The Sandpiper Spring 2013 1-2 Message from the Director Diverse 3 HRM Getting Action on 4 Climate Change 5-6 Salamanders in Crisis! 7 Spring Activities for Kids 8 Learn about Dizolve laundry solutions 7 Poetry
Please help us keep going and growing in 2013
Welcome to the Spring Edition of The Sandpiper Message from the Director Signs of spring are in the air (except in my home province of Newfoundland that just got whacked with a zinger of a storm in early April!). In the past few months I have also felt a sense of hope.
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This is in spite of attempts to disenfranchise the majority Canadians from their democratic right to determine their country’s policies, character, and fate. Latest whacks to our Earth courtesy of the Conservative government: stepping away from international efforts to stop desertification (Canada no longer care about millions of people that will suffer due to the consequences of our fossil fuel orgy), our federal leaders acting as oil ambassadors by traveling to Washington to convince President Obama the worst oil source in the world is actually green, and publicly denying the seriousness of climate change and vilifying eminent NASA climate scientist James Hansen.
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Contributors to this edition of The Sandpiper Gretchen Fitzgerald, Matt Ellerbeck, David Foster, Emily Dodge, Christina MacLeod
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Given the running tally of losses ( and the bone-crushing Conservative political machine), you are right to wonder if have I finally lost touch with reality? Has the Harperization of Canada driven me to some kind of blissful dream state as an escape mechanism? In case you continue to think this, here are some concrete events to back up my sense of optimism. Action on climate change is getting support from the middle to the right wing side of the political spectrum. President Obama stated in his State of the Union address that : “for the sake of our children and our future, we must do more to combat climate change. “ Most Americans now believe there is no question that climate change is happening, which hopefully will create an opportunity for serious solutions in the US. The Head of the International Monetary Fund Christine Legarde and a former finance minister in the conservative government of Nicolas Sarkozy, recently stated “[u]nless we take action on climate change, future generations will be roasted, toasted, fried and grilled.” At the Manning Conference for Canadian conservative, attendees were urged to “go green” because that is where the vast majority of Canadians (76%!) want them to go - they need to at least appear to care about the environment to hold onto to power. Change is also happening coming from the grassroots. The Idle No More movement in Canada gave the first serious political blow back to the Harper regimes’ omnibus shred-fest of Canadian laws. Idle No More leaders stood up in the name of justice for indigenous peoples and demand recognition of treaty rights that supersede the changes in the omnibus bills – particularly decision-making that abdicates consultation. Moves to shift rights away from people and toward power elites (such as Harpers re-write of environmental laws at the behest of the oil lobby) fly in the face of the indigenous rights established and recognized over and over by our Supreme Court. In Atlantic Canada, many members of Idle No More are welcoming Sierra Club and other groups’ support - because they see their movement as integrally linked to protecting the environment - we literally share common ground in protecting the Earth. The grassroots movements to stop pipelines and fracking are also galvanizing more Canadians of all political stripes to say a definitive “no” to resource extraction at the expense of all other aspects of our health, environment and economy. In the last few weeks alone, we have received over two thousand handwritten signatures on a petition to ban the import of fracking waste in NS, the Save Our Seas and Shores Coalition is close to getting 1000 signatures on their petitions for a moratorium on oil and gas in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and three new community groups (if not more!) have been formed to respond to fracking on the West Coast of NL. This is translating into more people taking action. In our Halifax office, there seems to be more than the usual spring uptick in request for help, support, and volunteer offers. David Foster, our HRM Diversity coordinator is getting more and more volunteers to survey biodiversity. Volunteer Wanda Baxter wants to run the Bluenose Marathon for us. Lydia Ross is set to attend summer festivals to gather stories and signatures to help protect the Gulf of St. Lawrence as part of our Gulf Garland campaign. Our Communications volunteer Dwayne Ellis, is making our Facebook page and Twitter account buzz with activity. We even have two new volunteers duking it our over the Treasurer position! After a long Conservative winter, people want to connect to nature and each other. What does this mean for us at Sierra Club Atlantic? We know we need to get ready for the next wave of change, and that is what our strategic plan is all about. Well first off, we are looking for new members so we can make more change happen and help take back our country. If you have not joined or renewed your membership this year PLEASE DO SO HERE or by calling our offices at 902-444-3113. We are also developing an activist toolkit that we hope will help new activists learn some of the skills and tricks from Sierra Club members – and for the “old-timers’ to learn form each other! I have already picked up a few tips! As the sun begins to warm our gardens, lakes and beaches, let’s let the amazing bursting-forth of nature remind us of what we can do, together. Happy Spring everyone! Gretchen Fitzgerald, Executive Director
By: David Foster A Sierra Club Atlantic Canada project is partnering with the public in an ecology study in the Halifax Regional Municipality. Organized by David Foster, an undergraduate student of Biology and Sustainability at Dalhousie University, the project aims to increase community involvement in nature and science while establishing biodiversity baselines throughout the municipality. There is nature all around us, even in heavily urbanized environments. The study is about recognizing the nature throughout the geographically diverse HRM, and learning about the kinds of flora and fauna we might see a little closer to home as well. Still a relatively new project, HRM Diverse has had three public outings and engaged several members of the public in ecology in a way which is not intimidating to those inexperienced with naturalism. Through the use of illustrated identification guides, members of the public are able to participate in the study by identifying plants and animals within an established plot. Currently restricted to the kinds of wildlife one might expect to find in winter, as spring nears the study will broaden to include invertebrates, reptiles and amphibians. We are excited to hear more birds as the spring progresses! So far, participants have left the studies surprised at how easy participation in scientific studies can be when facilitated with the right tools. By spending a morning with the study, many volunteers have also been surprised at how much they enjoy a hike in the woods or a trek off the trail in their favourite urban park. The benefits of spending time in nature are well documented, with benefits ranging from relieving stress to preventing depression. The study is ongoing and events usually take place during weekend mornings. No experience with nature is required, however experienced naturalists are welcome to come and share their expertise. See facebook.com/ HRMDiverse for more information, or email hrmdiverse@gmail.com.
Getting Action on
Climate Change
n i s r e d n a m a l a S ! S I S I CR
WHAT POLITICAL PARTIES, ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS AND CITIZENS NEED TO DO http://howtogetclimateaction.wordpress.com/ Twitter @ClimateAction13 Email: howtogetclimateaction@gmail.com
How To Influence Your Politician on Climate Change There are a great many changes you can make in your life in order to fight climate change – carpooling, eating locally, turning down your thermostat, etc. However, if we are to truly address the threat of climate change, there needs to be changes in government policies. And in order to get that to happen, we need to get our local politicians on board. Like everything else in life, there is a right way and a wrong way to get a politician to take your cause seriously. To help you along, we’ve put together the top 7 “dos” and “don’ts” to influence your politician on climate change.
Top 7 Things to do to Influence Your Politician on Climate Change
Top 7 Inefficient ways to influence Politicians on Climate Change
1.Set up a meeting at their office to talk about why the issue is important to you, not just the science of climate change 2.Host a meeting and invite them personally to either attend or participate (either in person, through a letter or personalized email) 3.Call your politician or leave a message for them to personally call you 4.Work with them on a petition for them to personally present 5.If they are supportive, ask how you can help them build more support 6.Write a personal, hand-written note 7.Tweet @ them or private message them on facebook
1.Hosting a protest without sufficient numbers and unclear messages/asks 2.Online petitions that are not able to be presented in the House of Commons or Legislature 3.Postcard campaigns 4.Impersonal or standardized emails or letters 5.Hosting meetings or protests without informing the politician or without sufficient time for them to attend or participate 6.Long reports (great for evidence but hard for any politician to read all that come in) 7.Complaining at your kitchen tables but never voicing your concern
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An Overview of why Salamander Conservation is Needed By Matt Ellerbeck Salamander Conservationist
Although they are rarely given much thought, and often overlooked when they are, salamanders are in a terrible crisis. Around half of all the world’s salamander species are listed as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). These species are all facing a high risk of extinction. A further 62 species have been designated as near-threatened with populations rapidly dwindling. This means they are quickly getting closer to threatened status and to the brink of extinction. Sadly for some salamanders it is already too late, as both the Yunnan Lake Newt (Cynops wolterstorffi) and Ainsworth’s Salamander (Plethodon ainsworthi) have already gone extinct. Salamanders have been on the earth for over 160 million years, and the terrible state that they now find themselves in is due to the detrimental acts of humans. Even those species that are not experiencing population declines deserve attention and conservation to ensure that they remain healthy and stable. For many people the thought of declining species conjures up images of exotic animals found in far away lands. However, many salamanders are found throughout the Atlantic Canada area. These include the Blue-Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale), Eastern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus), Four-toed Salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum), Northern Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea bislineata), Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum), and Northern Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus fuscus). One of the biggest issues affecting salamanders is the loss of their natural habitat. Many areas that were once suitable for salamanders to live in have now been destroyed for developmental construction and agriculture. Habitats of all kinds are being lost at an alarming rate. Wetlands are drained, forests are logged and cut down, and water-
fronts are developed. Salamanders are literally losing their homes and they are losing them rapidly. The expansion of urban areas threatens the suitable habitats that still remain. Where natural habitats do still exist, they are often fragmented or degraded. Fragmentation occurs when healthy areas of habitat are isolated from one another. These fragmented areas are known as habitat islands. Salamander populations are affected since gene flow between the populations is prevented. This increases the occurrence of inbreeding, which results in a decrease in genetic variability and the birthing of weaker individuals. Fragmented populations where inbreeding occurs often ends in a genetic bottleneck. This is an evolutionary event where a significant percentage of the population or species is killed or otherwise prevented from reproducing. Habitat fragmentation is also harmful because it often eliminates crucial requirements in the area which are critical to the survival of salamander populations. Such areas include spaces that can be utilized for thermoregulation, prey capture, breeding, and over-wintering. Without such habitat requirements populations dwindle.
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Breeding sites, often in the forms of vernal pools are particularly important. The loss of such areas in the form of habitat destruction can negatively affect the entire population and its reproductive output. According to the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), there is some evidence that certain salamander species have individuals that return to the pond in which they were born once they reach maturity. Therefore, destruction of a breeding pond may result in loss of the entire population returning to that site. Habitat complexity is also important as it offers shelter to salamanders from both predators and human persecution.
Degradation occurs when the natural habitat has been altered and degraded to such a degree that it is unlikely that any remaining salamanders species would be able to survive. Developments and agriculture near fragmented habitats put salamanders at serious risk. As amphibians, salamanders have extremely absorbent skins. Industrial contaminants, the introduction of sedimentation into waterways, sewage run off, pesticides, oils, and other chemicals and toxic substances from developmental construction sites and human settlements can all be absorbed by salamanders. This can quickly lead to deaths. They can also cause widespread horrific deformities to occur. A study conducted at Purdue University found that out of 2,000 adult and juvenile salamanders 8 percent had visible deformities. According to Save The Frogs, Atrazine (perhaps the most commonly used herbicide on the planet, with some 33 million kg being used annually in the US alone) can reduce survivorship in salamanders. Many products are sold with the claim that they are eco-friendly. However, these should be viewed with caution. For example, according to N.C Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, Roundup and many other surfactant-loaded glyphosate formulations are not labeled for aquatic use. When these formulations are applied to upland sites according to label instructions, the risk to surfactantsensitive species is considered low. While this may be the case for fish it does not necessarily apply to amphibians. Salamanders that breed in water also routinely use nonaquatic areas and could easily be exposed to glyphosate formulations that contain harmful surfactants through direct application and not just incidental drift. Habitat destruction and degradation can also effect the availability of prey items, causing unnatural declines in appropriate food sources. Habitats are often isolated and cut off from one another by the roads and highways that now run through them. Countless numbers of salamanders are killed on roads and highways every year when they are hit by vehicles. Salamanders that are migrating to breeding and egglaying sites often must cross over roads to reach such areas. Here many of the mature members of the breeding population are killed. Removing members of the breeding populations greatly limits reproductive output, this makes it incredibly hard for salamander numbers to rebound.
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Roads present an additional problem because they represent a form of habitat loss. The roads that run through natural areas also fragment the existing populations, drastically making them smaller in size. This limits the
gene flow and genetic diversity between the isolated populations on either side and this greatly increases the chances of extirpation. When salamanders attempt to cross roads to travel between the populations, or to critical breeding/birthing sites it greatly increases their chances of being hit and killed by vehicles. The Wetlands Ecology and Management (2005) population projections for spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) life tables imply that an annual risk of road mortality for adults of greater then 10% can lead to local population extirpation. Unfortunately, it is estimated that mortality rates can often be as high as 50 to 100%, which means populations are at extreme risk of extirpation and extinction due to road mortality. Wyman (1991) reported average mortality rates of 50.3 to 100% for hundreds of salamanders attempting to cross a paved rural road in New York State, USA. Given that this figure pertains to a rural area from over a decade ago, it is fair to assume that even higher mortality rates occur as their has been in increase in cars and roads over the years. Reducing road mortality is paramount to preserving salamander species. Being hit and killed by vehicles is not the only threat that roads create for salamanders. Chemical run-off from vehicles contaminate roadside ditches and pools. These sites are often utilized by salamanders for breeding and birthing. According to Steven P. Brady (2012) survival in roadside pools averaged just 56%, as compared to 87% in woodland pools. Thus, an average of 36% fewer individual embryos survived to hatching in roadside versus woodland pools. Salamanders are also threatened when they are harvested from the wild. Salamanders are taken for the pet trade, for food markets (mudpuppies), and for use as fishing bait. There is much about salamanders that scientists do not know. Aspects of the biology, ecology, and lifestyles of many species is a mystery. This undoubtedly means human interference is negatively affecting salamanders in ways in which we don’t even know. The intricate relation between all species and the vital roles they play within eco-systems is also being altered. Such alterations can have serious consequences to not just salamanders, but many other animals as well (including humans).
To find out how you can help please see: www.savethesalamanders.com
Spring Activities for You and Your Kids Here at Sierra Club, we always like to encourage people, especially kids, to go outside and explore nature. We bring these values to life through our programs like Wild Child, but you and your family can get outside and discover the fascinating nature here in Nova Scotia all on your own too. Spring is the perfect time for outdoor activities with your kids. It’s getting warmer, the days are getting longer, and so much in nature is coming to life!
Here are some fun activities to get your outdoor explorations started! Ant’s Eye View: Materials needed: Hula-hoop (or something similar), paper, clipboard and pencils. Directions: Throw the hula-hoop on the ground and have your kid(s) pick a spot around the edge from where to observe everything happening on the ground. Have them draw or write their observations on their paper and share what they discovered down at ground level.
Bud Match: Materials: Twigs from trees in your yard! Directions: Beforehand, cut a few small twigs from some healthy trees in your yard. Have your kid try to match the twig you give them with the same kind of tree. (Later in the year this can turn into a Leaf Match game!)
Paint With Nature Materials: Sticks, rocks, leaves, paint and paper. Directions: Have kids collect different items in nature that they think would make good brushes. Once they have collected their items, let them paint pictures on paper with the different items from nature.
For the inevitable rainy spring days Invent an Insect:
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Materials needed: Egg carton, markers, pipe cleaners, anything to decorate with!
Directions: Cut the egg carton so that they in 3 segments in length (and 1 in width). This represents the 3 parts of an insect (head, thorax and abdomen). Have your child create their own insect. Ask them what colour(s) it would be and why (to camouflage? warning colours?), and encourage them to think about the reasons for making the insect they do.
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Your Laundry Day can help teach eco-sustainability to our youth. Sierra Club Atlantic empowers people to protect, restore, and enjoy a healthy and safe planet. By purchasing Dizolve eco-friendly laundry detergent, you will help us fund important programs that educate Canadian youth about ecological sustainability, develop important leadership and teamwork skills, and give children the opportunity to experience nature and develop a sense of respect and for our environment. Every time your buy Dizolve, money goes to our campaign! Learn more at http://mydizolve.com