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Spring/Summer 2010

President’s Message

by Linda Murray

Greetings, everyone! What a glorious day this has been! The crocuses are up! The robins have returned! Spring house cleaning has begun with a vengeance! It's great that we have our big Yard Sale fundraiser happening shortly. I'm filling Rubbermaid containers with all kinds of "treasures" that I don't use and won't have to dust anymore!!! How cathartic is that!!! Why not do the same? Norma White and her committee would love to sell your unwanted "treasures" too. More details about this fundraiser appear elsewhere in the newsletter.

Kudos to Bill and Elaine McMurray and their volunteer brigade for once again executing a very successful, fun-filled Trivia Night in February. A little more than $2200.00 was added to our coffers.

The Executive had such faith in Bill's Trivia Night being a success that in January we donated $2500.00 to the Bruce Trail Conservancy's Land Acquisition Program and another $2500.00 specifically to the Speyside Sanctuary purchase. Good news about the Speyside Sanctuary! The Bruce Trail Conservancy has received two grants, one from the MNR, another from the Region of Halton, as well as approximately $100,000 in donations from various foundations and many more thousands of dollars from Clubs and individual members. The end result is the securement of 140 acres of protected wetlands, hardwood forest, and a kilometre and a half of beautiful Bruce TraiL.

It was a pleasure to have BTC staff members, Jackie Randle, Director of Volunteer Programs and Laura Tuohy, Membership Coordinator join us at our last Executive meeting. An overview of both the Volunteer and Membership programs was presented.

I have since checked out the Members Only Area of the BTC website which Laura highlighted for us. Have a look if you haven't already done so! The Members Area is the new social, community area of the Bruce Trail website that is accessible by Bruce Trail members only. In the Bruce Trail Members Area you can manage your membership, share and view photos, share experiences, find others (join in or create public or private groups so that you can organize hikes, meetings and events) and record your trips.

Laura also introduced the BTC's new E-newsletter system, a tool for clubs to send newsletters electronically and a good way to accommodate those members who want to save paper. This topic is on the agenda for our May Executive meeting which no doubt will generate much discussion.

I look forward to working with Jackie, BTC contact for AGM planning, as we get prepared to host the 2011 BTC AGM on Sept.23-25 at the Osprey Community Centre in Feversham. Mark your calendars now!

Don't forget our own AGM on Sun. June 13 at the Ravenna Hall. Hope to see you there!

New Land Steward Management Team

This is the new Land Steward Management Team created last fall to handle the increasing workload related to the growing number of properties in the Beaver Valley . Stew Hilts has provided valuable help and will become Land Steward Director this year, John Kearns will continue to serve as Assistant Director as well as managing the Boundary Marking project and other projects, Mike Osborn will manage the information and records systems and is developing computer systems for this activity. Fred Young will continue to serve as Land Steward Director until Stew takes over this summer.

Welcome New Beaver Valley Members

Bruce Trail Land Steward Workshop

Saturday May 29th, Owen Sound

If you are currently a land steward or are thinking about becoming one, here is a great opportunity to pick up some skills and meet others who are also involved.

On Saturday, May29th at Saint Mary's Church in Owen Sound, we will be holding our Northern Land Steward Training workshop. We will be having stewards attending from the 3 northern clubs (Beaver Valley Club, the Sydenham Club and the Peninsula Club). Between the 3 of our clubs, we steward a large majority of all the lands managed by the Bruce Trail Conservancy. workshop's morning presentation includes talks on interpreting maps and understanding what to look for when stewarding a property. After lunch, attendees will attend a field workshop to get involved with hands-on examples of what we have learned.

These workshops are a great opportunity to meet other Land Stewards and Land Steward Directors, and also share ideas about the Land Stewardship Program. Whether you are a seasoned Land Steward or new to the program, we encourage you to attend and share your experiences and knowledge.

Contact Fred Young if you haven't already sent a reply 519-599-2354

Thank you Trail Captain Retirees Ingrid and Brian Richmond

by Linda Murray

Before Brian and Ingrid built their chalet in Kimberley's Amik Subdivision in 1982, they already were members of the Grand River Trail Club in Kitchener and week-ends would find them participating in organized club outings, no matter what the season.

A love of nature, a belief in the importance of physical activity, an interest in meeting new people and making new friends are reasons they both cite for joining the Grand River Trail Club in the first place. It's no surprise then that for these same reasons they joined the Beaver Valley Bruce Trail Club in 1984.

In 1994, on one of our club's week-end outings, Brian and Ingrid met Eric Kjertinge, who at the time, was looking for a replacement to do trail maintenance work and become Trail Captains of his section-17. They willingly accepted this responsibility and maintained this section for fourteen years before changing to Section 4 (km8.3to10.6) two years ago.

Following retirement, the Richmonds moved to the area permanently and in 2000 built a new home with a Bed and Breakfast in mind. "Four Seasons B&B" opened for business in 2002. They take pleasure in suggesting to their many guests possible hikes, a favorite one being on top of Old Baldy perhaps because of the fact that from their former chalet they enjoyed magnificent views of Old Baldy and the Valley.

Besides the Beaver Valley area, two favorite places where they've enjoyed hiking have been in an area in the southern part of Germany called Allgaeu and in the Appenzell Valley in Switzerland.

Ingrid and Brian have decided to relinquish their role as Trail Captains this year but will remain avid supporters of the Bruce Trail. For their sixteen years of volunteerism to the Beaver Valley Club, we say Thank you, Brian and Ingrid".

Another Successful Trivia Night!

Approaches to Trail Work

by Ross McLean

Last summer while working on her section at Trail one of our newest and hard-working trail captains suggested that perhaps the Bruce Trail should consider contracting out a lot of our trail work since it is so physically demanding.

Then this winter I received a report from another Caledon Hills trail captain who had been hiking in the Gien Major area of the Oak Ridges Moraine. He was "impressed... [by] the way they have those new trails snaking up a hill. ..rather like an elongated 'S'' '. The company doing the trail work was "Sustainable Trails inc.", and a Google search revealed the reason for the design - it is a mountain bikers' mecca!

Several years ago, veteran Bruce Trail builder Laurence Christie spoke to both the president and vice-president of the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) out of Collingwood. They explained that "the type of trail building the Bruce Trail uses is not for [them]." They rely on mechanical equipment such as a power shovel and an earth mover!

It is rather ironic that they refer to "minimal impact on the surrounding landscape" while advocating the use of power equipment. They comment as well that having the work contracted out eliminates "volunteer burnout.

Is this the way of the future for the Bruce Trail Conservancy? With our renewed emphasis on conservation, can we really see power shovels digging up the land to make a hiking trail? But without enough volunteers, perhaps we shall have to consider such an approach in our future trail building efforts.

If we do, surely something will be lost.

The Bruce Trail has always been a volunteer-driven organization. And the founders were all naturalists, concerned with minimal impact on the land. They took pride in doing it themselves. As well, of course, the prime objective of our fundraising is land securement to protect the Escarpment in perpetuity. The mountain bikers are not acquiring any of their own and they also have the financial resources that mountain bike manufacturers can bring to their trail work.

The initial vision of the Bruce Trail is one with which most of us have a lot of sympathy, but it will continue oniy if we can generate a team of new, younger volunteers. At the Caledon Hills huge project at the Badlands last year, one former club Trail Director praised the efforts of the volunteers, but as he looked on their average age, he lamented, "Just where will we find the replacements for these people?' Here is an enormous challenge facing the Conservancy as it continues to pursue the dream.

Grassland Breeding Birds on Agricultural Land

Julia Marko Dunn, Conservation Stewardship Officer, The Bruce Trail Conservancy

Most people recognize the need to protect forests but conserving grasslands is important too.

Grassland habitat and populations of grassland birds have declined significantly throughout North America in recent decades. Grassland birds require grassland habitat in order to breed successfully. Grassland habitats are defined as open areas dominated by, you guessed it, grasses along with other herbaceous plants but few shrubs or trees. Native grasslands in North America include meadows, prairies, savannahs and alvars.

Since European colonization began, much naturally occurring grassland has been lost entirely or turned over to agriculture. Where the land has been retained as 'improved' grassland-pastures or hayfields-the habitat offered is broadly similar to that of native grassland. Many species of grassland bird have adapted to these habitats and rely on them for breeding success.

But now these habitats are disappearing too. Much of this decline can be attributed to the loss of agricultural land to development, intensive agricultural practices that diminish the wildlife value of the land, and the trend toward more frequent and earlier haying.

Continuation of haying and pasturing can provide habitat for grassland birds, depending on a species' requirements. However, agricultural activities can also act to reduce populations by inadvertently providing habitat that attracts birds in the early stages of the breeding season, only to compromise the ongoing breeding attempts later in the season through a detrimental agricultural practice. Birds are attracted to potential breeding habitat, invest in nest building, egg laying, and incubation, but are unable to successfully fledge young. Adopting some environmental best management practices may help reduce the effect.

Haying maintains grassland through mowing, which prevents woody plants and trees from taking over while still allowing grasses and forbs to regrow. Many grassland birds, including Bobolinks, Eastern Meadowlarks, Savannah Sparrows and Northern Harriers, make their nests on the ground. Mowing during the nesting season will invariably destroy their nests and young. Delaying mowing until after the height of the breeding bird season, which runs from late May until early July, allows most birds to successfully rear young. Late nesting species can be helped by adopting management practices such as mowing from the centre of a field outwards (never towards the centre) or in strips across the field, allowing young to escape into protective cover. Raising blade height to reduce destruction of nests and leaving some residual cover on the fields can also be beneficial.

Some grassland birds, such as the Field Sparrow, Eastern Bluebird and the Eastern Loggerhead Shrike, need a mix of open grassland and shrubs. Pasturising can maintain this type of habitat, but again, appropriate management practices need to be followed in order to allow breeding to take place. These management practices include having-lower stocking rates - if possible, no more than five cattle per hectare - as cattle can trample nests and disturb nesting adults heading them o abandon their nests. An issue separate to grassland birds, but no less important, is water quality. Pastured cattle should not have access to creeks and springs.

The Bruce Trail Conservancy, where feasible, enters into land use agreements with local farmers to allow for the continuation of haying or pasturizing on land it purchases or manages. These land use agreements set forth the conditions under which these activities can take place according to some best management practices. These practices aim to provide both habitat for grassland birds and the continued use of the land for agriculture.

Grassland breeding birds include: Savannah Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Northern Harrier, Bobolink, Upland Sandpiper, Brewer s Blackbird Eastern Meadowlark, Horned Lark, Vesper Sparrow Eastern Bluebird, Eastern Loggerhead Shrike, Field Sparrow Loggerhead Shrike, Henslow s Sparrow Endangered Species: Loggerhead Shrike, Henslows Sparrow

Bear Wise Program

Fall and spring are the seasons most likely to see a bear. Given that there have been recent sightings and signs of bear in our club's region -, we felt it might be timely to post the Ministry's most recent campaign this issue.

The Ministry of Natural Resources is committed to reducing preventable causes of human-bear conflict in Ontario.

The Bear Wise Program teaches people about black bears as well as things they must do to keep bears away from urban and semi urban areas. We work with community leaders to establish local prevention programs. We offer many education and awareness products including a website (www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/Bearwise/ index.html). We provide a bear information and reporting line. We work in partnership with police to respond to human-bear incidents.

This kind of program will make a huge contribution toward involving and educating the public in ways that will minimize unwanted killing of bears by preventing human-bear conflict before it develops. It will also contribute to human safety Black Bears Live Throughout Ontario While the chances of you seeing or encountering a black bear are low, it is best you be prepared just in case. A few things to know:

• Black bears can range in colour from blonde through brown to black.
• There are no grizzly bears in the province.
• Once bears learn to access human food, management options, besides destruction of the bear, are limited.
• Black bears prefer to avoid people.

The most common encounter is the one you didn't know happened. The bear heard or smelled you, and left Chances are wherever you live, visit or spend your leisure time, you will be near bears or bear habitat. For your own personal, safety, and for the well being of bears, it is important that you learn about bears and their behaviour. Know how to prevent and handle potential encounters with bears. Hike in a group... most bears will leave the area if they are aware of your presence.

• Stay on established trails and hike only in daylight.
• Keep children close at hand and within sight.
• Use extra caution when travelling near rushing water or into the wind. A bear may not be able to hear or smell you coming.

Be alert! Watch for signs. Tracks, droppings, diggings, tornup logs and scratched trees may indicate that a bear is nearby.

Use caution when travelling near natural bear foods. Berries, fish and carrion (dead animals) are all food sources for bears, which they may defend. If you come upon any of these items, use extra caution; always report the presence of dead animals.

Dog safety. Safety Dogs may infuriate a bear, inciting an attack. Your dog may then run to you with the bear in pursuit! Keep dogs on a leash at all times and never leave them unattended.

Watch for cubs. Bears may become aggressive if they feel their young are threatened. Never pass between a mother and her cub(s).

Watch for area closures and bear warnings. It is illegal to enter a closed area. Area closures are posted in places where bear activity poses a danger to visitors in national and provincial parks. Bear warnings are posted in areas when there is bear activity and the chance of an encounter is heightened. Use caution in these areas.

IF YOU ENCOUNTER A BEAR Despite taking precautions, you may still encounter a bear. Remember that bears are complex, intelligent animals and no two encounters are alike. There is no single strategy that will work in each situation, but you can minimize your risk by following these guidelines:

Keep calm. Think ahead; your brain is your best defence against a bear attack. Plan how to respond if you encounter a bear.

Don't run Bears can easily outrun you. By running you may trigger an attack. Make yourself less vulnerable. Pick up small children and stay in a group.

Give the bear space. Back away slowly and talk in a soft voice. Do not approach the bear or make direct eye contact.

Leave the area or make a wide detour. If you cannot leave: wait until the bear moves out of the way and ensure that it has an escape route. The bear may approach you or rear up on its hind legs. Bears are often curious. If one stands on its hind legs, it is most likely trying to catch your scent; this is not necessarily a sign of aggression.

Back away slowly and talk in a soft voice. Do not drop objects, clothing or food to distract the bear. If the bear receives food, it will have been rewarded for its aggressive behaviour, thereby increasing the likelihood that it will repeat that behaviour again.

Watch for aggressive behaviours. A bear may display aggression by swinging its head from side to side; making vocalizations such as huffs, snorts, whoops, or moans; displaying teeth or claws; jaw popping; swatting at the ground; staring with eye contact; panting; or laying its ears back. These behaviours usually indicate that the bear is stressed, acting defensively and asking for more space. Attacks rarely follow. This is the most common kind of black bear aggressive encounter.

IF AN ATTACK OCCURS Black bear attacks are rare! However, if one occurs, there are varying recommended responses depending on the situation. Remember that these are only guidelines and that each encounter is unique.

Defensive attack: If you surprise a bear and it responds to defend itself, its young or its food , and contact has been made or is imminent - play dead (lie on your stomach with your legs apart; protect your face, the back of your head and neck with your alms; remain silent; and if wearing a pack, leave it on for protection).

Remember: such attacks are rare despite the much more common aggressive displays without contact by black bears. The bear will leave you alone once it believes the threat is passed.

Offensive attack: This is the most serious and potentially deadly attack a black bear might make! It occurs when a bear appears to stalk or follow you for a period of time and then chooses to attack; or the bear attacks you at night. In this situation, playing dead is not appropriate. Try to escape to a secure place such as a vehicle or hard-sided camper.

Climbing a tree is an option, but remember that black bears can climb trees easily. If you cannot escape and a bear continues its pursuit, react aggressively and try to intimidate the bear.

If this fails, fight back with anything at hand such as bear spray, rocks, sticks, knives or other possible weapons to let the bear know that you are not easy prey. Act as a group if you are part of one. Don't forget to yell; help may be close by.

Chemical bear repellents and bear sprays contain a derivative of cayenne pepper. When sprayed directly into an animal's face, they cause eye and upper respiratory tract irritation. Although such sprays can be effective when used properly, wind and other circumstances may alter their effect on the animal. Therefore, use them with caution and always follow the manufacturer's directions. Bear sprays do not guarantee your safety.

Problem Bears are Created by People Black bears are opportunists, always on the lookout for "easy" calories. Once they find human food or garbage (if they become food-conditioned), they continue to seek it out from backpacks, picnic tables, coolers, etc. If they become accustomed to humans, their natural fear of people fades and they take more chances to find food rewards. These "spoiled bears" are unpredictable and may be aggressive. Unfortunately, there is little that can be done to manage habituated, food conditioned black bears. These bears often pay with their lives for human mistakes. The only true solution is not to create "problem bears" in the first place by making sure all food, trash and other possible bear attractants, are stored.

In 2010 MNR will continue to coordinate the Bear Wise Program in order to:
1. reduce human-bear conflicts;
2. make our communities safer; and,
3. educate the public about the important role bears play in Ontario's biodiversity.

The Bear Wise Program encourages the public to live safely in bear country by reducing attractants. As part of these efforts, beginning April 1, 2009, the MNR will again staff the Bear Wise Program's toll-free telephone line, available to the public for reporting human-bear conflicts. Callers will now connect directly with a live operator during bear season. In addition, the MNR will continue to work cooperatively with provincial, municipal and aboriginal police services to respond to human bear conflicts. MNR, through the Bear Wise Program, will continue to provide expertise and advice to communities and the public on strategies to implement to ensure that they do not invite bears to their property and keep bears wild.

IN AN EMERGENCY:
contact your local police force or dial 911

TO REPORT BEAR PROBLEMS: contact the Bear Reporting Line at: 1-866-514-BEAR (2327) (TTY) 705-945-7641

Hiking The Bruce Trail

Spring is here! It won't be long before all the snow melts and it's time to lace up your boots to go hiking. The. Bruce Trail is an icon within Bruce Peninsula National Park, leading to sparkling bays and the most scenic lookouts along the entire Niagara Escarpment.

The trail attracts a range of hikers from seasoned end-to-enders to inexperienced daytrippers. Many sections of the trail are rugged and meander through remote, wilderness areas. Good preparation is the key to having a safe and enjoyable visit. - First off, let's start with a checklist to prepare for your hike:

• Inquire about the hiking time and level & difficulty of the trail.
• Have a trip plan & let someone know about it - Including your expected return time.
• Check the weather and dress appropriately.
• Bring a map.
• Carry a cell phone (service is available in some places along the trail).
• Wear sturdy footwear - hiking shoes or hiking boots.
• Carry enough water and food for the length of your hike.

If you become lost or injured while hiking in the park, call for help at 519-596-2702 or 911, or send someone to call for you. Be sure to stay in one locations until the searchers can find you.

Most hikers plan well and have a great experience on the Bruce Trail. Each year, however, a few people get lost, disoriented or injured while hiking. Most accidents or lost hikers are a result of these factors:

• Underestimating the level of difficulty of the trail and time necessary to completethe hike.
• Not wearing proper clothing (including footwear) or carrying enough water and snacks.
• Not carrying a map or paying attention to the trail and watching for trail markers.

By following the trip-planning checklist above and being well prepared, you will greatly reduce your chances of having a problem while hiking. Have a great season exploring the trails!

Reading Trail Blazes

Trail blazes are used to denote the path of a trail. They most commonly consist of painted markings on trees or fences, but can also take the form of affixed markers, cairns or carvings. Both the Bruce Trail and Oak Ridges Trail use a blazing system adopted from that used on the Appalachian Trail through the Eastern United States. The system is shown below. Trail blazes often use colour coding to denote separate or side trails. For example, the Bruce Trail and Oak Ridges Trail use white markings for main trails and blue markings for side trails. Colour coding can become more complex if there are a number of different trails located in one geographic area. Most trail associations produce literature or brochures that explain their own system of blazing. Adapted with permission from The Bruce Trail Association's Explanation of Blazes

Snowshoeing and X Country Skiing make winter hiking fun also

Land Stewardship Workshop at Kimbercote Farm Sunday May 9

submitted by Lesley Bulman

Spring is upon us here in the Beaver Valley and the forests are awakening from a restful period of winter dormancy. An exciting opportunity presents itself with the upcoming Land Stewardship Workshop, hosted at Kimbercote Farm, Heathcote on May 9th. This workshop is designed for landowners, groundskeepers or land managers who are interested in expanding their knowledge of effective and practical land management, while balancing ecological, cultural and future needs.

Led by Skeet Sutherland of Sticks and Stones Wilderness School and Peter Mitchell from the Centre for Land andWater Stewardship, University of Guelph, the Land Stewardship Workshop will address the following topics: tax incentives applied to personal property, practical planning tools for private land stewardship, increasing and maintaining biodiversity through simple creation of wildlife corridors and core habitat, and sustainable wood lot harvesting techniques. Kimbercote's 100-acre property is a teaching tool for this workshop, which will highlight diverse landscape features and ecosystems to demonstrate the wide variety of management options for the Southern Ontario landscape.

Kimbercote is a charitable non-profit retreat centre in the Beaver Valley that is a living example of land stewardship. The property features 40 acres of protected old-growth forest, spectacular views, and kilometres of groomed trails, though areas of natural regeneration and wildlife habitat. The Siegerman Side Trail runs alongside the property making it a perfect destination spot for Bruce Trailhikers. The property is open to the public year round for hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. The central Kimbercote trailhead is behind the barn off the main parking lot.

Consider an overnight stay with your group in the retreat centre. Accommodations are available for group sizes between two and twenty-five people. Inquire about rates and availability at info@kimbercote.org.

The Land Stewardship Workshop promises to be informative and a great chance to hear what other landowners are doing to be sustainable. Hope to see you there. Dress for the weather. Sunday, May 9th 9:30-3:30
Kimbercote Farm, 316362 Townline, Heathcote
Cost $95 including lunch - 519-599-5885
Register by email with stacie@kimbercote.org or www.kimbercote.org