston for two days in early February filming a
12-minute promotional video about Cruickston Charitable Research Reserve. Many CCRR supporters
volunteered their time to provide commentary. Thank you one and all. Thanks also to photographers
Thelma Beaubien, Larry Lamb and Don Thomas who donated several colour slides of landscapes,
animals and plants.
The Federation of Ontario Naturalists, Ontario’s nature and environmental organization
with over 15 000 members and affiliated with 104 local naturalist clubs and associated groups throughout
the province, held their directors’ meeting at Cruickston on 2 February, 2002. The directors had an after
lunch tour of a portion of the property.
Bald Eagles Winter in Cruickston Park
Bald eagles overwinter along reaches of the Grand River and have done so in Cruickston and vicinity
every winter since 1994. This winter, members of the Kitchener Waterloo Field Naturalists (KWFN), biologists
of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) and regional birders undertook systematic bald eagle
watches along the Grand River including the 5-km stretch that passes through Cruickston to learn more
about their movements and behaviour during their winter stay. Information gathered during these winter
bald eagle watches is submitted to OMNR.
Marilyn Armstrong, KWFN member and Preston-Cambridge resident, files this report for
The Cruickston Carriage.
I’ve had an interesting winter watching the bald eagles. Ruth Kroft and I were stationed at the
confluence of the Grand and Speed Rivers during the bald eagle watches across the river from Cruickston.
By 6:30 am, Ruth and I had trudged across Settlers’ Fork Park in Preston-Cambridge with telescope and
binoculars to our watch site, standing in the freezing cold and semi-darkness, waiting for the first eagle
to arrive.
Ruth and I were never disappointed. Each time we saw at least 1 adult and once we saw 1 immature and
2 adults. One adult arrived at approximately the same time each morning to perch in a grove of crack willows
about 600m upriver from the confluence. As the days became longer the eagle arrived earlier. Twice the eagle
perched in the willows for 1½ hours, other times only a few minutes. Several times during the last two winter
seasons I have seen an eagle perch in this tree for up to 3½ hours. We could often predict when an eagle was
approaching by the behaviour of the waterfowl and gulls on the river. If they took to the sky and were flying
around in a great flurry, it was a good indication that a flying eagle was nearby.
Other interesting sightings this winter have included an eagle in flight taking a fish at the confluence, an
eagle perched on our side of the river early one morning in Settlers’ Fork Park, an adult flying over St. Joseph
School and over the houses on Riverside Drive, 4 eagles flying upriver, sighted by Dave Stafford and an eagle
perched in a tree on one of the Cruickston islands at the confluence sighted by Rosemary Stafford.
Cruickston Charitable Research Reserve Directors
An independent Board will oversee the nature reserve. The five founding Board members of the Cruickston
Charitable Research Reserve Board are Keith Ainsworth, CEO of COM DEV; Michael Barnstijn, former partner
of Research in Motion; Jan Chaplin CEO of Canadian General-Tower Limited, James Chaplin, Chair of Canadian
General-Tower Limited; and Thiam Lim, Director, Scotia Capital-Real Estate, ScotiaBank.
A Comparison between Cruickston and Central Park in New York City
by Larry Allen
Rose Simone wrote in an article, Cruickston Park Nature Reserve to be Run by Non-Profit Board, The Record, February 14, 2002, that “Cruickston Park was bigger than Central Park, making it one of the largest reserves in an urban setting”. The article prompts the following commentary, expanding on the comparison between the two reserves.
Central Park was conceived in 1853 on a scale of European parks in London and Paris, by wealthy merchants and landowners, the New York gentry. The State Legislature set aside 700 acres in the centre of Manhattan Island, an irregular terrain of lowlands and bluffs punctuated by rocky out- croppings, a physical description somewhat similar to that of Cruickston; however, the comparison ends there.
The “Manhattan project” required displacing roughly 1600 residents, mostly poor Irish farmers and German gardeners, and, Seneca Village, one of the city’s most stable African-American settlements with three churches and a school. Twenty thousand workers were employed in the construction of the park, moving 3 million tons of soil that had to be brought in and planting 270 000 trees and shrubs. Rocky ridges were blasted with more gunpowder than was later used during the American Civil War at the Battle of Gettysburg.
Central Park was originally intended to serve the privileged class of the mid-19th century, but in true democratic process, the park evolved into a green space that today meets the recreational needs of the citizens of New York, and the many visitors to that great city. The park may arguably be one of the city’s major tourist attractions and, since September 11th 2001, has been a place of solace and peace.
Today in Cambridge a vision is seen for a sanctuary in the midst of urban development that could, if permitted, easily outpace the green space needs of our community. We should ensure that development patterns and transportation corridors stay well away from Cruickston Charitable Research Reserve.
The formation of the Cruickston Charitable Research Reserve will be an asset to the entire Region of Waterloo, and may be seen as a “gift” to the citizens to be valued and enjoyed. Public support for the Reserve comes in various forms from financial, to visiting the site and becoming informed, spreading the word about it and keeping pressure on our politicians to oppose the impact of the Cambridge Area Route Selection Study and the new Highway 24 Corridor Study on Cruickston. One way to show support is to become a supporting member of Friends of Cruickston. Memberships will be available beginning 2 June 2002, at Cruickston’s 2nd Annual Celebration Day.
Nature Notes
- While participating in an early morning bald eagle watch, 23 February 2002, KWFN club member Ken Dance heard a Carolina wren singing in the Cliffs area. The bird has remained throughout March. This is the first record of this species in CCRR and brings the bird species total to 188.
- Remember, March 10, a blustery day when winds howled upwards of 100 km/h in the region? Seven tundra swans sought shelter at Cruickston in the waterfowl baylet above the confluence of the Speed and Grand Rivers during their migration. This location is an important stopover in the region for many species waterfowl on migration.
- Professor Emeritus Wynn Watson, Wilfrid Laurier University, is continuing his study of mosses and liverworts in CCRR. Last year Dr. Watson found over 50 species of mosses and eight species of liverworts. Watch for a future article on these fascinating plants.
Historical Hi Lites
The 1817 survey notes of land surveyor, Adrian Marlet who surveyed Dumfries township (now North and South Dumfries), describe the forest that would have included Indian Woods and Manor House Woods as consisting of maple, beech and elm. Dutch elm disease has eliminated all of the large elms; however, these woods are still dominated by sizeable sugar maple and American beech, demonstrating the long-term ecological stability of these two forest remnants. Indian Woods and Manor House Woods are still likely representative of their first historical documentation. by Larry Lamb in Cruickston Park into the Future: The Environmental Management Plan
Cruickston Creatures
The American Woodcock is the oddest-looking bird in Cruickston Charitable Research Reserve. A member of the sandpiper family, it is chunky with no apparent neck and has a long bill, overly large eyes positioned almost on top of its head. An early spring arrival, the woodcock arrives with the blackbirds and robins. On migration, this bird can appear in unexpected places including neighbourhood backyards.
The courtship display of the male on its breeding territory, a sure sign of winter’s end, begins at Cruickston near the end of March and into mid-April. With the approach of evening twilight, the male woodcock begins its courtship display by strutting in the open with tail erect and spread, bill pointing down and uttering a loud, rasping nasal sound – bzzent – several times. Suddenly it flies off in a fluttering moth-like or bat-like motion spiralling higher and higher, 60 m or more, its wings making a whistling, twittering sound. Finally the male woodcock begins its courtship song, a soft, musical 3-syllable chickaree, repeated as it flutters in a zig-zag fashion, circling to the ground where it resumes its bzzent calls while strutting and bobbing within a small area of its territory. Then the woodcock repeats the whole performance again and again.
One of the places to listen for woodcock at Cruickston is along the Grand Trunk Trail where the trail passes through hawthorn savanna, old-field habitat along the western end of the trail, a few hundred metres before it joins Blair Road. Often several can be heard displaying here at dusk in April and early May particularly when wind is calm, air temperature is 4°C or more. Displays and songs continue well into the evening when conditions are ideal but may end abruptly on cloudy, cold evenings.
What’s Happening at Cruickston Charitable Research Reserve?
Bird watching is the fastest growing hobby in North America. Bring your binoculars, sturdy walking shoes and join Bill Wilson and Jerry Guenther for not-so-early-morning bird identification walks about Cruickston.
Meet at the parking lot of the Trans Canada Trail Pavilion, at the intersection of Fountain Street and Blair Road/ Morningside Drive. See map on page 1. Rain or shine.
May migration along the Grand
Monday (holiday) 20 May 2002 from 0730-1030
Songbirds on territory: breeding birds of Cruickston Charitable Research Reserve
Sunday 23 June 2002 from 0730-1030
Coming soon...
Cruickston Charitable Research Reserve is developing nature interpretive programs that will include monthly nature walks, nature talks and seasonal workshops.
This summer… guided walks to observe mid-summer flowers and butterflies with Larry Lamb, birds with Bill Wilson and an August 25 Workshop about Water Quality and River Ecology with Ken Dance, Larry Lamb and Bill Wilson.
This fall…guided walks to observe the fall bird migration with Bill Wilson, fall flowers with Larry Lamb and the geology of Cruickston’s cliffs and alvars with Dr. Alan Morgan, University of Waterloo and an October 6 Workshop Improving photography skills with your SLR camera with Thelma Beaubien. Watch for details about these guided walks, illustrated evening talks to be announced and registration information and dates for the August and October workshops in the summer newsletter.
Cruickston Celebration Day
The second annual Cruickston Celebration will take place Sunday, 2 June 2002. You and your family are invited to join the celebration. Click here or watch for details in the local news media.
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Newsletter Editor: Bill Wilson
