SUMMER ISSUE, 2003
|
The Cruickston Carriage
|
VOLUME 2, NO 2
|
The Region's Vision Includes Cruickston Charitable Research Reserve
"We have set the stage for future growth based on limiting urban sprawl, protecting farmland and
environmental areas" ~ Ken Seiling, Regional Chair, The Record 26 June 2003.
With unanimous support from regional council, Ken Seiling reaffirmed that the region's Smart Growth
Plan will guide its development into the 21st Century. The stage is now set for both regional and local
councils to write this vision into their Official Plans. As supporters of Smart Growth
(see Newsletter, Vol 1 No 4), Friends of Cruickston support and
applaud the initiatives announced by the Region in late June. "Friends" are particularly pleased that
regional councillors intend to recognize Environmentally Sensitive Landscapes (ESLs), one of
which includes Cruickston Charitable Research Reserve (CCRR). Prior to the regional council
decision, the City of Cambridge council had also endorsed a motion to protect CCRR as well as
Dumfries Conservation Area and the Galt Ridge at the south end of the city.
CCRR currently consists of two Environmentally Sensitive Policy Areas (ESPA 36 and 38)
and a Class 1 Provincially Significant Wetland (PSW), the Barrie's Lake-Bauman Creek Wetland Complex.
The term ESL was coined by regional environmental planner, Chris Gosselin. In the Regional Official
Policies Plan, ESL designates natural habitats, ecological functions and inter-relationships within and
among a cluster of ESPAs and their associated PSWs. To date, the first and only ESL in Waterloo
Region is located in the northwest corner of the City of Waterloo. CCRR welcomes the opportunity
to become part of an ESL. Its inclusion within an ESL clearly and unequivocally supports the
Cruickston Circle vision of CCRR remaining "intact and in perpetuity".
Cambridge Squadron 296 Air Cadets Work the Ground at Cruickston Organic Agriculture Project (COAP)
by Gay Scroggins
June 7th was a sunny day with lots of hard work taking place in the Cruickston gardens by 70 enthusiastic
air cadets. The day started off by a warm-up - pulling out corn stalks in preparation for the planting of raspberry rows.
The group was then divided into smaller groups to work in many vegetable patches - squash, tomatoes,
peppers and onions. Each group worked by preparing the soil, adding organic fertilizers and transplanting
hundreds of onions, peppers and tomatoes. After a barbeque lunch, the cadets returned to the fields
transplanting and seeding squash and melon hills. The cadets' abundant energy and work ethic resulted
in garden preparation and planting that exceeded this season's expectations. All the planting done that
day by the cadets is now growing healthy and strong and COAP expects to harvest abundant produce
for the local community this fall. COAP extends a big thank you to Gerald Moore, Civilian Instructor, and
the 296, City of Cambridge, Air Cadet Squadron for their day of community support.
Nature Notes
- Several Giant Swallowtail butterflies have been spotted at CCRR in June.
- Greg Michalenko and Larry Lamb spotted a 40-cm+ long Milk Snake on 27 June
on the alvar. This is the first sighting for CCRR.
- Wynn Watson sighted two fawns and a coyote along Blair Road in late June.
- An Osprey has been hunting fish along reaches of the Grand River through CCRR
almost daily during the 2003 breeding season.
- Birders taking part in the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas have had little success in finding
Chestnut-sided Warbler in Cambridge North until this season when two singing males have
been observed in CCRR.
Carriage Tracks ...
- Greg Burns, chair-campaign cabinet, and Bill Wilson, Environmental Steward, were guest speakers at the annual general meeting of the Grand Valley Trail Association where they outlined the vision of CCRR and highlighted the first year's activities.
- Brian Husband, associate professor University of Guelph, and research associate, Paul Kron and student, Julie Sabau, have gathered samples of leaves and flowers of the native Flowering Crab Apple (Malus coronaria) found at Cruickston to initiate laboratory work that entails DNA analysis. This research team is studying hybridization in this crab apple and the implications for gene flow with the domestic apple. The population of Flowering Crab Apple at CCRR is large with more than 150 trees - a significant number for this relatively rare Carolinian species.
- All spaces were filled for the spring photography workshop with instructor Thelma Beaubien.
- A special welcome to two new members of The Cruickston Circle - Cambridge YMCA and Southworks Inc.
- Friends of Cruickston members Geoff Ditner and Dave Stafford have volunteered to erect 40 property identification signs around the boundary of CCRR. Thank you, Geoff and Dave!
- Friends of Cruickston rambled the hedgerows and laneways of CCRR in late June touring several project sites with environmental steward, Bill Wilson.
- Several of the photographs in this issue highlight visits by a number of schools and organizations this spring. More than 300 students, educators and parents (elementary, high school, college and university levels) visited CCRR. Just wait until we have interpretive facilities and formal programs in place! To date, CCRR has accommodated requests from schools and organizations on a pilot project basis. Such participants are assisting us in formulating and developing our environmental education role in the community. Thank you teaching staff of Christ The King elementary school; staff and students from Woodland Park Public School, Highland Public School and Southwood Secondary School; students, staff and parents from The Montessori School of Cambridge; staff and students from Conestoga College and University of Waterloo; and the Cambridge Air Cadets.
- Friends of Cruickston participating in the mid-April waterfowl outing observed 16 species of waterfowl among the 48 bird species tallied during the day-long outing.
- In late May, Friends of Cruickston traversed the Cliffs and Alvars section of the property in search of late spring migrants. Participants tallied 57 species of birds including 12 species of warblers.
- On Sunday afternoon, 25 May, more than 50 members of St. Paul's United Church accompanied Bill Wilson on a walking tour of CCRR. Thank you, Friend of Cruickston, Pam Ditner, for recommending Cruickston to St. Paul's.
Cruickston Bird Banding Group (CBBG): 2003 Spring Banding Results
by Dallas Johnson
Between April 12th and May 23rd of this year, the CBBG banded 344 individuals of 30 species, including
16 species new to the station, such as brown thrasher, fox sparrow, rose-breasted grosbeak and American redstart.
This raises the total number of species to 39, and the number of birds banded to nearly 650, since operations began
in late September 2002. This is a strong effort considering the limited banding hours during this initial test phase of the
project, and we look forward to a much higher rate as we work to expand our operation over the coming months
and years.
HISTORICAL HI LITES
Commuters, cyclists and hikers along Blair Road and its adjacent Grand Trunk Tail can't miss the giant Bur
Oak that extends its massive branches high above the floodplain. This is the largest Bur Oak in Waterloo
Region according to the 1991 Honour Roll Tree Inventory undertaken by members of the Kitchener-Waterloo
Field Naturalists. On this same floodplain, before 1800, fur trapper and squatter Nathaniel Dodge
built a log cabin and became one of the first Europeans to settle on what was later known as Cruickston land.
The 1851 census of North Dumfries lists Nathaniel Dodge as carpenter, aged 92. "Old Dodge"
as he was known in the area, was a millwright by trade and a fur trapper by circumstance. Whatever his
profession or land status, he was remembered with kindness in the journals of Galt's founder William
Dickson who recalled a hearty welcome and overnight stay with Dodge and his family in 1816 when he,
Absalom Shade and a guide found themselves without lodgings late one evening as they reconnoitred the
north boundary of the Dickson block. Cruickston hospitality had begun! (notes from Our Todays and
Yesterdays by Andrew W. Taylor, 1970).
Conestoga College Recreation Legacy Project
by Kelly Rutherford
On Saturday, June 7th, 2003, CCRR welcomed 17 current students in the Recreation and Leisure Services
Program, and 40 alumni who donated their time and participated in a 'sweat equity' day! This event was held in
conjunction with the 34 Year Reunion of the Recreation and Leisure Services program at Conestoga College.
This enthusiastic and tireless group completed a variety of improvement projects as described below.
Refurbishing the stone farmhouse: The exterior front and side walls of the stone farmhouse and
porch (located on Blair Road, beside the Stone Slit Barn) were scraped clean of peeling paint. A new coat of
"historical-coloured paint" was applied to all of these areas. A new flower garden was installed along the
front and sides of the house and a cedar hedge was planted along the Blair Road frontage; as well, a number
of Juneberry were planted in the yard. This part of the project was coordinated by Heather Wilson, Friend
of Cruickston and Kelly Rutherford, CCRR Business Manager.
Wood chipping of existing trail: Under the guidance of Bill Wilson, CCRR Environmental Steward,
approximately one kilometre of existing trail was "wood chipped". Some areas that were completed last year
had to be upgraded because of poor drainage.
Boardwalk installation: Hans Ducker, a graduating student of the Recreation and Leisure
Services Program at Conestoga College, designed and coordinated a team of alumni that installed two
10-metre sections of boardwalk on a trail that lead through a wetland area.
Corporate Sponsors: This project would never have been so successful without the involvement
of the following community and corporate sponsors: Alumni Association of Conestoga College, City of
Cambridge, Compact Sod, Garden Gate Ltd., Grand River Conservation Authority, Grand Valley Garden
Village, Home Depot, Home Hardware, Schneider Foods, Sheridan Nurseries (Kitchener), and
Tim Hortons (Holiday Inn Drive).
This event accomplished the goals of the Conestoga College Alumni -- leaving a "Recreation Legacy"
behind at the Cruickston Charitable Research Reserve. The exterior of the stone farmhouse (future CCRR
Headquarters) has been improved with a new look from Blair Road that captures the public's attention as
they drive by. It has been a pleasure to plan and implement this project on behalf of CCRR, and hopefully
this will be the first of many projects that Conestoga College can become involved with through an ongoing
partnership with CCRR.
The entire project was planned and coordinated by Hans Ducker and Greg Burns,
Program Coordinator, Recreation & Leisure Services program, Conestoga College and Chair-Campaign
Cabinet "Cruickston - A Natural Investment".
CRUICKSTON ORGANIC AGRICULTURE PROGRAM (COAP) UPDATE
by Gay Scroggins
Cruickston Organics is growing! Gardens and fields are finally planted resulting in big sighs from
farm workers. Spring was a difficult time with cold, wet soil bringing about numerous pests and delaying
soil preparation and eventual planting. The soil, now warm enough to mulch, with adequate moisture
and frequent additions of nutrients will support thousands of transplants and seeds. The greenhouse
facility has allowed us to grow a wide variety of tomatoes, peppers, onions and flowers. Waterloo Propane
kindly donated propane required to keep the chill out this spring. These plants have been transplanted in
the walled garden and are solely heirloom varieties which will enable us to collect seed and develop
a seed bank for future use. In late June, we started our CSA organic food box program by providing
Friends of Cruickston who signed up for Cruickston Organics with early pickings of radishes, lettuce
and spring herbs. With good weather, produce should be available by early July, with the bulk of the
crops ready by August and hopefully we'll have an extended season to reap all of what has been sowed.
The gardens in the Carriage Field, approximately two acres, have been planted with the greenhouse
surplus and a wide variety squash, cucumber, pumpkin, corn, bean, flower and potato seeds. It was in
these gardens that the Cambridge Squadron 296 Air Cadets volunteered a Saturday in early June. As
well, during school visits to the gardens, all student groups planted a seed row, some of sunflowers, corn,
beans and squash. As well as visiting and working in the garden, the students of Mrs. Dempsey's Grade
5 class from Highland Public School, had an opportunity to observe Baltimore orioles and their nest and
learn about their songs, call notes, territorial behaviour and nesting habits from Bill Wilson.
COAP would like to thank all those who have volunteered their time planting, weeding and mulching.
A special thanks to the Hardman Browns for building and donating a composting outhouse. Also, thanks
to Bowen, Jil, Tom and Greg for their hard work and commitment to the overall project.
Pilot Projects in Environmental Education at CCRR
Cruickston Charitable Research Reserve (CCRR) continues to explore ways in which it will contribute
to environmental education in Waterloo Region. Although not in a position to offer either programs or
facilities at present, Cruickston has responded to requests to visit CCRR by making available both its
diverse and extensive interpretive resources with the assistance of Ken Dance, Dallas Johnson, Gay
Scroggins, Bill Wilson and Friends of Cruickston volunteers. These site visits have provided opportunities
to establish pilot projects to assess specific sites and activities on the property for environmental education.
In May and June, environmental science teacher at Southwood Secondary School, Jason Bracey,
worked closely with CCRR environmental steward, Bill Wilson, to develop 5 two-hour visits over a 5-week
period for his senior environmental science class. Activities included stream ecology, bird banding,
organic farming, visiting a restoration site and a guided tour of the Cliffs and Alvars. Visits from several
elementary schools during April, May and June provided opportunities to gauge future involvement.
CRUICKSTON CREATURES
Not all blue birds breeding at Cruickston are bluebirds or blue jays. The bluest are, in fact, male indigo
buntings. A member of the cardinalid family, which includes cardinals and grosbeaks, the indigo bunting is
a stocky, short-tailed, small-beaked song bird. It winters in the Greater Antilles, Central America, and
northwestern Columbia and breeds throughout eastern North America from the southeastern U.S. to
north-central Ontario, extending its range eastward to southern Quebec and westward to southeastern
Saskatchewan. Breeding Bird Surveys conducted annually in North America indicate that this neotropical
migrant is declining continent-wide at the same time that its range expands into the west.
Indigo buntings may infrequently appear at feeders when they arrive in early May; however, they are
best found along walking trails that traverse forest edges and narrow strips of shrubs and trees that often
line these trails. The overall blue and intense turquoise blue of the face is unmistakable but often difficult
to observe unless the bird is reasonably close. The best clue of its presence is its song that consists of
paired notes of high, sharp whistles with a musical metallic quality whose pattern is remembered by
some birders with the expression: fire fire where where here here. Indigo buntings exhibit "song matching".
Rather than inheriting the song pattern or learning it from their father during the nestling stage, one-year-old
males learn their songs when they return to the breeding grounds from older males in nearby territories.
What’s Happening at CCRR
Guided Walks:
Meet at the parking lot of the Trans Canada Trail Pavilion, at the intersection of Fountain Street and
Blair Road/ Morningside Drive. Rain or shine.
- Tuesday, 29 July 2003, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm: Hike the Woodland Trail. Join Bill Wilson and Friends of Cruickston
to hike at a leisurely pace one of the three trail loops under construction this summer. The trail is wood chip/hard pack
with a few obstacles and short uphill slopes. Walking shoes, long sleeves and long pants are recommended.
- Saturday, 20 September 2003: A Mushroom Foray at Cruickston. During mid to late September, many of the
mushrooms of Waterloo Region form conspicuous fruiting bodies, making locating and identifying this group of
"Cruickston creatures" relatively straightforward, at least to the expert. Join Dr. Greg Michalenko, University of
Waterloo, to observe and learn about a dozen or more species of mushrooms that inhabit CCRR. Register for
this outing by phone, 650-9336, or e-mail: krutherford@cruickston.com. Limit = 20 participants.
- Sunday, 28 September 2003: The Ferns of Cruickston. Seventeen species of ferns grow in CCRR; some
species found here grow no where else in Waterloo Region. Join Larry Lamb from 10 am to 2 pm in search
of cliff brake fern, rock polypody, maidenhair spleenwort, interrupted fern, Christmas fern and many others.
Bring a lunch.
OTHER EVENTS AT CCRR
- Saturdays 16, 23 August and 13 September 2003, 8:30 am to 11 am: Birdbanding at Cruickston.
Join Dallas Johnson and members of the Cruickston Bird Banding Group to learn about the birds of Cruickston
Charitable Research Reserve and also about the science behind bird banding. There are strict limits on the
number of individuals who may attend any one banding session, so please contact Cruickston at 650-9336
and leave your e-mail and/or phone number as soon as possible to reserve your spot. Please note:
Registrants should meet at the parking lot of the Trans Canada Trail Pavilion, at the intersection of Fountain
Street and Blair Road/Morningside Drive at 8:30 am. We will drive to the bird banding station from there.
Bird banding is weather dependent. Please leave a telephone number at which Dallas Johnson may contact
you if necessary to re-schedule.
- Photography Workshop: Sunday, 14 September, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Join instructor Thelma Beaubien
to sharpen your photography skills with this instructional workshop for nature and pictorial images. This
workshop will enhance your technical knowledge to control camera settings as well as an in-depth look
at lenses, accessories... plus more. A separate date and time will be announced at the workshop for your
opportunity to photograph at CCRR. The instructor will be available to provide guidance in the field. This
course is for users of SLR cameras with manual capabilities. Lunch will be catered. Cost: Friends of Cruickston
Members $75.00; Non-members: $95.00
- As part of their summer 2003 Visual Arts Program, Homer Watson House & Gallery offers the following
Adult & Family Workshop: Watercolour Miniatures at Cruickston, Sunday 10 August 2003, noon-4 pm.
Join artist, Heather Franklin, for an enjoyable afternoon of hiking, sketching and painting. Offered in
partnership with CCRR, this program includes a short guided hike with Bill Wilson along a portion of the
river escarpment trail. No experience required, ages 12-112. To register, phone 519-748-4377 or
e-mail: programs@homerwatson.on.ca.
[ BACK ]
Newsletter Editor: Bill Wilson
