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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1985-3-20, Page 3and fqqturQs atural Wetlands and Wildlife was the theme of the sixth annual essay contest sponsored by the Wingham District of the Ministry of Natural Resources. The theme coincided with the theme of the Ministry's exhibit : Wetlands - Nature's Best Kept Secret - at the Toronto Sportsmen's Show. Here, Mary Megford, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources, and the Hon. Michael Harris, Minister of Natural Resources, discuss the theme with the three students who achieved the highest overall excellence in the essay contest. From left to right are: Lisa Noble, Blyth Public School, Alison Jeacock, Clinton Public School and Stefanie Trudeau, Elma Township Public School. The three received personally autographed copies of renowned Canadian wildlife artist Robert Bateman's 1985 Wildlife Diary and Calendar, as well as special ribbons and buttons. (Ontario Ministry. of Natural Resources Photograph) As part of the recognition for outstanding achievement in the sixth annual essay contest sponsored by the Wingham District of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the students who wrote the best essays individually and collectively as part of a school team, were taken to Toronto to receive their awards at the 1985 Sportsmen's Show. Minister and Deputy Minister of Natural Resources take time to pose for a picture with the students from the winning school - Blyth Public School. From left to right: Angela Cotton, Lori Liebold, the Hon. Michael Harris, Minister of Natural Resources holding a red fox, Stacy McClinchey, Karrie McClinchey, holding the essay contest plaque, and Mary Mogford, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources. Kneeling with the Bateman Diary an Calendar is Lisa Noble, who achieved the -highest overall average on her individual a ay, as well as being part of the successful school team. ( Ontario Ministry of Nature ` Resources Photograph) at is a wetland? By Lisa Noble • A wetland is. actually wet land, usually covered by two metres of shallow water, for part of the year — in some cases, for the en- tire year. The minor types of wetlands are mires, sloughs, and peatlands. The four ma- jor wetlands are: Swamps are wooded areas where shallow water stays for long periods of time. Marshes are wet grassy areas containing mostly aquatic plants. Bogs are acidic pools consisting mainly of sphagnum mosses. Fens are areas where a variety of aquatic plants grow. All wetlands provide homes for wildlife. Swamps contain a lot of woody vegetation which -provides many roosting and nesting sites for song birds. Marshes have a high degree of interspersion of vegetation and Water, providing nesting, feeding, and rear- ing sites for many birds. Bogs consist of woody shrubs and black spruce that provide nest site's for birds. Because their vegeta- tion is mostly sedges and'grasses, fens pro- vide an ideal food source for .seed -eating birds. • Wetlands have always been more com- mon in some parts of Ontario than others. A wetland in southern Ontario averages a size of 25 hectares,, In a wetland, the sun's energy ,is trapped by plants and transferred among the animals. The stored energy is released into the soil when the plants and animals die and the cycle starts again. Wetlands are permanent hones for many animals but are only temporary homes to some. Many different creatures live in a wetland. Level -ditching, in which channels are cut .through the marsh, often benefits waterfowl and other birds. It provides a sort of privacy for different species. Amphibians spend most of their lives in wetlands. Frogs and toads provide food for many other wetland animals. Wetlands are nature's nurseries. Many species breed and reproduce here. Snails are decomposers. They are natural recyclers. Wetland animals rely on water tp survive. Water provides nutrients to the plants, which are food for animals. A valuable wetland is one with strong links in it. A less valuable wetland is one that sits like an island, surrounded by a city or farmland. Wetlands connect to both uplands and streams. An excellent wetland is one that is alongside a lake that is able to let fish or aquatic animals through easily. Some wetlands act like filters by cleans- ing the waters that flow through. Insects provide food for many amphi- bians, reptiles, and birds; though many in- sects are pests. The reason for the decline • in some species' populations is loss of habitat. Wetlands provide homes for many animals and at certaiji times of the year, they are valuable not only to typical wetlands wildlife but to many upland species as well. A wetlandcrowded with plants will attract fewer animals than a patchwork of wetlands vegetation interspersed with open water. A wetland is called a diverse ecosystem because of the variety of plants : and animals. Wetlands consist of abundant vegetation which provides food energy for many types of wildlife. Most wildlife are generally concerned with the shape "life form" of the vegetation. The wildlife that lives in a wetland is as varied as the wetland itself. Without legislation wetland protection is difficult. As natural succession continues, wetlands fill in with vegetation and tend to dry up. Wetlands managers try to stop the early stages of succession. Wetlands are of importance to wildlife. They provide protection, feeding and resting grounds. All plants and animals are connected by way of a food chain. An endangered species is a plant or animal threatened with extinction. If wetlands are destroyed, endangered species are affected. Wetland vegetation is used as a protective cover for prey species from their enemies. Endangered species depend greatly on wetlands for their survival. CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, WEDNE , *220 1; &5.. Page 3 esources' best secret The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has a big secret it is eager to share. The secret is Wetlands - the theme of the Ministry of Natural Resouces display at this.year's Toronto Sportsmen's Show, held from March 15 to 24 at the Coliseum, Exhibi- tion Place. "Wetlands. are one of our vastly under- rated. - and long -overlooked - resources," says Natural Resources Minister Michael Harris. "We want people to better understand just how valuable wetlands are to us all." The Ministry of Natural Resources display creates a marsh - complete with, cattails, ducks, Canada geese and beaver building a dam. Marsh marigolds, water fillies and blue flag irises will be in full bloom, and sound effects will be provided by song birds and bull frogs. The display also features a series of infor- mation panels and brochures explaining in detail the important economic, ecological and social benefits of wetlands - as well as a host of information about the Ministry's other activities across Ontario. "Many people will be surprised at the variety of functions performed by wetlands," says Mr. Harris. "Among other things, wetlands act as water purifiers. holding tanks for flood waters, spawning grounds for sport fish and homes for a large number of wildlife species." On` hand throughout the show will be 25 men and women from Ministry offices across the province. All of these staff members are able and willing to answer questions about Ontario's natural resources. Mr. Harris,opened the exhibit March 14 by presenting prizes personalized by renowned wildlife artist Robert Bateman to the win- ners of the Sixth Annual Wingham District Essay Contest, sponsored by the Ministry of Natural Resources. The contest is open to • all Grades 7•and 8 public school students in Perth and Huron Counties. The topic this year was Wetlands and Wildlife. "This contest encourages young people to become involved and take an interest in preserving our natural environment," says Mr. Harris. "All of the students who par- ticipated should be very proud of their work." The school which achieved the highest overall average mark was Blyth Public School. Members of the winning team in- clude: Lisa Noble, Lori Leibold, Angela Cot- ton, Kerrie McClinchey, Stacy McClinchey. Lisa Noble also had the most outstanding essay. The second runner up, Lori Leibold, was also from Blyth Public School. First runner up was Stefanie Trudeau from Elma Township ,School near Listowel. The third runner up was Alison Jeacock from Clinton Public School. Other features of' the Ministry of Natural Resources exhibit include live stage shows covering a variety of topics. There will be six different performances - one every half hour -- ranging from canoeing demonstrations, to how to fight forest fires, to live animal displays. One of the stage shows allgws members of the audience to see and touch some of the reptiles found in Ontario's wetlands. Sport fishermen will be interested in the two aquariums that demonstrate both stream and warm water lake habitats. As well, a live animal exhibit features 10 species of wildlife, including the rare golden eagle. To celebrate International Year of Youth, a young wildlife artist will demonstrate his craft on stage. Young people will also be shown how to carve duck decoys and build bird houses. Should we save Ontario wetlands? By Alison Jeacock Should we save Ontario's wetlands? The Ministry of Natural Resources says yes. Our wetlands are valuable natural resources which all of us are able to enjoy. Providing economic, social and ecological benefits, wetlands have been fully appreciated only just recently. Economic benefits? What are they? Wetlands provide products of resource such as fur, wood and wild rice. These products are worth over three hundred million dollars each year. They boost tourism - providing areas for outdoor recreational ac- tivities such as hunting, fishing and camp- ing. What do wetlands mean to men who fish? Wetlands provide spawning grounds .for fish such as muskie, pike, crrapp e ,d p and pkinseed, perch, carp, ullh largemouth bass. They also form a nursery habitat for walleye and some migratory fish. Other species of wildlife, what do wetlands have for them? All wetlands pro- vide .a natural habitat for wildlife. Also wetlands provide the only environment Reg. $2.69 Ib. Reg. $5.93 kg. LICORICE ALL -SORTS $1 .991b NOW $4.3 9K G MEDIUM CHEDDAR CHEESE $3 0 69ib. NOW $8. i 3kg. Reg. $4.49 Ib. Reg. $9.90 kg. OPENING GOOD FRIDAY 10 am -spm EASTER GOODIES Chocolate Bunnies and Eggs. Supplied to us from Schneiders Reliable Sweets �vEzyttli.) 61 ("IVOd QUALITY FOODS & FRIENDLY SERVICE -(Nn(piATE 482-3478 _ pRop JANET BUCHANAN 11 Albert St. Clinton able to support certain unique and en- dangered plants or animals and interna- tionally important migratory birds such as beaver, muskrat and ducks. Seventy per cent of North America's waterfowl nest in wetlands. What role does the water play in a wetland? Acting as a reservoir wetlands contribute to the water quality through an active filtering process (removing pollutants from runoffs, before they enter other water systems). By decreasing rain- fall during peak periods, (releasing it over following intervals, Wetlands can reduce flooding) . Wetlands can also be pleasant to look at and photograph. They serve as outdoor laboratories for environmental studies. Wetlands also provide organic soils suitable for growing carrots, onions and celery. Are wetlands just nuisances? Early set- tlers thought so. In their opinion wetlands were impenetrable, mosquito infested hindrances to homesteading. Perhaps from a farmer's point of view, draining a wetland instead of planting around it could be worthwhile. But they take the homes of inhabiting plants and animals, blindly killing this wildlife species and pushing endangered species close to an era when they will be ex- tinct, unfair to our succeeding generation who will be unable to view the pleasant scenery these areas provide for us. There was once an estimated 50 million hectares of wetland in Ontario. No .v less than a quarter of this remains. These rem- nants are slowly disappearing,not ooh' part of drainage, but 9f shoreline distur- bance, land clearing and impoundment. What are we doing to protect our wetlands? In April of 1984, the Ministry of Natural Resources introduced guidelines representing the provincial government's concern for wetlands and wetland manage- ment. They ensure that wetlands are managed to meet both the present and long term needs of Ontario citizens best. In conclusion I feel it necessary to have our wetlands (as do many others) . They serve an important part of environment, providing animals with homes and industry. 11._ Champs _✓ Runners -Up 71 Finalists WorkedNai'd H !Iadagood Time. Then You deserve the best in custom Team Jackets and trophies from Maclean's pumuN' adidaw, 1, Bali@ ' I>41111111011S /O 50!d to OFF FOOTWEAR Selected styles 20% OFT NI REMAINING FOOTWEAR OCEAN PACIFIC COME IN AND SEE THE LATEST IN 1III/bx/ • NEW \ NNE Member r Sh^^ le»riv Ilixtrike+lnrx ut I:auadlai 3Canada wide 108 store Buying power HARVEY WOODS Radio ADIDAS '85 = �� FASHIONS by- %,, ,,,�� Rae AUTHOAi7FD Df ALFA MAIN CORNER CLINTON 482-3030