Colour Your World

April 14, 2007 
By Stephanie Poff

As we welcomed spring in April, we faced weather of all sorts: mighty winds, strong rains and even snow storms! But, it might finally be safe to say that Canada is experiencing some heat and sunshine. This month’s Take Five features the creatures and colours that warmer temperatures have welcomed back to the landscape, the theme for May’s By Popular Vote photo contest. Bright colours are so inspiring!

1. Red foxes live in every province and territory, so chances are you might see one since they are born as early as March through to the end of May.

Photo: Greg Pichnej

2. The 12- spotted skimmer is a beautiful dragonfly with a contrasting black and white wing pattern, it’s always eye catching.

Photo: Peter Rasberry

3. Watch where you step! This northern leopard frog camouflages itself so well in a patch of grass, it better watch out.

Photo: Wyn Crowson

4. It’s not likely this eastern bluebird caught the royal wedding on TV last month, but doesn’t it look regal with its saturated royal blue tone and deep orangey-red breast?

Photo: Larry Kirtley

5. A vibrant monarch butterfly lands on a bloom for a midday rest. Get more inspiration for your garden this year at WildAboutGardening.org.

Photo: Tracie Seymore

Every Drop Counts

By Madison Blue

We Canadians love our ready access water. Perhaps a little too much. According to Environment Canada, we’re second only to the U.S. in per capita water consumption. Domestic use — including residential, commercial and institutional use, but not industrial — amounts to roughly 340 litres per person, per day. Here’s how you can start cutting back.

Go low-flow

Bathrooms account for the largest amount of water use in most homes. Toilets are the main culprit. To put a major dent in your consumption, fit your toilet with a water-displacement device or install a low-flow toilet. For the sink and shower, install low-flow faucet aerators and low-flow shower heads.

Avoid bathroom leaks

A leaking toilet can waste tens of thousands of litres of water per year, depending on the size of the leak. To find out if your toilet is leaking, put two or three drops of food colouring in the tank. You may have a leak if the colouring shows up in the bowl after a few minutes (without flushing.)

Watch that hose

Water wastage increases dramatically during the summer when lawns and gardens are in full colour. The watering equipment you choose plays a large role in the amount of water you consume. Sprinklers that spread water in a flat pattern, for example, are more efficient than oscillating springs, which lose water to evaporation. Reducing the areas of your lawn and or garden that require watering can also help you save. And rather than using tap water, set up a rain barrel to collect water instead.

Climate Change vs. Global Warming

By Terri-Lee Reid

It seems as though people use the terms climate change and global warming interchangeably these days. But they’re not quite the same thing. It’s time to clear the air!

What is Climate Change?

Climate change is a long-term shift in weather conditions that includes changes in precipitation, winds and temperature. While a global problem, climate change impacts can vary from one region to another. One place may be having heavy rainstorms whereas another place could be experiencing severe drought. It could include melting glaciers, thawing permafrost, more intense storm patterns, rising sea levels, coastal flooding, ocean acidification, the freezing of lakes and rivers occurring later and thawing earlier and heat waves.

It is important not to confuse weather with climate. As already mentioned, climate change is a long-term shift or trend. Weather, in comparison, is what we see every day when we peer out our windows or step outside; a very short term event.

What is Global Warming?

Global warming, on the other hand, is the increase in the Earth’s average surface temperature and is attributed to an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere – mostly caused by human activities. Greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, causing surface temperatures to be higher than they would normally be.

Over most of the Earth’s history, there have been ice ages and warm periods. However, these changes were a result of natural processes such as changes in the sun’s intensity, changes in the Earth’s orbit or the amount of volcanic activity. The warming that has been observed since the mid-20th century is highly linked to human influences and it is proceeding at an unprecedented rate.

Climate Change in Action

Climate change is already affecting many species in Canada.  For instance:

• Tree swallows in North America are laying their eggs more than a week earlier than they used to. This could impact the survival of the young as insects may not yet be plentiful.

• Milder winters and warmer summers has caused Mountain Pine Beetles to expand well beyond their historic range, extending into northern British Columbia and into the boreal forest in north-central Alberta, killing millions of hectares of pine forests. Mountain Pine Beetles are not only killing Lodgepole Pines but now they are reproducing in Jack Pines.

• Different animal species are hybridizing, for example Northern Flying Squirrels and Southern Flying Squirrels.

• Black-legged Ticks that carry and transmit Lyme disease has expanded into southern and western Ontario as well as Manitoba, Quebec and the Maritime Provinces.

Close Encounters of the Animal Kind

By Amy Saunders

Photo: R. Kitchen

Picture a beautiful day with sparking sun, cloudless sky and a warm breeze — perfect for a walk in a nearby park. You slip outside and breathe in the fresh air, lightly perfumed from neighbouring gardens. The only sounds are the crunch of gravel beneath your feet and the song of local birds in the treetops. You slowly meander your way through the park when suddenly you see something moving just off the path. At first you think it’s a small cat, but upon closer examination you realize it’s not. You stop and watch mutely as the critter wanders out onto the path. It’s a muskrat! You remain still and silent as the little mammal creeps over the walkway and into the surrounding foliage. After a moment or two, you continue on your stroll, smiling to yourself and watching for any other signs of animal life.

Animal encounters happen every day. With the expansion of cities, human and animal habitats are continuously overlapping. And while some stories don’t end happily — either for the animal, the human or both — most meetings are merely harmless but exciting glimpses from our world into theirs.

Angela Lantain from Sault Ste. Marie recalls her animal encounter, “I happened to glance out the window of the front door and I saw this bulky, dark mass of fur ambling down the walk. At first, I thought it was a drenched cat, but it had a strange waddling gait and it was too big. Then I noticed the tail dragging behind it and thought it might be a lost muskrat, until the animal got into clear view and I could see the tail better. It was the flat tail of a beaver! A beaver in the middle of Sault Ste. Marie, miles away from a river of any description! I still have no idea what that beaver was doing in a city.”

This harmless yet memorable experience is typical of most encounters between people and their wild neighbours. However, there are a couple of rules to keep in mind should you chance upon an animal, the most important of which is keep your distance. By staying away, not only do you allow the animal to continue on with its task, but also you keep the animal and yourself safe from harm and stress. Never try to move in closer to take a picture, as you may startle the animal. Keep quiet and still, and if the creature runs away, allow it to go  don’t follow it.

Another rule is never feed a wild animal. You will only make it dependent on humans for food, which is never good. Animals who depend on humans to feed them often lose their ability to forage or hunt, and they pass this dependency onto their young. Also, many of the foods people eat lack the nutritional value animals require. Some human food is even poisonous to wild animals. You wouldn’t feed your pet something you knew was harmful, and wildlife should be given the same respect.

When we appreciate nature, we can expect the same in return. Animals keep to themselves unless provoked. Should you run into a wild animal in your neighbourhood, just remember to keep your distance, be still, and don’t try to feed it. And the next time you go for a walk, keep your eyes peeled for any signs of wildlife — after all, it’s all around us.

Thanks to Angela Lantain for writing in to Wildlife Update about animal encounters.

Can’t See the Forest for the TVs

By Jennifer Smart

“In the end we will conserve only what we love. We will love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught.”Baba Dioum, Senegalese Environmentalist and Poet

Even though it’s still making headlines, it shouldn’t be news to anyone — kids today are spending too much time inside and not enough time in nature. A recent U.K. study conducted by the National Trust showed that of the 1,651 children surveyed, only half could tell the difference between a bee and a wasp but 90 per cent could identify Yoda. This study focused on U.K. children, but would Canadian kids fare any better? If we can be compared to our neighbours to the south — who have studied this growing disconnect in detail — the answer is no.

Richard Louv, American author of Last Child in the Woods, has coined the term “Nature Deficit Disorder” to describe the effects of this growing phenomenon that has us keeping our kids inside. But why is spending time outside so important to our kids that we have even gone so far as to label it a “disorder?” Research has shown that kids who are not exposed to wildlife and the natural world have lower test scores, and higher rates of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), obesity and depression. Essentially, ushering them indoors doesn’t let kids be kids.

Allowing our kids to play outside can have benefits for wildlife as well. If a child understands their connection to the natural world they’re more likely to grow up as responsible environmental stewards and pass these values onto their own children. Understanding nature can mean that the bumblebee will be appreciated for the gifts it provides us through pollination rather than feared for the possibility that it might sting. This new and valuable perspective can mean new possibilities for conservation in Canada.

But how do you get kids outside? It’s time to turn off the TV and tune into nature. The Canadian Wildlife Federation offers a variety of programs to get our kids outside and connected to nature:

• WILD Schools and Blue Schoolsprovide funding to qualifying schools to undertake habitat and watershed restoration projects.
• National Wildlife Week and Rivers to Oceans Weekare week-long, nationwide events that focus on important wildlife and water issues by providing educational resources to schools and educators.
• Hinterland Who’s Whohas new vignettes and websiodes focused on urban wildlife and getting outside.
• Wild About Gardening offers fantastic tips on gardening for wildlife as well as the “Wild About...” poster series to help adults and kids alike identify the creatures they’ve got in their backyards.
   

Canada’s Navigable Waters Protection Act

By Terri-Lee Reid

When Bill C-10, the Budget Implementation Act, 2009 was introduced, CWF was surprised to see amendments to the Navigable Waters Protection Act (NWPA) embedded in the Budget Bill.

The NWPA always considered impacts on navigation and the environment. Those who wanted to build in, on or over Canadian waterways triggered an environmental assessment approval process in the Act.

Under the amendments, a “class of works” and a “class of navigable waters” will be designated that will make certain projects exempt from the NWPA approval process, and consequently from a federal environmental assessment. CWF believes that any amendments should serve to strengthen or at least maintain environmental protection, not weaken environmental standards.

Also under the amendments, opportunities for public consultations are minimized. Previously, anyone wanting to undertake a project had to give notice of the proposed construction in the Canada Gazette and in two local newspapers, giving opportunity for public input. However, the amendments essentially allow the Minister to decide whether or not notification has to be given, and in those cases notification is deemed necessary, it has been reduced to giving notice in the Canada Gazette and one local newspaper. CWF believes that members of the public need to be adequately informed of potential projects planned for their area.

CWF expressed these concerns to the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, as well as to the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. CWF requested that these amendments be removed from the Budget Bill so that adequate public and stakeholder input could be received on these changes. However, despite our attempts, these amendments were passed along with the Budget Bill.

Despite being passed, the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources agreed to participate in further discussions regarding this matter. CWF was pleased to appear before this Standing Senate Committee to voice our concerns and participate in a meaningful dialogue. We will continue to follow this important issue.  

*Canada Gazette is the Government of Canada’s official newspaper 

Sign the petition »

Canada’s Lost Species

By Leigh Edgar

Extinction isn't exclusive to species on remote tropical islands, or in the lush rainforests of South America. You might be surprised to learn that we’ve lost species in our own country. While the rates and causes of extinction in developed countries differ from those in developing countries, nations like Canada certainly aren't immune to species loss. Species that have gone extinct in Canada largely fell victim to a time when land was being conquered for human settlement, natural resources were being overharvested, and few – if any – conservation laws existed.

Species Loss 101

The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) is the scientific body responsible for assessing and designating which wildlife species are in some danger of disappearing from Canada. COSEWIC was created in 1977 to fulfill the need for a “single, official, scientifically sound, national classification of wildlife species at risk.” Functioning under tight rules and operating procedures, COSEWIC’s sole purpose is to assess the biological realities of a species; it is not tasked with considering social or economic impacts.

Learning about the status of wildlife is all in the lingo:

• Extirpated refers to a wildlife species that no longer exists in the wild in a particular area but does exist elsewhere in the wild.
• Extinction occurs when a wildlife species no longer exists anywhere in the wild.
• Endemism refers to a species that exists only in a certain locality or region.

Ghosts of Wildlife Passed

Canada’s list of extirpated species is 23 strong and includes a variety of species from entirely different habitats that have disappeared from Canada for different reasons. Most of these species were extirpated from Canada during the early 1900s. For example, Atlantic salmon were once abundant in more than 40 tributaries in Lake Ontario but disappeared more than 100 years ago. A variety of factors since the 1800s, ranging from historical overfishing to habitat destruction caused by settlement, agriculture and damming of the river for mills, were especially detrimental to salmon. These factors also played a role in the extirpation of the paddlefish, the last of which was seen in the Great Lakes more than 70 years ago. Other species that have been extirpated based largely on historical habitat changes or activities are the grizzly bear population of the Prairies, the greater sage-grouse from B.C., timber rattlesnakes from Ontario and even the Atlantic population of grey whale. While the loss of these species or populations from Canada is a loss for all Canadians, the species fortunately do exist elsewhere.

However, not all species are so lucky. Thirteen unfortunate species are on Canada’s extinct list. Most people know that the passenger pigeon, which occupied a range from Nova Scotia to Saskatchewan, went extinct in 1914. But did you know that Canada also lost a subspecies of woodland caribou from the Queen Charlotte Islands in the 1930s for unknown reasons? A small, endemic fish called the Benthic Hadley Lake Stickleback became extinct in the late 1980s and early 1990s following an unauthorized introduction of catfish to its lake habitat. And if you think that national parks are the ultimate safeguard against extinction, think again – the Banff Longnose dace, a tiny slow growing fish measuring only 0.54 millimeter long, endemic to a single marsh in Banff National Park in Alberta, could not compete with the introduction of tropical fish. Experts estimate that the introduction may be due to a leak from a chlorinated swimming pool trickled into the marsh or a beaver dam that restricted the fish’s movements. The Banff Longnose dace was assessed as extinct by COSEWIC in May of 2000.

Moving Forward

However, we no longer have an excuse. Canada has lost 36 species, but a staggering 562 more have been identified as being at some risk of extinction, and many more are in line to be assessed. From the Prairies to the Boreal to the ice floes of the North, species at risk are in need of proper management, habitat conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. From owls to oysters to plants, from whales to snakes to butterflies, from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Arctic oceans, it is clear we need to do a better job at protecting the species that share our space.

So many people are doing extraordinary things for our imperiled species — taking action in their communities, using their consumer voice, doing research, creating habitat and demanding action from decision makers. To help species at risk, remember that individual actions count. Many reptiles are at risk because they get killed on roads — so, slow down and be extra vigilant. Recreational activity can endanger plant species, so stay on the path. The monarch butterfly is threatened by North Americans’ increased use of herbicides (which kill its primary host plant, milkweed), but you can make a difference by providing plants in your chemical-free garden that the monarch and other pollinators use. Woodland caribou decline has been influenced by climate change, so replace all your old fashioned incandescent bulbs with more efficient compact fluorescent lights. Urbanization is clearly a problem for species at risk, so get involved in municipal issues.
While individual actions can do a lot for Canada’s endangered species, CWF recognizes that achieving meaningful changes to the way we manage and use our vast landscape requires a collective effort. As Canada’s largest and oldest conservation organization, not only do we have an array of programs that focus on and fund species at risk and habitat efforts, but we can also complement Canadians’ conservation actions by calling on governments to address specific threats to species at risk and, where applicable, to reevaluate legislation and policies in consideration of wildlife and overall sustainable development. We routinely remind governments, industry and all Canadians that our wildlife is our heritage and what is good for its habitat is also good for us.

CWF envisions a future where species loss will be a thing of the past; we don’t want Canadian species to go extinct. Let’s leave extinction to the dodo bird and dinosaurs and work to keep our country’s iconic species alive.
 

Canada's Worst Forest Offenders

From Pine Beetles to Budworms: A Field Guide to Some of Canada's Worst Forest Offenders.

Insects are useful creatures indeed. Our lives have been enriched by their presence, and it is quite unlikely that we could survive on earth without them. They provide numerous products and services of great value. But a few insects can make us forget the beneficial nature of the vast majority.

Many of the tasty fruits and vegetables we rely on would disappear if it were not for pollinators of the six-legged kind. In some cultures, insects themselves are an item on the menu! And let's not forget honey, silk, and other useful products made by insects.

As to services, if it were not for the voracious appetite of some dung-feeding insects, the ground in some parts of the world would be covered in mounds of smelly animal droppings. Our knowledge of genetics and other areas of biology would not be as profound without the study of these invertebrates. In addition, insects, by the diversity of their behaviour, adaptations and colours, are fascinating in their own right.

Despite these benefits, there is a bad-bug minority whose damage can cost millions of dollars to the economy and wreak havoc on ecosystems. It is these bad bugs that tarnish the reputation of insects as a whole. Such is the case with some insects found in Canadian forests that are a thorn in the side of many foresters.

Here is a look at six species of insects that can leave a path of destruction in their wake. Some, like the Spruce Budworm, are native to Canada and are only truly harmful when their numbers grow out of balance. Others, like the Asian Longhorned Beetle, are non-native. Because they do not have natural predators to keep them in check, they multiply rapidly and seem to eat every tree in sight!

First, the native species:

Mountain Pine Beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae)

Range: Western North America

Description: A stout reddish beetle 6 mm in length

Image: http://www.forestryimages.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=0949030

Food: pine trees, especially lodgepole pine

Bad Bug Lore: Woodpeckers find this beetle's grubs tasty. The mountain pine beetle is very cold resistant, as it develops a kind of antifreeze in its body when the winter temperatures decline. The temperature has to persist at -40 C over several days in order to kill enough beetles to affect populations.

Bad Bug Damage: The tiny mountain pine beetle plays a natural role in the lifecycle of a forest. It tends to target trees that are weaker due to age, crowding, poor growing conditions, or other factors, thereby serving to recycle forests and contribute to natural succession. Trees killed by these beetles are an important component of the ecosystem, providing nesting, roosting, and feeding sites for many woodland birds. However, in British Columbia, unusually warm winters, forest fire suppression, and large, dense stands of mature lodgepole pine have allowed their numbers to explode to epidemic proportions. Under these conditions, the mountain pine beetle will attack a large proportion of the pine trees, healthy or not. The larvae kill pine trees by burrowing under the bark. Adult beetles kill trees by transmitting a fungus that grows through the wood. Healthy trees with good spacing are an effective deterrent to mountain pine beetles.

Forest Tent Caterpillar (Malacosoma distria)

Range:North America

Description: Adult is a yellow-brown, stout, hairy moth. Larvae are blue with red stripes and white dots, slender and hairy, 3 to 7 cm in length.

Food: Deciduous trees, with aspen and poplar being favourites.

Bad Bug Lore: An important food source for more than 60 species of birds, such as the northern oriole. Some bird populations, such as cuckoo, have been found to increase during years of tent caterpillar outbreaks. Although they are named tent caterpillars, these larvae do not actually spin a tent. Instead, they form a silken mat on the trunk or branch where they congregate when at rest or during moulting periods.

Bad Bug damage: Outbreaks occur in six to 16-year intervals and can last up to a maximum of five or six years. Forest tent caterpillars will almost completely exfoliate their host trees, although this seldom kills the tree. Repeated defoliation can lead to some dieback or reduced growth, which can be a concern for commercial tree plantations. In Canada, Btk, a natural pesticide is sometimes used to control outbreaks in plantations. Although Btk does not pose a threat to humans and other vertebrates, it does kill the caterpillars of beneficial butterflies and moths. It should be used only when absolutely necessary.

Spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana)

Range: North America, east of the Rocky Mountains

Description: Adults are extremely variable, with colours ranging from dull grey to while. Wingspan 2.1-3 cm. Larvae are small, 1.9-2.4 cm long with black heads and dark brown body.

Image: http://cedarcreek.umn.edu/insects/album/027038072ap.html

Food: Larvae feed on the new shoots of spruce and fir trees. May also feed on cones.

Bad Bug Lore: When feeding, the spruce budworm mines under the leaf bud caps and feeds on the expanding shoot within. Spruce budworms usually target trees that are old, and as such, play a role in forest regeneration. Evening grosbeaks love to eat spruce budworms, which are an important food source during outbreak years.

Bad Bug Damage: Outbreaks occur in 30-year cycles and can last 10-15 years. Spruce budworms are voracious defoliators. There is generally little impact from a single year of defoliation, but several consecutive years of needle-munching can make the trees more susceptible to disease and other insects. Chemical pesticides are seldom used to control the spruce budworm. Improved forestry practices or, if necessary, the use of pheromone traps, Btk, or experimental biocides are now the control methods of choice where economic losses are a concern.

Now, the alien forest offenders:

Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar)

Origins and range: Europe and Asia; now also found in Eastern North America

Description: In adults, the sexes differ. The females, which are white, are much larger than the males, with a wingspan of 5-7 cm. Males are brown, wingspan is 3-4 cm. Larvae are 5-7cm and charcoal grey in colour with a double row of five blue and six red dots on their backs. Small tufts of hair stick out of these dots.

Image: Adult http://www.forestryimages.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=0886001

Larvae: http://www.forestryimages.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=2652025

Food: deciduous trees, especially oak

Bad Bug Lore: M. Leopold Trouvelot, who planned to raise the moth for silk production, deliberately introduced this bad bug to North America in the late 19 th century. Unfortunately, some of the moths escaped and have been causing damage ever since. Unlike their Asian counterparts, European gypsy moth females cannot fly. They emerge from their cocoon swollen with eggs, and release a pheromone that attracts the fully mobile males. The female only mates once and then lays all her eggs in one mass. Since females cannot fly, the species spreads in the caterpillar stage. Young larvae emerge from their eggs, climb to the top of a tree and hang from a branch by a silky thread. This allows the wind to pick them up and carry them to neighbouring trees.

Bad Bug Damage: In comparison to other types of forest pests, the gypsy moth is but a small-time offender. Nonetheless, it can cause short-term damage to trees by devouring all the leaves. Because broad-leaved trees are generally resilient, they usually survive such defoliating attacks. Gypsy moth caterpillars can indirectly harm wildlife by defoliating oaks. When this happens, the oaks conserve energy by ceasing the production of acorns, upon which many species of wildlife depend to survive the winter months.

Asian Longhorn Beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis)

Origins and range: China, Korea, Japan. In Canada it has been detected in the city of Vaughan, Ontario, where it is under eradication.

Description: The adults are large bluish-black beetles (2.5 to 3.5 cm in length) with white spots and very long antennae.

Image: http://www.forestryimages.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=0949056

Food: The larvae feed on a variety of hardwood trees. In Asia the primary hosts are maple poplar and willow ( Salix).

Bad Bug Lore: In Asia, this beautiful yet destructive insect is also called the Starry Skied Beetle. There are several native beetles that are similar looking to the Asian Longhorn Beetle, such as the white-spotted sawyer beetle.

Bad Bug Damage: The Asian Longhorn Beetle, which has been introduced to our country by “hitch-hiking” on wooden packing material from other countries, is causing quite a stir. Even though it has not yet made its way into Canadian forests, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has taken measures to control its spread. This is because it poses a significant threat to our deciduous forests. The larvae of this beetle kill hardwood trees by burrowing deep under the bark, weakening and killing the tree. The CFIA is currently implementing an aggressive eradication campaign.

Brown Spruce Longhorn Beetle ( Tetropium fuscum )

Origins and range:Northern Europe, Western Russia. In Canada, it has been found in Nova Scotia.

Description: 1-1.5 cm long. Brown or reddish-brown with two or three stripes that run lengthwise along the back. The body is flattened and the head is dark. It has long, reddish antennae.

Image: http://www.forestryimages.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=1258311

Food: Larvae of this beetle feed on spruce trees by tunneling through the trunks.

Bad Bug Lore: In Europe, this beetle is relatively harmless, and usually feeds on sick and dying trees. Here in Canada, the beetle attacks healthy trees. Since there are no natural predators, their numbers are increasing at an alarming rate.

Bad Bug Damage: Like their Asian Longhorn counterparts, these destructive beetles have arrived by hitching a ride on wooden packing material. The Brown Spruce Longhorn Beetle arrived by ship, and its port of entry was Halifax, sometime in the late 1980s. It has since destroyed thousands of spruce trees in that city's parks. The city is considering taking a drastic step by destroying the nearly ten thousand spruce trees that have been affected by the beetle. Like the Asian Longhorned Beetle, the Brown Spruce Longhorn Beetle has the potential to destroy large tracts of forest in Canada.

Every bug plays a part

These so-called "bad" bugs have become problematic simply because their numbers are out of check, either because they are living outside their natural range or because of environmental factors. Under normal circumstances, these species can be beneficial to the forest because they play an important role in the ecosystem. For instance, native wood-boring beetles break down dead or dying trees. This allows fungus to enter and speed up decomposition. Also, the beetle larvae feed woodpeckers and other birds. In the forest, such processes have been going on for years, and they are as natural as birdsong or the gentle flow of a mountain stream.
 

Canada's Marine Environment

By Leigh Edgar

Photo: © Paul Heasman - Fotolia.com

Canada boasts an impressive maritime heritage. With the world’s longest coastline bordering on three oceans, it’s easy to see how important the marine environment is to our way of life. Nearly a third of all Canadians live within reach of the coast. Oceans contribute to our economy, our recreation and our identity. Oceans are important sources of food and cultural experiences and they provide an array of goods and services that we benefit from everyday, regardless of where we live.

Increasingly, Canada's and the world’s ocean environments are under threat from human activities that occur on land. Approximately 80 per cent of marine pollution comes from land-based sources. Believe it or not, in some parts of Canada, oceans are still regarded as dumping grounds for untreated or insufficiently treated raw sewage; municipal, industrial and agricultural wastes make their way to our oceans, and coastal areas are chipped away at by development including road construction, intense recreation, urban expansion and industrial projects. Additional developments are looming – such as offshore wind, oil and gas exploration, and increased opportunities for transportation in the Arctic – which could further stress the oceans’ environments. 

Climate change will affect oceans, too. In 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported that the marine ecosystem will be heavily impacted by a changing climate. Oceans absorb carbon dioxide and, as a result, are becoming more acidic, which can have fundamental implications for oceanic life. Terms like “coral bleaching” and “dead zones” are becoming more mainstream and are a good indicator that our oceans are in trouble. Add to this concerns related to invasive species, overfishing, bycatch and heavy metal contamination, and you’ve got a precarious situation indeed.

CWF has long been concerned with the state of Canada’s coastal and marine environments. For many years, we have advocated for the sustainable development of Canada’s aquatic environments, being the voice for wildlife in the pursuit of economic activities that are truly sustainable. We have a long history in addressing the environmental impacts of salmon aquaculture on Canada’s east and west coasts. We have made presentations to Senate committees on the impacts of illegal oil dumping from ships on seabirds. We have contributed to federal policies on Pacific salmon and commented on numerous pieces of legislation that affect oceanic and coastal areas. We advocate regularly for the legal protection of oceanic species at risk. We have funded research, commented on fishing gear, such as bottom trawls, that leave a path of destruction in their wake. We have been vigilant in ensuring that legislation, such as the Fisheries Act and the Navigable Waters Protection Act, is strong and that commercial interests do not supersede the needs of wildlife. We actively participate in Rivers to Oceans Week, recognize schools that are doing their part for Canada's oceans, and do our part to educate people on how everyday actions can make a difference to our oceans.

CWF is taking marine conservation to new heights. Alarmed by the increasing stressors at play affecting our oceans, we will be directing increased funds and efforts towards improving the situation. Meanwhile, if you want to help oceans, you can start by doing the following:

• Reduce the amount of plastic you use, including bags, which can be mistaken for food by species such as the endangered leatherback seaturtle.
• Know where you seafood comes from. For example, wild salmon from Alaska is preferable to farmed Atlantic salmon, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program. Enjoy wild-caught spot prawns from B.C., but avoid imported Black Tiger shrimp.
• Never put unused medication, paints or other chemicals down the drain.
• When you’re on vacation, chose souvenirs wisely. Avoid coral and jewellery derived from wildlife.
• Do everything you can to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions – buy local food, change your light bulbs, reduce frivolous consumption, and drive less.