A Day in the Life of CVC's Conservation Areas Technicians

Picturesque Island Lake Conservation Area (CA) is located in the rolling hills of Dufferin County in the Towns of Orangeville and Mono, and provides four seasons of recreation. In the summer time the Conservation Area offers boat, canoe, pavilion and barbeque rentals, as well as picnicking, hiking and sightseeing opportunities for visitors. The role of the Conservation Areas Technician is to ensure that the daily activities at the CA run smoothly. They are responsible for ensuring the safe operation and daily inspection of CVC-owned and operated equipment, as well as handling cash, and carrying out general development, park maintenance and operations procedures.

5:30 a.m. – Time to tend to the boats. We check and set all 15 boats up with working motors and batteries to ensure that they are fully functional for daily rentals. We open the washrooms and gatehouse to prepare for the many visitors that we expect during park hours.

6:00 a.m. – As we open the front gates, there is a growing lineup of fisherman waiting to get their first catch of the day.

6:10 a.m. - A steady stream of customers come in to rent boats for the day.

7:30 a.m. – Now that we’ve attended to the morning rush, we start to groom the beach for the many picnickers, swimmers and sunbathers that attend the conservation area.

8:30 a.m. - We clean and prep the barbeques and pavilions for the day’s group picnics. Conservation Areas are a great place to gather family and friends for an inexpensive day of socializing, swimming, fishing, barbecuing, sight-seeing, enjoying nature etc. The possibilities are endless.

9:15 a.m. – We patrol the lake for the mornings catch and ensure that all of the renter’s boat batteries are functioning properly.

10:00 a.m. – We rent out canoes to eager fishermen that forgot to reserve a boat. Our boats are a hot commodity so it’s wise to book in advance. We keep an eye out on the beach and pavilion to ensure that people are following the rules and are having a good time here at Island Lake.

12:00 p.m. – As the morning boat rentals come in, we change over the batteries to prepare for the afternoon fishermen. We also begin to rent out boats to the afternoon visitors.

2:30 p.m. – The afternoon staff begins their day by checking the garbage and washrooms to ensure everything is up to par for the customers.

3:30 p.m. – We patrol the lake again to make sure that everyone is in good shape. Customer safety is very important to us. We also take a ride down the trails to see who is catching fish from shore. Remember that you need an Ontario fishing license in order to fish.

5:00 p.m. – As the picnickers pack up for the day, we clean up the barbeques, pavilions, and picnic areas to prepare for the next day’s groups.

6:00 p.m. – It’s time to take the motors and batteries out of the returned boats to prepare for the close.

6:30 p.m. – We patrol the beach looking for mischievous visitors. We also ensure that no alcoholic beverages are being consumed on the premises.

7:30 p.m. – The gatehouse is closed for the day and the lake is patrolled to let renters know that they are to return their boats by 8:30. We replace the garbage, and clean and close the washroom for the night.

8:30 p.m. – The boats are taken apart and locked up and deposits returned. Any garbage that has accumulated throughout the day is removed. At 8:50 we close the gate halfway to caution people that the park will be closing soon.

9:00 p.m. – It’s nearing the end of the day and we close out our registers and calculate the day’s totals. Double checking all boats, canoes, kayaks, fuel, storage, and batteries, we ensure that everything is functional and that the sheds and washrooms are locked and ready for the next day.

9:30 p.m. – The park is patrolled one final time, the gate is locked and closed for the night, and it’s time to head home.

Under the Naturalists' Eye - Garlic Mustard : A Problematic Plant

Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), a member of the Brassicaceae (mustard) family, is native to Europe and Asia where it occupies disturbed areas (e.g. trails, roadsides, forest edges and floodplains). This plant has coarsely toothed leaves that give off the odor of garlic when crushed. It was introduced to the United States in the 1860s and has since spread to several Canadian provinces and 30 eastern and mid-western states, with recent sightings as far west as Oregon. In North America, garlic mustard has become an aggressive invader of not only disturbed areas, but relatively undisturbed closed-canopy communities (e.g. forest and swamps) as well.

Garlic mustard proliferates rapidly, out-competing native herbaceous (understory) plants, including the seedlings of shrubs and trees. Earlier this spring, a study was published by researchers from several prominent universities, including the University of Guelph, indicating that garlic mustard is also having an impact on mature deciduous forest trees (hardwoods). The “weed” releases chemicals into the soil, harming soil fungi deciduous trees use to grow and survive. (The fungi act to expand the reach of a tree’s roots through filaments which penetrate the roots of the trees and extend into the soil.)

Because the seeds of garlic mustard can remain viable in the soil for several years, effective management strategies require a long-term commitment. The goal is to prevent seed production until the stored seed is exhausted. If you would like to minimize the spread of garlic mustard on your property, please consider some of the following options.

1) Remove the entire plant (including the root system – to prevent it from re-sprouting). To do this, firmly grasp the plant close to its base and tug gently until the main root loosens from the soil and the entire plant pulls out. Pulled plants should be removed from the site. *Note – Garlic mustard thrives in disturbed habitats, so this removal method is best applied where new or “satellite” populations appear.

2) Cut the flowering stems at the ground level or within several inches of the ground in order to prevent seed production. *Note: - This approach should be used before the seeds have matured (or removal efforts may in fact spread the seeds). Again, bag and remove plants from the site.

3) For very heavy infestations, applications of some herbicides can be effective. Before using this approach, please contact CVC as extreme care must be taken to: avoid applying any kind of pesticide to sensitive areas (e.g. areas of groundwater recharge); avoid applying herbicides to native plant species, which would also be killed; direct the herbicide and limit non-intentional drift.

Regardless of the method used, diligent garlic mustard removal and frequent monitoring of the site is required in order to ensure that seed stores in the soil are depleted. If you observe garlic mustard in a conservation area or on municipal or other public lands, please contact the appropriate agency. For more information on this topic, please see the following websites:

http://www.ipm.msu.edu/garlicFAQ.htm

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/alpe1.htm

http://biology.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.0040140

Health and Safety Warning : Giant Hogweed

Giant hogweed is a large flowering perennial (it lives for more than two years) that may cause severe skin irritations. Contact with the sap of this plant may increase the sensitivity of some people’s skin to sunlight. The resulting dermatitis is more like a burn than a rash and is sometimes referred to as false or artificial sunburn because it causes painful, burning blisters. Blisters or blotches are likely to develop when sap comes into contact with moist skin in the presence of sunlight. People that have come in contact with this plant have reported symptoms that continue for months!

In 2004, the first confirmed presence of Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) in the Credit River watershed was observed in a ditch to the east side of Heritage Road,

just north of King Street in Terra Cotta. Giant Hogweed is not common in the watershed, but there have been other reports (Riverwood Park, Mississauga).

Giant Hogweed can be easily misidentified with a number of native and valuable plants including: cow parsnip, purple angelica, Queen Anne’s lace, water parsnip, and both water hemlocks (bulbet-bearing and spotted). Key identification features of Giant Hogweed are size and purple splotches on the stem (visible in photos).

For safety and ecological reasons, please do not remove any plants that you suspect are Giant Hogweed without getting confirmation. The plant is not native to Canada.

Below is a link to a website examining differences between giant hogweed and similar plants.

http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/allegany_cattaraugus/hort/PestAlert.htm

Exclosures at Rattray Marsh Showing Success

Common carp and Canada geese are regular visitors to Rattray Marsh. While it is nice to see wildlife in the marsh, these two species can indirectly impact aquatic vegetation by stirring up bottom sediment and reducing water clarity. They also have a direct impact on aquatic vegetation by eating new plant growth. Since 2005, Credit Valley Conservation has been assessing the effects of excluding these species from parts of the marsh. The results from these experiments will help to assess the pros and cons of establishing a permanent carp barrier in the marsh.

There are now six carp and Canada goose exclosures in the marsh. Of the five small ones that were built in 2005, the one situated on the mud-flats has a significant amount of plant growth. Species found in the exclosure include water smartweed, grasses and a species of rush. Arrowhead planted in the exclosure in late spring of this year is also growing.

The remaining small exclosures have been submerged since they were built. No emergent plants are growing, however, one where the water is the deepest has a submergent plant, water milfoil, growing in it.

The large exclosure on the south side of the marsh was built in the spring of 2006 and is approximately 40’ x 20’ in size. With the low waters in the marsh this year, carp access into some areas of the marsh has been limited and the interior of the exclosure has been submerged only a few inches. Plant growth has been surprising, with a rush species, soft-stem bulrush and water plantain found growing naturally. Soft-stem bulrush and arrowhead were also planted in late spring and both are doing well. In fact, the arrowhead has flowered!! Given the timing of the planted soft-stem bulrush, it is unlikely that the transplanted material is responsible for the new plants.

Arrowhead was also planted at the edge of the marsh outside of an exclosure and was browsed soon after planting. It has recovered and while it is the smallest of the three transplanted plants, it is surviving.

Based on these experiments, it is evident keeping carp and geese out from parts of the marsh has allowed existing seedbanks to grow and has aided in the increased diversity of vegetation in the marsh.

The experiments are expected to continue as the larger Rattary Marsh Environmental Assessment process moves forward. For more information on this project, please contact Jon Clayton at (905) 670-1615 x241 or jclayton@creditvalleycons.com.