There is a fascinating and noteworthy trend about the hiking trails in Niagara Region. The theme has really come into the forefront over the past couple of months for me, given the snow, mud, and absence of vegetation. Trails are physically widening, and smaller trails are growing in both size and popularity. It’s like a dirt road that eventually becomes paved. The … [Read more...] about Local hiking trails are getting bigger — literally
Old-growth trees help keep certain species robust
This past weekend’s wind storm was one for the books. It was forecasted days in advance, as an appreciably massive cold front, stretching from Georgia in the U.S. to Quebec, bulldozed its way eastward across the continent. This violent and unforgettable weather system was created by unusually warm air from the Gulf of Mexico colliding with the crisp, cold air of the Canadian … [Read more...] about Old-growth trees help keep certain species robust
The Girl (La Nina) and the resulting floods
Niagara Region has been inundated with rainfall over the past week and a bit. Many residents witnessed swollen ditches, the creation of ponds where they never existed, and creeks turning into rivers. We have had an exceptionally wet fall so far. This is largely a circumstance of a global phenomenon known as La Nina. We’re looking at a globally influential weather event that … [Read more...] about The Girl (La Nina) and the resulting floods
Private property, salmon, big ideas for Four Mile Creek
I’m standing at the base of the Virgil reservoir’s north dam. I hop over some matted grass, mud, and find myself balanced on some concrete pillars. Beneath my feet flows a torrent of brown water and a forlorn group of salmon. Smack! A giant fish measuring two feet in length leaps out of the water, airborne with grace, met by a wall known as the Virgil Dam. The fish … [Read more...] about Private property, salmon, big ideas for Four Mile Creek
How did black bears end up in London, Goderich?
Following a typically cumbersome and mildly frustrating drive through the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), my biology brain began perseverating on how rough it must feel for a bear or a moose who accidentally finds itself too close to this urban mecca. What is too close? That depends on what perspective you indulge in. Black bears, moose, wolves, elk and wolverines used to occupy … [Read more...] about How did black bears end up in London, Goderich?
