HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-06-18Samuel Wilmot Nature Area Management
Advisory Committee
MINUTES
June 17, 2024, 8:00 P.M.
Diane Hamre Recreation Centre
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Participation:
Y/N
Person
Y/N
Person
Y
Brian Reid (Past Chair)
N
Leanne Fernandez
Y
Carmen Aeillo
N
Leo Blindenbach
Y
Councillor Margaret Zwart (Council Liaison)
N
Patrick Bothwell
Y
Kate Potter (Chair)
Y
Tom Hossie (Vice Chair)
Y
Ken Mercer (Staff)
Y
Rod McArthur
N
Leah Bourgeois
Y
Kayla Stephens
Y
Meg Vandenbrink
Agenda Items
1) Call To Order and Welcome - by Chairperson Kate. Kate welcomed our two new members, Kayla
Stephens and Meg Vandenbrink
2) Additions To The Agenda / Adoption Of The Agenda —moved by Tom, seconded by Rod. CARRIED
3) Adoption Of Minutes Of Previous Meeting - moved by Carmen , seconded by Margaret
CARRIED
4) Special Guest - Sherise Vialva, Queens University Researcher — Kate introduced and welcomed our
guest who provided a summary of her Masters' thesis and related research on two invasive species:
dog strangling vine and garlic mustard and the effects of climate change, specifically warming , on
each. Questions were taken at the end of her presentation. For a detailed summary of this
presentation, please see the SWNA Blog article on this subject (coming soon). Tom and Kate thanked
Sherise for her presentation. A copy will be sent in PDF form for our files.
5) Committee Administration
Kate asked all members to introduce themselves for the benefit of our new members.
a) Annual report to Council — Kate noted that she had circulated a draft to members and that she
had received some comments and suggestions Others were provided at the meeting. These will
be incorporated into the next draft.
b) Summer meetings — it was decided that no meeting would be held in July and that our next
meeting would be held in August prior to our September monarch tagging event.
6) SWNA Workplan:
a) Q2
i) Wildflower planting - review. Brian reported that the blog article recently posted summarized
the results. Poor weather kept public participation to a minimum, but the committee
members were able to complete the overall planting of 600 plants
ii) In Leah's absence, Brian reported on the new pollinator garden created. This past month near
the Cobbledick entrance/Memorial Forest. He had visited the site earlier that day and was
pleased to report that it was doing very nicely with minimal weed activity. Plants appear to
be healthy and growing. The weather has cooperated by providing sufficient rainfall.
iii) Leaf ID - The GRCA staff person was only available during the week in June so this event has
been postponed.
b) Q3 and Q4
i) Moth week — on track. Tom will provide Kate with a copy of the poster for advertising and
promotion purposes.
ii) Monarch tagging event - on track
iii) Pollinator presentation (preference for Saturday September 14) — Kate advised that the
GRCA representative wished to present the previous week. She will contact her again to
try to coordinate her visit with our planting event.
iv) Atlantic salmon — on track
v) Bird box maintenance (fall) — on track
vi) Christmas bird count — nothing to report at this point
c) Last quarter (Q1)
i) LEAF program — no new developments
ii) SWNA codes — no new developments
d) 2025 workplan ideas — it was agreed that this would be an item for discussion at our next few
meetings
7) External Projects:
a) (Update) Special projects / general update on relevant items from the Municipality of Clarington
(Ken)
i) Management Plan — nil report
ii) Parks and Recreation Plan- nil report
iii) Waterfront Strategy- nil report
iv) Stormwater Plant work — nil report. Tom noted that the area has regenerated quite nicely
and that he has observed the return of a number of species
v) Fiddlehead signage experiment this year — Kate asked if we could have more precisely
worded a signage in place for next year
8) Other Business
a) By-law infractions (camping, fishing, mountain biking/pits, harvesting) — with the exception of a
number of campfires the cobblestone beach creating a lot of smoke, there have been no other
infractions.
9) Round Table —All Members
a) Rod — asked Ken about the work being done by the region above the Toronto Street entrance to
the waterfront trail. Brian was able to share information provided by the region indicating that
there would be no trees replanted there but that the area would be allowed to regenerate. Ken
indicated that we may be able to do some limited planting ourselves through the forestry division
of the municipality.
b) Carmen — pointed out that a sign was missing at the junction of the waterfront trail and our trail
west of the treatment plant. Ken will investigate.
c) Kate advised that she had recently had discussions with Regional Councillor Willy Woo . He is very
supportive of SWNA.
d) Kate also asked Ken to see if room availability for our meetings for 2025 might allow us to start
earlier than 8 p.m.
e) Meg — advised that she and her children are using a new ap (connected with iNaturalist )that
identifies plants and that it has been very useful
f) Ken advised that he may need to do some spraying for wild parsnip
10) Next Meeting - August 22nd — Diane Hamre at 8 pm
11) Adjournment: the meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.