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> natural world.=C2=A0 Some will say, "But there are interpretive signs!"
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Hi Richard & All, June 24, 2014
Now that the dust has settled and I have a few minutes I will add =
some thoughts.
First and most importantly, a key message that I have attempted to =
convey many times, with limited success it seems, is the overriding =
importance of habitat and this includes air, water, climate and freedom =
from disruptions.=20
If these necessary conditions are out of whack and getting whackier =
then the only thing protected when you deliniate a 'protected area' is =
the delusion that the life forms within that area are thereby protected.
The Painted Turtle is a good example of an animal that has a dim =
future due mostly to good intentions gone sour. Some 70 years ago they =
were abundant in every pond on our Cornwallis River meadow in Cambridge. =
Seeing a Raccoon track there, in any of the numerous muddy areas, was a =
big event. Dogs were not chained then and any Raccoon that came near =
settlement was likely to be given a canine escort to elsewhere. We grew =
corn every year, some fields ~1/4 mile from the nearest house and never =
lost a cob to Raccoons.=20
Unfortunately we now have the mirror image of the above, dogs not =
allowed to run and Raccoons abundant everywhere. This would all be =
harmless enough except for one circumstance. Raccoons are fond of turtle =
eggs and quickly learn when and where to look for them.=20
Raccoons numbers were lowered by disease recently but that will be =
temporary. As I noted some years ago on Naturens ~15?), those who want =
to save Painted Turtles should build Raccoon barriers over turtle egg =
laying sites.=20
Moving on to more general matters, I was advised nearly 60 years ago =
to be egg-shaped with respect praise and blame but am none-the-less =
grateful for the many words of support on line and offline. And long =
before that we were advised to always "Hew to the line; let the chips =
fall where they may." [thanks to Google I now know the background of =
this 1881 sentiment.]
Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville
=20
=20
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Richard Stern=20
To: NatureNS=20
Sent: Monday, June 23, 2014 10:36 PM
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Miner's Marsh offleash park...
Hi,
People may not agree with many of David's posts, and I suspect he =
might post some stuff just for the sake of being controversial, or to =
initiate discussion, but actually I usually enjoy reading them. There =
are others who sometimes post in a similar vein. I don't think =
disagreeing with the contents of a post, or many posts, would be =
grounds for removing someone, as long as that person is not rude, =
demeaning or insulting to other members. Any thoughts, List-owner (or =
David)?
Richard
On Mon, Jun 23, 2014 at 10:00 PM, <cpepper@ymail.com> wrote:
Sooo, how much of David Webster's bullshit do we have to put up with =
before we can remove him from the list?
Chris
Sent wirelessly from my BlackBerry device on the Bell network.
Envoy=C3=A9 sans fil par mon terminal mobile BlackBerry sur le =
r=C3=A9seau de Bell.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
---
From: David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.com>=20
Sender: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca=20
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2014 21:16:31 -0300
To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
ReplyTo: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Miner's Marsh offleash park...
Hi All, June 23, 2014
I have a problem with over zealous regulation and over zealous =
enforcement. If a park operates on a strickly 'look but don't touch =
basis' then protection may be complete but of short duration. This =
applies especially now when many kids are in love with the latest =
game/technology and bored by anything natural (unless it is packaged in =
30 second clips to be enjoyed in the comfort of a chair at home).=20
Or, expressed another way, Pogo and his friends will over the =
long haul be protected by the child who takes a turtle home and thereby =
learns to respect the natural world.=20
Miner' s Marsh is subject to severe floods from time to time. =
And as more esker segments and other coarse glacial deposits upstream =
are mined for sand and gravel this flow instability is bound to =
increase. I suspect that many Miner's Marsh Painted Turtles will be =
swept out to sea whenever we have late floods.=20
John Muir as a boy, when grounded to home base, sometimes amused =
himself by throwing stones at cats or, in one instance, dropping one out =
of a high window. Somehow this wild boy turned out ok, mainly because he =
was wild.
They hang the man and flog the woman=20
who steals the goose from off the common
but let the greater criminal loose
who steals the common from the goose.
Yt, DW, Kentville
=20
----- Original Message -----=20
From: John and Nhung=20
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
Sent: Monday, June 23, 2014 11:11 AM
Subject: RE: [NatureNS] Miner's Marsh offleash park...
Regarding the kid and the turtle, part of growing up is =
internalizing the title of that Rolling Stones song: =E2=80=9CYou =
can=E2=80=99t always get what you want.=E2=80=9D =20
The appropriate response for a parent to make is, =E2=80=9CNo, you =
can=E2=80=99t. [Insert reason.] Get over it.=E2=80=9D
Looks as if a lot of public education is needed. It=E2=80=99s =
very troubling if authorities hesitate to impose penalties because of =
fear of public reaction.
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca =
[mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] On Behalf Of James Churchill
Sent: June-23-14 9:36 AM
To: naturens
Subject: [NatureNS] Miner's Marsh offleash park...
hi folks,=20
dogs -=20
Others might have noticed this but there are lots of off-leash =
dogs at the Marsh these days. This morning a number of them were chasing =
ducks in the water. There are currently broods of Wood Ducks, Mallards =
and Pied-billed Grebes (2 pairs) hanging around within the marsh and =
young of other birds at the periphery of the marsh.
Speaking with Gren Jones, DU Director, there is a fine for having =
off-leash dogs at this site. There is one sign indicating to keep pets =
on leashes but it is around the back near the private drive (northeast =
corner). There used to be one near the bridge as well, but it has been =
taken down. It is not fun to remind people of this and can elicit strong =
emotions from some people when confronted about it. DU is working to get =
another sign up here.=20
turtles -=20
during Marsh Madness this weekend a number of attendees mentione