TABLE OF CONTENTS Moving Forward... Cruickston Open House Contributing to the Health and Integrity of Freshwater Ecosystems Malus coronaria Research at Cruickston Historical Hi Lites Carriage Tracks ... Cruickston Creatures Cruickston Organic Agriculture Project (COAP) Nature Notes What's Happening at CCR Looking Ahead

Moving Forward...

This spring, Cruickston embarked on two restoration initiatives: Friends of Cruickston volunteers have embarked on long-term monitoring and restoration along a steep-sloped sector of the property subject to several decades of intensive farming (see page 2); and, the Cruickston Organic Agriculture Project began a three-year soil restoration plan that in time will provide a significant knowledge base for both agricultural and ecological restoration planning.

This fall, a brochure will extend an invitation to researchers in conservation biology and restoration ecology to apply for long-term opportunities to conduct peer-reviewed research in these disciplines beginning in 2004. In fact, research has begun - see Paul Kron's article, Malus coronaria Research at Cruickston, page 3. As well, this fall marks the start of a year-long initiative entitled "The Art of Cruickston". During the next four seasons, Canadian artists are invited to visit the Cliffs and Alvars of Cruickston to paint the landscape, its diverse habitats and its flora and fauna to promote ecological and environmental awareness. In fall 2004, the Homer Watson House & Gallery will present an exhibition of artists' works.

Cruickston Open House

On Friday, September 26th, a few hundred Friends of Cruickston, community members and dignitaries attended our very successful Open House at the Cruickston Resource House and Slit Barn. Displays featuring archaeology, art, bald eagles, insects, bird banding and development plans for our Resource House were thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. A visual presentation allowed everyone to experience the natural features of Cruickston. The planning committee for the Art of Cruickston displayed some of their artwork to promote Cruickston’s art exhibit next fall (2004) that will be hosted by Homer Watson House and Gallery. A definite feature of the day was an absolutely delicious assortment of foods - all prepared and served by dedicated volunteers, with Cruickston’s own certified-organic produce! We also welcomed many new members during the day. Cruickston looks forward to seeing you at upcoming events, walks and workshops. A sincere thank you to all the volunteers who helped to make the Open House possible. Cruickston appreciates your continued support!

A GLobal Concern

One of the major challenges in the 21st century will be to understand the abilities of freshwater ecosystems to respond to human-generated pressures AND the limitations inherent in these systems. To date, the focus has been primarily on protection of aquatic resources through regulation and management. Nevertheless, aquatic resources continue to be damaged or degraded to the point that restoration and rehabilitation of aquatic systems are becoming necessary companion efforts to ensure healthy aquatic systems.

Background

In April 2003, Cruickston Creek and its associated wetlands were designated Class 1 Provincially Significant Wetland, a component of the Barrie's Lake-Bauman Creek Wetland Complex.

Originating from primarily a groundwater source within the Hogsback in the southeastern corner of Cruickston Charitable Research Reserve (CCRR), Cruickston Creek feeds an extensive and diverse wetland complex located just north of Blair Road. Within the Hogsback, Cruickston Creek is a continuous flow coldwater stream. The lower reach of this creek has intermittent flow out of these wetlands and into the Grand River, reaching peak flows during spring run-off and late autumn rains. Throughout the year, the waters of this creek system percolate through the bedrock of fractured, solution-cavitied limestone providing groundwater seepage into the Grand River.

Cruickston: An Initiative

Cruickston Creek has a "weak link" that requires rehabilitation. Along a 250-m reach upstream from the Blair Road culvert, the creek flows through a narrow buffer zone that compromises the integrity of this freshwater ecosystem. The sloped sides of the creek along this length have been farmed as cropland for about three decades. The problems inherent in farming slopes adjacent to creek bed are evident here.

Benefits associated with this Cruickston Creek Initiative

• The restoration of the slopes along Cruickston Creek will improve
  • water quality
  • bird and butterfly habitat extent and quality
• The site is readily accessible to volunteers for planting days, etc.
• The site is adjacent to Blair Road where signage acknowledging the project sponsor would be highly visible.
• Monitoring of the restoration could yield a quantitative demonstration of improvements in environmental quality.
• The project will provide valuable practical experience that will benefit future restoration projects at CCRR.

The reaches of the Grand and Speed River and their associated creeks and wetlands are integral systems within the vision of CCRR. The species and habitat diversity of Cruickston is dependent upon the quality of its water.

Cruickston strives to provide high quality examples of ecosystems whose structural and functional integrity can serve as bench marks in this ecoregion within Southern Ontario.

The Environmental Management Plan for CCRR recommends that crop farming be discontinued on these slopes and the land be restored to forest through succession enhanced by adaptive management techniques including seed broadcasting and planting of shrubs and trees.

This proposal was prepared by Bill Wilson, Environmental Steward, with advice and consultation provided by Ken Dance, Dance Environmental Inc. and Cruickston Environmental Advisory Team, and Wayne MacMillan, biologist, Grand River Conservation Authority.

Malus coronaria Research at Cruickston

In early June, the eastern alvar of CCRR is highlighted by the pink flowers of Malus coronaria, the flowering or sweet crabapple. This native tree is uncommon in Canada, occurring only in scattered locations in southern Ontario. It is a close relative of the imported domestic apple, Malus domestica, which also occurs as a feral ("escaped") species at Cruickston.

Hybridization between wild crabapples and domestic apples has been reported since the 1920's in North America, but the likelihood of hybrids appearing in natural populations of crabapples has never been well described. Hybridization between native and introduced species is an important issue in conservation efforts, where it may be necessary to distinguish between the wild species and hybrids. Also, as genetic modification of crop plants (such as apples) becomes more common, the movement of genes from crop plants into native populations via hybridization becomes a major management concern.

Research is currently underway in the lab of Dr. Brian Husband (Department of Botany, University of Guelph) to address this issue. Work being carried out by Dr. Husband and Paul Kron has focused on developing methods to rapidly identify hybrids between wild crabapples and domestic apples, using both genetic markers and measurements of DNA content. These techniques are currently being applied in the Malus coronaria population at CCRR, both to test these approaches and to assess the status of the population.

In the first stage of this project, over 200 crabapple trees were located at CCRR in the spring of 2003. Eighty-two trees were tested for evidence of hybridity based on their DNA content, and all were found to have values consistent with pure Malus coronaria origin. In the second stage, now underway, fruit produced this year on these same trees will be tested to see whether any of the seeds are hybrids (i.e. have been produced by crossing with feral domestic apples at the site).

If hybrid seeds are found, future research will focus on the likelihood of such seeds producing new hybrid plants in the population, and of domestic apple genes moving into the native crabapple population through future hybridization events. The answers to these questions could have important implications for the future management of the Malus coronaria population at CCRR, as well as having broader implications in the areas of native species conservation and GMO crop management.

HISTORICAL HI LITES

Considerable effort and emphasis has been placed upon monitoring and conducting inventories of the biodiversity - the flora and fauna - of Cruickston. Of equal value and interest is the human history of Cruickston. As well as Matthew Wilks, Nathaniel Dodge - recognizable names of Cruickston's past - early settlers of present-day CCRR lands included William Ashton, Henry Bechtel, Joseph Erb, John Gouinlock, John McRae and William Young. This fall CCRR extends an invitation to those who have stories, reminiscences and anecdotes to share about Cruickston to participate in Cruickston Remembered. See the What's Happening section for details.

Carriage Tracks ...

• A special welcome to Reid's Heritage Group, our latest member of The Cruickston Circle. For a complete listing of Circle members, please visit www. cruickston.com and click on Friends.
• What have Friends of Cruickston been doing this summer? The accompanying photos in this newsletter highlight a season of activity in the organic garden, at the newly-established Cruickston Creek restoration site and at the Cruickston Resource House and Slit Barn.
• In late June, Dr. Wynn Watson undertook the inventory of mosses and liverworts within the proposed restoration site along Cruickston Creek as well as the reach of the creek through the site. Thank you Wynn.
• On 7 July 2003, Bill Wilson provided the Preston-Hespeler Probus Club with an overview of the CCRR property and initiatives undertaken in the past year.
• This summer Cruickston Organic Agriculture Project (COAP) staff went to Cambridge Farmers Market with Cruickston Organics as well as providing boxes of produce on a weekly basis to 20 households partici pating in a Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) program. Produce has also been donated to the Cambridge Self-Help Food Bank, Lisaard House, Cambridge-Preston and the Open Door Kitchen, Cambridge-Galt.
• On Saturday, 19 July 2003, 49 high school students from across Canada participating in the Shad Valley Program, University of Waterloo, returned to Cruickston for the second year to participate in a volunteer work program constructing walking trails within the Cliffs and Alvars sector of the Reserve. During June and July Shad Valley offers enriched and innovative programs in science, mathematics and business entrepreneurship to senior high school students at 8 university campuses across Canada. The director of the U of W program is Dr. Ed Jernigan, Faculty of Engineering, U of W. Thanks once again to Ed and his staff for their contribution to the Cruickston trail system.
• Hunter and Associates of Mississauga have been retained by CCRR to undertake a hydrology study of the property.
• Forty-one members of the Grand Valley Trail Association joined Bill and Heather Wilson for an after noon hike along the Cliffs and Alvars trail for their Second Annual Autumn Hike and Potluck Picnic.
• Homer Watson House and Gallery artist, Heather Franklin, visited Cruickston in late September with her sketching class.

CRUICKSTON CREATURES

Autumn Colour: Nowhere is autumn more colourful than in Ontario. In response to autumn's environmental conditions - less daylight and cooler temperatures - the greens of summer give way to tones of yellow, orange, red, purple and brown.

Sunlight is absorbed in green plants by the pigment chlorophyll. Chlorophyll "looks green" because it absorbs the energy of the light spectrum that we identify as red, yellow, violet and some blue, and reflects the remaining light, which is mainly green. Several pigments other than green ones exist within the cells of leaves. For example, carotenoids, the yellow and orange ones, are present from spring onwards in relatively small amounts and hence their presence is undetected because of the much larger concentration of chlorophyll. Only when chlorophyll disintegrates with the on-set of autumn do leaves appear yellow and orange: colours reflected by other leaf pigments.

Maples offer the most spectacular autumn colours for their leaves become emblazoned with intense reds and purples as well as yellows and oranges. When photosynthesis stops in autumn, glucose, a product of photosynthesis, may become trapped in leaves. Bright sunny days, albeit shorter now, together with cool temperatures promote a chemical change in glucose within the leaf pigment, anthocyanin, that contributes to the production of red colours. In time, however, colours fade as all pigments disintegrate resulting in the tell-tale sign of late autumn. Leaves become brown with age and decay the colour of tannins and lignins, wastes remaining from a summer of food production now stored and available for the next growing season.

Enjoy the autumnal colours of Cruickston by strolling along Linear Tail in Cambridge-Preston that runs along the shoreline of the Grand River opposite Cruickston. Refer to Larry Allan's article with map for trail location and details in the winter 2002 issue of The Cruickston Carriage, archived on our website: see Newsletters at www.cruickston.com.

Cruickston Organic Agriculture Project (COAP)

Cruickston Organics is well underway towards final harvest. With a bit of sun, the remaining crops will ripen, the seed will be collected and the fields prepared for spring planting. This first season has reaped much learning. Winter will give time to assess what went well and what needs to be improved. The CSA (Community Shared Agriculture) weekly food boxes commenced early July until mid-September. Next year we anticipate increasing this program and, with year one behind us, the varieties and yields will be greatly improved. Thanks to all the CSA volunteers who helped with harvest, and to Dr Wynn Watson for his trips into the fields to assist with insect identification. Thank you also, to Southworks for donating their tractor for a day.

Nature Notes

• Increased rainfall this summer compared to the previous two years has partially filled woodland ponds providing habitat for Green Frogs in Indian Woods.
• Heather Wilson spotted Little Brown Snake in alvar habitat on 30 August 2003.
• Bird species banded by Cruickston Bird Banding Group during late summer included Cedar Waxwing, Magnolia Warbler, American Redstart, Chestnut -sided Warbler, Ovenbird and Swainson's Thrush.
• Green-winged Teal had returned to reaches of the Grand River through CCRR by early September.
• Both Ruffed Grouse and Wild Turkey successfully raised broods within CCRR this season.
• Two species were added to the plant list for Cruickston: Bill Wilson found Butterfly Milkweed blooming and seeding near the bird banding station while Larry Lamb identified Woodland Horsetail in Indian Woods.
• Mushrooms found during a foray led by Dr. Greg Michalenko of University of Waterloo in September included Deadman's Finger, Turkey Tail, Bear's Head-Tooth and Rooting Polypore.
• Members of the Guelph Field Naturalists joined Friends of Cruickston on a fern walk conducted by Larry Lamb. A highlight was the sighting of Giant Swallowtail larvae feeding on Northern Prickly Ash confirming that this species of butterfly -the largest in Canada - breeds at Cruickston.
• During the Open House, a juvenile Milk Snake was discovered near the slit barn, the second sighting of this species at CCRR.

What’s Happening at CCRR

Please note: Meeting Place for Guided Walks will be at the Cruickston Resource House and Slit Barn, 768 Blair Road, unless otherwise indicated (e.g. see 16 November).

Guided Walks:

• Sunday, 19 October 2003, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm: Mosses of Cruickston. Join Dr. Wynn Watson to search for mosses on logs, cobblestones, limestone outcrops and soils in Cruickston. A magnifying glass will be a useful aid. Select footwear for wet ground conditions. Identification aids will be provided. Participants are requested to register for this event by telephoning the Cruickston Office, 650-9336, or e-mail: krutherford@cruickston.com. Registration fee for non-members = $5.00. Limit= 10 participants.
• Sunday, 16 November 2003, 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm: "The View from Here". Late autumn provides an opportunity to view the Cruickston landscape without its forest canopy thus exposing many of its landscape features, both natural and cultural. Join Bill Wilson for a "tour" of Cruickston based upon Larry Allen's newsletter article, "The View from Here" in the Winter Issue, 2002/2003. NOTE: Meet at the parking lot of Preston Auditorium, corner of Bishop and Hamilton Streets in Preston-Cambridge. We will walk the Linear Trail, a crushed stone flat surface. Dress for the weather which may include strong blustery winds, not unusual along this riverbank trail.

Seasonal Workshops:

• Saturday, 18 October 2003, 9 am to 12 noon: Seeding Workshop. Join Gay Scroggins at the Cruickston Resource House to learn how to save seeds from a selection of heirloom vegetables and flowers from Cruickston Organic Gardens. Cost: Friends of Cruickston members = $15.00; non-members = $18.00. Cost includes organic coffee break and seeds to take home.

Special Events:

• September 2003 to October 2004: The Art of Cruickston. CCRR proudly announces a unique opportunity for artists! Tours of the reserve will be available to artists for the purpose of sketching and photography, to create paintings and sketches which will be shown and sold in a juried show. The show will be presented at Homer Watson House and Gallery (Kitchener, ON) in September 2004. For more details, visit The Art of Cruickston at www.cruickston.com. Click on Links & Downloads or phone the Cruickston office, 650-9336
• Sunday, 23 November 2003, 2:00 pm to 4 pm: Cruickston Remembered. Do you have a story, anecdote or reminiscence about the early days at Cruickston? Join Friends of Cruickston for an informal sharing of stories about Cruickston. Participants are requested to register for this event by telephoning the Cruickston Office, 650-9336, or e-mail: krutherford@cruickston.com. Please provide your name and a title or one-sentence summary of your topic. Bring a comfortable chair and meet at the Cruickston Resource House and Slit Barn at 768 Blair Road.
• Audubon Christmas Bird Counts at CCRR: Cambridge Count, Sunday, 14 December & Kitchener Count, Sunday, 21 December 2003. Begun in 1900, the Audubon Christmas Count is the oldest and largest bird monitoring activity in North America. Portions of CCRR lie within both the count circles of Kitchener (started 1934) and Cambridge (1977). Join Friends of Cruickston and members of the K-W Field Naturalists on either day (or both) to participate. The Cambridge count will be an all-day walk along the trails and laneways of CCRR, searching for late migrants, winter visitors and residents. The Kitchener count focuses on waterfowl at the confluence of the Speed and Grand Rivers and feeder birds in Riverside Park in Preston. Bring lunch each day. To register: phone 650-9336 on or before Wednesday, 10 December. Limit: 6 participants for each count. Registration fee = $5.00 for members and $10.00 for non-members. (Fee includes $5.00 required for data compilation by Bird Studies Canada). Start time and location provided upon registration.

Looking Ahead

• On 13 February 2004 the Second Annual Cruickston Soiree for Friends of Cruickston members will take place.
• In March 2004, Photographer Thelma Beaubien will be offering a Photography Workshop at Cruickston.

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Newsletter Editor: Bill Wilson