ONTARIO YOUTH SUMMIT FOR BIODIVERSITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP
Local student Quinten Wiegersma was sponsored by Nature London to attend the Ontario Youth Summit for Biodiversity and Environmental Leadership. The eighth annual Ontario Nature Youth Summit was held on September 22-24, 2017, at YMCA Geneva Park in Orillia. The event, partnered with the Youth Council, allowed 98 youth from 50 communities to participate in a number of workshops. Workshops included Exploring the Link between Humans and the Wild, Pollinators and Youth Action, Birds of Prey, and Climate Change Campaigning.
UTRCA “TURTLE TEAM” RELEASES RECORD NUMBER OF BABY TURTLES
On August 22nd the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) announced that the Species at Risk Reptile Team (aka “the Turtle Team”) was releasing more than 6000 baby turtles back into the Thames River! The UTRCA has one of the longest running and most
successful reptile research, recovery, and education programs in Canada. The Spiny Softshell Turtle is endangered both provincially and federally. Only a small number of hatchling turtles reach adulthood, so it’s critical for biologists to protect the eggs and release as many hatchlings as possible. Early studies along the Thames River revealed almost zero turtle egg survival, but recent research shows that protection efforts are having an impact locally. The Spiny Softshell Turtle population has shown increases in the number of turtles of all age classes and their range along the Thames River. Nature London has supported the UCTRA’s Spiny Softshell Turtle research and recovery efforts for several years and specifically the work of Scott Gillingwater and the “Turtle Team.”