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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGoderich Signal Star, 2017-05-31, Page 22 Signal Star • Wednesday, May 31, 2017 Native Jack in the Pulpit Trail Talk Take time to explore your local "Biodiverse" trails Courtesy of Rhiannon Moore With spring in full swing and summer right around the corner, now is a great time to take advan- tage of the green spaces and trails in your community. Two of my favourite places to go for some forest therapy in Huron County are Bannockburn Conser- vation Area, just outside of Clinton, and the Maitland Woods, in Goderich. Both of these areas provide an oasis for wildlife amid the increas- ing amount of development along our coastline, and an escape for us from the daily routine of school or work. You don't have to be a major nature nerd like me to easily identify some native ground plants. Ground plants are plants that immerge each year on the forest floor. We are lucky to have a wide variety of these plants to observe, and more importantly, for wildlife to use for food and habitat. These ground plants you can easily see growing at the edge of the trail, and include Trillium, Wild Ginger, Bloodroot, May Apple, Jack in the Pulpit, Hepatica and the list goes on. The variety of these plants, Huron Superior Memorials • MONUMENTS • FLAT MARKERS • INSCRIPTIONS Appointments in the privacy of your own home anytime MICHAEL S. FALCONER - MANAGER RES 524-7679 • CELL 525-2281 paired with the variety of animal species like birds, squirrels, and even microscopic organisms, all make up the forest food web. The more variety there is like this in an ecosystem, the more "biodi- verse" it is. Biodiversity is a bit of a buz- zword these days, and for good reason. Invasive species, originating from Asia and Europe such as Garlic Mustard, Giant Hogweed, and Phragmites all threaten the biodiversity of our natural areas. Why? Because these alien invaders take over and out -compete our native hombres for space, sun- light and nutrients. When these non-native plants move in, the wildlife in the area have less native plants to depend on that they are used to. So what can we do to help nur- ture native plant growth, and encourage greater biodiversity? The first step is getting outside and learning who is who, so you can remove the alien species. After all, with greater diversity comes resiliency—just like an economy. A more diverse and resilient ecosystem is able to withstand changes and environmental stress, allowing it to stay healthy and strong. Healthy ecosystems mean healthy people, so get out- side, brush up on your plant ID skills, and join me in ripping up every plant of Garlic Mustard you see. There are many upcoming trail events coming up this June. Saturday, June 3 at loam, the Maitland Woods Hike, Level 1 at a leisurely pace. International Trails Day is a day dedicated to celebrate trails, their development, uses and the healthy lifestyle they encourage. For many years now North America has traditionally cele- brated a trails day on the first Satur- day in June. What better way to enjoy the outdoors than walking on our own urban forest trails in the Maitland Woods? Contact: Hugh & Colleen McGregor (519) 524-8543. Sunday, June 4 at 1 pm, Bike the Contributed photos Invasive Garlic Mustard GART, Level 1 at a leisurely pace for three hours. Celebrate Ontario Trails Week with a bike ride on the Goderich to Auburn Rail Trail. Meet at the park- ing arking area at the Menesetung Bridge trailhead, North Harbour Road, Goderich. The pace will be leisurely, so come on out! Bob Payne will be leading the bike ride (with the nec- essary support of a certified hike leader). This is his initiative. So let's get have lots of bikers out there. Contact: Anne Storey (519) 529-3050. Saturday, June 10 at 9am, Bike the G2G. Bicycle ride on the Goderich to Guelph Rail Trail exploring the trail eastwards from Blyth to Moncton and back. Bring lunch and drinks. Contact: Patrick Capper (519) 606-0016 or email pcapper99@ gmail.com. Also on Saturday, June 10 at 9am, the Hullet Marsh Bird Watching Walk, at a very slow pace for approximately three hours. Car pool at Harvey's 8:15 am or meet at the parking lot at 40650 Conservation Road. From Clinton go North on #4, turn east (right) onto Conservation Road, drive to the very end. Bring binoculars. Contact Roger Goddard (519) 612-1236 rggsmg@hurontel. on.ca. ►i Q. i a e one service `R�" FREE for 3 Months. 284 Bayfield Rd. Goderich, ON (519) 612-3800 hurontel.on.ca Choose froYnTe1phoFe, Internet or TV services. YOUR HURONTEL CELLULAR BILL EVERY MONTH!