[NatureNS] Miner's Marsh offleash park...

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Date: Wed, 2 Jul 2014 15:38:22 -0300
From: Rick Whitman <dendroica.caerulescens@gmail.com>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
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&gt;&gt; &gt; Sent: June-24-
As Dave has implied, the discussion has passed its "best before date".
I read all of it and feel that much could be summarized as "it didn't
cause any real problems when I was a child." This is quite possibly
true but I believe in most cases the point relates to 50-60-70 years
ago. There have been great changes in our world since then and we need
to deal with it as we see it today.

In that regard, I suspect that almost everyone outside of Kings Co.
missed the fact that the original poster was also the lead organizer
of an event designed to address the very issue that many felt was
being missed i.e. lack of contact with "nature" :

"[NatureNS] Marsh Madness! Miner's Marsh, Kentville; Sat. June 21
Patrick Kelly<Patrick.Kelly@dal.ca>	Tue, Jun 17, 2014 at 10:15 AM

Saturday, June 21, 2014 - Marsh Madness! Miner's Marsh, Kentville. An
inter-generational "bioblitz" in downtown Kentville
Contact: James Churchill 681-2374,jamesLchurchill@gmail.com. Leaders:
Several local wildlife- and wetland experts.

Access to Miner's Marsh is at the back of the Kentville Court House
parking lot (87 Cornwallis Street, Kentville).

* Day creatures: From 10 am-2 pm we will explore with local experts
the biological richness of the marsh including aquatic life, birds,
terrestrial insects and plants using binoculars, nets, hand lenses,
and field guides. Over lunch, Purolator will hold a "Tackle Hunger"
cash BBQ and will be accepting donations for the local food bank.

* Night Creatures: beginning at 9:15 pm Andrew Hebda of the Nova
Scotia Museum of Natural History will lead us on a search for
creatures of the night. We will search for amphibians, marsh birds,
bats (with ultrasonic bat detectors), and moths/flying insects (using
a black light). Prepare to be amazed by the biodiversity of the night.

Participants will learn about finding, observing and identifying
wetland species and ecologically-responsible interaction with nature.
We will generate a list of species for the day and create an online
map to display our results. This event is child- and family-friendly.
Come prepared with sunscreen, rubber boots, dip nets, binoculars,
flashlights (for the night)...and food bank items.
www.blomidonnaturalists.ca/marshMadness. "

Perhaps we can take note of that and move on, or organize a similar
event in your own community.

Rick Whitman

On 6/23/14, James Churchill <jameslchurchill@gmail.com> wrote:
> hi folks,
>
> dogs -
> 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.
>
> turtles -
> during Marsh Madness this weekend a number of attendees mentioned that they
> have observed people taking Eastern Painted Turtles from the Marsh for
> their children etc. One individual mentioned that they were trying to
> convince a lady not to take them from the marsh and she responded that
> since she told her child she could have one, and that the child was
> currently crying she would just take it anyway.
>
> Some thoughts around this are to put up an interpretive sign near some of
> the prime basking areas, or even create basking areas farther from the
> marsh edge.
>
> If anyone has thoughts on these things let me know and I can pass along
> suggestions to DU.
>
> cheers,
> James.
>
> --
> James Churchill
> Kentville, Nova Scotia
> jameslchurchill@gmail.com
> (902) 681-2374
>


-- 
Rick Whitman

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