June 29th, 2018
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After a brief hiatus, we're back! Did you miss us?
EVENTS:
Peel Group Tree Planting: June 2nd at Medicine Wheel Garden
To begin, when Four Feathers Drum Circle friends, TRCA staff and the first volunteers arrived at the garden, a large snapping turtle was settled on a mound of topsoil and was busy laying her eggs! We were careful to keep a respectful distance so as not to disturb her. Casey Cook, TRCA, explained that TRCA is monitoring turtles in the area over a year long period, to learn where they go and when, so as to design ways to protect them.
Nature lovers came from Mississauga and even Scarborough to join local Sierra volunteers. Steven Winterhawk and Four Feathers Drum Circle friends started us off with a smudging ceremony and an explanation of the Grandmother and Grandfather teachings of the Medicine Wheel Garden, Gitigaan Mashkiki (Ojibway). We then got to work weeding out thistles, vetch, buckthorn and other undesirables to make sure there was plenty of growing space for purple coneflower, prairie smoke, common yarrow and many other native plants that provide medicines and support pollinators.
NEWS ITEMS:
Greenbelt Campaign: Haudenosaunee Strive to Protect Thundering Waters Forest
The Thundering Water Forest is a 500-acre woodland on the Welland River in Niagara Falls. For over two years, a struggle has been taking place between the Haudenosaunee First Nations and GR (CAN) Investment Co. Ltd., an investor for massive commercial and real estate development in Niagara Falls. Recently, we saw fruit. Find out what happened here.
Greenbelt Campaign: Drama Over Provincial Land Use Planning Will Persist
In an otherwise flawless election campaign, the Progressive Conservatives under Doug Ford made the questionable suggestion of weakening the Greenbelt. However, the looming threats to the Ontario Greenbelt masked a seldom discussed issue: provincial land use planning. Since its inception in 1969, the use of provincial land use planning as an instrument to protect wildlife was approached with caution. Read the full article here.
Greenbelt Campaign: Vain Efforts to Downrate Provincial Wetlands 2, 3, 4, of Thundering Waters Forest
Red Oiser Dogwood, a Mink, Wood Frogs, Chorus of the Western Chorus Frog, Spring Peeper and a Pin Oak all make a timely appearance in this tour of Provincially significant wetlands of Thundering Waters Forest, Niagara Falls, Ontario. This 500 acre Old Growth Forest and Hawthorn Savannah is a rich habitat and cultural gem that should become a Provincial Park for endangered and at risk. This video and other materials by Dr. John Bacher can be found here.
Plastics Campaign: Our Plastics, Ourselves
Plastics are convenient, affordable, and useful. They can be molded into furniture, shopping bags, and eyeglasses. Modern cars are more than 50% plastic, and plastic fibres are woven together to create nylon and other synthetic textiles. This is why Dustin Hoffman's character in The Graduate receives advice to pursue a career in them, to jump on the opportunities this magic material affords our contemporary society. However, the same chemical features that make plastics so versatile also render them a growing threat to human and ecosystem health. Read more about it here.
Plastics Campaign: Joint Declaration Against Plastics
In Canada, nearly 90 per cent of plastics end up incinerated, or in our landfills, lakes, parks and oceans. Once in the environment, they contaminate ecosystems, kill wildlife, and leach toxic chemicals. It’s time for Canada to deal with its plastic production, waste, and pollution problem. It’s time for government action. In that regard, we took our Plastics Campaign to a whole new level and sent a Joint Declaration on Plastics to the prime minister! Take the pledge today to decrease your plastic consumption.
Plastics Campaign: Canada’s 2018 G7 Presidency
Our voices have been heard! At the G7 Summit in Charlevoix, our push for healthy seas and resilient coasts has been recognized in the form of this G7 Blueprint. Furthermore, our ceaseless campaign for a plastic free ocean has also witnessed fruition in the form of the Oceans Plastics Charter.
Find out more about the Summit here.
NEW TEAM MEMBERS:
Please welcome our new Ontario Chapter Coordinator and Summer Interns!
Starting June 2018, we have three new members of the Sierra Club Ontario family. We regretfully said goodbye to our previous Chapter Coordinator – Yvonne Ho, but are glad to be able to usher in a new generation of Sierrans!
Jerry Dong – Ontario Chapter Coordinator
Mira Merchant – Marketing Assistant
Cristian Hurtado – Research Assistant
BOARD MEETINGS:
Please save the date for our upcoming Executive Committee meeting dates, and email us if you would like to attend any or all of them (all our meetings are held via conference calls):
Time: 19:00 – 20:30
Dates: Sept 11th, Nov 13th
Sincerely,
Jerry Dong, Chapter Coordinator
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