VoLUMe 29, nUMBer 4, 2008

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OOntario Wetland Care, a private landowner wetland extension program, will be delivered in parts of the Quinte watershed with funding from the Healthy Wetlands…Healthy Communities II partnership between MNR and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC). The partnership will see $500,000 of MNR funding matched by DUC-Ontario to implement a $1 million program over two years across southern Ontario.

In Prince Edward County and other parts of the Quinte watershed within DUC-Ontario’s priority habitat area, DUC will cost-share a stewardship co-ordinator position with the Conservation Authority. Along with her watershed stewardship activities, Alana Nunn will promote the Ontario Wetland Care program to local landowners and let them know that funding is available for wetland enhancements on their property. Nunn will also help landowners with property plans that identify the natural areas, like wetlands, and to map out plans for maintaining the health of those areas over the long term.

“Many landowners are really interested in nature and wildlife and they want to know what they can do to help wildlife out on

their property,” says Nunn. “Part of my job will be to provide some recommendations and, if needed, financial assistance for improvements to wetland habitats and help put the landowner in touch with other organizations that can provide advice on other types of habitat.”

Funding is available not just to landowners, but to local stewardship councils and other conservation groups. Stewardship councils are very connected to landowners and the community, and will play an important role in promoting the program locally. Andy Margetson, stewardship co-ordinator for Prince Edward County, was involved in early discussions about a collaborative program for wetlands. A former Wetland Habitat Fund co-ordinator, Margetson is available to provide some wetland technical assistance to Nunn.

“We met some time ago and were looking at other sources of funding to hire a project co-ordinator but thanks to the Healthy Wetlands…Healthy Communities funding, there will be a wetland extension staff person and funding available for landowners to the end of March 2010,” says Margetson. S

DUC-Ontario and Quinte Conservation join forces

OOn July 15, DUC staff Jeff Krete and Robert Messier presented a DUC scaup decoy to the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) general membership board to thank the GRCA for its ongoing support of DUC-Ontario staff and programs. This is the seventh year that the GRCA has housed DUC staff at its head office in Cambridge, providing telephone, computer, fax, GIS and staff support. In the past, they also supported DUC staff person Mike Williams during his secondment to the Healthy Wetlands of the Upper Grand partnership program that was based out of the Luther Marsh Wildlife Management Area. The GRCA continues to support the Headwaters Healthy Wetland Program for which Robert Messier is the project co-ordinator.S

DUC staff Jeff Krete (right) and Robert Messier present GRCA first vice-chairman Jane Mitchell with a scaup decoy.

DUC staff thank Grand River Conservation Authority

DUC-Ontario volunteers pitch in to repair damaged sign

HIIn late August, Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) presented Elgin Stewardship and Stewardship Kent with sponsorship awards to

recognize their continued financial support of DUC wetland projects in southwestern Ontario. The awards were presented by Darrell Randell during the Ontario Stewardship Southwest Zone meeting in Ridgetown. Most recently, Elgin Stewardship and Stewardship Kent have been key partners in the Healthy Habitats for Water partnership program that was implemented over three years with support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Elgin Stewardship received a Life Sponsorship award for its contribution of over $17,000 to DUC wetland projects, and Stewardship Kent received a Diamond Life award for its contribution of over $21,000 to DUC wetland projects.

Elgin and Kent Stewardship Councils receive DUC awards

Top: Stewardship Kent received a Diamond Life Sponsor award. From left: Rick Siddell Chairman, Mureille Daniel, DUC's Darrell Randell, John Haggeman, Stewardship Coordinator Don Hector, and Eric Oellinger.

DUC's Darrell Randell, right, presents a Life Sponsor award to Elgin Stewardship Council representatives Councillor Kit Brown and Stewardship Coordinator

Mark Emery (left).

High winds in early June snapped the sturdy legs of a large inter-pretive sign at the Roberta Stewart Wildlife Area just outside of Wallaceburg. The sign itself was not damaged but it needed a new frame. Three generations of local DUC volunteers pitched in to help restore the sign to its rightful position. Pictured from left are Jake, Bob and Cody Lozon, along with longtime supporter Chum Howlett.

AAccording to DUC-Ontario wetland project owner Stan Caveney, one of the joys of watching his constructed wetlands as they mature is to see the dragonflies visiting them. In early June, among all the newly emerged common whitetails were some rarities. Seen for the first time was a baskettail; Caveney was uncertain whether it was a common baskettail or a spiny baskettail.

“I need expert opinion,” says Caveney. “The former is recorded for Elgin County but according to Natural Heritage Information Centre (NHIC) records, there is only one record of the latter in southwestern Ontario, in Kent County.”

“I have a pretty good photo,” he adds.But even more exciting for Caveney, an entomologist, were

two sightings over two days of painted skimmers. According to Caveney, there are two previous NHIC records for Elgin, and one for Kent and Middlesex. The painted skimmer is a migrant from the U.S. which makes it into Canada to the Carolinian Zone and just beyond, but there have been very few sightings over the years.

Dr. Caveney is with the Department of Zoology at the University of Western Ontario and is also vice-president of the Thames Talbot Land Trust. He and his wife are actively involved in the McIlwraith Field Naturalists.

“So new wetlands like ours are favourable habitat for rare migrant dragonflies,” says Caveney. “Spread the word!” S

Rarely seen dragonflies found at DUC wetland in West Elgin

e a s t e r n r e g i o n ( o n t a r i o )

More Local Partnerships Additional partnerships underway through the Healthy Wetlands…Healthy Communities II Ontario Wetland Care program include:

Southwestern OntarioDUC continues to work with Stewardship Kent, Huron Stewardship, Essex Stewardship, Middlesex Stewardship, Elgin Stewardship, Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority, Oxford Stewardship and other local organizations to help landowners restore small wetlands.

Niagara DUC is working with the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) to implement a three-year program to transfer DUC’s wetland restoration and permitting expertise to NPCA staff.

Hamilton-HaltonDUC will cost-share a stewardship co-ordinator position through the Hamilton-Halton Watershed Stewardship program to deliver the Ontario Wetland Care Program within these local watersheds.

Simcoe CountyDUC and Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) will cost-share a staff position to provide wetland extension services within the NVCA watershed. Other local partners will also have access to funding and technical assistance as needed to improve resources available to landowners.

PeterboroughThe Ontario Wetland Care program will enable a partnership between DUC, Victoria Stewardship, Peterborough Stewardship, Lakeland Alliance, Kawartha Lakes Conservation and Otonabee Region Conservation Authority (ORCA) to continue within the ORCA and Kawartha Lakes watersheds and the two associated counties.

Partnership programs in the Rideau Valley and Cataraqui Creek watersheds are just getting underway. Watch for updates!

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DUC-Ontario has reprinted the popular Nest Box Guide for landowners. The Guide is a full-colour booklet that illustrates how to build, install and maintain wood duck nest boxes. It includes photos of various types of nests and eggshells that a landowner might find in a nest box to help identify who has been using it.

“It’s something that landowners will take with them when they head out to the marsh to check on the boxes or clean them out, so the pages are heavily laminated to protect them from inclement weather,” says DUC biologist Mike Williams.

The Guide is available for free to landowners who have installed nest boxes through a conservation agreement with DUC-Ontario. Anyone can buy the booklets for $10 each and, as Ontario Stewardship is a sponsor, they will also be available through local Stewardship Councils.

“It’s a great product,” says Mitch Baldwin, provincial stewardship co-ordinator for the Ontario Stewardship program. “A number of councils were interested in obtain-ing them so we became a sponsor and will make them available through the steward-ship co-ordinators.”

Nest boxes have contributed to the recovery of the wood duck species, which was once in serious decline. Today this shy, beautiful duck is once again populous throughout Ontario but nesting habitat still presents a challenge in parts of Ontario. Research has shown that nest boxes have significantly contributed to the nest suc-cess rate of cavity-nesting waterfowl. They also provide homes for other creatures including smaller species of owls like the screech owl and barn owl. S

One of the greatest rewards of wetland restoration work is to hear positive reports from landowners and partners about how these wetlands are doing post-construction. The Watson property is located approximately 10 km southwest of the city of Hamilton. Owners Jim and Sadie Watson are quite happy to give something back on this small farm. While travelling in Nicaragua on behalf of the World Food Grains Bank, Jim saw the power and efficacy of building large numbers of small stewardship projects, something he feels we can do here as well.

“I get what I need out of the farm but as a human being, you also have some responsibility for the earth,” says Watson. His vision for his property is to create habitat for wildlife by retiring some land for a wetland project and enhancing wildlife use of the property by planting more trees.

Earlier this year, DUC created a 2.6-acre impoundment wetland here in partnership with the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) and with funding assistance from Wildlife Habitat Canada and the Ontario Great Lakes Renewal Foundation. Over the summer, NPCA restoration technician Steve Gillis was out to the property to do some seeding and took some photos of wildlife making use of the property. It looks like Watson’s vision, with help from conservation partners, is being realized. S

eastern region (ontario)

The Flyway newsletter is published by Ducks Unlimited CanadaOak Hammock Marsh Conservation CentreP.O. Box 1160, Stonewall, ManitobaR0C 2Z0 tel (204)467-3000 fax (204)467-9028toll-free 1(800)665-DUCK

Please direct your inquiries to the following:Eastern Region Atlantic: Kelly MacDonald Quebec: Bernard Filion Ontario: Lynette MaderWestern Region Prairie-Western Boreal: Marci Dube Pacific: Wendy Fister

Flyway production staffDirector of Communications and Marketing:Madeleine ArbezEditor: Duncan MorrisonAssistant: Deb MenardArt Director: Tye GreggGraphic Designers: Lindsay Pikta-Marie, Aquila Samson, Jeope Wolfe

© Ducks Unlimited Canada, 2008 Printed in Canada on 100% recycled paper including 100% post-consumer fibres

ontario area ContactsDirector of Regional Operations Eastern Canada, Jamie Fortune (613) 565-2525

Manager of Provincial Operations for OntarioJim Brennan (705) 721-4444

Science/planning Owen Steele (705) 721-4444

Outreach ProgramsLynette Mader (705) 721-4444

Education Program Coordinator Stephanie Walker (705) 721-4444

Government RelationsJulie Cayley (705) 721-4444

Development (705) 721-4444

Provincial Manager of Event & Volunteer ProgramsSteve Stinkowji (705) 544-8437

Event & Volunteer Customer Service(613) 389-0418 (866) 389-0418

publication agreement #40064849

Nest Box Guide available to landowners

Wildlife approves of restored wetlands