Nature Canada Webinar – Canada’s New Climate Adaption Plan

Posted on May 19, 2022 by Bob Kennedy

Register Here

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Upcoming Field Seminar on Liverworts – Eagle Hill

Posted on May 19, 2022 by Bob Kennedy

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May 27-29, 2022: Nature NS Celebration of Nature

Posted on May 13, 2022 by admin
‘Received from Nature NS: The Celebration of Nature is our big annual event, a talk and hike series as well as our AGM, and it always falls on the last weekend in May. Pre-COVID when the event took place entirely in-person, we would rotate locations around the province and a local NatureNS member group would host the event. This year, we’re running a hybrid event, where the talks and AGM are virtual and the hikes/outings are in-person and take place all around the province.
For further details and to register, follow this link:  https://naturens.ca/events/2022-celebration-of-nature/
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Next Member’s Meeting – Outdoors, Eisner’s Cove Wetland, Dartmouth – May 30

Posted on May 7, 2022 by Bob Kennedy

Our next members meeting will NOT be on Zoom, but instead will be live outdoors at Eisner’s Cove wetland. This will be on May 30, which is the FIFTH Monday of the month (usually we meet on the fourth Monday).

Exact time, directions and a map will be posted later.

Rhodora Buds at Eisner’s Cove – Photo Bob Kennedy
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Field trip to Meguma Falls Saturday May 21

Posted on May 7, 2022 by Bob Kennedy
This will be an all day trip to see the spring ephemerals and more. Bring field guides cameras, binoculars, loupes, lunch, water and snacks. Dress for the weather including rain, wear waterproof hiking boots or rubber boots. We will go Rain or Shine. (weather forecasts have been changing daily recently).
From Halifax drive to Truro , exit 14A to Onslow; turn right to Onslow Road (NS2) and drive 3.7 km, then Left at the flashing Amber light to Hwy 311, drive to Earltown about 26 Km, then right turn onto Kemptown road. The Gully Lake Wilderness Area Trailhead will be on your left and marked with a large sign. We should arrive by 09:00 hrs. Park on Kemptown Road at the Yellow Birch Trailhead.
We will follow the Fire Road,  to the Sandy Cope trail, to Donald’s Falls, then across the Fire Road to the Gully Lake Wilderness area, and follow the trail ( Willard Kitchner Macdonald trail) to Meguma Falls ( About 8Km in & 16 km round trip. Shorter if you return early). Groomed trails are easy walking, some rough and wet spots, expect spring ephemerals in full bloom.
Limit 15 maximum. Please register with  Charles Cron  by email <ccron72@hotmail.com> or call 902 477 8272 and leave a message. Name, phone# car Plate # so we can track you and contact you for last minute changes etc. (cell phones may not work in some areas). (Carpool if possible, arrange amongst ourselves).
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Norris Whiston shares his Nature Guides 3May2022

Posted on May 3, 2022 by admin

Norris is a member of the NS Wild Flora Society. A retired science teacher, he was very involved in the creation of the Cobequid Eco -Trails Society. “Norris has written over 50 books and brought that passion to the landscapes of Colchester County, to the forests and to the pathways.” – view Hike Nova Scotia post for more about him.

One of Norris’s passions is compiling user-friendly guides to the local flora, which he has generously shared with all of us  – see Norris Whiston Guides (on this website).

Many Thx, Norris

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AGM & Sean Blaney Presentation – Monday Apr. 25, 2022

Posted on April 19, 2022 by Bob Kennedy
Epigaea repens (Trailing arbutus) – Photo: Bob Kennedy

Nova Scotia Wild Flora Society Annual General Meeting 

Our 2022 AGM will take place Apr 25 at 7:00pm via Zoom. See the attached agenda.

Following the AGM, Sean Blaney of the Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre will make a presentation of their most recent activities documenting the flora of the Maritimes.

If you are a member you should receive an email invitation for the Zoom meeting by Apr 22. If you have not received it, please contact Anne Mills at ocotillo8@gmail.com

 

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Eagle Hill Institute’s 2022 Vascular Plant Seminars

Posted on April 18, 2022 by Bob Kennedy

Eagle Hill is right on the coast of Eastern Maine, between Acadia National Park and Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge.

*Please note that proof of full COVID-19 vaccination (including booster) is required for acceptance into our seminars.

July 10–16 — Grass Identification: An In-depth Review — Dennis Magee

August 7–13 — Field Botany of the Maine Coast: Learning to Network with the iNaturalist Community — Robert Wernerehl

August 21–27 — Ferns and Lycophytes: Identification, Biology, and Natural History — Robbin Moran and Carl Taylor

For general information, the registration form, seminar flyers, and a complete calendar:

https://eaglehill.us/programs/sems-weeklong/calendar-weeklong.shtml

 If you have any questions about the content of the seminar, please reach out to the seminar instructor(s), whose contact info can be found on the seminar flyer.
If a seminar you are interested in is full, and you would like to be put on the waitlist, please fill out the application form.
If you have any questions about registering for the seminar, please contact us at office@eaglehill.us.
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Lichen/Bryophyte Guided Hike for City Nature Challenge – Saturday, April 30

Posted on April 14, 2022 by Bob Kennedy

4 Different Cladonia Lichens – Photo Bob Kennedy

There will be a Guided Hike at the Nicols Lake Trail – Saturday, April 30

This event is co-hosted with the Nova Scotia Museum for the 2022 City Nature Challenge

Sean Haughian from the Nova Scotia Museum will lead participants through these lichen and moss-rich habitats to boost their knowledge and species counts for the City Nature Challenge. Habitats we will see include wet conifer forest, upland forest, lakeshore, and streamside. An upland mixed hardwood forest is nearby down a slightly more rugged trail. Our focus will be on the lichens and bryophytes. Highlights include our provincial lichen, blue felt lichen.

Attendees must register with halifaxfieldnaturalists.ca in advance.

Storm Date: None
Contact/Registration: TBD
Time/Place: 9 am, in the parking lot of the Prospect Road Community Centre, at 2141 Prospect Rd, Hatchet Lake, NS (only 20 minutes from downtown Halifax, by car); this is the
Duration: 3 hours
Difficulty: The hike is approximately 1.6 km, is easy-moderate with a gravelled surface for the duration.
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Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes Meeting via Teams April 13

Posted on April 11, 2022 by Bob Kennedy
Photo Irwin Barrett/Ecology Action Centre

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT SESSION

Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes (BMBCL) Comprehensive Study

Wednesday, April 13th, 2022, from 7:00 – 9:00 PM

The Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes (BMBCL) area is located on the western edge of the Halifax urban core and comprises Acadian forest, wetlands, and a system of lakes and headwaters, offering wilderness hiking opportunities to many residents and visitors.

In 2021, Halifax Regional Municipality signed a Statement of Collaboration with Parks Canada to indicate mutual interest in the opportunities for the BMBCL area as part of the new national urban parks program, which led to an approval by Regional Council to initiate the park planning process.

With the support of a contribution agreement signed with Parks Canada in January, the municipality has initiated a comprehensive background study of Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes (BMBCL) Regional Park. Halifax Regional Municipality has engaged Stantec Consulting Ltd. to develop a comprehensive background report on the BMBCL area and vicinity. The four key areas considered in the study include:

Ecological and recreational conditions
Archaeological and cultural study
Analysis of land use and settlement
Review of park governance models
The purpose of the background report is to inform future BMBCL park planning, including integrating connections to nature through associated recreational uses, ecological conservation, as well as climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Community engagement and liaison efforts is a necessary and crucial step in this project. The public is invited to virtually join us on April 13, 2022, from 7 – 9 p.m. as we introduce this assessment phase of the BMBCL national urban park initiative and share with us your knowledge on and ideas for the BMBCL area.

Registration for the virtual meeting, which will take place on the Microsoft Teams platform, can be accessed by clicking this link.

At this meeting, you will have an opportunity to:

Learn more about the BMBCL area and Parks Canada urban parks initiative
Hear about the work being undertaken by Stantec to complete the background report
Find out the opportunities and challenges identified by key project stakeholders and partners
Contribute your own knowledge and ideas regarding ecological, recreational, cultural, and other noteworthy opportunities for the BMBCL area
A survey will be provided following the engagement session, or if you are unable to attend the event, to provide feedback. Looking forward to hearing from you!

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