Annual Report 2015 - Carolinian Canada
Carolinian Canada Collaborating for a Healthy Ecoregion 2014-2015 annual report Financial Summary Ecosystem Recovery Planning Members & Donors Provincial Grants 18 % 9% 17% Administration 11% Services 19% Leaders & EcoTrails Foundations 13% Network 15% 5% Federal Grants 49 % Conservation Action Programs Revenues $511,957 Our Virtual Office This year our team went above and beyond volunteering time and resources to complete several ambitious initiatives. 30/30 Event: LAKE ERIE NORTH SHORE STANDUP 44% Expenses $509,507 ECOSYSTEM RECOVERY: GO WILD GROW WILD ECOLOGICAL CONSULTANTS Kelly Johnson Habitat Stewardship Specialist Karen Laine Event Planner Holly Stover, Volunteer Biologist Francee Ender Lauren Harris-Selby Krista Kankula Event Specialists GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS: Bronwen Buck Social Marketing & Outreach Coordinator SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT TEAM: Dee Crilly Partner Services Coordinator Michelle Kanter, Executive Director Lauren Harris-Selby Bootcamp Coordinator Lisa Boyce Administrative Assistant Jarmo Jalava, Director of Ecosystem Recovery Jen van Overbeeke Metcalf Foundation Intern and Coastal Specialist Sarah Hodgkiss, Program Manager Sara Howe Elgin Natural Heritage Inventory Assistant ON AUGUST 23 - 24, volunteer Katherine Balpataky organized a successful 2nd paddleboard fundraiser at Crystal Beach to raise $1,700 for Carolinian Canada’s Erie Coastal Stewardship EcoTrail. Tristan Bentley IT Systems Coordinator FIELD ECOLOGISTS: Allen Woodliffe Lucas Foerster Andrea Hebb GIS Coordinator, Nature Conservancy of Canada Terry Chapman GIS Consultant Daria Koscinski Volunteer GIS Support ANNUAL REPORT DESIGN Blue Aardvark Many thanks to volunteers, paddlers, hikers and sponsors. Carolinian Canada’s Sarah Hodgkiss and Jen van Overbeeke joined in with 34 paddlers and 18 hikers touring Marcy’s Woods. © JEN VAN OVERBEEKE 2 ANNUAL REPORT 2014 - 2015 CAROLINIAN CANADA COALITION Explore caroliniancanada.ca Sustaining a Unique Ecoregion Don Pearson, Chair Reflecting on the Chair’s Message from last year, our theme of transition, and strategic focus continues to encompass our activities. We have successfully transitioned under the new Canada Not-for-Profit Act and our new By-Law. Our renewed Board is functioning with enthusiasm and most importantly, we have made progress in the first year of our newly completed strategic plan: We have strengthened and expanded relationships with major partners across the zone, offering more ways to participate in the network. We are using Conservation Action Plans (CAPs) to forge partnerships over critical needs on the landscape, for example in the Rouge Valley, Lower Thames River, and through the Chatham-Kent Natural Heritage Implementation Strategy. We have been successful in building strong and informed allies across multiple sectors and sustainable funds through our Big Picture Services, enhanced member benefits program, 30th anniversary 30/30 Vision Campaign and Go Wild Grow Wild expo – a major new event for the Carolinian region. We are developing member collaboratives for EcoTrails, Landowner Leaders and supporting an exciting new Video documentary to showcase the unique features of this region. In regard to the Big Picture Report Card, the Science Advisory Committee was consulted and a discussion paper initiated to develop a tool to measure progress in advancing a collaborative conservation strategy for healthy ecosystems. It is being launched at our April 2015 Annual General Meeting and we invite feedback and participation throughout the year. A webinar will be hosted later this year to discuss this project. “Our focus for the next year will be in three strategic directions. We will strengthen our relationships with major partner organizations, to ensure that we maintain a shared vision and continue to provide value to the partnership. We will continue to advance our sustainable funding initiative… and initiate the Big Picture Report Card… to ensure we can accurately measure the health of Carolinian Canada’s compositional ecosystems.” Going forward, the Board will be discussing Big Picture Best Practices with major partners for invasive species, climate change and other critical landscape issues. I invite you to join the conversation online by exploring CarolinianCanada.ca. 2014-2015 Board of Directors The support and engagement of our Don Pearson, Chair partners, members, stakeholders and community leaders, is crucial to reach our collective goals. Thank you for your support as we look for creative ways to sustain this unique region. Ron Wu-Winter Vice Chair Mark Helm, Secretary Chris Turner, Treasurer Dawn Bazely Kristen Bernard, Nature Conservancy of Canada Brian Craig, Long Point Biosphere Reserve Caroline Biribauer, Conservation Ontario Mary Elder, Ontario Professional Planners Institute Tara Borwick, Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Stewardship & Conservation Incentives Section Carla Grant, Forests Ontario Audrey Heagy, Bird Studies Canada Alistair MacKenzie, Ontario Parks John Urquhart, Ontario Nature Owen Williams, Ontario Invasive Plant Council Collaborating for Healthy Ecosystems Carolinian Canada’s Ecosystem Recovery Program 6 Years - 15 Hotspots - 100 Local groups Carolinian Canada’s Ecosystem Recovery Program is the overarching framework that implements the Big Picture Vision via our core programs and projects. 15 Biodiversity Hotspots are areas where a high diversity of life is concentrated including genes, species, habitats, ecosystems. Conservation Action Plans (CAPs) provide practical, targeted and voluntary blueprints for ecosystem recovery. By developing the Rouge River and Lower Thames CAPs we surpassed our goal of establishing CAPs in all 15 hotspots. The emphasis on consensus, collaboration, and measurable onthe-ground results lends itself to strong partnerships and actions. The Elgin Natural Heritage Inventory was launched in 2013 to fulfill a key objective in the Elgin Greenway CAP. Field surveys began this year with and citizen science partners (e.g. Bird Studies Canada, Long Point Basin Land Trust, eBird). We promoted the project widely throughout Elgin Landowner Leaders care about healthy ecosystems on their properties and in CAP areas. We congratulate Steve and Sharon Benishek (Rondeau-Erie Coast), Denise and Wayne Shephard (Sydenham River), and Ron Casier (Elgin Greenway) who completed Carolinian Habitat Action Plans (CHAPs) and are now Landowner Leader Ambassadors. They care for rarities such as Red-headed Woodpecker, American Chestnut, Eastern Flowering Dogwood, Dense Blazing Star and Swamp Rose Mallow. We assisted Chris Knight, aspiring Landowner Leader with field surveys and found a significant concentration of Bobolink, Savannah Sparrow and other ground-nesting birds. Our new Landowner Leader manual is now available with more to explore on the web. Tracking Elgin Nature: 30 Sites - 41 Rarities - 275 Observations - 52 Volunteers - 22 Landowners © SARA HOWE 4 ANNUAL REPORT 2014 - 2015 CAROLINIAN CANADA COALITION Explore caroliniancanada.ca 19 Talks - 86 Big Picture Leaders Ecosystem Recovery Forum 2014 celebrated the 15th anniversary of our Big Picture vision of restoring a green network of healthy, functioning ecosystems. The full house explored approaches and tools to monitor ecological change and climate change, invasive species and more. This annual event brings together conservation practitioners, policy makers, students, researchers and volunteers in a spirit of collaboration and common cause. 5 Communities -13 Partners - 21 Campaigns - 104 Youth Leaders inspire and train youth leaders to develop their own Grow Wild campaigns for rare species and habitats. As a result, 5 high school environment groups are now engaging their schools and communities to: grow and plant native trees; increase snake awareness; organize an ATV trail system to protect sensitive habitat; create backyard pollinator B & B’s; host an Elgin County environmental forum and more. Their outreach campaigns range from video and signage to mentoring and door knocking. This successful pilot is expanding to 5 more communities from Woodstock to Windsor in spring 2015. Youth groups across the zone are invited to inquire about hosting a Boot Camp of their own. GROW WILD BOOT CAMPS ©LAUREN HARRIS SELBY The Frog Pond Band . . . and Other EcoTrail Adventures ECOTRAILS ARE PLACES WHERE YOU CAN EXPLORE UNIQUE HABITATS stewarded by many local groups. We’re proud to coordinate a zone-wide network to promote and support their diverse initiatives. For instance, at the Dorchester Mill Pond, we are helping volunteers develop messages to inspire trail users to listen to the local frog chorus and report sightings through the Adopt-a-Pond program. Paired with school outreach, this approach is aimed at reducing harm to amphibians to keep the Frog Pond Band in business for years to come! Some of our pilot EcoTrail partners are sharing their stories in a workshop and webinar series planned for spring 2015. Big Picture Services is Carolinian Canada’s first major social enterprise initiative. We provide expertise for projects that contribute to healthy ecosystems on the Carolinian landscape. In 2014, we conducted biological surveys for the Kettle and Stony Point First Nation and Chippewas of the Thames First Nation. Exciting discoveries included Baby Eastern Hog-nosed Snake found during a variety of species at risk and some previously undocumented rare prairie “Big Picture Services” habitats. Outreach is an important component and we are helping to establish fieldwork a GIS mapping database for species at risk. In 2015, we look forward to assisting © JARMO JALAVA partners plan EcoTrails, plan habitat restoration and undertake nature surveys. The Big Picture Report Card is growing out of our CAP monitoring program to track progress across the landscape. Our Science Advisory Committee has identified key indices and a discussion paper invites your input. This project will set the stage for adaptive management and updating of CAPs and the Big Picture. ANNUAL REPORT 2014 - 2015 CAROLINIAN CANADA COALITION Explore caroliniancanada.ca 5 Connecting Across the Zone Linking on-ground actions to a collaborative vision 30 Years of Significant Conservation 30/30 Event - Elgin habitat tour: Carolinian Canada Members enjoy a tour from landowner Ron Casier In collaboration with many partners, Carolinian Canada celebrated our 30th anniversary throughout the year, starting with a kick-off of our 30/30 Vision Campaign at our AGM on Thursday, May 22, 2014 in St. Thomas. Part of our sustainable funding initiative, this campaign is raising awareness, participation and funds for the Coalition’s core work in advancing a collaborative conservation strategy for the region. © TRISTAN BENTLEY 30/30 Outreach 30/30 Challenge Over the year, 25 different media outlets published 45 articles about our work reaching over half a million people. Our network hosted and participated in events across the zone, shared conservation stories and challenged themselves to get back to nature. Jarmo Jalava, our Director of Ecosystem Recovery, took up the challenge to spot 270 bird species in Carolinian Canada in 2015. You can follow his adventures and sponsor by the bird on our website. JARMO’S BIG YEAR: Admission: $5.00 10 am to 6 pm © TRISTAN BENTLEY CAROLINIAN CANADA CONSERVATION Go Wild Grow Wild A major new celebration is planned by the Coalition to mark Earth Week in Carolinian Canada. It will be the region’s largest biodiversity expo of its kind geared to draw thousands of allies to share our passion for the unique nature in Canada’s Deep South. Our AGM grows up! 6 ANNUAL REPORT 2014 - 2015 CAROLINIAN CANADA COALITION have made positive and lasting changes on the Carolinian landscape. Lifetime achievement: Dave Wake and Joe & Joyce Hickson Individual: David Ainslie, Joe & Gunther Csoff, Angelle & Clen Van Kleef, Paul Gagnon, Group: John & Cynthia Cook, Jaffa Environmental Education Centre Youth: Brad Renaud AWARD RECIPIENTS 2014 Explore caroliniancanada.ca Leveraging Resources for Healthy Ecosystems Carolinian Canada Members advance the Big Picture vision Our growing community continues to lead the way in collaborative conservation in Canada’s deep south. Our Big Picture Legacy Circle is growing and this year, many groups joined our new Canopy and Seedling member programs with added benefits to support their work. Big Picture Supporters Environment Canada Ministry of Natural Resources TD Friends of the Environment Metcalf Foundation Canopy Groups Association for Canadian Educational Resources Bird Studies Canada Boggio Family Pharmacy Conservation Ontario East Elgin Secondary School Essex Region Conservation Authority Forests Ontario Grand River Conservation Authority Kettle Creek Conservation Authority London Environmental Network Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority MNRF - Stewardship and Conservation Incentives Section Native Trees and Plants New Credit Cultural Committee Nith River Native Plants North American Native Plant Society Ontario Invasive Plant Council Ontario NativeScape, a division of Rural Lambton Stewardship Network Ontario Nature Parks Canada ReForest London Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School Society for Ecological RestorationOntario Chapter Thames Talbot Land Trust The Garden Club of London The Nature Conservancy of Canada Upper Thames River Conservation Authority West Elgin Nature Club Seedling Groups Canada’s First Forestry Station Conservation Halton Credit Valley Conservation Authority Dancey Family Farm Jennifer Lawrence and Associates Inc. Lambton Wildlife Inc. Long Point World Biosphere Foundation Reserve Norfolk Field Naturalists Oxford County Trails Council Heritage Groups Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority Climate Action Friends of the Rouge Watershed Greening Niagara Lock 3 Media Long Point Region Conservation Authority Nature London Big Picture Legacy Circle VISIONARY PATRON ($1,000) Brian Craig Marc Dupuis-Desormeaux Don Pearson In memory of Donald Sinclair NATURE BACKER ($500) Michelle Kanter Dr. Gordon and Shirley Nelson Caroline Odette Susan & Alan Smith SUSTAINING SPONSOR ($250) Fred D Cass Deborah Dale Mark Helm John Irish Jarmo Jalava Mike & Ruth John Jacquline Lorimer Don Sutherland Chris Turner Anonymous (2) CAROLINIAN CANADA FRIEND ($100) Marlene Allen John D. Ambrose Elaine Balpataky Peter Banks Dawn Bazely Brian Bentley Marnie Boldt Doyle & Patty Brush Bronwen Buck James Buff Louise Campbell Anita Caveney Stan Caveney Tom Chatterton John Clipsham Chris Dancey G. Delaire Jane Delamere Sally Dood Suzanne Edgar Sarah Hodgkiss Susan Hodgkiss Mary Hooydonk Lorraine Johnson Regan & Daniel Jubenville Dorothea Kanter-Bentley Nikki May Katherine Oginsky Jim Patten Jim Rule Margaret Rule Karen Snider Bernie Solymar Luke Stephenson Ron Wu-Winter Anonymous (2) SUPPORTERS David Ainslie Jennifer Alexopoulos George Argenti Cheryl Barendregt Kenneth & Susan Bechard Kristen Bernard Caroline Biribauer Tamara Bodzinski Kathryn Boothby Virginia Brown Brian Calvert D. Carlson Jeffrey Carter Paul Chapman Joan Charlton Natasha Collins Simon Courtenay John & Kerry Cowan Wendy Cridland E. Delrue Gilles Douaire Jane Dunning Alexandra Emery Chris Fraser Kaitlin Gibbens ANNUAL REPORT 2014 - 2015 CAROLINIAN CANADA COALITION Janice Gilbert Marlene Gilbert Stephanie Gowan Carla Grant H. Hall Audrey Heagy Marie Janicke Martin H. Kanter Daria Koscinski Liana Kreamer Susan Laidler Nathan Langley Jon Larson Renee Lazarowich Katherine Levan Janice Levangie Chantal Lucarelli Sally Martyn Emily Mazi Sandra McCubbin Ryan McDaniel Linda McDougall Val McGee L. McKeon Gail Meyer Kate Monk Ian Naisbitt Michael Naismith John D. Nolan David Olds & Sharon Lovett Sherri Perkins Joseph Peter Carol Richardson Carol Ritchie Marlee Robinson Tina Rodger C. Schrank Julie Skodak Kim Smale H. Sowinski Emily Stahl D. Stewart N. Stirling Dave & Kathy Townsend John Urquhart Jen van Overbeeke Sally Vernon Daniel Vining Mary Ellen Wales D. Watson Warren Wishart P. Woffindin Rick Wukasch Anne Wynia Dolph Wynia David Zackon Kasia Zgurzynski Anonymous (7) Explore caroliniancanada.ca 7 Count Yourself In Partners for Healthy Ecosystems Association for Canadian Educational Resources Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority Bert Miller Nature Club Bird Studies Canada Canada South Land Trust Canadian Wildlife Service Catfish Creek Conservation Authority Chatham Kent Greening Partnership Chatham Kent Trails Council Chatham-Kent Secondary School Environmental Club Chatham-Kent United Farm Voice Chatham-Kent Wind Action Group Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation Chippewas of the Thames First Nation Christian Farmers Federation City of Burlington City of London Conservation Halton Conservation Ontario Cootes to Escarpment County of Brant Credit Valley Conservation Delaware Nation at Moraviantown Dorchester Mill Pond Committee Ducks Unlimited Elgin County East Elgin Environmental Leadership Program Elgin Stewardship Council Elgin Federation of Agriculture Elgin Middlesex Woodlot Owners Association Essex Region Conservation Authority Fisheries and Oceans Canada Forests Ontario Friends of Rondeau Friends of the Coves Friends of the Rouge Garden Club of London Grand River Conservation Authority Greenbelt Foundation Haldimand & Area Woodlot Owners Association Haldimand Stewardship Council Hamilton Conservation Authority Hamilton Halton Watershed Stewardship Program Hamilton Naturalists’ Club Heartland Forest Nature Experience Huron to Erie Waterways for Wildlife Project Jaffa Environmental Education Centre Jennifer Lawrence and Associates Kent Federation of Agriculture Kettle Creek Conservation Authority Lake Erie North Shore Standup Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation Lambton Woodlot Owners Association London Environmental Network Long Point Basin Land Trust Long Point Region Conservation Authority Long Point World Biosphere Reserve Foundation Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority Middlesex Stewardship Council Mitchell’s Bay Association Municipality of Chatham-Kent National Farmers Union Nature Conservancy of Canada Niagara Land Trust Niagara Parks Commission Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority Niagara Restoration Council Ontario Badger Program Ontario Federation of Agriculture Ontario Invasive Plant Council Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Ontario Ministry of the Environment Ontario NativeScape Ontario Natural Heritage Information Centre Ontario Nature Ontario Parks Ontario Power Generation Ontario Professional Planners Institute Ontario Road Ecology Group Ontario Soil & Crop Improvement Association Ontario Stone, Sand and Gravel Association Ontario Trails Council Ontario Visual Heritage Project Otter Valley Field Naturalists Parks Canada Regenerative Agricultural Land-Use Management Group Ridgetown College – University of Guelph Rondeau Cottagers Association Royal Botanical Gardens Royal Ontario Museum Rural Lambton Stewardship Network Shrewsbury Community Association Six Nations of the Grand River SOGO - Southern Ontario Go! St. Clair Region Conservation Authority St. Thomas Field Naturalists Sustainability Network Sydenham Field Naturalists Tallgrass Ontario Thames Talbot Land Trust Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Toronto Zoo Township of Dawn-Euphemia Transition Town Chatham-Kent Upper Thames River Conservation Authority Walpole Island (Bkejwanong) First Nation Walpole Island Heritage Centre West Elgin Environmental Leadership Program West Elgin Nature Club Western University Wildlife Habitat Canada Wildlife Preservation Canada SCIENCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE Dr. John Ambrose Dr. Dawn Bazely Graham Bryan Dr. Dawn Burke Dr. Pat Chow-Fraser Brian Craig Dr. Marc Dupuis-Desormeaux Ken Elliot Dr. Janice Gilbert Steve Hounsell Dr. Daria Koscinsk Alistair MacKenzie Dr. Mhairi McFarlane Mike McMurtry Bernie Solymar Becky Stewart Joshua Wise Explore Canada’s Deep South: Enhanced Group Member Benefits Carolinian Canada Coalition brings together diverse groups and individuals to advance a collaborative ‘Big Picture’ vision for healthy ecosystems and thriving communities in Canada’s deep south. Collaborate for Healthy Ecosystems: Link to the Big Picture vision. Stretching from Toronto to Windsor, Ontario’s Carolinian Life Zone is among North America’s most vibrant and fragile ecoregions. (Canadian Registered Charity 83559 4722 RR0001) Explore caroliniancanada.ca Discover your unique nature. You can’t live without it. 8 ANNUAL REPORT 2014 - 2015 CAROLINIAN CANADA COALITION Connect across the Zone: Take advantage of prime networking, discounts, freebies and matching programs. Leverage Resources: Tap into cost-effective tools, training and project support. Count Yourself In: Promote and track your work at an ecoregional level. Explore caroliniancanada.ca
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