CONTENTS
December 1993
What You Want To Know!
-how does my school adopt a pond?
-do I participate every year?
Selecting Plants For Your Pond or Wildlife Garden
Native Trees and Shrubs for Wildlife
Grant Sources for Habitat Improvement
Aquiring Grants for Habitat Improvement
List of Native Plant Sources
An Awesome Environmental Show
Wetland Resources For Teachers
The Story of the Frog Prince
Over 600 schools are participating in the Adopt-A-Pond programme and more schools are becoming involved every day. We look forward to hearing about your pond activities again this year.
This edition of Amphibian Voice will attempt to answer some of the common questions we receive about adopting a pond,. restoring or creating habitat on or near your schoolyard.
How Does My School Adopt a Pond?
The simplest way to participate is by visiting a nearby wetland to observe amphibians and other wildlife. Write to Adopt-A-Pond about your visit and we will send you adoption certificates and amphibian conservation decals. If you are unable to visit a pond or stream near your school, "For the Love of Frogs" provides many useful suggestions for learning about amphibians in the classroom. Perform one of these activities or invent one of your own. How involved you become is up to the students, teachers and principal of your school. A visit to the zoo will also qualify you for adoption certificates. There are numerous wetlands on site, exhibits highlighting amphibians from North America and around the world, and a sample toad pond is located at the Outdoor Education Centre.
Remember, the first objective of Adopt-A-Pond is to increase awareness about amphibians and to protect existing amphibian wetland habitats. In addition, anything you do to restore or create habitat is encouraged.
Yes!!! Renew your commitment to prtect amphibians every year: add to the information collected during previous year's studies; continue to protect or enhance a local wetland, continue to inform students and the surrounding community about frogs, toads, newts, and salamanders. Write to Adopt-A-Pond - keep us up to date with your findings - share what you have learned with other schools across Ontario through the Amphibian Voice newsletter.
Selecting Plants for your Pond or Wildlife Garden
When planting vegetation in and around your pond, one should consider using plant species that grow naturally in your area. These species will be best adapted to local climate, moisture, ph and soil conditions. The following letter written by John Ambrose, Curator of Botany Metro Toronto Zoo, emphasizes the importance of selecting native plant species for habitat restoration projects.
ECO-RESTORATIONISTS GET AN ONTARIO CHAPTER
It was good to see your feature on ecological restoration ("The Miracle Workers" Winter 1992). After decades of struggling to save ever diminishing remnants of nature, and seeing the problems associated with fragmentation, there is finally an expanding realization that the solution is two-fold: save the pieces, but also look at a means to return ecological health to the landscape.
In southern Ontario, there is a vast potential to restore ecological functioning to and provide buffers or connections to isolated "islands of green". For forest restoration, there is a high diversity of pioneer tree and shrub species suitable for the spectrum of open sites. Thus, I don't think we need resort to exotic [species] - some of our most invasive exotics were originally introduce for "conservation" purposes. For those who have trouble finding appropriate stock for restoration planting, contact Landscape Ontario (416) 629-1184. This organization is aware of the changing needs for such plantings, and will connect you with local growers who carry the desired species.
For readers interested in maintaining contact with practitioners and promoters of this exciting field, an Ontario chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) is being planned. Contact the SER office in Madison, Wis. (608) 262-9547, or John Ambrose (416) 392-5973, for details.
John D. Ambrose
Curator of Botany
Metro Toronto Zoo
This letter first appeared in the Spring 1993 issue of Seasons Magazine, Volume 33, Number 1. Thanks to John Ambrose, and Gail Murk, Editor of Seasons, for allowing us to reprint the article.
Native Trees and Shrubs for Wildlife
Following is a brief list of wetland trees, shrubs and flowers native to Southern Ontario:
Alder
Alnus rugosa
Black-fruited choke-berry
Aronia melanocarpa
Common elder
Sambucus canadensis
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
Red osier dogwood
Cornus stolonifera
Sandbar-willow
Salix exigua
Nanny berry
Vibernum lentago
Swamp rose
Rosa palustris
Button bush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Riverbank Grape
Vitis riparia
Balsam fir
Albies balsamea
Tamarack
Larix larcinia
White cedar
Thuja occidentalis
White pine
Pinus strobus
White spruce
Picea glaca
Red maple
Acer rubrum
Silver maple
Acer saccharinum
Trembling aspen
Populus tremuloides
White ash
Fraxinus americana
White oak
Quercus alba
Meadow sweet
Spirea alba
Swamp milkweed
Asclepius palustris
Joe Pye Weed
Eupatorium maculatus
For information on the wildlife values of selected plants, and suggestions for attracting wildlife to your pond or gardens the following book is recommended:
Landscaping for Wildlife
Minnesota Department of Natural Reosurces
500 Lafayette Road, Box 7
St. Paul, MN 55155-4007
liST OF NATIVE PLANT SOURCES: SOUTHERN ONTARIO
Chalk Lake Greenhouses (perennials)
R.R. #4
Uxbridge, On
L0C 1K0
(416) 649-5384
Groen's Nursery Ltd. (woody plants)
1512 Brock Road
L9H 5E4
(416) 659-7072
* Grand River Conservation Authority (woody plants)
Box 729
400 Clyde Road
Cambridge, On
N1R 5W6
(519) 621-2761
Humber Nurseries Ltd. (woody and herbaceous plants)
R.R. #1
Brampton, On
L6T 3H7
(519) 677-9711
* Little Otter Tree Farm (woody and herbaceous plants)
R.R.#6
Tillsonburg, On
N4G 4G9
(519) 842-2419
Moore Water Gardens (aquatic plants)
Port Stanley, On
N0L 2A0
(519) 782-4052
Metro Toronto Region Conservation Authority (woody plants)
5 Shoreham Drive
Downsview, On
M3N 1S4
(416) 661-6000
*Otter Valley Native Plants (prairie/meadow plants and seed, some woody plants)
R.R. #1
Eden, On
N0J 1H0
(416) 699-8828
*Oneida Settlement (project in beginning stages, limited quantities of woody plants)
Oneida Tree Nursery Project
R.R. #2
Southwold, On
N0L 2G0
Redleaf Nursery (woody plants)
R.R. #1
Hornby, On
LOP 1E0
(416) 878-7166
Canadian Wildflower Society Seed Exchange
c/o Gail Rhynard
125 Golfview Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
M4E 2K6
While all of the nurseries on the above list grow some of their native plants from seed or cuttings collected locally, always query the owner/manager as to the source of plants or seed, as a high percentage of native plant species carried by Ontario nurseries are imported from the United States or grown from imported seed. Questioning nurseries as to plant/seed sources and refusing imported stock will go a long way to educate the nursery trade and encourage the growing of native plant material from locally collected seed.
Try to buy from those nurseries or individuals which grow all of their native plants from locally collected seed.
David Archibald and James Gordon are children's entertainers who have two totally awesome environmental plays to share with your school. The fist show is entitled "The Awesome Search for the Golden Toad", and describes the adventures of two students as they search for a rare Golden toad that has escaped from the zoo. During their search many threatened and endangered species are discovered. The students return inspired, and eager to share their knowledge about the plight of plants and animals from around the world. The second show, "Jim and Daves Awesome Environmental Adventure", demonstrates how pollution can spoil a summer vacation. In an entertaining and innovative way the show addresses environmental issues ranging from acid rain to toxic chemicals.
David and James are responsible for the creation and production of both shows. David Archibald has created musical works for Sesame Street and theme songs for groups such as friends of the Rouge Valley and Bon Echo Provincial Park. James Gordon has released two albums of original songs and composed works for Toronto's Children Environmental Festival. Both plays are extremely enjoyable and informative. They last approximately 50 minutes, and are suitable for children aged 8 to 12 yrs.
For More Information Contact:
Sue Richards
SGB productions
Box 714
Guelph, Ontario
N1H 6L3
(519) 767-0412 phone
(519) 824-9289 fax
Wetland Resources For Teachers
Federation of Ontario Naturalists:
The Federation of Ontario Naturalists has created an excellent wetlands education package for use by teachers, naturalists, and leaders of youth groups. Pamela Hickman's, "Wetlands", is available for $10.95 and provides suggestions for investigating the wonders of wetlands year round. For an additional $9.00 you will receive the complete "wetlands kit" featuring a Special edition of Season's Magazine, a "Wetlands Doodle Poster" and the popular "Life in an Ontario Wetland" poster, the "Get to Know your Ducks" fact sheet, and a field checklist to Ontario's birds.
For additional information on these or other educational resources available from the Federation of Ontario Naturalists contact:
Federation of Ontario Naturalists
355 Lesmill Road
Don Mills, Ontario
M3B 2W8
(416) 444-8419
The Story of the Frog Prince
by the Kennedy/Eglinton Summer Reading Program Kids
There once lived a prince who was a frog,
He used to live in a castle,
but now he lives in a bog.
He went outside every night,
To see if everything was alright.
There he met a fair maiden,
With hair as black as a raven,
He then married her under a log,
How unusual for a silly prince frog.