Adventures in the Environment

 

September 13-17, 2009 - click here for information and application  forms

Each September, the Rotary Club of Cornwall Sunrise invites students from District 7040 to participate in the Adventures in the Environment in Cornwall, Ontario.

Activities include:

FISH HABITAT RESTORATION

Rock reefs were placed in the St. Lawrence River to enhance fish habitat. Join a biologist in netting, examining, identifying and releasing fish along the Cornwall Waterfront.

ROTARY ECO GARDEN RESTORATION PROJECT

A few years ago, a number of innovative scientists and engineers from Cornwall linked a canal to the St. Lawrence River via a short naturalized stream. At the head, water courses over carefully-placed large stones. Then, as a natural stream would, the Eco Garden stream meanders down a slope bordered with trees and wildflowers that were also strategically planted along the stream. Dr. Brian Hickey, a research scientist from the St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences, has been monitoring fish and other wildlife that are starting to use the stream.

OLD GROWTH FORESTS

This type of forest takes a long time to develop. When a tree grows old and dies, sometimes that's just the beginning of life in the forest. Different types of lichen that grow on old trees can be important food to some animals like deer. Dead trees can become homes to other, much smaller animals.

Old growth forests have been there since before your grandparents' time, and with your help, they will survive long after your grandchildren's time.

COOPER MARSH

This Conservation Area is largely covered by a man-made coastal marsh. The water levels of a natural marsh usually change from year to year, but water levels have been controlled and steadied at Cooper Marsh. Since the area was flooded many years ago, aquatic vegetation has grown in and practically covered the open water in the marsh. To mimic what would happen naturally and to create open water spaces that are great for waterfowl, the Marsh will be drained (undergo drawdown management) for a few months next summer. Scientist from the St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences are studying the Marsh before, during and after the drawdown to see how effective it is, and to see what kind of impact the drawdown will have on biodiversity. A wide variety of plants and animals live in the Marsh, and so another one of the scientists' goals is to find out exactly which species can be found at the Marsh.

BATS

Mercury is a pollutant of interest in the St. Lawrence River area of concern. Animals that eat other contaminated animals or plants can accumulate a type of mercury called methyl mercury. Bats eat a surprisingly large amount of food every night, considering their small size. This makes them prime candidates to accumulate a lot of methyl mercury. Dr. Brian Hickey has done a considerable amount of research on bats. Some of his research involves collecting fur and blood samples from bats in order to find out how much mercury these animals are exposed to. One of the ultimate questions is: how much mercury is available to the ecosystem? In order to do this bat research, Dr. Hickey visits dark, wet, cold and muddy bat hibernation caves at night.