John Shearer Canada’s Experimental Lakes Area: Is the End Near? by John Shearer here in the world can you canoe through an experimen- Wtal laboratory? Of course, An aerial view of some of only at the Experimental Lakes Area the 58 lakes and watersheds (ELA) in northwestern Ontario. For comprising the ELA facility. more than 44 years, researchers from Canada and other countries have been The ELA was established in 1968 with States, and changed hydro-electric conducting ecosystem-scale experimen- a mandate to address eutrophication, project planning by demonstrating how tal studies on a variety of small lakes or nutrient pollution, the problem then flooding can significantly increase both while outdoor destroying the toxic methyl mercury in fish and enthusiasts have ...ELA findings spurred removal Lake Erie production of greenhouse gases. been enjoying the ecosystem. of phosphates from detergents, An ecosystem-scale mercury deposition scenic shield “ Many will be experiment, started in 2001 and still topography and led to reduction of acid rain...” familiar with being monitored, demonstrated that sparkling, clear how ELA mercury from power plants falling on waters. Now, findings spurred removal of phosphates lake surfaces can move rapidly into fish however, this unique and world from detergents, led to reduction of as methyl mercury. Based on this renowned outdoor laboratory may be acid rain through passage of clean air in its last year of operation. legislation in Canada and the United (continued on page 4...) IN THIS ISSUE... Canada’s Experimental Lakes Area ...........p. 1 & 4-5 Lorne Wallace (1930-2012) .................................p. 9 President’s Corner ...............................................p. 2 Outdoor Activities ........................................ p. 10-11 Member Profile: Marilyn Latta .............................p. 3 Bird News .................................................... p. 12-15 Nature in the News ...................................p. 1 & 4-5 Manitoba’s Bird Species at Risk .........................p. 15 Encounters of the Natural Kind ............................p. 6 Invasive Species: Nodding Thistle ......................p. 16 Roger’s Rant .......................................................p. 7 Mantario Cabin Policies ......................................p. 17 Mantario Summer Program 2012 ........................p. 7 Birds Hill Management Plan ...............................p. 18 Book Review: The Insatiable Bark Beetle......... p. 8-9 Member Trip Photos .................................... p. 18-19 President’s Corner by Donald Himbeault Canada Post Publications Mail Sales Making an impact Product Agreement No. 0040069231. t’s interesting the things one can find at garage Issued 6 times a year as the official sales, and the last Nature Manitoba garage publication of Nature Manitoba. Isale was no exception. (By the way, many Subscriptions are a benefit of membership. thanks to all who donated articles and came out See backpage for membership details. to help make this a successful event.) Among the Opinions are those of the writers and not books for sale was a 21st anniversary edition of necessarily the organization as a whole. the Natural History Society of Manitoba Bulletin, which back in 1941 was the name of the Office and Library publication you are now reading. The summary it 401 - 63 Albert St. Winnipeg, R3B 1G4 provided of the first 21 years of the Society made Phone/Fax: .......................(204) 943-9029 for interesting reading. Email: [email protected] Website: ............www.naturemanitoba.ca Most surprising to me was to learn that starting back in 1927, the Society was responsible for the initiation and subsequent continuance of a successful Office Administrator ............ Susan McLarty campaign to control mosquitoes in the Winnipeg district. With a modest budget Office Assistant.............. Deanna Dodgson and to the great disbelief of the public that any success could be achieved, the Hours: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm campaign was able to make a striking reduction in the number of mosquitoes, Monday to Friday adding greatly to residents’ enjoyment of the summer. The success was so tarting back in 1927, the Nature Manitoba News remarkable, the program was “S Society was responsible for eventually copied to other regions. the initiation and subsequent Newsletter Editor ................... Tommy Allen This contribution of the Society was Email: [email protected] continuance of a successful deemed to have “brought numerous Editorial Committee: Tommy Allen campaign to control mosquitoes physical benefits to a greater number Donna Danyluk in the Winnipeg district.” Roger Turenne of persons than have any of its other valuable activities…” Advertising rates are available by While this story affected hundreds of thousands of people, on the other side of contacting the editor. Rates are reduced if the scale is a story told to me by a fellow member during a recent outdoor trip the ad appears at least two times. about how the Society had supported him personally at a critical time in his life. Classifieds are also available for only 15$. The companionship extended by fellow members, the satisfaction gained from volunteering, and the respite while connecting with nature on outdoor trips, all Submission deadline is the first day of the helped him to surmount his problems. month prior to the newsletter publication. Deadline for the Sep. / Oct. 2012 issue is Whether it involves a whole city or just one person, these examples illustrate the August 1, 2012. wide range of ways in which Nature Manitoba makes an impact on the world around us. As President, I get to see so many of the other great things we are This newsletter is printed on Enviro 100 doing. Common to all is our members who make these accomplishments possible. 20lb paper which is 100% Post Consumer Whether it’s leading a trip, participat- NHSM Bulletin, 1941 Recycled and FSC certified. ing on a committee, sharing special- ized knowledge with others, or just 2012/2013 Executive enjoying a good time and learning President ....................... Donald Himbeault more about nature through one of our Exec. Vice-President .................Jack Dubois activities, please be assured your Vice-President .................. James Whitelaw efforts are very much appreciated and Treasurer ............................. Sean Worden valued. Keep up the good work, and Secretary ..................................Alain Louer while I probably don’t have to mention Past President ..................... Roger Turenne this, please have fun while doing it! And, if you hear people comment 2012/2013 Board Members Members in 1932 excavating what on how the mosquitoes haven’t been proved to be the most complete Jerry Ameis, Christian Artuso, too bad in the city this summer, plesiosaur yet to be discovered in Scott Falkingham, Michele Kading, Canada. The skeleton was later recon- perhaps you can accept their thanks Rose Kuzina, Can Li, structed and exhibited at the Museum of on behalf of Nature Manitoba who Les McCann, Rommel Molod, Manitoba – yet another contribution of helped make that possible. Richard Staniforth the Society to the people of Manitoba. Page 2 Nature Manitoba News Vol. 4, Issue 4 - July / Aug. 2012 by Tommy Allen Photo: Diane Kunec Welcome New Members! a April 15th 2011 - June 14th, 2012: P ssi Valdine Anderson le o Brigitte & Ian Baragar p n Sanne Cramer o a Ramon Javier e t Edwina Keats P e Ryan Klassen Lori Klimczak Nancy Kolotylo Josh Levac MARILYN Heather Miltenburg Brendan Mulligan Peter Panufnik LATTA Roshan Pothumulla Fiona Robson . Randall Shymko . Keith Smith A . Heather Sorko b e David Daniel Wood ou ur t Nat North American orn as a city AGM, then as girl in Winnipeg, Vice-President of Prairie Conference BMarilyn Latta did not programming, and serving as August 6-10, 2012 have much exposure to nature, aside President of the MNS in 1985-86. But from summer visits to her grandparents’ her contributions didn’t stop there – The first ever NAPC in western cottage at Nutimik Lake in during her presidency she Canada will be held from August 6 to the Whiteshell. She did helped initiate the Habitat 10, 2012 at the University of Manitoba. ost people The theme have a passion for horses Conservation Committee, Celebrating Our Prairie Heritage will explore where we have though, and would bike to “M really which she continues to didn’t know what been, our current state of knowledge, the outskirts of the city to chair to this day. and where we should be heading. ride. Once she started the word ‘prairie’ The goal of the Habitat working she bought her meant back then.” Interested in helping at the Conservation Committee own horse which she kept conference? Email us at was to raise funds for near Birds Hills Park. [email protected], call the Living conservation projects and the focus Prairie Museum at 832-0167, or She completed her Chemical Technol- became tall grass prairie, an ecosystem call John Morgan at 467-9371. ogy diploma at Red River College, and that was largely ignored. “Most people began working at the Human Nutrition really didn’t know what the word www.napc2012.org Labs at the University of Manitoba, ‘prairie’ meant back then.” Through which she managed for 35 years. In the nearly three decades of efforts, and mid-70’s, a post-doc student from programs like the Prairie Patrons Switzerland suggested that they join the Program, the committee has raised Prairie Day MNS in order to go cross-country