Blogs category

October 12 2022

4 Things to Know About the Black Ash Tree: Species at risk series

This monthly series features at-risk plants and animals found in the Ottawa Valley and what we can do to protect them.

This month, we’re sharing facts about the black ash, otherwise known as Fraxinus nigra.

What does the black ash look like?

This tree is on the smaller side with a narrow crown.

Its bark is light grey in colour and while soft or cork-like in the tree’s infancy, the bark becomes scaly as it grows older.

The black ash also produces oval leaflets, which are a deep green.

Where can you find black ash trees in the Ottawa Valley?

This tree grows across the region, particularly in swampy woodlands as it needs a significant amount of moisture.

What threatens the black ash tree?

The Emerald Ash Borer, a beetle, threatens the black ash across its entire range.

Has this tree been used historically by communities?

This tree has a second name: basket ash. This is because Indigenous peoples have used black ash trees for basket making, as well as other traditional uses.

What can you do to help?

The black ash requires intact wet forests to thrive, which often house other species at risk. Donate today to support our work in the Ottawa Valley protecting habitat important to this and many other species at risk.

October 10 2022

4 Ways To Reducing Food Waste Contributes to the Circular Economy

CPAWS OV Blog, Blog2, Blogs category

You can contribute to the circular economy from your home.

According to Waste Reduction Week in Canada, the circular economy “goes far beyond finding a recycling solution at end-of-life. Circularity incorporates better design that consumes less raw material during production, maximizes value during use, and improves products and services that are intended to eliminate waste.”

One way of supporting the circular economy starts in your kitchen: reducing food waste.

In Canada, about 56.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions are created from food waste. Food rotting in landfills emit methane gas, a gas that’s 25% more toxic to the environment than carbon dioxide. All this waste puts pressure on the food supply chain, from production to supplying communities with more food as alarmingly high levels of food are thrown away.

Minimizing your household’s food waste contributes to the circular economy and climate change mitigation by slowing the release of greenhouse gasses from landfills.

What is climate change?

To answer that question, we should first explore: what is climate? Climate is the usual weather of a place observed over long periods of time. For example, in the Ottawa Valley, our average climate is humid and hot in the summers, and wet but cold in the winters. Climate takes decades and centuries to change.

Climate change is the changes in the average climate, such as increased rainfall or much hotter summers, in an area over a long period of time.

Experts suggest that, by 2030, winters may be up to four weeks shorter and Ottawa’s average temperatures will increase by 1.8 C.

How can you reduce food waste at home?

This Circular Economy Month, we’re celebrating Waste Reduction Week by highlighting 4 ways to reduce your food waste.

In Canada, 58% of all food produced is lost or wasted – that’s 35.5 million tonnes. At the consumer level, about 2.38 million tonnes is lost. What does that mean for your budget, though? Each year, households lose $1,766 to avoidable food waste.

How can you cut down on your household’s food waste?

Know what you have in stock

Before heading to the grocers, know what’s in your pantry and freezer first. Taking stock of what you already have and putting together a grocery list can help eliminate unnecessary purchases and waste.

Meal prep

Meal prepping (and knowing what can freeze well!) is also a great way to avoid throwing food in the trash. You don’t need to commit to prepping a week’s worth of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners though: starting with something realistic to your lifestyle will be much easier to maintain in the long run.

Compost

There are many uses for composting, from alleviating the amount of methane build-up in landfills to using it as fertilizer for your garden. There are a few different types of bins, so be sure to choose the one that suits your needs.

Start a garden

Fresh vegetables and herbs in cooking is a delight. Starting a garden in your backyard, on your balcony, or under a grow light indoors can help reduce your carbon footprint. Herbs, cucumbers, tomatoes, and salad greens are great places to start, especially for novice gardeners. This can also help cut the costs of your grocery bills in the long run.

September 27 2022

Rethinking Tourism to Support Sustainability

CPAWS OV Blog, Blog2, Blogs category

Tourism plays a vital role in supporting Ottawa Valley’s economy.

In Ottawa and the surrounding region, 11 million tourists contribute over $3 billion of direct economic output per year.

For example, 600,000 people collectively make approximately 2.6 million annual visits to Gatineau Park, generating some $241 million dollars in economic activity while supporting over 4,000 full-time jobs in the region, according to the National Capital Commission.

However, tourism also exacerbates climate change, which in turn negatively affects tourist destinations.

Impacts include reducing the amount of months visitors are willing to travel due to weather changes, greenhouse gas emissions, and altering wilderness people travel to experience.

How can we safeguard the environment to support climate action while ensuring tourism can spur local economic opportunities?

This World Tourism Day, we invite you to #RethinkTourism and how it can be leveraged as a pillar of sustainable development.

Protecting the Greenbelt for environmental and economic opportunities in the Ottawa Valley

The National Capital Greenbelt is 20,000 hectares of green space, including internationally-recognized forests and wetlands. The region attracts over 3 million visitors per year with its iconic landscapes.

The Greenbelt is home to Mer Bleue, a 7,700-year-old bog (the second largest in southern Ontario!). Mer Bleue not only provides habitat for regionally rare plants and birds, but also supports wildlife you primarily find within northern boreal bogs.

Plus, the Greenbelt is a hub for climate change research.

Scientists have proven we need to conserve 50% of our wilderness to mitigate climate change and biodiversity loss.

In 2006, Carleton, Concordia, and McGill Universities amongst others created the Mer Bleue Research Station. Since then, over 120 papers have been published detailing how this bog is critical to climate action.

However, the City of Ottawa doesn’t see the Greenbelt as “valuable enough” – to our citizens, our wildlife, or our economy.

Roads and fragmentation, like the proposed Brian Coburn / Cumberland Transitway Extension, threaten the Greenbelt’s ecological integrity and the over 60 species at risk living within its borders.

Together, we can safeguard the Greenbelt to remain an iconic destination spot for domestic and international visitors alike while supporting climate action and economic opportunities in the Ottawa Valley. Learn how.

September 19 2022

Protecting Parks to Safeguard Species at Risk Habitat

CPAWS OV Blog, Blog2, Blogs category

Species at risk are animals and plants in danger of disappearing from Canada’s wild unless we act quickly.

There are a number of factors that can lead to a species becoming at risk. However, habitat loss and degradation caused by clear-cut logging, mining, oil, and road or housing developments are a few of the human dangers these species face.

Many of these at-risk plants and animals live in parks across the Ottawa Valley, such as Algonquin Park, Gatineau Park, and throughout the Madawaska Highlands. Conserving parks protects their homes, enabling these species to rebuild their numbers and contribute positively to the Ottawa Valley’s ecosystem.

This World Habitat Day, we’re breaking down 3 ways safeguarding parks supports habitat protection for species at risk.

Green corridors

From roads to hospitals, the Ottawa Valley sees its fair share of upgraded infrastructure.

But did you know protecting natural infrastructure can help species at risk?

Wild spaces can act as an interconnected system to conserve ecosystems, provide wildlife with safe corridors for travel while sustaining clean air and water.

Climate action

Busy cities can create significant amounts of air pollution from cars and industrial activities, and the carbon dioxide released fuels the climate crisis.

Climate change doesn’t impact solely our communities, but species at risk, too. One example of these changes is a shift in the duration of seasons, affecting mating and hunting routines for species.

Parks filled with healthy trees can help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping mitigate the changing climate while providing thriving habitats for species at risk.

Flood reduction

Communities across the Ottawa Valley have experienced floods in recent years. Green space and urban forests can absorb excess water, slowing the rate of sewer and drainage systems overflowing and damaging natural habitats.

Species at risk in the Madawaska Highlands

We’re working to create a new protected area in the Madawaska Highlands, a stunning 2,500 square kilometres of forests, mountains, lakes, and rivers just west of Ottawa.

This watershed is forested with Red Oak, White Pine, Black Spruce, and more where you’ll find various species at risk, including the red-shouldered hawk, American ginseng, bad eagle, and the peregrine falcon.

Learn more about our work in the Madawaska Highlands and how we’re safeguarding the species calling it home.

September 15 2022

4 Facts About the Lake Sturgeon You May Not Know: Species at risk series

CPAWS OV Blog, Blog2, Blogs category

This monthly series features at-risk plants and animals found in the Ottawa Valley and what we can do to protect them.

This month, we’re focusing on the lake sturgeon, otherwise known as Acipenser fulvescens.

In the Great Lakes – Upper St. Lawrence region, this fish is endangered, meaning it’s close to becoming extinct if action isn’t taken soon.

However, the Southern Hudson Bay – James Bay population is categorized as special concern, meaning it may become threatened or endangered soon.

What does the lake sturgeon look like?

The lake sturgeon is Canada’s largest freshwater fish.

At its biggest size, this fish can weigh up to 400 pounds and reach over two metres long.

Its body is light to dark brown or gray, with a lighter stomach.

The lake sturgeon can be differentiated from other fish species not only by its size, but also its snout. The lake sturgeon has an elongated snout with four organs resembling cat’s whiskers hanging near its mouth.

How long can a lake sturgeon live?

This fish’s history can be tracked to related species dating back 200 million years.

A lake sturgeon can live for more than 100 years.

Where do these fish live?

You’ll find this large fish in freshwater lakes and rivers with bottoms consisting of gravel, mud, or sand. They’re typically found five to 20 metres below the water’s surface.

In the Ottawa Valley, the lake sturgeon can be found in within the rivers and connecting waterways of the Hudson Bay basin, Great Lakes Basin, and the St. Lawrence river.

What threatens the lake sturgeon?

Improvements have been made in water quality and the regulation of commercial and recreational fishing of lake sturgeons in Ontario.

Unfortunately, habitat fragmentation and regulated water flows from dams remain the greatest threats to this species.

What can you do to help?

Subscribe to our newsletter or donate today to support our work in the Ottawa Valley protecting habitat important to this and many other species at risk.

September 12 2022

3 Things You Need to Know About the Eastern Ribbonsnake: Species at risk series

CPAWS OV Blog, Blog2, Blogs category

This monthly series features at-risk plants and animals found in the Ottawa Valley and what we can do to protect them.

How do we define a species at risk?

Species at risk are animals and plants in danger of disappearing from Canada’s wild unless we act quickly.

The provincial and federal governments use five terms to categorize at risk species in Canada depending on their threat status:

Special concern: species which may become threatened or endangered due to threats to their habitats or themselves.
Threatened: species in the wild not yet endangered but likely to become so if urgent steps aren’t taken to stop activities threatening them or their habitats.
Endangered: wild species close to becoming extirpated or extinct and if action isn’t taken soon, we could lose species in this category – possibly forever.
Extirpated: the final step before complete extinction, extirpation is when a species can no longer live in its native habitat in Ontario or Quebec but can be found elsewhere in the world.
Extinct: species no longer in existence.

While many things can lead to a species becoming at risk, habitat loss and degradation caused by clear-cut logging, mining, oil, and road or housing developments are a few of the human dangers these species face.

This month, we’re focusing on the Eastern Ribbonsnake, otherwise known as Thamnophis sauritus, which is categorized as “special concern.”

What does the Eastern Ribbonsnake look like?

In adulthood, these snakes can grow to about 27 inches long, with females typically being longer than males.

This snake has a slender body with 3 yellow stripes along its back and sides and a black back. Eastern Ribbonsnakes have a contrasting white chin and a white-yellow stomach.

You can also identify these snakes by the white crescents in front of their eyes, distinguishing them from gartersnakes in particular.

Where do these snakes live?

You can find this semi-aquatic snake slithering near water. Eastern Ribbonsnakes are good swimmers, so be on the lookout in marshes, wetlands, and shallow waters.

In the Ottawa Valley, the Eastern Ribbonsnake has been spotted in the Bruce Peninsula, Georgian Bay, and across eastern Ontario.

What threatens the Eastern Ribbonsnake?

The Ottawa Valley has experienced a decline of wetland and shoreline habitat due to agricultural uses, urban growth, and shoreline development.

Their main source of food – frogs – have also been in decline, threatening this snake’s survival.

What can you do to help?

Subscribe to our newsletter or donate today to support our work in the Ottawa Valley protecting habitat important to this and many other species at risk.

August 12 2022

5 Ways Connecting to Nature Helps Youth

CPAWS OV Blog, Blog2, Blogs category

Connecting youth to nature is more important than ever.

Many children and young adults find themselves overscheduled between school, extracurriculars, volunteering, and their social lives – not to mention one or two part-time jobs to help save for post-secondary or a movie night with friends.

One in seven youth are grappling with a mental health issue. Anxiety is the most common. And part of this is how stretched thin youth are these days.

However, the lack of connection to the outdoors can also be a contributing factor. Youth spend approximately 7.5 hours a day with media, but pack in about 10 hours and 45 minutes worth of content engagement thanks to multitasking with multiple devices simultaneously.

These younger generations are more digitally connected than ever before while being separated from nature as over 80% of Canadians live in urban centers.

Today is International Youth Day. To celebrate, we’re highlighting five ways spending time outdoors helps youth.

Alleviates mental health challenges

Most of us have taken a walk when feeling overwhelmed with work or sat in a park when needing a mood boost. But did you know these mood benefits are backed by science?

Research shows time in nature can decrease feelings of stress, depression, and anxiety.

Safeguarded and accessible wilderness youth can connect with is crucial to help them manage their mental health and give them refuge to the challenges of everyday life and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Builds critical thinking and social skills

Time spent outside playing and exploring helps youth learn the difference between healthy and unhealthy risk-taking behaviors. For example, they can take calculated risks like climbing play structures, rolling down hills, or jumping from one rock to another to develop their critical thinking abilities.

A 2015 study discovered kids engaging in “risky outdoor play” and had opportunities to explore nature had improved social skills, creativity, and resilience.

Improves physical health

Connecting and playing in nature can be done in many ways. Hiking, running, biking, and swimming are just a few examples of the myriad of ways youth can engage with wilderness.

And as we’ve discussed, these activities have mood and skills boosting benefits, but youth are simultaneously getting exercise!

From improved flexibility to strong lungs, bones, and heart health, time moving in nature can contribute to healthy bodies.

Creates healthy habits for adulthood

Learning something in our childhood or young adult years makes it easier to carry that habit into adulthood in healthy ways.

Research shows that when youth spend time outside, they’re 20% more likely to participate in outdoor programs or explore nature independently in adulthood.

This means they’re able to form healthy and long-lasting relationships with nature and carry those mood, physical health, and social benefits into their 30s, 40s, 50s, and beyond.

Shape their leadership skills

Connecting with nature through conservation projects, such as volunteering to clean up parks or lead hikes, empowers youth to become ambassadors for wild spaces within their communities and builds their leadership abilities.

Our Canadian Stewardship Wilderness Program (CWSP) is an educational experience designed to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards by connecting youth to nature and their local communities. We do this through a wilderness expedition, a volunteer community service project, and a summit.

You can learn more about how the CWSP is impacting youth in our blog.

June 15 2022

7 Tips You Need to Know to Enhance Your Nature Photography This Summer

CPAWS OV Blog, Blogs category

With the warm weather finally upon us in the Ottawa Valley, hobby and professional photographers alike are heading to parks, lakes, and other wild spaces to capture photos of our iconic species and landscapes.

But before you do, read these 7 tips to make sure you’re keeping yourself and our natural environment safe in celebration of #NaturePhotographyDay.

Elevating your photography

Use the rule of thirds

Divide your frame into three equal parts vertically and horizontally, and place your subject on one of the intersecting points. Using a point away from the center can add additional visual interest.

Implied motion

Your photography tells a story and motion can make it much more powerful. Examples include water rippling across a lake or a white-tailed deer running.

Add depth

Your photos should jump off the page (or screen), and an excellent way of achieving this is by adding depth in your photography. Create a 3D-like feel to your photos by including landscape or objects in the foreground and background, playing with height, and framing.

Stay Safe

Know your limits

Everyone wants to get “that shot,” or just one more for the day, but knowing your physical limits is crucial to staying safe while photographing nature. You don’t need to climb mountains or put your knees through rigorous and ongoing crouching if your body can’t handle it at the moment. Flat terrain, walking trails, and more offer tremendous opportunities for photography.

Do your research

Before heading into the wild, ensure you’re aware of any potential off-limits trails or land, poisonous plants or stinging animals, and other risks you may encounter.

Respect the natural environment

Prioritize wildlife’s well-being

Ideally, the animals you’re photographing won’t even know you’re there. Avoid feeding wildlife or luring them towards you in some other way. When possible, add a barrier between yourself and the animals. Respect any closed areas of parks and keep to designated, official trails when out in nature to avoid disturbing the species which depend upon them.

Take what you bring

Avoid leaving behind garbage, food, or anything else you brought with you. Whenever possible, use reusable items like water bottles or containers for food.

June 6 2022

5 Facts About the Western Chorus Frog You Probably Didn’t Know: Species at risk series

CPAWS OV Blog, Blogs category

Species at risk are plants and animals that may be lost forever if we don’t act soon.

Our monthly Species at Risk Series explores which ones are found in the Ottawa Valley and what we can do to protect them.

Did you know there are two species of chorus frog in the Ottawa Valley: the western and the boreal chorus frog?

This month, we’re focusing on the western chorus frog, otherwise known as Pseudacris triseriata.

This species is listed as threatened in our region.

What does the western chorus frog look like?

This amphibian is about 2.5 to 4 cm in length and weighs less than a pound. Its body is smooth and pear-shaped with a narrow, pointed head and very long toes with small toe-pads.

The western chorus frog can vary from green-gray to brown, though it’s distinguishable by the three dark stripes down its back and a white stripe along its upper lip.

Male western chorus frogs have a vocal sac, which looks like a dark flap when relaxed but will turn yellow once expanded.

What do they sound like?

During breeding season, this frog’s call resembles the noise of fingernails running along the teeth of a metal comb.

During good weather conditions, the call can be heard nearly a kilometre away.

How are they born?

Western chorus frogs breed in the spring, with mating calls beginning as early as mid-March.

Females will lay their eggs on vegetation, which hatch within a few weeks. Tadpoles typically finish transforming by midsummer and mature within one year.

Where do western chorus frogs live?

This amphibian is found across the Ottawa Valley in southern Ontario and southwestern Quebec.

Specifically in Ontario, its range stems from Georgian Bay to the northwest to Algonquin Park to the south and the Ottawa River near Eganville to the east. In Quebec, you’ll find this small frog in the Outaouais and Montérégie regions.

The western chorus frog is a lowland terrestrial species, meaning it can be found on marshes, wooded wetlands, ponds, swamps, or near damp meadows.

What threatens the Western chorus frog?

This species has declined in Quebec by about 37% per decade since the 1950s.

From 1995 to 2006, the population decline is slower by about 3.5% per year, or a total decrease of approximately 30%.

Land use is the main threat to the western chorus frog.

In southwestern Quebec, habitat destruction in suburban areas is so rampant it’s estimated this species will become extirpated from their known habitats within a decade.

Habitat loss and fragmentation due to agricultural practices can also result in decreased populations, as seen in Quebec between 1950 and 1990.

What can you do to help?

Maintain wetlands, shorelines, and forested areas in their natural state on your property. Avoid removing large trees, woody debris, and rock piles as they can serve as habitat for many reptiles and amphibians. If you have the space to create a small artificial pond, these are very beneficial for many species.

In your community, follow development applications and proposals to develop low-lying forests and open areas where western chorus frogs may be present and provide input to decision-makers.

If you see a western chorus frog, document its location, take photos, and share the data with your province’s department responsible for the protection of species at risk.

Finally, educate your neighbours of the important role played by reptiles and amphibians in maintaining healthy ecosystems and of the value of wetlands and forests in your community.

June 5 2022

How the Ottawa Valley Plays a Role in #OnlyOneEarth

CPAWS OV Blog, Blogs category

Healthy ecosystems contribute to sustainable development, from climate action, to thriving wild spaces for species at risk, to providing fresh air and water for families, and so much more.

This year’s theme for World Environment Day is #OnlyOneEarth and “calls for collective, transformative action on a global scale to celebrate, protect, and restore our planet.”

Here’s how the wild spaces in the Ottawa Valley play a role in sustainability for the environment, species, and communities.

A 7,700-year-old internationally recognized wetland

Did you know the Greenbelt was home to the largest bog and natural area in the Capital region (and the second-largest bog in southern Ontario)?

Mer Bleue is a 7,700-year-old bog where you’ll find regionally rare plants and birds, plus wildlife you typically only find within northern boreal bogs.

Mer Bleue has been internationally recognized for its role in mitigating climate change under the following designations:

A wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
A provincially significant wetland
A provincially significant life and earth science area of natural and scientific interest

The Greenbelt’s unique ecological makeup is home to over 60 species at risk and its protection can help the Government of Canada achieve its goal of protecting 30% of our country’s lands and waters by 2030.

A 2,500 square kilometres watershed providing natural climate solutions

Communities across the Ottawa Valley are experiencing an increased amount of floods in recent years due to the climate crisis.

Floods aren’t simply inconveniences, though. They can wipe away homes and the farms feeding our families.

Large and intact watersheds are one of our strongest defences against these natural disasters since mature forests reduce the risk of water run-off into nearby communities.

This includes our iconic Madawaska Highlands, the 2,500 square kilometres of forests, lakes, and rivers playing a pivotal role in providing nature-based solutions to protect our communities from the effects of the climate crisis.

A home to 118 rare or endangered species

Many of us know Gatineau Park for its mesmerizing landscapes stretched across 361 square kilometres, consisting of 50 lakes and countless trails for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy throughout the entire year.

But Gatineau Park is also home to 118 rare or endangered species, including the eastern wolf, lynx, and white-tailed deer.

Gatineau Park has the greatest diversity of habitats across all Quebec parks alongside being home to the largest number of endangered species.