iNaturalist eyes on Sandy Lake & Environs

Posted on April 28, 2019 by admin

asdads

As I write this post, we are in the midst of a “Nature Challenge” to residents of Halifax (HRM, Halifax Co)

“Help put Halifax Regional Municipality on the global nature scene! On April 26-29, 2019 over 165 cities across the planet, from Columbia to New Zealand to Calgary Alberta, will compete for the most Biodiverse City, and we need your help. Whether your an avid naturalist or a dog walker, everyone can participate: it’s easy, fun, and will encourage you to get outside. We will be using the iNaturalist digital platform to record observations, under this project.

Signup to iNaturalist today and then join our ‘City Nature Challenge 2019: Halifax Regional Municipality’ project!

If you’re new to iNaturalist, then we can help {either contact us via CNC2019HRM@gmail.com or follow instructions online at https://inaturalist.ca/}.

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Posted in Halifax Green Network, natural history | Leave a comment

Please keep an eye out for the “Hemlock Vampires”

Posted on April 18, 2019 by admin

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid.
Source:
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment
Station

There is a recent posting on iNaturalist of a putative occurrence of Hemlock Wooly Adelgid (HWA), aka the Hemlock Vampires, in Hants Co.

If confirmed, the Hants Co. sighting would be the first outside of Digby, Queens, Shelburne, Yarmouth and Annapolis counties in SW Nova Scotia.

Regardless, please keep a watchful eye on hemlocks in the Sandy Lake (Bedford) area – in fact on all hemlocks in NS – and photograph and report anything that looks like HWA to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency &/or ISANS &/or Nova Scotia Lands and Forestry – Donna.Hurlburt@novascotia.ca (Wildlife Manager, Biodiversity)
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Posted in Invasive Species, Pests | Leave a comment

In a nutshell: why we need to protect lands on the west side of Sandy Lake

Posted on January 19, 2019 by admin

We already have ~1000 acres protected, most of it on the east side of Sandy Lake. So why did Walter Regan ask at the Dec 6, 2018 presentation:  “Why do we need those lands on the west side?” ( I am pretty sure Walter knew the answer.)

The following slides/maps explain it all “in a nutshell”:

Click on map for larger version

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Posted in Regional Park proposal | Leave a comment

Presentation on “A natural history perspective of the forests, wetlands and surface waters of Sandy Lake (Bedford) & Environs” available on YouTube

Posted on December 17, 2018 by admin

– Short URL (link) for this page: http://goo.gl/ipYCR2

“By popular request”, I have posted a video incorporating the slides and accompanying audio of my Dec 6, 2018 presentation to the Sackville Rivers Association on YouTube. (I had previously posted a PDF of the slides; the video with audio is the “popular request” part. Thanks to Karen R for editing the audio.)

View: Natural History of the Forests and Surface Waters of Sandy Lake (Bedford, NS) & Environs (YouTube)
1 hr 9 mins. Links to 5 separate segments of the video are given below.

From the description for the talk:

Thurs Dec 6, 2018: A natural history perspective of the forests, wetlands and surface waters of Sandy Lake (Bedford) & Environs

Place & Time: 7pm at 45 Connolly Rd #206, Middle Sackville (the SRA offices)
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Posted in Talks & Walks | Leave a comment

Sandy Lake frozen over on Dec 13, 2018 & salt signal increases in streams entering lake via Johnson’s Brook

Posted on December 15, 2018 by admin

Revised Dec 17, 2018

Sandy Lake and streams in Dec 13, 2018
Click on image for larger version

On December 13, I repeated a set of observations on pH (a measure of acidity) and EC (electrical conductivity, a measure of salt content) that I had made just over a month ago (Nov 8, 2018) on streams entering Sandy Lake via culverts at the southwest corner.

The lake was frozen solid. I am told it is the first time it has frozen over before January in about 20 years.

Electrical conductivity of Sandy Lake itself has increased over the years:


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Posted in watershed | Leave a comment

Thus Dec 6, 2018: A natural history perspective of the forests, wetlands and surface waters of Sandy Lake (Bedford) & Environs

Posted on November 19, 2018 by admin

Place & Time: 7pm at 45 Connolly Rd #206, Middle Sackville (the SRA offices)

Description: As a volunteer contribution to the efforts of the Sandy Lake Conservation Association to protect the ecological integrity of Sandy Lake and environs, David Patriquin conducted extensive observations on plant communities and surface waters of Sandy Lake and environs (including the Jack Lake lands and lands around Sandy Lake and Marsh Lake) over the interval June 14, 2017 to the present. His objectives were “to describe ‘what you see on the ground’, identify significant ecological attributes of the area, and make some assessment of existing or potential threats to the ecological integrity of the area.” David will provide a virtual tour of Sandy Lake and Environs and present his major conclusions about what he now sees as a major ecological and recreational asset for HRM.

David retired from his position as Professor of Biology at Dalhousie University in 2008. Since then he has been active several natural history and hiking groups with a focus on the Chebucto Peninsula.

View PDF of slides

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Sat Oct 20, 2018: Sackville Lakes Provincial Park event

Posted on October 14, 2018 by admin

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New documentary on Hemlock Wooly Adelgid in Nova Scotia

Posted on September 11, 2018 by admin

An informative, up-to-date documentary on Hemlock Wooly Adelgid in Nova Scotia has just been released by the Blomidon Field Naturalists.

This is all very relevant to Sandy Lake and Environs, where we have many hemlocks.
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Posted in Acadian forest, Invasive Species | Leave a comment

EAC kicks off Biodiverse-city Guided Hikes with Sandy Lake walk on Sep 15, 2018

Posted on September 11, 2018 by admin

From EAC website:

Join the Ecology Action Centre and the Sandy Lake Conservation Association as we go for a hike at Sandy Lake and in its environs. Learn about the biodiversity of this special place (old growth forest! wetlands!), and how it fits into the new Green Network Plan for HRM. See for yourself why this area has been proposed as a regional park, and hear the story of why supporters of the area have been fighting for its protection.
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Posted in Events, Halifax Green Network | Leave a comment

Friday September 14th, 2018: Sackville Rivers Association dinner & auction

Posted on September 10, 2018 by admin

“Dear Friend:

“Last year, community contributions to the Sackville Rivers Association’s (SRA) Annual Dinner and Auction helped us raise over $8,000 for the improvement and conservation of the Sackville River and surrounding watershed.

“The SRA continues our mandate of conservation, including in-stream habitat improvements at various locations throughout the watershed, fish stocking, and river clean-ups by volunteers of all ages. We have continued improvements to our Bedford-Sackville Connector Greenway trail that now stretches from Bedford Basin to Lower Sackville and is used by thousands of walkers, cyclists and runners and are currently constructing phases 2 and 3 of Section B of the Sackville Greenway from Glendale Drive to Sackville Drive along the Little Sackville River.
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