December 14th .
Dec 21, 2009
Ice Everywhere
The clear ice was the last to freeze. Hoarfrost 'feathers' formed on the older ice. On December 19th, the clear ice was three inches thick.
frost feathers
This photo shows where some very thin ice was blown to shore shortly before the lake froze over. The feathery crystals on the ice surface form from the fog that came from the open water as it was freezing over.
Kukagami Environment Watch Area News
http://www.kewatch.blogspot.com/ Winter 2009-10
It’s the beauty that fills me with wonder/It’s the stillness that fills me with Peace. Robert Service
http://www.kewatch.blogspot.com/ Winter 2009-10
It’s the beauty that fills me with wonder/It’s the stillness that fills me with Peace. Robert Service
Kukagami Ice!
It didn’t take long for the ice to cover Kukagami Lake this winter. The last boat was seen crossing the lake on December 11th, and the last of the open water disappeared 6 days later. This ‘fast freeze’ bodes well for excellent ice conditions this winter. Skating over the holidays will be grand!
Go to the Kukagami Environment Watch website to see lots of photos of the new ice.
Kukagami Snow!
Snow also has a good start on the season. Some folks have been skiing already, with old skis of course as there are rocks hiding under this early blanket of snow. More snow predicted for Christmas Day will make a lot of winter lovers happy.
Making Snowflakes
The intricacies of snowflakes fascinate us. The infinite variations of patterns captivate our imagination. The perfection of their symmetry inspires awe. To recreate this beauty with paper and scissors is a challenge. You can’t simply take a sheet of white paper and fold it over three times before cutting out a lacy shape. When you do that, you get an eight-sided doily – not a snowflake. Snowflakes are hexagons, always.
It is easiest to begin with a square sheet of paper. Fold two of the corners together to make a triangle. Measure and mark the exact centre of the long side. Now you have to be careful with the next fold. This triangle has to be folded into three equal sections. If you want to be precise, use a protractor to measure the angles at 60 degrees. At this point, you will have a cone-shaped paper with the original corners of the paper sticking out. Trim these off to make a rounded top.
It is easiest to do the cutting now, while there are only six layers of paper at each edge. It is important to make a design that is symmetrical along both of the long edges of the paper. Cut the design, and unfold your creation!
The whole process only takes a couple of minutes. Take a good look at your first flake, then make several more. Learn from each flake. Does it seem to have 12 points instead of 6? Fix this by making a deep cut from the top of the cone. Are the spokes too wide? Cut closer to the long folded edges. Does it have a hole in the middle? Don’t cut off the narrow tip of the cone. Do the six points end up with different widths or shapes? Be more careful to fold the paper evenly into the 60-degree angles, and crease the folds sharply.
Making snowflakes from paper is a simple task. Making them well can be a challenge.
Learn all about snowflakes in “A Guide to Nature in Winter”, by Donald Stokes.
Kukagami on the Internet:
Winter Camping
Here’s a link to a neat website describing a winter camping expedition to Kukagami last New Year’s. Some folks from Sudbury enjoyed a wonderful few days on our quiet shores.
Ice fishing?
No, the folks in this clip weren’t really ice fishing on Kukagami. But it sure makes for a good laugh! See if you can figure out where this story was captured.
Blog from the (frozen) Bog
Yup - winter's here and the skating in the main lake is great! I was out 3 times today and can hardly wait for tomorrow. If you don't have skates check the second hand store.
Safety first of course -if you haven't been skating for decades, as was our case -do consider a helmet (bike or snowmobile). We pensioners don't have the same finesse we used to. The old program of pushing a chair for balance still works or use a ski pole or two just for extra support. The 3" of snow is light and does not affect the skating -you can skate as if it is not there.
I have a pair of canal blades - they were invented in Ottawa and consist of cross-country ski bindings on a specially made set of skate blades. That way you get to wear your ski boots, which I find are usually far more comfortable than skates. The blades are longer than on regular skates, which means of course you can go faster and they are easy to handle.
This kind of skating does not happen too often - so take advantage of it quickly before we get more snow!
Once the snow comes we should be able to ski on the lake. Hopefully our own groomer will get the "401" groomed and we can meet on the trails.
Well - there's not a lot to complain about on the road - no dust, no washboard - always a nice break from the summer conditions. Does anyone know what the light is that you see to the north just at the top of the hill by the Awrey dump ?
Thanks to those who stopped to help / enquire about my shredded tire by the railway tracks the other day . maybe I should have checked my tires before I left the driveway !!??
Hope everyone has a great Christmas and look forward to seeing you out on the trails, the lake etc.
Website and Newsletter
The KEW newsletter is published quarterly, and sent by email to any interested person. Paper copies can be provided to residents upon request. Drop a note to Kukagami Environment Watch, 432 Fox Road, Wahnapitae, ON, P0M 3C0. The Website is updated randomly through the year – so check for new information and photos! Submit photos and news items to our email – listed below.
If you know anyone who would like to receive the KEW newsletter, send his or her e-mail address to KEW@kukagami.infosathse.com. If you would like to be removed from the list, please reply to this address.
Sep 28, 2009
Kukagami Environment Watch Area News
http://www.kewatch.blogspot.com/ Autumn 2009
The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. Anne Frank
Annual Road Clean-up
The official fall road clean up will take place between October 3rd and 13th.. This allows two weekends so that it can fit into most folks’ schedules and allow you to pick a sunny day. This is also over the Thanksgiving weekend, so you can do a little litter cleanup while walking off that big TG dinner!
Many folks have committed to clean a section of the road every year. There are still some sections that could use a little help. Sign up to clean a one or two km section of the road. We can provide garbage bags and work gloves. To register for your section of the road, drop a line here at KEW@kukagami.infosathse.com.
Bring a friend – it’s a fine way to spend a autumn day while at camp.
Lakeshore Clean-up
All though the summer, Kukagami neighbours enjoyed boating, swimming, fishing and camping on and around Kukagami and Donald Lakes. Many of us took the time and effort to pick up stuff we found along the way: pop cans, beer bottles, bait containers, food wrappers, water bottles! Also found were: a 30 foot waterline, pieces of foam water toys, balloons, and sadly, dirty diapers.
Keeping our water and shoreline clean and healthy insures happy and healthy lakeside living for all of us, residents and visitors alike.
During our third annual Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-up project on September 26th, we carted another boatful of rusty garbage from one of the ‘historic’ dumpsites on the lake. This year, the load included an old fridge!
Thanks to the dedicated folks who work to keep our shoreline beautiful!
The Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-up project welcomes opportunities to add more lakes to its roster. Anyone with a strong interest in restoring any lakeshore to its natural beauty is encouraged to contact them at www.vanaqua.org/cleanup.
Autumn is Here!
The International Year of Astronomy 2009 is a global effort (UNESCO) to help the citizens of the world rediscover their place in the Universe through the day- and night-time sky, and thereby engage a personal sense of wonder and discovery. KEW newsletters this year have been encouraging folks to pay attention to their outdoor lighting.
Here’s some information from the Campaign for Dark Skies. “The detrimental effect of bad lighting is now so serious that the American Medical Association has called for a national effort on light pollution, stating that "many species (including humans) need darkness to survive and thrive"
There is now significant evidence showing that exposure to light at night can disrupt the body's production of melatonin, a brain hormone best known for its daily role in resetting the body's biological clock. Secreted primarily in the brain, and at night, melatonin triggers a host of biochemical activities, including a nocturnal reduction in the body's production of oestrogen. Research has shown that decreasing nocturnal melatonin production increases an individual's risk of developing oestrogen-related malignancies, such as breast cancer.
Local Logging News
Piquette Logging, contractor for Domtar, began harvesting on Friday Sept 4. They are operating in a jack pine stand just North of Boot Lake. The Dump by-pass has been re-opened for truck traffic and will be used for hauling. Vermillion Forest Management (VFM) expects 4-6 loads of logs to be hauled out per day. They may also harvest a few poplar stands along Kukagami Lake road just south of the dump after the timing restrictions no longer apply. (Thanksgiving weekend). Whether they harvest these poplar stands or not will depend on market conditions at the time.
VFM is currently preparing the Draft Plan for logging from 2010 to 2020. An Open House for the public to view areas selected for cutting will be scheduled for early winter. KEW will post dates/places on the website when they are announced.
Blog from the Bog The Common Loon “Gavia Immer”
Common loons establish their breeding territories on freshwater lakes. New territories can be on vacant lakes or by replacing a missing pair member or by actively evicting a member of another pair of loons. If it is the female loon that is displaced she will move to an adjacent lake. When the intruder is a male, a vicious battle takes place and the winner stays and the loser leaves the lake. About 30% of male territorial battles are fatal and if a loon is killed it is almost always the resident male, not the intruder. If the intruding male loses the battle, he usually survives. Death usually occurs by one loon being speared underwater by the beak of the aggressor. Sometimes a battle can last an entire day!
Vocalizations: The male loons are the ones with the “yodel” and this yodel plays a role in the territorial defense. The male yodel is usually given in response to the potential intrusion of another male. Each male has his own characteristic yodel and it is stable from year to year. However if a male changes his territory he changes his yodel. The pitch of the yodel reflects the mass and physical condition of the male loon. The heavier the male loon, the lower the pitch of the yodel, and the lighter the male loon the higher the pitch of the yodel. Often males who are thinking of invading a territory will fly over it and listen to the yodels of the resident males to determine what shape they are in! The length of the yodel reflects the willingness to fight – a long yodel is much more of a threat than a shorter yodel.
The nervous call we hear from loons (both male and female) is called a tremolo.
Migration: In the fall there are often social gatherings of from 15-20 adult loons (there have been some of up to 75 loons in one place at one time). However when they are ready to start the migration, the larger group breaks up and they head south in smaller groups of from 2 to 10 adult loons. The loons migrate south to salt water. The adults tend to leave first for the south and the young are left on the lakes to fend for themselves and they wait until the last minute before the lake ices over to begin their migration south The young tend to stay on the salt water for 3 to 5 years before returning to the northern lakes. Interestingly, the male young tend to return to within 2 to 3 kilometers of their birth lake. The female young are more scattered when they return but still come to the same general area as they were born in.
Canadian Lakes Loon Survey: This project is volunteer based and provides a general summary of loon breeding success on Ontario lakes since 1995. You can take part in next year’s survey by contacting Canadian Lakes Loon Survey at Bird Studies Canada (1-888-448-2473 email: aqsurvey@bsc-eoc.org website: http://www.birdscanada.org/
Website and Newsletter
The KEW newsletter is published monthly, and sent by email to any interested person. Paper copies can be provided to residents upon request. Drop a note to Kukagami Environment Watch, 432 Fox Road, Wahnapitae, ON, P0M 3C0. The Website is updated randomly through the month – so check for new information and photos! Submit photos and news items to our email – listed below.
If you know anyone who would like to receive the KEW newsletter, send his or her e-mail address to KEW@kukagami.infosathse.com. If you would like to be removed from the list, please reply to this address.
http://www.kewatch.blogspot.com/ Autumn 2009
The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. Anne Frank
Annual Road Clean-up
The official fall road clean up will take place between October 3rd and 13th.. This allows two weekends so that it can fit into most folks’ schedules and allow you to pick a sunny day. This is also over the Thanksgiving weekend, so you can do a little litter cleanup while walking off that big TG dinner!
Many folks have committed to clean a section of the road every year. There are still some sections that could use a little help. Sign up to clean a one or two km section of the road. We can provide garbage bags and work gloves. To register for your section of the road, drop a line here at KEW@kukagami.infosathse.com.
Bring a friend – it’s a fine way to spend a autumn day while at camp.
Lakeshore Clean-up
All though the summer, Kukagami neighbours enjoyed boating, swimming, fishing and camping on and around Kukagami and Donald Lakes. Many of us took the time and effort to pick up stuff we found along the way: pop cans, beer bottles, bait containers, food wrappers, water bottles! Also found were: a 30 foot waterline, pieces of foam water toys, balloons, and sadly, dirty diapers.
Keeping our water and shoreline clean and healthy insures happy and healthy lakeside living for all of us, residents and visitors alike.
During our third annual Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-up project on September 26th, we carted another boatful of rusty garbage from one of the ‘historic’ dumpsites on the lake. This year, the load included an old fridge!
Thanks to the dedicated folks who work to keep our shoreline beautiful!
The Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-up project welcomes opportunities to add more lakes to its roster. Anyone with a strong interest in restoring any lakeshore to its natural beauty is encouraged to contact them at www.vanaqua.org/cleanup.
Autumn is Here!
The International Year of Astronomy 2009 is a global effort (UNESCO) to help the citizens of the world rediscover their place in the Universe through the day- and night-time sky, and thereby engage a personal sense of wonder and discovery. KEW newsletters this year have been encouraging folks to pay attention to their outdoor lighting.
Here’s some information from the Campaign for Dark Skies. “The detrimental effect of bad lighting is now so serious that the American Medical Association has called for a national effort on light pollution, stating that "many species (including humans) need darkness to survive and thrive"
There is now significant evidence showing that exposure to light at night can disrupt the body's production of melatonin, a brain hormone best known for its daily role in resetting the body's biological clock. Secreted primarily in the brain, and at night, melatonin triggers a host of biochemical activities, including a nocturnal reduction in the body's production of oestrogen. Research has shown that decreasing nocturnal melatonin production increases an individual's risk of developing oestrogen-related malignancies, such as breast cancer.
Local Logging News
Piquette Logging, contractor for Domtar, began harvesting on Friday Sept 4. They are operating in a jack pine stand just North of Boot Lake. The Dump by-pass has been re-opened for truck traffic and will be used for hauling. Vermillion Forest Management (VFM) expects 4-6 loads of logs to be hauled out per day. They may also harvest a few poplar stands along Kukagami Lake road just south of the dump after the timing restrictions no longer apply. (Thanksgiving weekend). Whether they harvest these poplar stands or not will depend on market conditions at the time.
VFM is currently preparing the Draft Plan for logging from 2010 to 2020. An Open House for the public to view areas selected for cutting will be scheduled for early winter. KEW will post dates/places on the website when they are announced.
Blog from the Bog The Common Loon “Gavia Immer”
Common loons establish their breeding territories on freshwater lakes. New territories can be on vacant lakes or by replacing a missing pair member or by actively evicting a member of another pair of loons. If it is the female loon that is displaced she will move to an adjacent lake. When the intruder is a male, a vicious battle takes place and the winner stays and the loser leaves the lake. About 30% of male territorial battles are fatal and if a loon is killed it is almost always the resident male, not the intruder. If the intruding male loses the battle, he usually survives. Death usually occurs by one loon being speared underwater by the beak of the aggressor. Sometimes a battle can last an entire day!
Vocalizations: The male loons are the ones with the “yodel” and this yodel plays a role in the territorial defense. The male yodel is usually given in response to the potential intrusion of another male. Each male has his own characteristic yodel and it is stable from year to year. However if a male changes his territory he changes his yodel. The pitch of the yodel reflects the mass and physical condition of the male loon. The heavier the male loon, the lower the pitch of the yodel, and the lighter the male loon the higher the pitch of the yodel. Often males who are thinking of invading a territory will fly over it and listen to the yodels of the resident males to determine what shape they are in! The length of the yodel reflects the willingness to fight – a long yodel is much more of a threat than a shorter yodel.
The nervous call we hear from loons (both male and female) is called a tremolo.
Migration: In the fall there are often social gatherings of from 15-20 adult loons (there have been some of up to 75 loons in one place at one time). However when they are ready to start the migration, the larger group breaks up and they head south in smaller groups of from 2 to 10 adult loons. The loons migrate south to salt water. The adults tend to leave first for the south and the young are left on the lakes to fend for themselves and they wait until the last minute before the lake ices over to begin their migration south The young tend to stay on the salt water for 3 to 5 years before returning to the northern lakes. Interestingly, the male young tend to return to within 2 to 3 kilometers of their birth lake. The female young are more scattered when they return but still come to the same general area as they were born in.
Canadian Lakes Loon Survey: This project is volunteer based and provides a general summary of loon breeding success on Ontario lakes since 1995. You can take part in next year’s survey by contacting Canadian Lakes Loon Survey at Bird Studies Canada (1-888-448-2473 email: aqsurvey@bsc-eoc.org website: http://www.birdscanada.org/
Website and Newsletter
The KEW newsletter is published monthly, and sent by email to any interested person. Paper copies can be provided to residents upon request. Drop a note to Kukagami Environment Watch, 432 Fox Road, Wahnapitae, ON, P0M 3C0. The Website is updated randomly through the month – so check for new information and photos! Submit photos and news items to our email – listed below.
If you know anyone who would like to receive the KEW newsletter, send his or her e-mail address to KEW@kukagami.infosathse.com. If you would like to be removed from the list, please reply to this address.
Jun 27, 2009
Area News July 2009
I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in tune once more.
John Burroughs
early summer morning on the lake photo by Mary Waddell
Chiniguchi Park in Review
In July 1999, Ontario's Living Legacy announced that Kukagami and surrounding lakes would be protected areas. No more logging, no new prospecting, no new land sales, no new dams. Essentially, being included within the protection of Ontario's Living Legacy has ensured that our lakes and 200 metres of forest around us will not be changed by industrial development!
Most of the waterways north of us were regulated as the Chiniguchi Park in 2005. Regulation does not change anything for those of us who hunt, fish, ATV, snowmobile, canoe and hike in the area. Currently, there is no fee for overnight camping in the protected areas. Although there are camping fees in the Temagami Area Parks, there are no plans to extend these fees into the Chiniguchi Park.
One good reason not to charge camping fees in the regulated part of Chiniguchi Park is that this would increase camping pressure in the areas that are not yet regulated, which includes Wolf Lake, the south end of Matagamasi Lake, and Kukagami Lake.
Sometime this year, there may be a proposal to remove all protection from the Wolf Lake area, and the southern part of Matagamasi where active mining claims still exist. As well, there may be a proposal to regulate Kukagami Lake as a Conservation Reserve, instead of the original intention to include Kukagami in the Chiniguchi Waterway Park. KEW will send out a special newsletter when these proposals are opened for comment.
Lakeshore Clean-up
KEW once again will work with the TD Canada Trust Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-up project. For the last two years, we concentrated on an old dumpsite on a point across from Lion's Head narrows. We took out two boatloads of garbage. This year, we will begin clean-ups at the mid lake dumpsite. Let us know you are interested by dropping a note to KEW@kukagami.infosathse.com
All though the summer, we ask all our Kukagami neighbours to take a few minutes to pick up stuff you find while boating along our beautiful shoreline.
The Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-up project welcomes opportunities to add more lakes to its roster. Anyone with a strong interest in restoring any lakeshore to its natural beauty is encouraged to contact them at www.vanaqua.org/cleanup. You can go to this site to see a list of lakes that already have organized clean-up dates, as well as to register new lakes.
Thunder Boxes
A thunder box is a great thing to find. Tucked back into the woods, down a narrow little trail, and often with a great view, Thunder Boxes are placed near campsites for the toiletry convenience of the campers. These boxes are placed far enough away from water to eliminate human waste contamination of our waterways.
Several of these boxes were built at a local high school and donated to KEW this summer. We are looking for suggestions for which campsites on our local lakes are getting heavy camper use, and volunteers to place the boxes. Tell us where! We'll get a box there!
Summer is Here!
The sun rises early in the morning, and sets late in the evening. We hardly even need to turn the lights on at all! The International Year of Astronomy 2009 is a global effort (UNESCO) to help the citizens of the world rediscover their place in the Universe through the day- and night-time sky, and thereby engage a personal sense of wonder and discovery.
Here's some information from the International Darksky Association
Need that Light to Feel Safe at Night?
Real Safety vs. Perceived Safety: The 175-watt dusk-to-dawn security light may give the illusion of safety, because it's so bright, but it is really counterproductive to good vision. The criminal can hide in the glare or in the deep shadows near such poor lighting. (Look around near one. See the deep shadows next to the overlit areas? It is hard for the eye to adapt to such sharp transitions.) Light used for security should be of such a nature that the owner can see better.
So what to do? Here are two suggestions:
1. Use a low wattage light source, in a good (well shielded) fixture.
The fixture should control the light output so that it goes only where needed, not into a neighbour's yard or windows, or up into the sky.
2. Use an infrared sensor spotlight fixture. The spotlights only come on when the sensor sees movement. Any intruder will be scared off by the sudden turn-on of the spotlights. You are alerted by the light coming on, and your neighbours are more likely to notice, too.
Click here for the full article on how to keep our dark sky.
NEW Feature: Blog from the Bog
Since is the first blog from the bog –we'll start with some actual bog news.
The word from the Temagami people is that there are a lot more bears this year – doesn't sound good at all. I have seen 5 already – one a baby cub . Something else of interest I heard from someone at MNR is that the city of Sudbury no longer bans the use of firearms in the city (Mind you this is all hearsay but it might be worth checking into.)
A friend of mine was talking with some of them "Tarauna" (Toronto) folks. The one lady had done many trips up in this area and started all her trips at " meta ma gassey" (Matagamasi). He tried to correct her pronunciation whereupon she announced she knew what she was talking about as she had been tripping there for years! Go figure.
Too hot to work too hard – will have to float around in the lake for a while – which I am very good at.
All for now,
The Swamp Rat
Website and Newsletter
The KEW newsletter is published monthly, and sent by email to any interested person. Paper copies can be provided to residents upon request. Drop a note to Kukagami Environment Watch, 432 Fox Road, Wahnapitae, ON, P0M 3C0. The Website is updated randomly through the month – so check for new information and photos! Submit photos and news items to our email – listed below.
Kukagami Neighbours Share Their Spirit
Honouring Roy Pella at 41st House of Kin Sports Celebrity Dinner
A group of Kukagami neighbours enjoyed an evening with the Pella family to honour Roy Pella who was posthumously inducted into the 2009 Sudbury Sports hall of Fame.
As a young man, Roy gained world recognition as an athlete.
At the 1952 Olympic trials, Roy shattered the Canadian record with a discus
toss of 157 feet 3.25 inches. At the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland, Roy placed 14th.
In 1954, at the British Empire Games, Roy set another Canadian record with a toss of 162 feet 6 inches. At the Commonwealth games of the same year, Roy became a silver medallist.
A few years later, Roy built his camp on Kukagami Lake set between his friends Roger DelBosco and Ed Kusnierczyk. With his wife Roma and their children Debby, Laurie, and Gordon, the renowned athlete found joy, contentment and lasting friends on our shores. During his years of battle with cancer, Roy found strength and peace, as he enjoyed the beauty and thrill of the changing seasons at Kukagami. His death in 1993 at 62, reminds each of us to enjoy each moment.
The evening with friends to acknowledge the achievements of Roy and so many of Sudbury's athletes was a testament to the heart of the House of Kin which welcomes patients and families who must leave their homes and travel long distances to get hospital care .The money raised at the dinner will help House of Kin remain a home away from home.
More Kukagami Neighbours Raise Money
Spring awakens the generous spirit of Sudburians; Kukagami neighbours get out to wholeheartedly support valuable events to raise money and ensure that research and advancements are made in the fight against
disease.
Kukagami Crusaders
The McDonalds gather their family and friends to raise money for the Muscular Sclerosis Society. The funds raised go to research, client care and equipment. In May, the walk for MS saw more than 20 Kukagami Crusaders carrying their banner as they joined in the yearly walk. After 11 years of working to raise awareness and money to find a cure, the McDonald family has lost none of its determination, its energy, and its fun loving spirit. They have walked, strolled, and scootered through sunshine, rain, sleet and snow. Their crusaders include friends and family from infants to 80 year olds, those who can join in the walk and those who work at organizing the unfolding of the day's events. It is no surprise that they have been Top Team in size and in pledges raised for all of the 11 years.
Their efforts would be in vain without the donations from so many in the community. In eleven years, the Crusaders have collected an impressive $49,513.00. Next spring, when you see announcements about The Walk
For MS, remember to drop in to McDonalds, view their awards and plaques, and leave a donation to encourage our own Kukagami Crusaders.
Kukagami Ladies' Lunch for Relay for Life
About ten years ago, a group of Kukagami ladies were invited to meet for lunch without the handsome men of the camps. There would be no talk about the number of fish caught, the biggest fish lost, the best time and place to catch more fish. This would be a time to share girl conversations, to giggle, to enjoy each others' company and eat some interesting food.
Of course, the women always ask, "What can I bring?" Four years ago, the answer was, "Bring a donation for Relay for Life." The women enjoy a pleasant few hours; always seem to meet one new Kukagami neighbour and they help raise money for The Retired Teachers' Relay for Life team.
Since we have many retired teachers living on our shores and we all have known the suffering and loss caused by cancer, donating money to find a cure seems a fitting cause.
"Life is mostly froth and bubble,
Two things stand like stone,
Kindness in another's trouble,
Courage in your own" Adam L Gordon
If you know anyone who would like to receive the KEW newsletter, send his or her e-mail address to KEW@kukagami.infosathse.com. If you would like to be removed from the list, please send a note to that effect.
Apr 17, 2009
Area News, Spring 2009
Kukagami Environment Watch Area News
http://kewatch.blogspot.com/ Spring 2009
| “Darkness is as essential to our biological welfare, to our internal clockwork, as light itself.” -Verlyn Klinkenborg, “Our Vanishing Night,” National Geographic magazine, November 2008 |
April 20 is International Dark Sky Night
All over the world, the night of 20 April is dedicated to the appreciation of starlight and the promotion activities that showcase the breathtaking spectacle of the universe at night. Simply turn your eyes to the sky from your backyard. How lucky we are here at the lake to have such a spectacular view of the universe!
Click here for ideas on how to keep our dark sky.
ICE!
Kukagami is full of ice this spring. Chances are good that it will be May before we can all get out to enjoy the open water again.
Fish!
MNR has been working to monitor and improve the lake trout fisheries in the northeast (Zone 10). They have just released a brochure for public comment. Here’s the website. http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/LetsFish/2ColumnSubPage/264844.html
Kukagami is still considered to be vulnerable to over fishing, and so will remain closed in winter.
The brochures also discuss some reasons why the lake trout are not as plentiful as they used to be. This could include the introduction of other fish species into the lakes, such as small mouth bass, and especially rock bass.
Frogs!
There are more than just a few million spring peepers out there. Get to know the mating calls of all the frogs that live nearby. You can clearly hear the songs of eight or nine frogs, as well as the lovely toad, once you know what to listen for. Go to Frogwatch to learn about our local frogs, and hear samples of their songs.
Forests!
Once again, some areas on the west side of Kukagami are available for logging in the coming year. However, markets are poor, so Vermilion Forest Management (VFM) staff doesn’t know yet if these areas will be cut.
Also, the new Forest Management Plan is currently available for public review. The new plan will cover the years 2010 to 2020. Contact VFM at vfm@ontera.net for details. Or call 560-3636.
Spring Road Clean-up
The official spring road clean up will take place between April 24th and May 3rd. This allows two weekends so that it can fit into most folks’ schedules and allow you to pick a sunny day. This is also before the blackflies! Sign up to clean a one or two km section of the road! To register for your section of the road, drop a line here at KEW@kukagami.infosathse.com.
Bring a friend – it’s a fine way to spend a spring day while at camp.
Spring Cleaning at Camp
Keep the three R’s in mind while doing your spring-cleaning this year…Reduce - Reuse - Recycle. If you find you have clothes, books, toys, or other small goods, take them in as a donation to the Salvation Army thrift store, the Jarrett Centre, or Value Village. (all in the Flour Mill area)
If you have usable construction materials, donate them to the RE-Store, on Frood Road. Also, plan on shopping at the RE-Store for hardware, paint, sinks, lamps, and lots more. Proceeds go to the local Habitat for Humanity.
Recreation and Education
Congratulations to the Kukagami Campers Association for securing a $14,000 grant from the city to enhance recreation and educational activities in our area! We look forward to activities coming to our neighbourhood soon!
If you know anyone who would like to receive the KEW newsletter, send his or her e-mail address to KEW@kukagami.infosathse.com. If you would like to be removed from the list, please reply to this address.
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