Tough conservation action By Mark Bisset With involvement in more than 40 natural properties and a very small paid staff, The Couchiching Conservancy would be in a tough spot if not for a small army of dedicated volunteers. Many of those volunteers make up property teams which help us look after the lands under our care. One of these teams was in action recently at Alexander Hope Smith Nature Reserve, offering a great example of the kind of work accomplished with spirited leadership and a passion for the natural landscape. Washago resident Cathy Massig is the long-time leader of the Hope Smith property team. The team acts as eyes and ears on the property, watching for any changes that might spell trouble for the forest. This work includes helping to install and maintain trails, bridges and signage and keeping an eye out for garbage that is, unfortunately, sometimes dumped on what some consider simply vacant land. With regular visits to the property, the team also keeps watch for interesting plants and animals which, when identified, can be added to the inventory lists the Conservancy keeps for each property. In recent years, invasive species have become an increasing problem in some of the
relatively pristine habitats protected by the Conservancy, and again, property teams take a central role in helping us maintain native biodiversity. Recently the Alexander Hope Smith team tackled an infestation of garlic mustard on the property. It was accidentally introduced to Ontario woodlands by gardeners. The plant is fascinating in that it not only beats out most of the native plants that grow on Ontario forest floors, but it also changes the chemical composition of the soil to weaken trees and open up the forest canopy. With more sunlight comes more garlic mustard. It has no predators and the fear is that unchecked it will radically alter forests already under extreme stress. Following a careful disposal system, the team pull garlic mustard by hand, a process repeated over many years because once garlic mustard sets seeds, they can survive in the soil for up to seven years. This is often frustrating work, but we have recently begun to see the effects of multiple years of work on two other heavily infested properties. Without hard-working volunteers like the Alexander Hope Smith property team, this task simply wouldn’t be possible.
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Mark Bisset is the executive director of The Couchiching Conservancy, a non-profit, non-government land trust that protects important wild lands in the region for future generations. For more information, go to www.couchichingconserv.ca.
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www.ellishearing.com The volunteer property team that watches over Alexander Hope Smith Nature Reserve. Photo by David Hawke.
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