DAVID SUZUKI ON "A DAILY DOSE OF NATURE'

Prescription for health and happiness

By David Suzuki

 Do you want to be happier, healthier, and smarter? I have just the prescription for you: add a daily dose of nature to your routine.

Over the past decade, researchers from fields as diverse as biology, psychiatry, engineering, horticulture, neuroscience, and medicine have realized what most of us know intuitively: nature is good for our health and wellbeing. These experts have discovered countless links between time spent outdoors and cognitive, physical, and emotional development.

Studies show that enjoying a natural setting – like a park, beach, wetland, or forest – can reduce blood pressure, anxiety, and stress levels. Exposure to nature can help you sleep well and increase vigour and liveliness. It can even boost your immune system.

In their new book Your Brain on Nature, naturopath Alan Logan and Harvard physician Eva Selhub cite dozens of studies that demonstrate the health benefits of the natural world. They even refer to outdoor physical activity as “exercise squared” because it can increase energy and fitness levels while reducing fatigue, depression, and obesity.

Melissa Lem, a family doctor and member of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, says exposure to nature is vitally important for kids. She suggests that time spent with flora and fauna is essential for healthy psychological and physical development in children. In a recent Docs Talk column she points to studies that show daily doses of “green time” can be used to prevent and treat conditions like Top of FormBottom of Formattention deficit hyperactivity disorder, hypertension, and diabetes. Ailments like myopia, asthma, and depression have also been linked to inadequate nature exposure.

While this scientific body of evidence is fascinating and growing quickly, most of us remain unaware of the full range of health benefits that nature provides. And with more than 80 per cent of Canadians now living in urban settings, many of us lack a meaningful, regular connection with the natural environment that sustains us. Getting in touch with the outdoors has another great benefit: those who know and love nature work harder to protect it.

This is why the David Suzuki Foundation is about to launch its first ever 30x30 Challenge. Starting June 1, we’re inviting Canadians to spend at least 30 minutes in nature each day for 30 days. By encouraging people to get a regular dose of fresh air we hope to help participants take advantage of the many health benefits nature has to offer. They might even make it part of their continuing daily practice.

With the busy lives that many of us lead, taking time to get outside may seem difficult. But it’s easier than you think. Green space is as close as your local park or backyard garden. Trails, ravines, and community gardens are often a short distance from the daily grind. And birds, bees, and other critters are usually nearby; you just have to take time to slow down, breathe, watch, and listen.

Are you curious about how you can get your daily dose of nature? Ditch the indoor gym and go for a run or walk in a park or on a trail instead. Use your lunch break to get out of the office and visit a nearby green space. Find a nice leafy tree and read a book in the shade. Brush off your green thumb and spruce up your garden. And on June 15, make plans to get outside with your favourite little ones on Nature Play Day in Canada.

For the young at heart, a British organization called the National Trust has put together a fun list of 50 activities all children should do before they are 11¾ years old. While playing conkers (a game involving chestnuts on strings) might not be among the top 50 Canadian pastimes, the list includes cool activities that are worthwhile for any age. The joys of rolling down a big hill, eating an apple picked fresh from a tree, and hunting for bugs are truly timeless.

Join the 30x30 Challenge beginning June 1 and incorporate small natural diversions into your daily routine for a month. Add some green to your commute, lunch break, workout schedule, or playtime. And remember, a daily dose of nature is good for your head, heart, and health.

Learn more at www.davidsuzuki.org.

SATURDAY, MAY 26 - SPRING BIRD FESTIVAL (ETOBICOKE GUARDIAN)

City celebrates third annual Spring Bird Festival at Colonel Samuel Smith Park

The third annual Spring Bird Festival will be held later this month at Colonel Samuel Smith Park.

The free event, which serves to inform residents and park users about the importance of bird habitats, will feature a live reptile and amphibian display, guided bird walks, children's activities, bird and bat box building, a live snake display, bird-viewing stations and educational displays.
Hosted by City of Toronto staff, in partnership with Toronto and Region Conservation, Humber Arboretum, Citizens Concerned about the Future of the Etobicoke Waterfront, and Friends of Sam Smith, the Spring Bird Festival will be held on Saturday, May 26 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Colonel Samuel Smith Park, 3131 Lake Shore Blvd. W.
Colonel Samuel Smith Park is a well-established bird stopover location for more than 270 species of birds along the Etobicoke waterfront.
Hourly guided bird walks run from 8 a.m. to noon. The festival officially begins with children's activities, educational displays and live bird demonstrations at 9 a.m.
Admission to the festival is free. Parking is limited, but the site is accessible by public transit.
For more information email greentoronto@toronto.ca or call 311.

NATURE PROGRAMMING FOR STUDENTS AT SAM SMITH PARK (ETOBICOKE GUARDIAN)

Students explore hidden nature in the city. James S. Bell Junior Middle School students Briar Harling, 9, Jaiden O'Brien, 8, and Ethan Butler, 9, joined their Grade 2/3 class Monday at Colonel Samuel Smith Park for outdoor nature programming hosted by Humber Arboretum's Centre for Urban Ecology. Here, they show off some of the unique leaves they collected during a biodiversity game. 

Students explore hidden nature in the city

Humber Arborteum kicks off its south Etobicoke programming

A morning of flower picking, leaf collecting, bird watching and nest spotting had kids from James S. Bell Junior Middle School marvelling with wide-eyed enthusiasm at Mother Nature Monday, as Humber Arboretum kicked off its first season of nature programming at Colonel Samuel Smith Park.
Lucy Woods and Justice McChesney, both 7, were among the 19 students in grades 2 and 3 to get first crack at enjoying the May-June pilot project, which is aimed at south Etobicoke elementary school classes. Neither could contain their excitement at all they'd learned during the morning's Plants program, led by Nature Interpreter Chris Bialek.
"I learned that plants are an important resource in nature because they keep us alive by making us oxygen and food," Lucy declared proudly.
Added Justice: "Plants are great! They help us breathe, but some are very poisonous and can hurt us, so you have to know the difference."
Already a fixture for many northern Etobicoke schools at the college's North Campus (near Hwy. 27 and Finch Avenue West), Humber Arboretum's Nature Programs kicked off its inaugural season at the college's Lakeshore Campus this week with the James S. Bell visit.
The southern migration of the programming came as a natural move, Bialek said, given that Humber's Lakeshore campus is nestled in one of the city's most diverse urban green spaces - Colonel Samuel Smith Park.
"It's such a great area out here, and we really want to try and get as many schools out down here so the students can come and experience nature," he said. "The big part is making the kids think that nature is fun and that it's not going to hurt them. Some are terrified of snakes and everything else, so this is about teaching them that they're not going to get hurt and that they're going to have fun."
This May and June, classes ranging from grades 1 to 8 can sign up for a multitude of curriculum-connected programming meant to enhance and bring to life the science-based lessons they learn in the classroom. From Magnificent Monarchs, to Amazing Animals, to Cool Coyotes, each program offered caters to specific grades. (See sidebar for a full list of available programming).
Monday morning's Plants program, which had Daunet Morrison's grades 2 and 3 class out scavenging for as diverse a collection of leaves as could be found, perfectly complimented a unit she's currently teaching on biodiversity.
The whole program, she said, was a fun - and eye-opening - experience.
"It's absolutely incredible down here. I didn't even realize this (parkland) was here," she said. "It's been a great day so far."
A full day of Humber Arboretum's Nature Programming (which includes a morning and an afternoon program) down at Colonel Samuel Smith Park costs $11.50 per student participant (not including HST) - but Morrison's class, plus five other lucky classes, got a discounted rate, thanks to a subsidy generously donated by Citizens Concerned about the Future of the Etobicoke Waterfront (CCFEW).
"We thought, just to jump start the program, we would offer a subsidy of $5 each for the first 150 kids," said Barbara Keaveney, CCFEW's secretary. "There is so very little outdoor education now in the schools...and it's just so good for the kids to get out. (Colonel Samuel Smith Park) is the only location we know of that's on the lake in Toronto and there's also a huge diversity of wildlife here. There's beaver, fox, lynx, deer - and the birds are amazing, too.
"The kids just love it."
For more information about Humber's nature programming, email arboretum@humber.ca or call 416-675-5009.

Humber Arboretum Centre for Urban Ecology's Nature Programs:

- Nature Walk (Grade 1 - January to December)

Using the trails of Colonel Sam Smith Park, take part in exploratory activities designed to look closely at nature.

- Habitats (grades 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 - January to December)

What is a habitat and why is it such a significant ecological concept? Learn about the four basic needs of all living things.

- Birds (Grade 1 - January to December)

What makes birds unique? Learn where they live, what they eat, and how they behave. Feed the winter Chickadees.

- Cool Coyotes (grades 1, 2, 4, 6, 7 - January to December)

Learn about the amazing biology and behaviour of our local elusive coyotes (pups to adults) through a variety of games and activities. This program will lead students to better understand the importance of top on the Lakeshore and how to peacefully coexist with a variety of wildlife species.

- Magnificent Monarchs (grades 1-4, 6, 7)

Students will have an opportunity to learn about the characteristics, lifecycles, and behaviours of Monarch butterflies (a species of special concern). A plant, migration, or cultural celebration focus can be provided.

- Trees (grades 1, 3, 4, 6 - January to December)

Trees play an important role in our lives. Learn about forest ecology, fruits, seeds, and tree life cycles.

- First Nation Games (grades 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 - Mid-May to November)

The First Nations People played many games. Have fun learning about their customs.

- Renewable Energy (Grade 5 - Mid-May to November)

Learn about different types of renewable energy and how we benefit from each.

- Plants (grades 3, 4, 6 - Mid-May to Early September)

Learn about the importance of the variety of plants in our world.

- Amazing Animals (grades 2, 4, 6 - January to December)

Uncover the differences between the animal groups. Wildlife native to the area will be emphasized.

- Insects (grades 2, 4 - Mid-May to November)

Examine and compare fascinating insects in different habitats.

- Pollinators (grades 1-4, 6, 7)

Are you aware of the many ways that humans rely on pollinators? Learn about the diversity of pollinators and find out how and why we should act to protect them!

- Ecology Games (grades 4, 6, 7 - March to November)

Play a variety of games and learn that everything plays an important role in nature.

- Watershed Awareness (grades 7, 8 - January to December)

What is a watershed and how do you study one? Identify your watershed address.

- Milkweed Meeting Place (grades 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 - June; September to November)

While learning about general plant characteristics, students will better understand how the Monarch caterpillar's only food source, the Milkweed plant, acts as a habitat for a community of interacting insects.

BRAVO TO THE FOOTBALLERS AND PARK STAFF

The Australian Rules footballers were so concerned about the frantic killdeer defending her nest last Saturday that they painted markings around it to alert people to its hard to spot location. 
David Chapman's staff (Parks Supervisor) placed the cones around as well and have been alerted about holding off mowing that section of the playing field until the young leave the nest (all being well!). The eggs take 24 to 28 days to hatch and the young are mobile and usually move away from the nest very soon after hatching.  Keep your fingers crossed.

SONGBIRD MIGRATION IN FULL SWING

CANADA WARBLER - can be seen passing through Sam Smith

There is an excellent article in today's Toronto Star on songbird migration through Toronto.  Unfortunately, the writer does not venture to the west end of the City and misses out on describing another terrific place to witness this miracle - Sam Smith Park!

"Songbird ‘superhighway’ runs through Toronto as 50 million will fly over in spring migration"

LAKESHORE HOSPITAL GROUNDS HISTORY

There is an excellent website that offers a history of the old Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital.

"Asylum by the Lake"

Here is a photograph from the website showing the ornate stone bridge that used to span the now buried Jackson Creek that met the lake at Rotary Park.  Remnants of the bridge can still be seen on the roadway between the two swales that were once wetlands on the creek.

2012 CLEANUP DAY PHOTOS - THANKS TO ALL PARTICIPANTS, ESPECIALLY ALL THE YOUNG FAMILIES

Alan Roy and Terry Smith, FOSS

Brian "Lariat" Bailey, CCFEW

CCFEW SAM SMITH BIRD WALK SATURDAY

ANNUAL PARK CLEANUP - SUNDAY, APRIL 22

SOME NOTES

Some random notes of interest from a recent Lakeshore Grounds Coordinating Committee meeting

• Parks, Forestry and Recreation – Storage unit for aussie rules football going in on a newly placed gravel pad; will be moving staff into powerhouse this summer; maintenance staff will open and close washrooms on daily basis during summer months.
• CCFEW  Nature Program at Humber Arboretum happening this spring with three schools signed up; CCFEW will subsidize students: $5/person for first 5 schools that sign up.
• Lakeshore Yacht Club Twice annual closings of walkway; boat launch: Friday, April 27 and Saturday, April 28; stepping Friday, May 4 and Saturday, May 5
• Councilor Grimes’ Office Morrison Street entrance: Councilor Grimes wanted it as part of parkland but it didn’t work out; it will be improved and still used for community access to park.

HOW TO FIND OUT ABOUT SAM SMITH BIRD SIGHTINGS

Eastern Towhee

"This morning Jeremy Hatt, Andrew Keaveney, David Hallett and I spent about three hours birding park.  Highlights: 1 Forester's Tern, 12 Yellow-rumped Warbers, 40 White-throated Sparrows, 10 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and smaller numbers of Field Sparrow, Hermit Thrush, Yellow-belled Sapsucker, Eastern Towhee, Fox Sparrow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow and Brown Thrasher.  There are still about 150 Red-necked Grebes, 15 Horned Grebes and a couple of Pied-billed Grebes in the area."

The Ontario Field Ornithologists operates an electronic mailing listserv called ONTBIRDS that notifies birders of interesting Ontario sightings.  The posting from Wayne Renaud, a local birder, shown above gives details about birds recently seen in Sam Smith Park.  ONTBIRDS is a good way to keep on top of what's being seen in our park as migration begins to accelerate as well as keep up with other interesting Ontario sightings.  On average, there are about 6 - 8 postings a day and Sam Smith Park is frequently one of them. Wayne is a regular reporter of Sam Smith birds during migration.

To subscribe, you need to send an email to birdalert-request@ontbirds.ca with subscribe in the subject header. You will have to confirm any changes you make by replying to an acknowledging email. Unsubscribing is very easy to do.

If you are a knowledgeable birder, you may even want to post sightings yourself. 

OWL PHOTOGRAPH

Long Eared Owl photographed by Julie Hyde in Sam Smith Park yesterday.

"INTRODUCTION TO BIRDING" COURSE

TREE SWALLOW NESTING BOXES

FOSS members were busy this week getting the tree swallow nesting boxes ready for the new arrivals that are already showing up - much earlier this Spring because of the warm weather and the emergence of insects.  Preparation involves removing old, decaying nesting material, scraping all surfaces and sterilizing with a vinegar/water solution.  About three-quarters of the boxes had been used by swallows. Some were empty, others had been claimed by song sparrows (?)  A few had been used by overewintering wasps and field mice.  Unfortunately, two evictions of the cute interloper were necessary!

On May 26th, as part of the Sam Smith Spring Bird Festival, FOSS will be inviting families to build more nesting boxes (and a few bat boxes) for Sam Smith and other Toronto parks.

TWO IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

PARK CLEAN UP - Sunday, April 22nd, 9 - 3

SPRING BIRD FESTIVAL - Saturday, May 26th, 8 - 1

WHIMBRELS!!

In the current issue of Ontario Nature magazine there is an excellent article on whimbrels and the monitoring of their migratory flight that takes place at Sam Smith Park.

The magazine can be read online for free.  The Spring issue has other articles that are of interest to local birders.

Whimbrels pass by our park around May 22 - 24 and some lingerers may still show up for the Sam Smith Spring Bird Festival on May 26th.

STORMWATER PLAN "UNVEILED"

Last Thursday, during the concluding phase of the Environmental Assessment, the City and its consultants unveiled the Stormwater Management Plan for South Etobicoke.  As expected, they intend to go with the “big pipe, big shaft” solution in Sam Smith Park that we all felt they were set on right from the get-go.

If you weren't there, the presentation can be viewed on the City's website. 

As part of the long assessment process, there have been public meetings and smaller consultations with the Community Working Group.  In spite of assurances still coming from the Councilor’s office that the community is in favour of this expensive, highly engineered solution, there has always been unanimous preference from the community in both forums for naturalized processes for dealing with storm water (“preference for naturalized facilities and enhancement of existing habitat” – the planners’ own words) - for more resilient, decentralized forms of management like source infiltration, ponding and wetlands that would create ecological assets for vegetation, urban wildlife and human enjoyment rather than last-century, concrete and metal, big–pipe thinking. 

In spite of them asking over the years what the community wanted and being told, there is no incorporation of any natural feature whatsoever in their plan – not even a trickle of runoff added to the rapidly dwindling North Creek in Sam Smith that feeds our wetland and provides a movement corridor for birds and mammals!

 

Ponds for handling storm water are commonly used in subdivisions around the GTA now and, of course, we have the example of Sherbourne Commons in the East Side of the City where storm water flows through an artificial wetland, an urban river and art features before entering the lake.  A quick internet search reveals innovative examples from all over the world.  There is room for wetland expansion at Sam Smith and, if the flow was decentralized, at other waterfront parks along the shore – Marie Curtis, Rotary Park, Cliff Lumsden, Prince of Wales, Amos Waites and Humber Bay.

The issue for Friends of Sam Smith Park is that, while applauding efforts to clean up the lake for wildlife and aquatic vegetation, there is little emphasis on source solutions (only 10% of Toronto Water's budget for stormwater management) like bioswales in parks and around parking lots, permeable surfaces and so on to reduce the flow that ends up at the lake, and no use of end-of-pipe stormwater for habitat enhancement or water parks for human enjoyment.  There is little imagination in this plan and there will be no assets for the community.

Another "dog and pony” show!

WE NEED SAFER ALLOWABLE USES FOR THE INDUSTRIAL LANDS NEAR OUR HOMES, SCHOOLS AND PARKS

FOSS MEETS WITH SCHOOL BOARD ABOUT NEW SCHOOL IN THE LAKESHORE GROUNDS

This morning Terry Smith, FOSS's Acting Chair, Jem Cain, Ruth Grier and Brian Bailey from CCFEW met with the TCDSB Project Co-ordinator for the new Catholic School and the Architect who will design it.

The school will have three storeys and accommodate about 550 students on a rather small 2.19 acre site at the north west corner of Colonel Samuel Smith Park Drive and Lakeshore Blvd. West.  There will be a large setback from Lakeshore.  It should be completed late 2014 or early 2015.

Both FOSS and CCFEW emphasized the need for the design to be in harmony with the natural features of the park to maintain (and, hopefully, enhance) ecological integrity, particularly with regard to wildlife movement corridors, habitat protection and the opportunities a naturalized Sam Smith Park offers for environmental education.

Our concerns and asks were met with respect and interest. We look forward to seeing them implemented in the final design.

Here is a list of what was discussed.
 
·        Retain as many mature trees as possible
·        Plant more trees than ones removed for construction
·        Protection or replacement of part of heritage orchard
·        Development should facilitate the restoration of North Creek to maintain the wildlife corridor
·        Retain some of the thickets, additional planting of trees along North Creek as protected cover and habitat for wildlife
·        Promote environmental programming in the new school
·        Make parking’ footprint as small as possible (shared; underground; permeable surface options)
·        No fencing (except for around kindergarten playground)
·        Consider the least amount of glass on southern face of building to minimize bird collisions during migration
·        Community consultation with open meetings
 

BARGE IN PARK MARINA

We heard via the grapevine that the old dock ramp is being replaced by a new ramp as it is obsolete. Also the club is installing 5 new extensions to the existing docks presumably to accommodate more boats. The barge is a drilling barge. They need to install anchors to the harbour bed to hold chains which attach to the dock.

STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PUBLIC MEETING FEB 2ND

Thursday, February 2, 2012 

6:30 pm to 8:30 pm (Presentation at 7 pm)

The Assembly Hall, 2nd floor auditorium

1 Colonel Sam Smith Park Drive

The City’s Stormwater Management Study Team plan to publicly unveil their recommended solution for stormwater management in South Etobicoke.  It includes an underground stormwater storage shaft in Samuel Smith Park and new interceptor sewers running along Lakeshore Blvd., Lake Shore Drive and Lake Promenade to intercept and convey the stormwater flows from the 30 existing outfalls to the underground storage shaft in the park.

The Study Team says they have considered suggestions from the Working Group (that included Terry Smith from FOSS) for environmental enhancements and naturalized facilities in the Park and for minimal disturbance to the local community, existing natural and recreational areas, as well as park functions. They say that during detailed design of the project, they will explore environmental enhancement and naturalization opportunities in Samuel Smith Park (e.g. for North Creek and the sediment embayment), in consultation with the local community, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, and internal City divisions.

This is an important meeting for those of us who are concerned about wildlife and habitat in our nature park.  The location and construction of such a deep and wide shaft will have a huge impact on the ecology of the park, especially for birds during migration.  It is vital that everyone attend this meeting to ask questions and voice opinions.

TYPE "STORMWATER" IN TO THE SEARCH BOX ABOVE TO SEE PREVIOUS FOSS POSTINGS ON THIS MATTER

MILD WINTERS A THREAT TO LOCAL WILDLIFE - INTERESTING ARTICLE BY TRCA IN TORONTO STAR

Finally, snow. Enough to shovel.
But nature’s first attempt to dump a lasting white calling card on Toronto Friday might be too little, too late for local critters, bugs and plants that have evolved to tolerate frigid, snowy Canadian winters — not tennis-playing temperatures in December and January, which put their survival at risk.
“We don’t need statistics to tell us something odd is happening,” says Ryan Ness, manager of water resources at the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.
His evidence, besides not needing boots until now? Ponds and streams usually covered weeks ago with solid ice — which protects resting fish with a stable environment buffered from very cold air and calorie-burning turbulence — are open water.
Odd, too, are the extreme freeze-and-thaw cycles of the past few two months. For this weekend, for example, forecasters were predicting thermometers would plunge into bitter below-zero range, then rocket back up to 5, with rain, on Tuesday.
Environmental experts say temperature swings stress out animals, invertebrates and plants used to one long winter freeze with a gradual warm, rainy melt into spring.
From wood frogs and salamanders to swallowtail butterflies and seed-bearing trees, species can die (lack of a snowy insulating layer means greater exposure to cold temperatures for meadow voles, for instance) or produce stunted offspring.
Trees, in particular, can be affected. While mild weather mitigates damage like broken branches from heavy ice, temperature swings can stunt reproduction at a time when provincial tree canopies, already considered too sparse, are being beefed up with millions of plantings.
“It’s funny, a lot of people will say, ‘Ha, this is great, it’s six degrees out today and I only have to wear a light coat,’ ” says forester Rob Keen, CEO of Trees Ontario, which helps to create and restore forests through seed collections when trees flower in spring.
“What we’ve seen in the last several years with the milder springs are the trees start to put flowers on earlier. Then we’ve seen frosts come in, killing the flowers and therefore, killing the seed production. It’s really detrimental to our restoration efforts.”
Okay, we’ve gotten this far without mentioning climate change — but hold that thought.
Periodic stretches of unusual weather are “quite within the tolerance” of creatures that have adapted to habitat changes over the eons, says Ralph Toninger, manager of habitat restoration at Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.
“It would really take something like successive years of warm weather, like if we had four straight winters of warm weather like this, before you’d really start to see an impact on trees and native wild life,” Toninger explains.
That brings us back to climate change. Is this Year One of a hotter, more disturbing pattern or simply a one-off occurrence?
Bill Parker, a research scientist with the Ministry of Natural Resources Ontario Forest Research Institute in Sault Ste. Marie and a climate change specialist, thinks the GTA is just one of many areas that may be starting a gradual warming.
“This is obviously an abnormally warm winter so far and I would say that this type of weather is consistent with what is projected to occur in the future under climate change,” he says.
“This will become more and more common, it’s believed.”
Until Friday, the GTA winter has been balmy experience. No snow crunching underfoot, no icy pellets sparkling in trees or prolonged freezes to magically transform ponds into skating rinks. Even Friday’s “storm” mellowed out when it hit, spitting out a few greasy centimetres of wet snow during the morning rush hours.
Without a substantial blanket of snow and ice, some types of fish are at risk for starvation, and their breeding areas can be damaged..
“When you don’t get a lot of snow buildup, what you don’t get in spring is the big rush of water that flushes out all the accumulated sediment and cleans up gravel in areas where fish spawn,” Ness says.
“It’s a pattern that fish are used to. Some fish spawn at that time of year (when water levels are high) so they go to where they need to go to spawn.
“Now, because a lot of precipitation falls as rain instead of snow, it runs off into water courses and increases flow almost all winter. So you get periodic small flows instead of one big one in spring.”
Christine Tu, a rivers and streams specialist at of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, says solid ice cover provides a low-turbulence environment for fish in medium-sized streams during winter months, when their metabolism decreases because food sources are scarce. Fish tend to group in deep pool areas of streams, feeding and moving very little, but without ice, there can be turbulence forcing the fish to move, Tu explains.
Another problem in this scenario is frazil ice, which is columns of swirling ice crystals that can reach down into a creek channel. Frazil ice can nudge fish from their quiet refuge pool, which makes them expend energy.
“You’ve got this double-edge sword,” Tu says, “not enough food and higher metabolism from movement they’re not used to and essentially, you have a starvation condition.”
(Fish can also die from a lack of oxygen. That’s usually in ponds where ice cover doesn’t break soon enough and fish have depleted the oxygen supply.)
Though the absence of snow can be a bountiful time for animals like deer which can forage freely, Toninger says it can also adversely affect a hunter-prey relationship.
Voles, for example, live under a thick snow covering to stay warm. Without it, the small rodents are exposed directly to cold air temperatures as they hunker down in forests.
“Even though it’s been a warmer winter, voles will find it more difficult (because) even if it’s -5, they’ll feel that full -5,” the biologist says.
Another vole domino: local great horned owls hunt voles by sound as they tunnel through the snow at ground level. The little guys are harder to pinpoint on bare earth, which also affects the visiting Arctic snowy owl.
Toninger says snowy owls, which have been spotted in Tommy Thompson Park along the Leslie Street Spit, come south now and then, probably prompted not by weather patterns but by a low lemming count up north.
And insects? Some in this area are highly cold-tolerant, but it’s unknown what repeated freeze-thaw cycles might have on their survival rates and the fitness of offspring, says Brent Sinclair, an assistant professor in the University of Waterloo’s department of biology.
The warmer weather seems to have tricked at least one bird that should be nibbling on juicy tropical treats right now instead of hanging around Toronto. Toninger says a palm warbler was spotted during a Christmas bird count he was on. It should have flown south in September but likely figured there was enough food and warmth here to last until spring.
“For a lot of wildlife, in an area like this, there’s a risk-reward,” Toninger says. “If there’s enough food to keep the fires going, they can forage at -35.”
Should there be a quick deep freeze and the warbler decides to fly south, what happens when it burns up precious calories as the temperature plummets?
“It probably made a bad decision and probably will not make it,” he says, noting it would likely freeze to death trying to fly across Lake Ontario.

TRCA WINTER EVENTS CALENDAR

FROM THE "MINDFUL WORLD" BLOG - SPRING BIRDING IN SAM SMITH

BIRD WALK IN THE PARK: A mindfulness practice in nature

Nashville Warbler

Armed with binoculars and cameras, more than 40 bird watching enthusiasts gather at Colonel Sam Smith Park for a free monthly bird walk hosted by the Citizens Concerned About The Future of the Etobicoke Waterfront (CCFEW), an advocacy group that formed to safeguard public access to Toronto’s Humber Bay Shores from encroaching condo development.
The group, led by veteran birder Bob Yukich, heads to the lookout platform on the pond where a few barn swallows treat our eyes to their visually stunning display of acrobatics. Basking in the bright sun on this pleasantly warm April day, we stick around for awhile, watching them dart from side to side, circle and dive through the air as they catch a protein-rich insect lunch. Known as quite a vengeful bird, the unmated male Barn Swallow sometimes kills the nestlings of a nesting pair. Rather than turning off the female, his actions often succeed in causing a split, which opens up an opportunity for him to mate with the female.
We proceed to the waterfront where we catch some of the few remaining migratory waterfowl before they fly north to their summer homes. A flock of Long-tailed ducks sit lazily on the calm lake. With an intricate pattern of black, grey and white markings, this distinctive duck looks more like a finely-painted sculpture than an actual duck. Its beauty is not its only remarkable trait, the Long-tailed can dive to a depth of 60m and is known to spend more time underwater relative to time on the surface than any other diving duck.
We stroll past a couple of nesting swans before walking away from the water. Many of the mostly middle-aged regular birders cluster into groups and move at their own pace, some chatting about rare birds they’ve sighted, while others ask birding questions of the more experienced in the group. As we’re walking, one of the group members points out a Nashville Warbler. We stop and look. Bob gives a description of the bird to which one of the regulars, Dave, adds in: “Grey head and a banjo.” A bit of birding humour to brighten the day.
Dave has counted as many as 175 birds on a good year, just in the general vicinity of this park. Bob has counted even more than that, just in his own backyard over the years he’s lived in the city. Toronto is a prime destination for migrating birds since it’s positioned in the middle of many of their migration routes. Preparing for, or after, a long flight over Lake Ontario, some migrants stick around for a short time to rest and rejuvenate, while others choose the city as their winter or summer home.
We walk across a large, open field toward the edge of a forest, a prime birding spot since it marks the transition area between two very different terrains. “Keep your eyes on the ground,” Bob warns. A female Rufous-sided Towhee stands a few metres into the forest, loudly kicking up a storm of leaves as she looks for her next meal. After a good look we continue to meander through the park.
“Chee che che che,” a Palm Warbler sings to us from the tree canopy. Bob identifies the bird by sound, a difficult skill learned only with years of birding experience. Novices alone would likely have just heard a sound in the sky and walked on. Thanks to our guide we knew what the bird was, stopped, listened and took a good look at it.
It is this focused awareness that turns the hobby of birding into a powerful mindfulness practice. Birds are everywhere, but how often do we notice them? How often do we hear the ever-present soundtrack of bird song. Birding trains us not just to listen, but to pay close attention.
“Sharp-shin. Sharp-shinned hawk,” Dave shouts out. “See it. Square tail.” We look up to see this “Sharpie” soar overhead and quickly out of sight. “That’s good, mark it down,” Bob says, remarking how it is not a common sighting in these parts. Indeed, it was good to see this amazing carnivore that, despite being only 10 to 14-inches in length, can eat birds as large as an American Robin or Ruffed Grouse.
After walking through most of the park, we end up near Lake Shore. The remaining few who stayed to the end gather around Bob, who has his checklist out, tallying up the total. The group chimes in with all their favourite sightings of the day, while a middle-aged man speaks excitedly into his phone, repeating some of the highlights: “Nashville Warbler, Carolina Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet.” A total count of 64 species in a couple of hours makes for a successful day of birding. Though birding can be tricky for the beginner, especially if done solo, a group bird walk shares the task among 40 pairs of eyes and ears, making it an especially rewarding activity for the novice birder.

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For more information visit CCFEW.

NEW REPORT ON TORONTO PARKS FUTURE BY "PARKS PEOPLE" ORGANIZATION

The recently founded Park People organization has produced a document called "Pathways For Parks" in which they presents their ideas for improving our parks without increasing city spending. It's their answer to the question: "What would you do instead of cutting the parks budget?".
Some of the key recommendations include: our parks would be better if they were staffed with a dedicated city worker in each park, had an active local “Friends Of” group and were supported by private donations. 
The report is the result of research and consultations with park advocates across North America as well as the collective experience of park volunteers and experts in the growing Toronto parks movement.

Solutions Highlights:

• shift the City’s maintenance delivery away from “flying squads” to dedicated local park staff;
• re-allocate capital expenditures to address the $261 million backlog in repairs to park and recreation facilities;
• facilitate the development of new park conservancies to share park oversight and invite community and private sector investment;
• allow new healthy local food concessions in parks to attract and keep residents in parks all year while also generating revenue;
• expand inspections and establish benchmarks to ensure consistent quality control across all city parks.

OUR URBAN FOREST UNDER THREAT

 

"At the end of November 2011, Toronto City Council will begin reviewing the 2012 budget that will affect many of our city services. There will be urban forest items on the City Council meeting agenda scheduled for November 29th and 30th. Please let your Councillor know today that healthy trees are a priority in our neighbourhood!

Here are some points to consider:
 

• 
  Our urban forest is the living green infrastructure that makes our city livable.  We receive huge returns on any investments we make in its care and maintenance in the form of clean air, reduced storm water costs, shade, UV protection, tourism dollars and increased property values.  A study in New York City revealed a $5 return for every $1 invested.
   

• A recent Toronto study shows that our urban forest provides the equivalent of at least $60 million in ecological services each year (air quality improvements, carbon sequestration, etc.).  The benefits derived from the urban forest significantly exceed the annual cost of its management.  Protection of our existing trees is of utmost importance – Toronto’s tree protection bylaws must be maintained and enforced.
   

• Ash trees represent about 9% of the current forest canopy in Toronto. The spread of Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive insect, will decimate our ash population over the next ten years. Tree protection and planting will need to increase significantly, just to sustain existing urban forest canopy levels.
   

• Funding for our urban forest has already been reduced.  In 2009, Toronto City Council approved funding for a seven year service plan to better protect, maintain and grow our urban forest; this funding was reduced in 2010 and then suspended in 2011."

FISH ALONG THE TORONTO WATERFRONT

ETOBICOKE GUARDIAN REPORTS ON HUMBER COLLEGE'S EXPANSION PLANS

Humber College officials met with their Lakeshore Campus neighbours this week to discuss long-term revitalization plans to accommodate their ever-growing student population - including the construction of a Welcome Centre and a new 150,000-sq. ft. building.
Of Humber's current slate of 25,000 full-time students, 7,000 are currently attending the Lakeshore Campus and those numbers are only expected to increase in the years to come, said Humber president John Davies.
"We're a growing, popular college...but of course that creates pressures for us to provide increased capacity, and that's why we're here tonight: to look at the pressures we have at Lakeshore Campus and to share with you some of our plans," Davies told a standing-room-only crowd at a community consultation meeting Wednesday, Nov. 16.
Davies estimated the student population at the Lakeshore Campus will eventually cap out at 10,000 - a 3,000-pupil increase from their current numbers - because "there isn't really any space in this area for much more than that."
"We are absolutely aware that we have a certain amount of land to work with and that we have a community that we have to be a part of," he added.
In recent years, Humber officials have made creative use of the limited land and property they have available to them in and around the campus, repurposing many a building north of Lake Shore Boulevard West to suit their needs (see sidebar for examples).
Now faced with even more student demand for the Lakeshore Campus' degree- and postgraduate-heavy slate of programming, Scott Valens, Humber's staff architect and associate director of capital development, took the opportunity Wednesday night to share some of the college's proposed plans for growth:
1. Post-2014, Humber plans to build a 150,000 sq. ft. building along the south end of Twenty-Third Street, developing the building so there's a two-storey street edge, stepping back to an additional three storeys. Also proposed is a multi-decked parking garage on the site, increasing parking from 650 to 1,500 parking spaces. The parking deck and new building would be accessed from Lake Shore Boulevard West at Twentieth Street.
2. Proposed plans for a Welcome Centre along Colonel Samuel Smith Park Drive (on the northwest corner at Lake Shore Boulevard West) are still "very conceptual" at this point, Valens said, but also very necessary. The plan is to develop the centre with short-term underground parking, which would allow visitors "to arrive, find out what the campus is all about, and basically find out where they need to go," Valens said, noting that the facility would also eventually house registration, test centres and counselling.
3. Humber recently acquired Wildside Motorcycles, 3246 Lake Shore Blvd. W., for the purpose of developing a fitness facility featuring aerobic and weight room studios. While the college has not started designing it yet, Valens said it's expected the new facilities will "provide a greatly needed increase for student facilities, as well as access for the community."
4. Building G is the last of the heritage cottages to be restored and renovated. Humber is currently looking for ministry and/or partner funding for this 8,000 sq. ft. facility.
5. Humber recently renovated a portion of the second floor of its Community Medical Services Building at 3170 Lake Shore Blvd. W. for use as an early childhood education facility. The plan is to maintain the existing pharmacy and doctors' and dentists' offices on the main floor, while using the second and third floors for Humber faculty offices.
6. Toronto's Catholic school board is set to build a replacement school for the aging Christ the King Catholic School along Colonel Samuel Smith Park Drive, just south of the proposed Welcome Centre. The 530-pupil school is expected to be about 55,000 sq. ft.
Reaction to the proposed plans at Wednesday night's meeting was mixed, with many in attendance applauding the college for its efforts, while simultaneously expressing concerns over parking pressures, traffic increases and the loss of green space the projects were thought likely to bring.
Brian Bailey, president of Citizens Concerned About The Future Of The Etobicoke Waterfront (CCFEW) has lived 100 metres from the entrance to the college at Twenty-Third Street for 16 years. He said plans to change access to the college parking lot to Twentieth Street would cause traffic headaches for all.
"You'll have to put a traffic light in, which means you're going to have three lights within very short distance of each other at Kipling, Twentieth and Twenty-Third streets," he lamented. "I would avoid Lake Shore like the plague if there's one more traffic light put in."
Meanwhile, calling Humber College an "asset to the community", longtime community activist Ruth Grier expressed her hope that Humber's expansion might improve transit in the neighbourhood.
"If your advocacy with the TTC can do something, it would be greatly appreciated by everyone in the community," she said to applause from the crowd. "We've been trying a very long time...to get a streetcar starting at Long Branch, going to Humber, then up Roncesvalles to meet the subway."

AUSSIE-RULES FOOTBALLERS BUILD NEW EQUIPMENT STORAGE AREA

A gravel pad is being constructed at the south west corner of the oval sports field.
We are told that it is being built to accommodate storage bunkers for equipment used by the Australian-rules football teams that use the site. We assume that the three metal storage containers near the bridge along North Creek will be moved to the pad.

CITY SEEKING INPUT ON NEW PARKS PLAN - ONLINE AND COMMUNITY MEETINGS

City of Toronto seeking public input for a new five-year plan for parks,
trails and natural areas
The City of Toronto's Parks, Forestry and Recreation division is seeking public input for the new five-year Parks Plan. As directed by Council, the plan will guide decision-making and investment in City parks in order to meet the diverse needs of Toronto residents, including:
designing beautiful, unique and sustainable park spaces
protecting and expanding natural areas
balancing park uses to include play spaces, natural areas, sport activities, urban agriculture and cultural expression
engaging the community through stewardship, volunteering and partnerships, and
ensuring that the City's parks and trails are available and accessible to all residents.

"This is an important opportunity for Torontonians to express their opinions about the Toronto parks system," said Councillor Norm Kelly (Ward 40 Scarborough-Agincourt), Chair of the City's Parks and Environment Committee. "I encourage everyone to complete the online survey or attend a public consultation session."

Residents are invited to attend one of four public consultation meetings:
Scarborough - Monday, November 7, Warden Hilltop Community Centre, 25 Mendelssohn St.
North York - Wednesday, November 16, Mitchell Field Community Centre, 89 Church Ave.
Toronto East York - Thursday, November 24, Wellesley Community Centre, 495 Sherbourne St.
Etobicoke York - Thursday, December 1, Amesbury Community Centre, 1507 Lawrence Ave. W.
The public can also provide feedback about parks services through an online survey, launched today at http://www.toronto.ca/parks/parksplan.

For more information about the public survey or to participate in a public consultation session about the new Parks Plan, visit http://www.toronto.ca/parks/parksplan  or contact 311.

Toronto is Canada's largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.6 million people. Toronto's government is dedicated to delivering customer service excellence, creating a transparent and accountable government, reducing the size and cost of government and building a transportation city. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can dial 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

NOV 16 - HUMBER COLLEGE (LAKESHORE CAMPUS) CONSULTS WITH COMMUNITY

PARK ISSUES UPDATE

South Parking lot - Councillor Grimes has requested staff work with the Toronto Parking Authority to implement 2 hour limited parking during school hours, as soon as possible.

 

Stormwater Management - The next public meeting for the Etobicoke Waterfront Stormwater Facility Study will be in January 2012 at the Assembly Hall, but a firm date has not yet been set. The team is still compiling results from their modelling studies and public comments. At the January meeting their recommended solution will be presented, but it is not set in stone - they will still be accepting feedback at that time.

UPDATE ON TCDSB ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PLAN

From a recent report to the Lakeshore Grounds Coordinating Committee.

The Board has a 99 year lease on a site fronting on Lakeshore Blvd. on the west side of Col. Sam Smith Drive.    Ministry funding for a new school has been approved.   Christ the King and St. Teresa’s Schools are to be merged and the new school will accommodate 530-550 pupils.    The hiring of architects and consultants and beginning the site plan approval process with the City has just begun.    It is unlikely that the school will be completed before September 2014 and it could well be 2015.

Christ the King has been designated an Eco-School and Principal Pillo described the many activities and initiatives that encourage environmental conservation and practices - for example there are no plastic water bottles used!     It is one of the leading schools in the City in this respect and they look forward to continuing and expanding these activities on the new site.

Maia Puccetti is an architect in charge of planning and approvals for the Board and she explained that meeting LEED construction standards was extremely difficult within the provincial funding guidelines but that the Board was committed to as green a construction process as possible.    They are involved with the Evergreen Foundation and have “greened” many existing school sites.     The Lakeshore site is small and they anticipate a 40 - 50,000 square foot school.   They typically build to two storeys but may consider three.      She identified the management of storm water as being very expensive because of new City guidelines and was aware of the proposals for daylighting the creeks on the Grounds.

There was considerable discussion about the traffic congestion at Lakeshore and Col. Sam Smith Dr. during school drop off and pick up times and the Board was urged to consider locating the elementary school drop off point on their own property rather than on Col. Sam Smith Dr.

The Board is aware of the location of the heritage orchard and the community concern about protecting it.    However Ms. Puccietti pointed out that long experience with school playgrounds has taught them that nut trees and fruit trees present problems - the nuts become weapons and the fruit trees attract bees and wasps!     They are hoping to use the land between the school property and the Lakeshore Blvd. as passive play area and it would have to be fenced.

There will be consultation with the community as the planning process proceeds and the website of the Board will provide updates.  

http://www.tcdsb.org/facilities%20issues/SARC/christambroseteresajosaphat.htim

SAM SMITH BIRD WALK ON SATURDAY OCT. 22 AT 9.00 AM

A great opportunity for the whole family to get out an enjoy the autumn migration in Sam Smith Park

Saturday, October 22nd 

9:00 - 11:00 am, Colonel Samuel Smith Park

Leader: Glenn Coady

Meet in the south parking lot (where the road ends) at 9:00 am

LETTER FROM FOSS TO TCDSB REF NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Read Etobicoke Guardian article and a previous FOSS post for the announcement of the plans to build the new TCDSB elementary school "Christ the King" on the Lakeshore Grounds.  This is a letter sent today from FOSS outlining some of our members' concerns and interests.

Toronto Catholic District School Board
80 Sheppard Ave. E.
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6E8

August 12th, 2011

Attention:      Ann Andrachuck, Trustee Etobicoke/Lakeshore, Chair, TCDSB

                    Angelo Sangiorgio, Associate Director,Planning/Facilities, TCDSB

We understand that provincial approval and funding have recently been received to construct a new elementary school on the Lakeshore Grounds and that there is a 99 year lease agreement between the TCDSB and the City of Toronto for that site.  We also understand that at the TCDSB’s upcoming August 31^st meeting this project will be discussed. 

Friends of Sam Smith Park (FOSS) would like to have this letter placed on the agenda for that meeting and we also invite the Board to initiate public consultation on the placement and design of the school by holding community meetings at the earliest opportunity.

Friends of Sam Smith Park (FOSS) is a six year old group of local residents and park users dedicated to protecting, enhancing and preserving the naturalized areas of Colonel Samuel Smith Park.  We would like the opportunity to table some of our concerns and interests around the construction of the new school, particularly with regard to the environment and the preservation of the essential character of Sam Smith Park as a “nature park”.

First, we note that there are mature trees on the property and we are anxious that as many as possible be retained.  We hope that an inventory is carried out in accordance with the City's tree policy and that more trees will be replaced than need to be removed to allow for construction. 

We have waited a long time for the heritage orchard to be restored and, as it is part of the school site, we would welcome your support in persuading the City to finally take some action to provide for the protection and/or replacement of the orchard.

There is a wonderful tangle of lush flora on the site that provides wildlife habitat.  To preserve this protective cover, there needs to be as much vegetation retained as possible.   Generous, naturally landscaped setbacks from Colonel Samuel Smith Park Drive and Lakeshore Boulevard would also help achieve this.

The Toronto Catholic School Board could use the construction of the new school as a catalyst to restore North Creek that runs through this section of the Hospital Grounds.   Restoration of the creek, including the planting of native species along the edges, would help re-establish this valuable riparian pathway used by birds during migration and by mammals as a movement corridor in the park.  Storm water run-off from any paved surfaces on the school site could be channeled through the creek to help maintain water levels.

Given the nature of the site and Sam Smith Park in general with its shoreline, wetlands, meadow and woodland supporting a magnificent web of life and a diversity of environments that provide food, habitat and protection for the many species of birds, animals and plants that call it home, we anticipate that environmental programmes will be emphasized in the school’s curriculum.

We also trust that the architects and designers will adhere completely to the lease agreement in terms of shared parking.  Underground parking might be included in the design to reduce the size of the asphalt footprint.  Or, failing that, a permeable surface should be considered if outdoor parking is necessary.

We assume that the Board will adhere to all the Urban Design guidelines adopted in 2004 and to the conditions outlined in the lease with the City with respect to no fencing other than for the kindergarten playground.

We are delighted that Christ the King has been designated an ECO school and hope that the new school will be built to LEED standards. 

We were wondering whether a representative of the Board will be attending the next meeting of the Lakeshore Grounds Coordinating Committee so that the other tenants of the Grounds can be advised of the Board's plans.  Information about this committee can be obtained from the local Councillor’s office.

We look forward to any opportunity to work with you.

Yours sincerely

Terry Smith

Acting Chair 

Friends of Sam Smith Park