Nature PEI

An ongoing effort to educate the public by Nature PEI has led to a series of posters in 2021 that helps provide information to those who might be under the misunderstanding that feeding foxes is helpful to them. The posters will hopefully help all Islanders realize that foxes stand a much better chance to remain healthy on a more natural diet using their keen skills as hunters and foragers. Please feel free to share these posters and help share the message that true kindness places the health of these creatures first and is much more important than luring them with human food.

Dr Megan Jones will share her firsthand knowledge of Red Fox health on PEI at the monthly meeting of Nature PEI, Tuesday December 7^th , 7:30 pm at Beaconsfield, the Carriage House, in Charlottetown.  This promises to be a topic of high interest to Islanders following a mange outbreak that greatly reduced the fox population in the Charlottetown area.

Dr. Jones is the regional director of the Atlantic node of the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, and is a wildlife pathologist and assistant professor in the Department of Pathology and Microbiology at the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC), UPEI. 

All are welcome to attend on condition of providing proof of two vaccinations for Covid-19 and mask-wearing throughout the meeting.

Please bring a friend, items for the raffle table, and toonies to buy raffle tickets. It will be possible to renew Nature PEI memberships at the meeting.

Nature PEI’s November meeting features a presentation by biologist Simon Wilmot: “Horticultural horrors and invasive nightmares: The threat posed by invasive species on PEI”

In keeping with the season, Simon will be discussing some of the horticultural horrors that have been released into the wild on PEI. Simon will outline what exactly is an invasive species, why we should be worried about them, provide examples of invasive species that are currently impacting PEI, and describe some of the invasive species that the PEI Invasive Species Council is working to prevent from becoming established here. Simon will also discuss how you can help the PEI Invasive Species Council in their efforts to fight the spread of invasives.

Simon is a certified North American Wildlife Conservation Technician and the current Coordinator, for the PEI Invasive Species Council. He has experience working with the PEI Department of Forest, Fish and Wildlife as a Forest Technician, the City of Charlottetown, as an Urban Forestry Technician and as a Forest Habitat Specialist for the PEI Watershed Alliance. Simon is currently working towards completing his Masters in Bioenvironmental Monitoring and Assessment. He has a range of research interests including, the impact of invasive species on forest integrity, the borealization of the Acadian forest, succession on abandoned farmland, and the impact of climate change on forest composition.

The presentation will take place November 2, 7:30 p.m. at the Carriage House, Beaconsfield.

Note – As per provincial requirements for public events, participants will be asked to show their PEIVaxPass in either printed or electronic format, and face masks are mandatory. As seating is limited, participants are asked to pre-register by contacting Nicole Murtagh.

We apologize for the late notice on this, but have had some last minute changes in our line up.

Hello to all planning on attending our October 5^th Meeting,

Nature PEI will be following the categorized COVID guidelines that PEI Public Health will be implementing on Tuesday, October 5th.

Adding to our current COVID Operational Plan, proof of vaccinations will be required for all activities at the Carriage House  effective October 5th.  

Everyone will be required to show your PEI Vaccination Pass (VAXPASS) upon entry to the hall with picture ID.  https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/information/health-and-wellness/covid-19-immunization-record

If you have not yet obtained your VAXPASS but have a PEIPASS or you have 2 vaccination certificates bearing provincial government letterhead which shows that you are double vaccinated more than 14 days previously,  then these two alternate proofs of vaccination plus picture ID will be accepted for a limited time while you work to obtain your VAXPASS. 

This includes everyone entering the Carriage House for any reason.  Those unable to produce the required proof of double vaccination will be denied entry to the hall.  Masks are still mandatory within the hall.  

We thank everyone for their ongoing cooperation with keeping us all compliant and safe.  If you are registered to attend but are unable to attend, please let us know by contacting Connie conniefairmont@gmail.com

Cheers

Rosemary Curley on behalf of Connie Gaudet

Saturday Sept 25^th, 2021 – 1:30 to 4:30: Mushroom Walk at the Nordic Centre, Mark Arendz Provincial Ski Park, Brookvale, PEI.  Mushroom enthusiast Ken Sanderson will provide a short introduction and lead exploration of hardwood and softwoods habitats at the Park. After returning to the Nordic Centre, an identification session will follow, though with 5000 different mushroom species in the region, Ken admits, he won’t know them all. To address COVID needs, pre-registration is essential. To register, Contact Nicole Murtagh 902-218-2935 nicole_murtagh@hotmail.com

Ken Sanderson is a GIS Developer for a conservation-based research institute. A long-time naturalist with a specific focus in fungi, he maintains the project “Mushrooms of PEI” on iNaturalist, https://inaturalist.ca/projects/mushrooms-of-pei .

Directions: from the main ski lodge at Mark Arendz Provincial ski park at Brookvale, head west 1.1 km and then turn left (south) on a dirt driveway for short trip to the Nordic Centre. There is a sign by the entryway.

Difficulty: About 3 km round trip, some steep hills with sure footing.

This event will proceed “Rain or Shine.”

Laura MacNeil — Tuesday Oct. 5^th, 2021 Presentation

Title:

Reading our Island’s rocks: A step into life, land, and climate on Prince Edward Island 60 million years before dinosaurs

Description:

Prince Edward Island holds Canada’s largest record of the Permian Period, a time when reptiles, amphibians, and early coniferous trees dominated the landscape while simultaneously evolving to a changing climate. Remnants of 300 million-year-old life are continually being exposed every day along the province’s highly-erosive rocky shorelines, revealing many scientifically-important fossil discoveries that help piece together the life, landscapes and climate of the Permian World. Witness the plants and animals that existed on prehistoric P.E.I., and what discoveries you can make yourself while walking the shoreline.

Bio:

Laura MacNeil (M.Sc. geology) is an Islander and geologist who recently founded Prehistoric Island Tours, a guided tour experience that allows the public to learn about Prince Edward Island’s geologic history while getting up close and personal with real P.E.I. fossils. Laura’s business is designed to educate Islanders and visitors on the significance of our Island’s geology and paleontology, and allow the public to help identify potentially important fossils while they’re walking the province’s many shorelines. She also discovered the first 290-million-year-old Dimetrodon trackways on P.E.I.

Beaconsfield Carriage House, Corner West & Kent, Charlottetown.

To address COVID needs there are limits to crowd size so everyone must pre-register. To register, Contact Nicole Murtagh 902-218-2935 nicole_murtagh@hotmail.com

Laura Macneil discovered the footprints on this rock in Cavendish in May. (Isabella Zavarise/CBC)