HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-01-09 Minutes
NOTES OF MEETING OF
SAMUEL WILMOT NATURE AREA
MANAGEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
HELD TUESDAY JANUARY 9, 2018
7:00 PM
Present: Brian Reid Tom Hossie
Kate Potter Meaghan Vandenbrink
Patrick Bothwell Leo Blindenbach
Regrets: Councillor Corinna Traill Paul Davidson
Suzanne Land
Absent: Jim Cleland
Delegation: Rod McArthur
Staff Present: Peter Windolf
1. AGENDA
MOVED: by Patrick Bothwell SECONDED by Kate Potter
THAT : the agenda for January 9, 2018 be accepted with the following additions;
-Spring clean-up 2018
-Move the delegation of Rod McArthur to the beginning of meeting
CARRIED
2. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
Approval of Minutes
MOVED: by Tom Hossie SECONDED by Meaghan Vandenbrink
THAT: the minutes of August 29, 2017 be approved
CARRIED
SWNA January 2018 minutes 2
3. DELEGATION
Rod McArthur submitted a January 4, 2018 letter to request a plaque in memory of
his wife Melanie, a long time member of the SWNA Committee who passed away in
the fall. Rod attended the meeting to personally make the request. Following his
delegation the committee approved the following motion;
MOVED: by Kate Potter SECONDED by Brian Reid
THAT: The SWNA Management Advisory Committee supports the request for a
memorial plaque in memory of Melanie McArthur with the final location and wording
to be determined through consultation between Rod McArthur and municipal staff.
CARRIED
Rods request letter will be a correspondence item at the January 22 General
Government Committee. He will attend the meeting but does not wish to appear as
a delegation.
4. UPDATES
Monarch Tagging
On Sunday September 10 a Monarch Tagging event organized by the SWNA
committee was held at the Port of Newcastle waterfront and the SWNA. This was a
citizen science initiative to fulfil a key objective contained in Clarington’s Mayors
Monarch pledge. Over 100 people participated to capture, tag, and record data on
250 migrating monarchs. In total 487 monarchs were tagged over a two week
period. The tagging data has been provided to Monarch Watch. Three of the tagged
monarchs have already been reported as re-captured. One at the SWNA, one in
Whitby, and one in Oregon Ohio, located on the west tip of Lake Erie.
The project was a huge success as both a citizen science initiative and a
community event enjoyed by many residents. The committee agreed that it will be
worthwhile host another tagging event in 2018, on Saturday September 8.
A May 2018 planting event will be arranged should OPG offer more plants to
augment or expand the nectar planting beds.
Highway of Hero’s Tribute Planting
On Saturday October 21 the committee coordinated a planting project south of the
Cobbledick Parking lot in conjunction with the Highway of Hero’s Tribute project.
Thirty one people participated to plant two hundred native trees in 3 gallon pots.
The planting pits were pre-drilled by Lloyds Landscaping. The planting went
smoothly but if done again the vegetation should be cut prior to planning to make it
easier to dig or auger planting pits.
SWNA January 2018 minutes 3
SWNA Trail Construction project
After the flooding in the Wilmot Creek valley finally receded the project was
completed with asphalt paving the week of October 20.
Fall Clean-up
On November 4, twelve people participated in the annual fall clean-up. It was noted
that there was a little more trash to pick up this year than last. Approximately 14
bags of trash were collected which were picked up by Operations Department.
5. ACTION ITEMS
Great Lakes Atlantic Salmon Restoration presentation
More than a century after Atlantic Salmon were last seen in Lake Ontario, the
Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) and the Ontario Ministry of
Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF), together with other partners, are
working to bring Atlantic Salmon back to the lake. Atlantic Salmon were one of
the first fish species in the Great Lakes wiped out by human activities. Decades of
rehabilitation and pollution control improved the health of the watersheds, and years
of research by MNRF and others demonstrated it was possible to restore Atlantic
Salmon to the tributaries of Lake Ontario.
On Thursday February 22 at 7:00 PM the SWNA Committee will be hosting a public
presentation at the Newcastle library to educate the public about the Great Lakes
Atlantic Salmon Restoration project. This free event will be advertised on SWNA
social media platforms and at municipal facilities.
Soper Creek Wildlife Event
Soper Creek Wildlife is a local group that rescues animals and does educational
sessions. The committee is interested in hosting a public event, themed around
urban wildlife, on-site on Saturday June 9 from 10:30-Noon.
Meaghan Vandenbrink will follow-up to determine their availability, what live animals
they would be able to bring, and what the cost would be for a 1-1.5 hour event.
Pollinator Event
The SWNA committee will investigate hosting a presentation about Pollinators at
the Diane Hamre Recreation Complex in Newcastle.
Tom Hossie and Brian Reid will investigate to see if any expert speakers on
pollinators would be available for a late April event. The event could possibly be
followed by a bio-blitz at the SWNA for local brownies and scouts.
6. OTHER BUSINESS
Spring Clean-up
SWNA January 2018 minutes 4
Leo Blindenbach discussed the 2018 Spring Clean Sweep project to be held at the
SWNA, Port of Newcastle and Bond Head. The date will be Saturday April 21. The
committee will register the SWNA as a location for our Operations Department to
supply bags. The clean-up will be followed by a community BBQ at the Newcastle
Town Hall.
5. MOTION TO ADJOURN
MOVED: by Kate Potter SECONDED by Tom Hossie
THAT: the meeting be adjourned.
CARRIED
Adjournment 8:50 PM
Next Meeting: Tuesday February 20 at 7:00PM in 3C
Notes prepared by: P.Windolf