As a long-time member and subscriber, I read with interest ‘Going Wild‘ by David Israelson in the Summer 2021 issue of ON Nature (page 30).

I commenced employment at the Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) in 1979 eventually, through reclassifications, becoming Operations Manager until 1996. I oversaw all the conservation areas including Lynde Shores. The west side of which was rented out, at the time, for agricultural use. Concerned about mono-culture farming and excess chemical based run off, especially close to the important natural areas of Cranberry Marsh and the mouth of the Lynde, I did not renew the rentals, although management of the day saw this as only loss of income.

After allowing the land to fallow, I commenced a multi-year project of planting various species of shrubs and trees including Carolinian, similar to the work at Short Hills and proposed for Sydenham River Nature Reserve. Today we see a natural grown buffer around the sensitive areas. I would agree that in these cases the terms naturalization and restoration are more fitting.

I also had the opportunity to work with Harry Lumsden (same issue, ‘Trumpeting a Victory‘, page 24) who placed successful pairs of trumpeters at Lynde Shores.

– Rick Clow, Belleville