MTRI Autumn 2022 Newsletter
MTRI Autumn Events
This fall, we have a whole season’s worth of events lined up to get you and your family out and immersed in all the wildlife that Kespukwitk has to offer!
MTRI is proud to host the Third Annual Kespukwitk Municipal iNaturalist Competition from Sept. 16 – 25! This is a fierce but friendly competition between the municipalities of Annapolis, Digby, Clare, Yarmouth, Argyle, Barrington, Shelburne, Lunenburg and Queens to see who can collect the most observations of wildlife with the free iNaturalist app! To join all you have to do is log onto iNaturalist and take observations in Kespukwitk during those 9 days.
iNaturalist is a free app that allows anyone to ID wildlife and it uses that data to support conservation projects and wildlife research. One such project at MTRI is our Herp Atlas, a project dedicated to better understanding reptiles and amphibians in Nova Scotia.
For our competition, we will have prizes for the iNaturalist users who observe the most species and who collect the most observations across Kespukwitk. Photo by Nicolas Ladino Silva on Unsplash.
Follow the Competition
Join MTRI for a weekend of wildlife-themed exploration at Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site on September 17th and 18th! During two guided hikes we will explore ancient giants in an old-growth Hemlock forests and marvel at the wonders and wildlife of local wetlands. Our Wildlife Weekend will also coincide with MTRI’s third Annual Kespukwitk Municipal iNaturalist Competition. Please be aware that event guests will have to pay park entrance fees. Thank you David McCorquodale and Ira Reinhart-Smith for the photos.
Giant ancient trees tower over you, you sink into thick, soft moss, and birds sing in the distance. There is nothing like standing in an old-growth forest, you can feel the wonder. On top of being especially valuable for conservation these forests often leave their visitors feeling changed, almost like there was magic in the air. Grab your chance to experience the magic in Kejimkujik National Park on Saturday, Sept. 17, at 1 PM for a guided hike of the Hemlocks and Hardwoods trail with MTRI Ecologist Chad Simmons. We will explore the ancient hemlock forest, learn about its importance, how it is being conserved and the changes it faces.
Register for the Old Growth Walk
Wetlands are some of the most wildlife-filled, diverse, water-saving, climate change-fighting ecosystems you will ever find, but many people still think of them as wasted space. Come along on our guided hike through Snake Lake trail in Kejimkujik National Park on Sunday, Sept. 18, at 11 AM, with MTRI Ecologist Chad Simmons to learn about the wonders of wetlands. We will talk about the many species we encounter, the importance of wetlands and how you can help appreciate and conserve these valuable ecosystems.
Register for the Wetland Walk
Everyone is welcome to attend our events, including families, students, and retirees but please be mindful of the moderate ~2 hour (5 km) long challenge these hikes can pose. Both walks are part of our Getting in Nature Walking Series and are thanks to the support from TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, Parks Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada. Together we are working to connect you with some of Nova Scotia’s most amazing natural ecosystems.
September 24- Mushroom Cultivation Workshop in Clementsvale, Digby County. Learn about cultivation techniques, growing substrates, and log inoculation. Participants will leave with a jar of mushroom inoculum to start their own! Cost of this event is $20. Contact Laura.Carter@MerseyTobeatic.ca for more details and to register.
October 1- Roots and Shoots Woodland Foraging! Join herbalist Benna Keoghoe in an exploration of edible medicinal plants that can be found in your own favourite woodland! This event will take place from 10am to 2pm in South Brookfield, Queens County. Participants are encouraged to bring a bagged lunch, sturdy shoes for walking in the woods, and be prepared for this event to go ahead rain or shine! Email Abby.Lewis@MerseyTobeatic.ca for more information or go to https://bit.ly/3RQxWgNto register for this event.
Register for Roots to Shoots
October 2– Medway Community Forest Cooperative Operations Tour- Join the MCFC in the field! Meet at the Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute and travel together up the Medway west branch touring a harvest block with trial best management practices for at-risk birds in partnership with Dr. Cindy Staicer, an ongoing research trial (Expanding Group Gap Selection harvest) initially launched in 2010 with Dr. Bob Seymour & Bowater Mersey Paper Co., and an old growth Hemlock stand impacted by Hemlock Woolly Adelgid. There may be an opportunity to visit an active harvest. Email Jennika@medwaycommunityforest.com to learn more and to register.
October 15– Forest Soil Health Workshop with Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables staff on a working woodland in South Brookfield, Queens County. This is a field tour accompanying the Healthy Forest Soils webinar on September 20th. Be prepared to get your hands dirty as we explore what makes a forest soil healthy. Contact Jane.Barker@MerseyTobeatic.ca for more information or go to https://bit.ly/3REACi8 to register for this event.
Register for Online Seminar Register for in Person Workshop
October 29- Explore Forest Species at Risk and Woodland Biodiversity with MTRI staff. This is a part of the Nova Scotia Woodlot Owners and Operators Association (NSWOOA) series tailored to new or inactive woodland owners and will take place from 10am to 2pm. Visit www.nswooa.ca to learn more.
Visit NS Woodlot Owners & Operators Association
November 5– Women in Forestry: Climate Change Adaptation. Join professional foresters for an exploration of forest stands, silvicultural techniques and their potential to enhance forest adaptation to a changing climate. This event will take place from 10am to 3pm on working woodland in Lunenburg County. Participants are encouraged to bring a bagged lunch, sturdy shoes for walking in the woods, and be prepared for this event to go ahead rain or shine! Contact Abby.Lewis@MerseyTobeatic.ca for more information or go to https://bit.ly/3RQx0ch to register for this event.
Register for Women in Forestry Workshop
We are partnering with Acadia First Nation Earth Keepers for a summer photo contest. Send us your best wildlife pictures from within Kespukwitk between now and the end of September for a chance to win one of two prize packs. Our grand prize, chosen by our judges, features new binoculars, wildlife guides and other goodies to help you on your next outdoor adventure. Our second prize pack will be selected by our fans. From submissions, we will pick a photo and share it with information on the traditional knowledge, biology and conservation of the species. The post with the greatest number of likes wins, so please stay tuned to MTRI’s Facebook and Instagram and like your favourites.
The contest runs from June through to September 30. All submissions must be sent to contests@merseytobeatic.ca and be taken within Kespukwitk. Please submit your name, the date the photo was taken, and where it was taken with your submissions. We ask that you limit your submission to five photos per person. All wildlife species submissions are welcome! No photos of handling wildlife or drone images from within protected areas will be accepted. Please follow the rules of your local jurisdiction when out taking photos and using drones. Our judges will decide the winner based on wildlife diversity, photo quality and photographer inclusivity (we will not only pick professional photos). Good luck everyone! Photo by Fidel Fernando on Unsplash.
Submit your Photos
MTRI invites abstracts for oral and poster presentations on conservation topics relevant to environmental stewardship, community engagement, or the research, monitoring or management of Species at Risk and ecosystems in Kespukwitk/ Southwest Nova Scotia.
Oral papers will be PowerPoint presentations of 15 minutes in duration plus 5 minutes for questions. Posters should be a maximum of 4 ft x 4 ft in size and will be attached with pushpins to the provided boards. Printing will be the responsibility of the presenters.
Abstract submission deadline: September 25th. For more information, check the showcase web page or email conservationshowcase@merseytobeatic.ca
Conservation Showcase Website
As always, you can stay up to date with MTRI’s events by following us on Facebook and Instagram
