Birds are Resilient So Are We

I wrote this submission to the Kings County Record before the full reality of Hurricane Sandy was realized.  The NE coast of the US took a beating and now only a couple of weeks later they are picking up the pieces.  People are helping out from across North America.  The people impacted the most are showing a true resilience and I am impressed with how they keep pushing forward and how business sectors are quickly reopening.  Birds were heavily impacted by Sandy too I'm sure and their kind have been around a great deal longer than ours.  I enjoy observing birds and the challenge of trying to watch them from close up, unfortunately I'm not that good at it.  I hope you enjoy the read.

Hurricane Sandy is slowly fading out and trick or treaters are likely home and in bed.  I have had an up and down week but by far one of the highlights was a project that I carried out through my work with the Kennebecasis Watershed Restoration Committee.  We recently started going out to interest groups with the information and materials to build bird and duck boxes. 

Watching kids get excited about being able to use a drill or screw driver is cool.   Seeing the difference from one child to another is eye opening to how people's personalities and growth vary greatly.  Watching the pride they have when they complete the bird box and how they make a concerted effort to sign their name to their project is also rewarding as you know from the glow on their faces that they will likely remember the activity for sometime.

Bird houses are relatively an easy building project which makes it ideal for young kids but adults can enjoy such a project as well.  Most adults would take the time to place the box and watch the subtle excitement as birds move in and out.  No doubt an adult would place his box before the March breeding season to increase the likely hood it will get utilized.  They'll take the time to put it up on a nice pole to deter predators and place the pole along a tree line looking out over a pasture near their home.  Close to home is important, otherwise how would you watch it?

March is cold here in New Brunswick and many birds are known to use bird boxes.  Properly placed ventilation holes keep the birds from suffocating in the box.  They also reduce the risk of mould and bacteria buildup.  Make sure the entry hole isn't that big and contrary to you might think, a perch at the entry is not a good idea.  Why?  Predators could sit on the perch and reach in and have a snack while smiling back at you.  That would be unfortunate and hard to explain to the kids who were watching from two doors down. 

The unmistakable cry of the blue jay and the cheery chirp of the chickadee brighten any day, even a cold day in March.  When you look at a bird up close they almost look like a cartoon and how can't you smile when reading a cartoon strip.  Their tiny feet and knobby legs hold their light bodies onto a limb while the wind is blowing hard.  Their feathers keep them warm while a late April snowfall chills us enough to keep the heat on in the house another week or more.

Such resilient animals deserve our respect and our hospitality.  They keep insects in check, pollinate our food crops, give their life for food, and entertain us.  I think if we had to travel hundreds of miles we'd like to stay in a hotel instead of on the streets so a bird box is a great gesture to such an important part of our existence.

I want to acknowledge our veterans as well.  With Remembrance Day around the corner it is important that we all take the time to reach out to our Troops and thank them.

TAKE ME OUTSIDE

Hey everyone tomorrow is a special day for me.  A day that should be celebrated.  It is also a day that should be like every other day.  Tomorrow is "Take Me Outside" day and I hope to celebrate it by doing what I love to do...by taking a trip outside and up a river somewhere.

It's funny because just recently I had an opportunity to talk with some middle school boys and only 1 in 5 had spent more than 5 nights out in a tent.  This shocked me.  While I am aware with the "Youth Nature Deficit" I was surprised that this group I was talking to might suffer from that problem.  These boys were, in general, farm boys by nature and thus it would be expected that they might be regularly exposed to such activities.  Not so however.

This recent talk furthered my resolve to encourage others to get outside and explore nature.  From the expansive river valleys to what sits under a decaying leaf in your backyard.  It all has something to explore.  Get out there tomorrow.

TAKE ME OUTSIDE

Though we won't be fishing and he is in school, his Phys Ed class will be outdoors tomorrow.

Fall Timing

Just had this published in today's Kings County Record.  Hope you enjoy the read and sorry for not posting more recently but the weather has been great and I've been spending a lot of time in the woods.

 Fall is now in full swing and I have been driving from Sussex Corner to Alma to witness it over the last three days.  It is amazing how trees in different areas have been turning at different paces.  The maples as I leave the Kennebecasis valley are a crisp red and the birches and poplars are yellows.  As I close in on Alma the maples are still clinging to the last remnants of green in their leaves and the birches and poplars are only slightly yellow. 

The drive into the sunshine and fog in the morning is challenging as I squint against the glare in the windshield.  I pull the visor down just as a moose crosses the road in front of me, no doubt just happy to have made it past the previous weekend.  A brown oak leaf with a purple tinge floats towards my windshield before flying over the cab of the truck.  The floating leaf takes my eyes towards Wolfe Lake where I notice a loon lazily swimming on the fog shrouded surface.

It was one of those mornings where everything seemed to be moving in slow motion.  This is not the first time that I had felt this type of sensation and I was never able to explain it.  Recently I read through a random web site that discussed an interesting study on how time slows down for people who experience a sense of "awe".  It illustrated three different experiments and all had the same result.  So now I have an explanation for that feeling that has now become familiar when I explore our wondrous part of the globe.

That feeling of awe can often be found when exploring our natural ecosystems.  To further enhance the slow down effects of "awe" in nature consider this: because you have to literally slow down to explore nature, time is in super slow motion.  No doubt your heart, blood pressure and many other physical conditions will improve in this altered state. 

"Altered state?"  This brings up another feeling I have come to know.  I often feel a natural high when in nature.  When I am pushing my body to its physical limits by climbing a series of tough hills it is baffling how I can smile and laugh at the end of the day.  It isn't simply from the sense of accomplishment but the awe and physiological reactions to the physical activity. 

In the fall, for me at least, these sensations are elevated.  I think this is mainly due to the colors and the rapid tempo at which the season of those colors moves on.  If you're looking for a way to slow time, fall, and your mind down, you should consider attending one of the many fall events in our region.  Sussex Corner is hosting a new Fall Harvest Day on October 20^th and they anticipate a great celebration of local talents and food.  With the Bluff as the back drop at Sullivan Park the good time should move last a long time.

Trails Versus Trails

 The Balloon Fiesta has now come and gone with a great weekend hosted by that incredible organizing committee.  Even though the weather didn't cooperate all the time, when the balloons go up it is special.  Below is a column I submitted to the KCR which was printed in their September 11, 2012 edition.  I spend more time chatting with hikers than ATV riders but it has often frustrated me when I listened to hikers lament how bad ATVs are for trails and the environment as if all hikers were excellent for the trails and environment.  I can't argue that when a hiker damages a trail it is usually less visual than an ATVs but I think if both user groups work together then both trails and the environment could benefit.  I recently worked on an ATV trail project that improved both the trail and environment and I know of hiking trails that could use similar work.  Feel free to let me know how you feel.

Working for the KWRC, I'm putting the finishing touches on a bridge we built in partnership with the SVATV Club.  The bridge will keep the bikes from crossing a small stream.

 

The Atlantic International Balloon Fiesta is just around the corner and our household is pretty excited for all the excitement that weekend brings to this great region.  Originally I was hoping to bring you a column on a great balloon ride but alas, my ride was postponed and thus I am left with a scramble to find my inspiration.  Thankfully my job often provides me with many topics that are worth discussing.

At present I am working at separating a recreational trail from an ephemeral stream, one that runs part of the year.  The trail is used by hikers, bikers, and ATV riders.  So what is inspirational about this?  Is it the fact that by separating the trail from the stream I am improving the natural ecosystems while improving the trail?  Is it the scenery in the remote location I am working in?  In fact it comes from the fact that this trail is mainly an ATV trail but in reality it serves as a trail for many uses.

Hikers and ATV riders in the province have been feuding over trail space in the recent past and I feel that more could be accomplished if the tense feelings were set aside.  One of the partners on this "Trail and Aquatic Corridor Restoration Project" is the Sussex Valley ATV Club and already some of their members have worked a tough 10 man days on the project which should wrap up later this week.

A log crib wall helps separate the ATV trail from the stream bed.

As a hiker I understand some of the issues hikers have with the ATV riders but I feel that many are unfounded.  In my mind the only viable argument is the loud noise of the bike engines.  When used properly though a bike can be quiet and have little impact to the environment, especially if on a well developed and properly designed trail.  A good ATV trail also makes a great hiking trail or mountain biking trail.  Even better than that, a protected trail corridor could also serve as a protective corridor for watercourses or sensitive habitats.

As a hiker I don't always use trails and even when I use trails, the terrain they cover wouldn't be suitable for an ATV.  In fact ATV trails provide access to some of the terrain I backpack or hike across.  Without the ATV trail it would mean a lot more hiking to access the area I wish to explore on foot.  In a way I owe thanks to ATV trails or old logging roads for allowing me to more readily explore some wonderful stream valleys and ridges.

The biggest detriment to this issue of hikers versus bikers is those who don't properly use the trail we should share.  Hikers are not entirely innocent here but ATVers who abuse the trail typically have a more noticeable impact on the experience for all.  There are some ecosystems ATVs should avoid, such as stream beds; except at established fording sites, beaches, and areas with plant species with special status.  Hikers can more effectively access such habitats without impacting them.  It is truly about the mindset of the rider or hiker that determines how much impact they might have on the environment.

Maybe you have impacted the environment recently and are looking to offset that impact.  If so, come out on September 22^nd to the KWRC's Great Canadian Shoreline Clean Up where you can clean up litter from local river banks.

Refreshing Seasons

Fall is definitely in the air.  I sat at lunch this afternoon amidst the maple and spruce and could smell the moist mud and falling leaves.  I drank a freshly made, steaming, cup of tea and relished in my surroundings.  I loce fall mainly because when I'm in the field working there are few to no bugs, and the temperatures are much more bearable. As the leaves fall you are provided a different angle of the hills that lay behind the trees and you notice little, interesting, aspects of the topography.  A hidden rock face, that you vow to come back and tackle, appears, where before all you could see were the lush leaves of a stream side stand of ash trees.  The stream which days before was only a trickle is now a strong eroding force that carries stones and debris downward to the larger rivers.

As I sat an finished my tea I couldn't help but turn my head skyward and say a brief prayer of thanks.  The cycle of the seasons is a true gift that keeps us feeling refreshed and new.  As fall starts to fade into winter I will likely feel the thrill of winters treats.  I am blessed to work outdoors on a regular basis and I don't know if I could handle being stuck in my office all the time.  Being outdoors is refreshing in itself but the changing seasons further enhance that cleansing feeling and cause me to continually smile with a child like grin.

Where ever you were today I hope that you too enjoyed the day.

Skipping Stones

Stacking and skipping stones is one of my favorite past times.  It can easily be shared with my kids.

This blog entry was originally published in the August 28th edition of the Kings County Record.  I have now had more than 100 columns published there and owe them a debt of thanks for continuing to print my material.  I hope they continue to do so and I hope you will consider supporting the KCR when you can.  I want to send a special thanks to David Kelly who is moving from the KCR to accept another position within the newspaper industry in southern NB.  David was always available and more than flexible with my columns.  Thanks Dave.

I have referred to this topic many times in past articles and it speaks very highly to my affinity for water.  One of my favorite past times is skipping stones and I have had this since I was a young kid.  We have so many great areas to take part in this hobby that I often get a chance to practice.  Not only do I skip the stones I sometimes take fun out of balancing them. 

Recently I had the chance to spend a rare evening with just my daughter and I took full advantage and shared my love of skipping stones with her.  We started the warm August night sharing an ice cream cone and after our ice cream we drove to a parking lot that put us next to a gravel bar along Trout Creek. 

Now when skipping stones the location is important.  The first thing you need is a great, cobble beach with lots of flat stones.  Trout Creek, Grand Lake, and the Bay of Fundy Beaches are some of my favorite places to skip rocks.  The next thing to look for is a place where the water is flat and smooth.  Skipping rocks on wavy or fast flowing water is a challenge and requires good timing and aim just to get the first skip in.  Flat or wavy, it doesn't matter, skipping rocks is a great way to kill time and get some exercise.

On flat water, with a light to modestly weighted, flat stone, and a modest throwing arm, you can get more than 20 consecutive skips.   Our location on Trout Creek offered a long stretch of flat, slow running, water where I could throw rocks upstream.  The upstream approach helps get more skips and I was easily getting 15-20 jumps from the good stones. 

The cool ripple effects are cool to watch but for my daughter she simply liked the splash the rocks made.  She struggled to throw the rocks let alone skip them but we were having fun simply being on the water.  I decided to change it up and showed her a target close by and we tossed stones at it and she was excited when her rock made the water and more so when she finally hit the nearby target.

After my arm tired out we searched for "cool" stones.  My idea of cool was a bit more sophisticated than my daughters but the joy she took out of finding different colored and shaped stones was entertaining.  She put a couple of pounds of stones in her pocket to add to what she called her "Snows collection."  Me, I pretended to put them in pocket only to take them out later when she wasn't watching.

After I got tired of walking we sat on the gravelly bar and as we chatted I built her some rock towers to know over.  Building a tower out of rocks is not as simple as it might seem.  You need to consider how the rock is shaped and how it might sit on the rocks you already have in place.  A rough surface rock is easier to balance than a smooth surface as it doesn't slide around as easy. 

The only down side of this evening was that darkness came way too quickly.  As we left the gravel bar we picked up a number of pieces of trash on the way out.  It was a great night ending with our good deed for the day.

A Bit of a Pet Peeve

I was driving down Main Street in Sussex today and witnessed something that frustrated me.  I was driving my work truck with the Kennebecasis Watershed Restoration Committee magnets on the side.  If it was the first time this summer I had seen this it might not have bothered me so bad but this was the third time.  If I had a more confrontational personality this environmental crime would not have gone unpunished.  Luckily for the woman committing the crime I let it go, after all, it is not actually criminal but in my opinion it should be.

So what did she, and two others, do that frustrated me?  She was emptying out a bucket of wash water directly into the storm drain.  So why should this be an environmental crime?  Well, when you empty anything directly into the storm drain it usually has a direct path to a natural stream or river.  This means what ever grease and oil you cleaned off your car, windows, or whatever and throw down the storm drain it could potentially pollute your nearby stream.  If every one did this can you imagine the impact. Who knows what was in the bucket the lady emptied out but even the cleaners you might use are harmful to water quality and fish and other aquatic species.

Even when we park our cars at the grocery store, if we have fluids leaking, they will find their way into the storm drains and then into the rivers.  Next time when you're in a large parking lot find a storm grate and look around for the telltale sheen of oil following the low drainage areas of the parking lot.  Then look at all the cars in the lot and consider if every car leaked how much oil or gas that could be entering the local streams.

There are programs that try to draw attention to this issue but the results are hard to quantify and so to is the impact that such actions have.  As for a car leaking fluids, I know it is next to impossible to stop, but if you can keep your car tuned up to reduce such leaks.  Every bit helps.

Biking Down a Back Road

Coming up on Saturday I'll be at the Apohaqui Rec Center throughout the day.  I'll be manning an information tent for the Kennebecasis Watershed Restoration Committee at the Back Roads Bicycle Festival.  You can register the day of the event and there is lots going on.  Check out the links.

There are a number of activities that I don't get to take part in as often as I like.  Golf is one of those and I wrote about it a couple of weeks ago.  Kayaking or canoeing is another one and I have only been able to do that once this summer.  There is one activity though that I have not yet been able to participate in at all this summer.  Cycling is a sport of speed and daring where one wrong move can lead to injury, just ask Simon Whitfield.

Cycling, whether on a road or on a trail, is a thrill.  As a kid I spent lots of time in the saddle taking risks and pushing my limits.  I usually rode trails in the nearby farm fields where we built jumps and ramps to test our skills on our BMXs.  This likely developed my preference for trail riding versus road riding.  My mother can attest to the numerous scars and bruises I came home with after my many bike wrecks.

Coming up August 25^th is a chance for me to relive some of those glory days.  The "Back Roads Bicycle Fest" will give me a chance to sweat and feel the wind in my hair as I move up and down through the gears.  The event will be held at the Apohaqui Lower Millstream Recreation Center and I hope to get there and take in the activities.  Talking to some of the organizers there will be lots of informative workshops to go along with a number of bike rides.

Based on the success and model created by the Cornhill Bicycle Fest, this festival will showcase the great back road routes in and around Apohaqui.  The organizers hope that the success of last year's event in Cornhill will translate into similar success for this year's event. The rides being organized will have various start times and will be of various lengths.  The event has something for everyone; whether you're a seasoned cyclist who puts in over 100km per week or a newbie who would be lucky to have cycled 10km in their lifetime.  The routes will highlight some of the many great places within our great county. 

Sign in for the event is from 9:00-10:00am on that Saturday morning or you can pick up advance registration forms at Outdoor Elements.  For the kids there will be a bike rodeo, for the history buffs there will be a presentation on the history of Apohaqui, workshops on bike maintenance and proper shifting of gears for the die hard cyclists, and for those who might prefer to paddle over peddle information on the Kennebecasis will be available.

Also coming up on August 15-16^th is the Kennebecasis Watershed Restoration Committee's "Beginner's Fly Fishing Workshop."  This free event still, at press time, had space available and if you are interested call their office, 433-4394, today or tomorrow, to inquire further.  Last year's event was very well received with all participants walking away with something.  This year, a lucky beginner will walk away with a fly rod and reel combo from flymart.ca.  If you can't get into this event keep an eye out for next years.

Grads of '92 - Go Sonics

My first day senior year with two other influences.

It seems like just yesterday now.  I wore a black leather coat with red shoulders and a white armband.  I had dark wavy hair.  I had no worries.  High school is mainly a blur now with only the highlights standing out.  I played hockey for the Sonics, who won the regular season and a couple of tournaments along the way.  I played soccer, dated, partied, lived, and learned.  In the end I graduated 20 years ago and this weekend we celebrated our 20th reunion.

What was really cool for me was the changes among people.  I sat with my wife at one point and observed the interaction between old classmates and was entertained by it all.  The subtle differences are what stood out because a great deal hadn't changed.  I'm not talking the physical differences either.  Maturity, family, marriage, success and/or failure had altered the social hierarchy.

My Gram was also a huge influence, love you Gram

I graduated with some great people and throughout high school I felt there were very few social lines unless imposed by ones self.  This was even more obvious at this recent reunion.  I want to say to the Grads of '92 from Sussex Regional High School - "You all are awesome and helped provide me with a great structure for life."  Those days meant a great deal to me and I may not have known it then but now as I often look back on those days, I was learning a great deal and most of you had a major role in that and all of you had at least a minor roll.  Thanks so much.

I think I realized too that my enjoyment through school is a key factor that brought me back, or maybe kept me here, to raise my family.

Re-Evaluating how We Develop Recreational Opportunities

This entry was published in the Kings County Record a week ago.  My hope is that people who read it will think about how we promote and develop outdoor recreation infrastructure.  I hope it makes you think.

Was this bridge and river side parking lot necessary to improve recreation and tourism along the Fundy Coast?

 

I'm hoping this column will prompt you to consider the value of future developments in our pursuit of greater tourism dollars and outdoor recreation for everyone.  Sometimes, in the name of recreation, people justify altering nature so that they might better enjoy themselves.  This might come across a bit harsh, but I want people to think about, and possibly re-evaluate how, we develop nature. 

In the Sussex area we are blessed to have a beautiful walking trail.  A couple of years ago they decided to "develop wetlands" along the trail to improve the experience.  My question is; what was wrong with what was there in the first place?  Why couldn't we just appreciate what was already there?  I will enjoy the wetlands that are now there, and indeed I think they may actually serve a modest natural function as well but so too did the landscape that was their prior to the wetlands.

After the wetlands went in the Town decided to develop a dog park, which is rumored to be further enhanced soon.  I have a dog and I can understand the need for a space to take my dog.  Trust me my dog needs space and the poor trees in my backyard can attest to that.  When I go for a hike the dog is now a solid companion.  I still need to work on her fishing etiquette but she has lots of time for that yet.  Sorry, I'm off track.  Nature provides us with an excellent dog park so I don't know why we would spend resources on creating a fenced in, un-shaded, dog park. There is no better place to exercise your soul, body, and your dog, than in nature.  Your dog likely still feels constricted behind the fence of the dog park so why not let him run a little in the woods and fields around Cornhill or Apohaqui.

Similarly, I would say that we need to re-evaluate how we invest resources into building trails.  Those resources might be better spent elsewhere. This might seem a bit odd coming from someone who promotes hiking and active living but I also promote natural ecosystems and sustainability.  I'm not saying there isn't a need for groomed trails and dog parks.  I am suggesting that we need to re-evaluate our infrastructure and development needs before altering what Mother Nature has created.  Bush whacking through a spruce thicket is better exercise than walking a nicely groomed trail and gives us a better sense of where we came from as well.

One of my biggest pet peeves is the Fundy Trail Parkway.  A number of years ago there was a push to increase tourism in our region.  To do so we have potentially altered the natural area that we seek to promote and made it very unnatural.  It is very unlikely that this development will truly have a financial gain, with the exception being to the maintenance contractors who will continually pave and upkeep the roads and other infrastructure. 

I do not stand opposed to development but would like to tip the scale a little to give nature a greater weight when deciding what type of development we need.  Cities and towns in recent years have built expansive one story buildings on prime agricultural ground or flood plains when two blocks away there might have been derelict buildings or underdeveloped lots.  As we move forward we need to consider how future developments will impact our natural surroundings and when possible we should fully minimize any developmental footprint created.

Stairs such as these create maintenance costs and if not maintained a safety hazard.  As a tax payer how do you feel about maintaining them?