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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1986-04-30, Page 1310 Mk.• Area harbours 70 percent ofOntario's endangered species Unique flora in Carlinian sono should be protect.d Three dozen natural habitats in Southwestern Ontario have been targeted by a highpotrered conserve- tlob group as critically in need of protection. Included in the list is the Ausable River valley in the Rock Glen area, where and water t�pre orugged hne of the est river corridors in the area lett In natural condition and is internal- ly known for its fossils and geological features. Its steep winding valley, cutting 50 metres (165 feet) deep, is extensively forested for about 15 kilometres with sugar maple, white ash, beech, oak, basswood, hawthorn, aspen, black maple and ninebark. Marsh, tall riverbank meadows and prairie associations take over near Thedford. Rare species include black walnut, sassafras, flowering dogwood, tulip tree and chinquapin oak. The area protects a significant population of queen snakes, a species considered threatened in Canada and restricted provincially to a dozen locales inland in Southwestern Ontario. After two years of work, the Caroli- nian Canada project- spearheaded by World Wildlife Fund Canada and the Nature Conservancy of Canada and financed by the Ivey Foundation of London and the Ontario Heritage Foundation- has come up with a short list for preservation in one of Canada's most threatened habitats. "It has long been recognized as an area that is unique in Canada. Many species of plants and animals occur here and nowhere else in Canada,", reads the final report of the project's habitat identification contdflae- The Carolinian zone. named for a habitat similar to the Cardura states, e nbraces the region south of a Grand Bend -to -Toronto line. Once thick with luxuriant deciduous woods, the area has been dewed of 90 per cent of its forest in the pest 150 years, a process that continues today. The precious flora includes a single specimen of the provincially rare American chestnut tree, discovered at the end of a horseback trail on a 30 -metre (100 foot) bluff overlooking Catfish Creek. It also takes in the spectacular flowering expanses of the rare nodding wild onion of the Pelee Island prairie. Most menace is assigned to urban development and agricultural conver- sion. Between 1965 and 1978, 882 hec- tares (2,179 acres) of Lake St. Clair wetlands were destroyed or con- verted, the report notes. Pollution is a problem from runoff contaminated by agricultural nutrients and pesticides to oil spills. Persuading private landowners to take on a primary role in preserving threatened natural habitats marks a major new conservation thrust by World Wildlife Fund Canada. Fund co-ordinator Steven Price says the conservation group is establishing a national heritage stewardship award program- similar to heritage farm awards- to recognize individual initiatives in conservation, a sort of badge of honor for these private stewards of the natural na- tional treasures. Other plans include setting up a habitat protection fund to buy environmentally significant sites where it becomes obvious the owner gives conservation low, if any, prioritThe two new area fallout from theIdtro Canadajeer, a study of pique flora and fauna of Southwester (hdarlo whidl led to the identification of 96 specific sites (and 11 alternatives) as critically in need of protection. The two-year project, initially scheduled to end in May, was led by the World Wildlife Fund and the Nature Conservancy of Canada with $400,000 in financing from the Ivey Foundation and Ontario Haitage Foundation. With 90 per cent of the region' native deciduous forest cleared, unprotected sites selected are wW Price calls "the best of the rest." The Carolinian zone, so-called for its similarity to the southern habitat of the Carolina states, covers the area south of a line from Grand Bend to Toronto. It harbors 70 per cent of On- tario's endangered species and its unique southern habitat is considered one of the most threatened en- vironments in Canada. The Carolinian Canada project set out to pick priority habitats and then go about preserving them. There is an urgency to that goal because already the status of the selected habitats is changing. One forest, unique in its composi- tion because it grows in the soils of a unique outcrop of Oriskany sandstone in Ontario (a geological feature usual- ly associated with New York state), has already been sold and is being us- ed for cattle grazing. On the other hand, a patch of Pelee Island prairie has been bought by the Federation of Ontario Naturalists. School superintendents appointed The Middlesex County Board of Education has appointed Donald S. Dool of London and John T. Mackey of Strathroy to be Superintendents of Schools, effective August 1. The ap- pointments were made at a special IN THE MOOD — Matthew Godbolt (left) and Jeremy Brock dressed appropriately to write books on pirates during Authors Day at Ex- eter Public School. PREPARING T -A ADS — Grade 11 marketing class students at South Huron District High School are preparing some of the ads for the May 7 issue of the T -A. Shown with preliminary work are Denise Renn- ing, Mark Ducharme and Bill Vandeworp. T -A photo Bakery f& Cheese House 1 r r Quality baked goods. always fresh... Made with the finest ingredients Fresh Crusty Rolls doz. 990 Since 1929 Delicious Cherry Squares pkg. 6 1..79 Try our butterscotch cookies, French broad and oatmeal muffins. Clip and Save. Finest Quality Delicious Donuts Regular price o$il)49 0 6/81.99 - 12/$4.99 _0. with coupon • Clip and Save s n 0 3 0. doz. Offer offortivo until closing ,Wed., May 3 (while supply lasts): Cheeses Fresh off the block (Sorry Baden Colby was unavailable lost week. We will have a good supply on hond for you to enjoy this week) Boden XXX Colby Ib. 2.99 Plain Cream Cheese Ib. 2.99 Open daily 9 to 6 except Wed. & Sat till 5:00 Exeter 235-0332 Zurich 236-4912 I board meeting on April 15 after the board had considered applications from 29 qualified candidates and had .held two interviewing sessions. Dool and Mackey, teachers in Middlesex County for many years, have each served on a variety of cur- riculum and professional develop- ment education committees. They. will succeed Superintendents Donald McIntosh and Jack Roper who retire at th end of June. Donald Dool, an arts graduate of the University of W tern Ontario, holds a Master of tion degree in school administra 1 : He has been a secondary school since MO, serving fust at Ii:un� riIIffand latef' London where he was at Sir A ls� 1.1 ., / In "a 1 1 4.14 vice-principal of Lord Dorchester ' Secondary School from 1973 to, 1927 and has been its principal since 1979. He served as an administrative assis- tant for the Board from 1977 to 1979. Active in sports and community af- fairs, Dool has coached minor hockey and is a member of the London Curl- ing Club and the London Ski CLub. He lives in London with his wife, Mar- jorie. They have a daughter and two sons. Mackey is also an arts graduate of the University of Western Ontario and holds a Master of EdUcation degree from that university. He has been a teacher in Middlesex County since 1964 when he joined the staff of Caradoc North Public School. He subsequently served as principal of Parkhill Memorial, Southdale, Caradoc North, Parkview, and Ekcoe Central schools,, and Bairncroft Home. Since 1984 he has been prin- cipal of Colborne Street School which he attended as an elementary school pupil in the 1950s. Mackey is an active Shriner and has served the order in executive capacities. He lives in Strathroy with his wife, Judy They have two sons and a daughter. *though the Carolinian Canada frldeet was oo hind i4 May, PPrricqq Op Weer* effort will be mads this yew to reach some kind of accord with the largely landowners on all the sdeeted *iter. them, they have the best of Carolinian ho6itat bait," says Price. . The approach involves talking and walking owners through their valued hobitat and encouraging them to feel part of a special gap of landowners *Oval in an important heritage pro- ject. Falling a pledge of preservation from the owner, the site will be add- ed to an acqusition list for possible Price said response to the concept of private stewardship has been "ex- tremely encouraging," with more barn SO per cert of landowners on the list approached so far "delighted and willing to learn more." And so far that adds up to 320 landowners of 16 of the selected sites, comprising 8,400 hec- tares (20,700 acres). • PagelA The positive response "reinforced our bent for private stewardship," says Price. That bent derives partly from the fact these threatened habitats still ex- ist ins condition worth conserving and must mean the owners have done something right, whether purposeful- ly or not. "Let's learn a lesson in how they have been protected." For example, use as a sugar bush can mean preservation of a rich maple -dominated forest. Another` point in favor of private stewardship is the inability of govern- ments or conservation groups to buy up threatened habitats in time to pre- vent further deterioration, he said. "11_ we wait until the money is available, the habitat will be gone." Private preserves offer almost the same level of protection without the prohibitive costs of acquisition. Government ownership and ad- ministration of all natural habitats "is not the right way, anyway," Price imessex ServIn8 Soo* Huron, Nardi says. Just as diversity gives strength in nature, so variety of ownership and management will strengthen the conservation system. The conservation lobby is also pressing for tax breaks for lan- downers who set aside sites of "pro- vincial and national significance," Price said. "It's what we call untax- ing nature." Another outcome of the Car olian Canada project has been the estabhslunent of the Natural Heritage League, a permanent association of groups interested in habitat protec- tion, including the provincial natural resources ministry. Price says the league symbolizes the new co-operative approach to con- servation in the 1980$. He says en- vironmental issues used to be polariz- ed with league members, particular- ly government ministries, often tak- ing different sides. "That's not the way anymore. It's quite a new tone." irtfrAdOWOMAW, April 30, 1986 4 Lioness club honor seniors The Exeter Lioness Club held their April dinner meeting on Monday, April 28 with President Sally Lou Raymond presiding. This meeting was to honor seniors and there were 65 Seniors and Lioness members pre- sent to enjoy the potluck dinner. At the business portion of the meeting the Lioness dub voted to donate $200 to Kendra Arthur to pro- mote her participation in field hockey. Linda Oliver, Chairperson of Ways and Means, reported on an upcoming bake sale to be held in conjunction with Homecoming Days. Lori Dykstra reported that the Walkathon had raised approximate- ly $2,400 with 24 registered. Elaine Ford read a letter of ap- preciation from the March of Dimes and reported that the Exeter cam- paign had raised $1,913.49. Marg Pro- ut reported that 11 Lioness from the Exeter club had attended the Atwood Lioness Spring Rally on Sunday in Atwood. Entertainment for the evening was a Barbershop Quartet from Sea forth comprising of Debbie Campbell, Marg Whitmore, Katy Thiel and Carol AIse. Their selections were en- joyed by all. Several draws and door prizes were awarded, including a gift certificate from Exeter Flowers, canned goods from Canadian Canners, a cheese tray from Tasty Nu Bakery and a gift donated by Norma Hooper. Mrs. Batten thanked the Lioness club on behalf of the Seniors present. for the evening. IND AROUND — Studmots wriltingOooks�n;, .yang uthors Day at Exeter Public School put on suitable faces for the` 5hown'are (left) i Rowe; Chris McInnes, Jodi Urlin, Noche f", TOrf Hamother and (standing) April Lewis, teacher Betty Jinks, Henny Ellison and Lynn Workman. LEON'S BUY'S& SELL 1 Loon's Buy I and Soil Hwy. a3W N W E 1. i W S SAT MAY 3 SU.NMAY4 • Used Vehicles • Campers • Appliances • Furniture • Crafts • Boats • Riding Lawn h^ ✓ers and more Door prizes tam7.umaN of Art's Auto Repair BUY - SELL - TRADE CONSIGNMENT SALES CALL US AT 237-3481 Best Wishes to Leon from-� - Moffatt & Powell Ltd. Exeter 235-1422 Art's Auto Repair Exeter 235-2277 Consolidated Sign & Lighting Services Crediton 234-6721 Coalman Real Estate Exeter 235-1055 t. 3.