FRIENDS OF THE OSPREY hosted the Lake Ontario North Regional Meeting on 14 April 2012 at Ken Reid Conservation Area. They presented a very informative talk on their work with osprey in the Kawarthas. Their adventures with building osprey platforms, returning young to nests, catching osprey and attaching telemetry equipment has been very rewarding. Check out www.friendsoftheosprey.org to follow the migration of the tagged osprey as she moves north. She overwintered in Brazil.
BUDGET BILL 55 – Ontario Nature is investigating the consequences of this recent budget bill. The government has made significant changes to the environmental legislation. Of particular concern are the Endangered Species Act, Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act and the Public Lands Act.
SNAPPING TURTLE HUNT PETITION was presented to government with 11,000 signatures and a report on why the Hunt is unsustainable to the snapping turtle population. A response is still to come. Snapping turtle meat was analyzed and found to contain mercury and PCB levels considered to be a potential health hazard.
A RESOLUTION opposing the development of an international airport on Pickering Lands will be presented at the Ontario Nature AGM for vote.
ONTARIO NATURE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING will be held June 8 – 10, 2012 at Opinicon Resort Hotel, Kingston area. Check website http://www.ontarionature.org/discover/annual_general_meeting.php for details of workshops, field trips, accommodation.