GBA Flipping Book - Spring 2020

11 ≥ www.georgianbay.ca GBA UPDATE Spring 2020 Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve Native Plant Sale Over 30 species of plants! Order deadline is May 15. Download your order form at gbbr.ca/events . Pick up at Canadore College, 1 College Drive, Parry Sound OR Township of Georgian Bay Office, 99 Lone Pine Drive, Port Severn, May 30 from 8:30 am - 10:30 am      Biosphere Bake Sale April 24, 9:00 am until treats run out!  Join us at our office for this annual fundraiser.  Your donations will be matched! Films That Make You Think Series  7:00 pm at the Museum on Tower Hill, 17 George St., Parry Sound February 11: The Need to Grow March 10: Toxic Beauty  April 14: The Pollinators  May 12: 2040  Biosphere Walks: Something’s Fishy February 16, 1:00 pm  Meet at the Stockey Centre, 2 Bay St., Parry Sound  Biosphere Walks: Ask the Naturalist February 18, 2:00 pm  Rose Point Trail – James Bay Junction Parking Lot 92 James Bay Junction Rd., Seguin Biosphere Walks: Syrup Stroll & Tree Trek March 14, 10:00 am  Killbear Provincial Park, meeting point TBD  Biosphere Walks: Spring Plant Hike April 25, 10:00 am      Rose Point Trail – Rose Point Parking Lot  Biosphere Walks: Wiigwaas Jiimaan (The Birch Bark Canoe) May 9, 10:00 am     Killbear Provincial Park, meeting point TBD  Visit gbbr.ca/events or follow us online for more information and event updates!  Upcoming Events Our sister Georgian Bay organizations wish to inform you of these upcoming events. Georgian Bay Land Trust LANDMARK Speaker Series Country Turtle, City Turtle: Helping to keep them safe in a changing world with Dr. Pat Chow-Fraser Wednesday, March 25 6:30 pm cocktail reception, 7:15 pm talk Bishop Strachan School, 298 Lonsdale Road, Toronto Free admission: Register at gblt.org/events PAT CHOW-FRASER is Professor of Biology at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. The Chow-Fraser lab uses remote sensing to investigate effects of invasive species, water- level disturbances and other anthropogenic threats on the quality and quantity of marsh habitat in the Great Lakes basin.  Georgian Bay Forever Energy - Rights and Wrongs. Can we do more right? Yes we can.  Join Georgian Bay Forever (GBF) to learn more and take an electric vehicle test drive April 25, 8:30 am-1:00 pm or 12:30 pm-4:15 pm The Electric Vehicle Discovery Centre 1126 Finch Ave. W. Unit 1  North York, ON M3J 3J6 What is it? Each event session features 2 parts: Part 1: Get the big picture on Ontario’s energy grid. A presentation by GBF’s executive director, David Sweetnam. Part 2: Test drive an electric vehicle and get all your questions answered by Plug’n Drive staff. • Tickets are $20 and include light fare and refreshments • Register for your choice of session online at bit.ly/ April25Morning OR bit. ly/April25 Afternoon or call (905 ) 880- 4945 x 4. Cormorant Hunt Proposal Despite widespread opposition from many environmental groups (including GBA), the media, university science departments, and others, the Ontario government has decided to proceed with this hunt. GBA has reported on this matter over the last few months and is asking the government to reconsider, given the: ≥ significant threat to public safety; ≥ weak justification for the hunt; ≥ lack of any scientific studies to show what harm cormorants actually do;  ≥ lack of respect engendered by making an inedible bird a game bird; and  ≥ irresponsibility of allowing hunters to leave behind dead and wounded cormorants. For more details, please see: https://georgianbay.ca/ news/gba-opposes-proposal-to-allow-a-cormorant- hunt Other Issues Arising in Late 2019: Waste Collection Facilities: The Ontario government has decided to ensure that municipalities fully comply with waste management regulations. The GBA’s focus is on the impact changes will have on waste collection facilities used by cottagers, in particular unsupervised public waste bins. These are an important service for residents, but all the coastal municipalities appear to be largely non-compliant, except the Township of the Archipelago (ToA), which has fully compliant waste collection transfer sites. GBA is gathering information and conferring with the municipalities to promote the adoption of best practices while ensuring that residents receive reliable service. The municipalities need to provide environmentally sound and practical solutions for all residents, including for water access properties. Dock Foam: As set out in the article on dock foam in this UPDATE edition, momentum is gathering behind banning unencapsulated foam for new docks and dock repairs. GBA will continue to work with the coastal municipalities to coordinate action and provide information. We will be asking for short-term action to ban future foam use in Georgian Bay and will explore coordinated action between GBA, Georgian Bay Forever and the coastal municipalities to persuade the province to introduce legislation that will prevent the spread of this plastic pollution from entering our waters. As more information becomes available, we will ensure that it is clearly communicated to you, so you will have the tools and knowledge to make informed decisions when faced with the need to replace and/or repair your docks.  As you can see there has been quite a lot going on in your Bay over the last few months. I am looking forward to meeting the challenges of 2020!