DEPARTMENTS
4 | President’s Page
From the Federation of Ontario Naturalists.
By Charles Pryer
6 | Earth Watch
As Canada Geese continue to drown, the use of neck bands is scrutinized; “untaxing nature” legislation unveiled; Grey County creates threat to escarpment plan; Thornton Bales: a test case for the ANSI program; protecting the cucumber tree; little place for wilderness in plan for Leslie Spit; plight of the endangered Karner butterfly; new Great Lakes agreement shows public input.
11 | Notes
Ian Kirkham appointed new executive director; wetlands program; FON contributes $10,000 for Backus Woods; grants available for Niagara Escarpment projects.
39 | In the Field
Ontario lakes loon survey; loggerhead shrike survey; bluebird nest project, Peterborough; eastern bluebird nest box survey.
46 | Groundswell
Cruel practice of pole-trapping must be clearly prohibited.
By Marion Strebig
FEATURES
18 | Not Always to the Swift
With the most minimal of body parts, gastropods—snails, slugs and limpets—get what they’re after.
By David Barr
22 | A Forest is More than Trees
How a hardwood forest found its way from Haliburton to Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum.
By Elaine Jaques
24 | Possum Tales
Separating fact from fiction about North America’s only marsupial and Ontario’s newest colonizer.
By Bruce W. Duncan
28 | The Farmlands
The partners in nature may have changed, but the seasonal dance continues. An ode to Ontario’s farmlands.
By John Theberge
31 | The Maple Sugar Bush
Sugaring off allows us a chance to participate in a holy communion with nature, in a ritual rooted in antiquity.
By John Theberge
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Photos © Thom Sunega, Brian Boyle and Robert McCaw