Submitted by The Wild
Discoveries Committee
2021 ORCHID FESTIVAL – Different Time, Format and Name: An informative lecture series presented virtually due to COVID19.
In this edition of The Bruce Peninsula Press we outline three of the six talks and information about two of the speakers for the upcoming series, WILD DISCOVERIES: Orchids & Pollinators
“Identifying Orchid Species on The Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula” Presented by Brian Popelier on Thursday July 15th at 7:00 pm
There are more than forty varieties of orchids growing on the Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula. This presentation focuses on identifying many of the Orchids that you are likely to encounter on a hike along the Bruce Trail in the Peninsula section.
Brian Popelier works with the Bruce Trail Conservancy (BTC) as the Land Stewardship Coordinator/Ecologist. He utilizes and builds on his years of experience to perform ecological inventories on over 13,000 acres of BTC managed land. Brian prepares management plans for BTC properties as well as support BTC clubs in stewardship, encroachment and ecological issues. He holds a B.Sc. in Environmental Science and Biology from Trent University as well as certificates in: Ecological Land Classification, Bird and Plant Identification, Butternut Assessment, Ontario Pesticide Forestry License and Ontario Wetland Evaluation. He can often be found in the forests and watersheds of Ontario hiking, fishing, photographing, camping or simply enjoying natures beauty.
“Nature Conservancy of Canada’s acquisition of Vidal Bay on Manitoulin Island” Presented by Megan Bonenfant Friday July 16th at 8:00pm
The Vidal Bay Forests and Shoreline property; located on Manitoulin Island covering 7,608 hectares (18,800 acres) with 18.5 kilometres of shoreline on the north channel of Lake Huron; presents an incredible opportunity to conserve a vast coastal wilderness and the unique species it sustains. During this presentation you will virtually tour globally rare alvar communities, coastal cliffs, undeveloped Lake Huron shoreline, inland lakes and wetlands, and intact forest systems. The habitat of this property provides home to many species including American Black Bear, Gray Wolf, Mottled Duskywing, Lakeside Daisy, Hill’s Thistle, Eastern Wood-pewee, Blanding’s Turtle, Least Bittern and Otter. The carbon stored by this property is 8,764,969 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) and the annual carbon sequestration is 22,675 tonnes of CO2e per year.
After more than a decade in the provincial and municipal government sectors, Megan Bonenfant has joined the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) team in midwestern Ontario as a conservation biologist, covering the Manitoulin Island Archipelago and the Saugeen Bruce Peninsula Natural Areas. Megan has a soft spot for Massasaugas and is quickly developing an orchid obsession in her new role. She lives in the woods on Manitoulin Island and spends her free time hiking, homesteading and reading murder mysteries.
“Virtual Guided Hike showcasing the many pollinators of orchids” and “How to become a citizen scientist using the iNaturalist app.” Presented by Bruce Peninsula National Park Interpreter Saturday July 17th, 8:00 pm
This closing presentation of the 2021 Orchid Festival (WILD DISCOVERIES: Orchids and Pollinators) will be a most interesting virtual hike in the National Park and introduction on how to download and use the best app for your phone, iNaturalist. This app, using your photo, identifies what you have seen be it plants, birds, trees etc. I have learnt so much, when on hikes, using this app on my phone.
Other topics included in Wild Discoveries: Orchids & Pollinators are:
• “Time Travel on an Alvar; a Plants Perspective” Presented by Tyler Miller on Thursday July 15th at 8:00 pm
• “Creating Habitat for Birds, Bees and Butterflies.” Presented by Audrey Armstrong on Friday July 16th at 7:00 pm.
A summary of these three talks was in the last issue of The Bruce Peninsula Press and is on the Friends of The Bruce Peninsula National Park Facebook Page.
A complete description of all the events can be found on the Friends of Bruce Peninsula National Park web page www.friendsofthebruce.ca also on the Friends Facebook page.
How to participate in this FREE event? Join us on Zoom: HTTPS://US02WEB.ZOOM.US/J/83777194022
