CFN

Plant the Right Tree in the Right Place.  When planting new trees, make sure to match the species of tree you choose to the light, soil and space conditions of your yard.  Be sure to “look up” so you don’t plant under hydro wires and always call before you dig!  Trees provide us with the benefit of shade, cover, oxygen, beauty and sometimes food.  Consider planting a tree that will put food on your table and provide sustenance for our local wildlife.

Water Regularly.  Both newly planted and mature trees need regular watering.  Each week, feel the soil near the base of your tree.  If dry, give it a long, slow soak.  A good time to do this is first thing in the morning.

Mulch Regularly.  Mulch (woodchips, leaves, compost) retains moisture, provides nutrients, prevents soil compaction, and creates a protective space around your tree.  Spread mulch three inches deep around the base of your tree, ensuring the mulch does not touch the trunk of the tree as this causes decay.

Prevent Damage.  Avoid digging near trees or compacting soil which can cause root damage.  Insure you do not damage the bark at the base of the tree with your weed whacker.  Ninety per cent of a tree’s roots are located in the top two feet of soil and can extend up to three times the width of the canopy. Use organic alternatives to fertilizers and pesticides.  Remove stakes anchoring your newly planted trees after one year.

Prune Properly.  Educate yourself on proper tree pruning.  Your local plant nursery is a great source of information.  Hire a certified arborist and investigate their reputation by speaking with previous clients.

The Urban Forest Stewardship Network (www.ufsn.ca) is an online resource for organizations, community groups and individuals working on urban forest initiatives across Ontario. It is a platform for sharing experiences and resources. Anyone interested in trees and urban forest issues is welcome to join!

The steering committee of the UFSN includes: LEAF (Local Enhancement & Appreciation of Forests), Neighbourwoods on the Grand, Peterborough Green-Up and ReForest London. The UFSN is supported by Ontario Power Generation’s Biodiversity Program ( www.opgbiodiversity.ca) which is aimed at getting Ontarians involved in protecting and conserving biodiversity.

Plant some hope for tomorrow…plant a tree or two this spring.

Your commentary is encouraged and always welcome below or to earthmatters@cornwallfreenews.com

CFN

It is amazing how things grow and change over spring days.  The fragrance and subtle beauty of apple blossoms are an absolute delight to the senses.  New visitors such as the Bluebird, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and the honey bee visiting our dandelion dressed lawn lift the spirit. With spring moving forward in full throttle we are preparing are yard and beds for the upcoming season of planting, growth and harvest.

We have had a compost bin, 4’ x 4’ x 4’ for several years.  It is has acquired a lean over time however it is still standing and useful.  We have decided to add a second compartment next to it so that we can start a second pile once the first if full.  This was done simply by attaching three pallets.  Attaching one to the first bin and then the rest to each other with ties.  It’s not very pretty at the moment as noted below however it will look better over the season when the wild daisies (which grow about 5 to 6 feet tall) and the sunflowers grow around the side and back perimeters of the bins during the summer.  A move to help us compost more of our yard and household organic matter.

In my jaunts in the fields beyond the compost bins, debris is often found that has been blown out of garbage and recycling bins. I make it a point to pick up this foreign matter and recycle or garbage as needed. On one such walk a sponge noodle was found. You know the floatation noodles that kids or adults use in swimming pools? I decided to repurpose this into a peonies support.  Several branches that were trimmed from our bushes and trees were sharpened at one end for easy insertion into the noodle and then into the ground around the peonies plant.  Once the branches were secured into the ground, the noodle was pushed to a height which will support the flowers and plant as it continues to grow and bloom.  This will keep the heavy blooms off of the ground which we guess will allow us to enjoy the blooms a little longer and make it easier to groom the ground around it.  Now we are not suggesting that noodles be purchased for this purpose, our hope is to inspire you to think about how some of the things that normally end up in your garbage or recycle bin can be repurposed in and around your home.

I came across an article on a social media site that talked about growing celery by planting the cut-off end piece in the ground.  Supposedly this would grow new celery.  Sounds incredible, doesn’t it?  So I embarked on a little experiment.  Because it is still cool to think about planting things in the garden I decided put a couple of these ‘end celery pieces’ in water so that it would have a chance to grow some roots before planting outdoors.  A couple of weeks in a south facing window sill in a bit of water have produced the following results.

Both ends have grown roots and new growth has begun in the middle of the ends.  This experiment will be planted outdoors this week-end. A report on the progress of this trial will be shared in the coming weeks; so exciting.

We would love to hear about what is happening in your backyard.  Your commentary is encouraged and always welcome.

CFN

This could be your backyard, Local Park or favourite outdoor picnic area at work?  I know most people do.  It lightens their mood and uplifts their days.

To maintain/accommodate a diversity of wildlife in any area requires an approximate 35% forest coverage.  There are municipalities in Eastern Ontario that are painfully below this healthy number.

So as we witness progress making way for new homes, shopping centers and larger mono crops of corn and Soya perhaps it is time to ask ourselves,”what can we as individuals and city planners do to insure we maintain and increase our forest covered areas?”

Forests can be clear cut in very short order.  In turn they take many, many years to grow.  There are certain cities and municipalities that have enacted bylaws that require permissions to cut trees.

Do we really need to consider such measures to insure that we do not put species at risk by putting them in a position that they no longer have access to the food, cover and the micro climates necessary for survival?

It is clear to this writer that if we continue to develop areas with our eyes only on the immediate dollar gain, we will loose valuable resources and habitats that are priceless.  This spring of 2012, Earth Matters invites everyone to plant hope for tomorrow.

Planting bushes and trees can provide a multitude of benefits to your community, your home, your future and the multitude of life forms that share this living earth with us.  Further more, this International Year of the Cooperative would be a perfect time to works with friends, family, co-workers to initiate a project which will insure healthy habitats for the health and benefit of all.

Let us know what plans you have.  We would love to write about it.

In celebration of spring, Charlotte and I share the following images of Lynwood Forest, an area still alive and well.  Spring brings about changes very quickly.

Since these photographs were taken the forest floor has sprouted a carpet of Trilliums and the trees are beginning to dress in their finest greens.

Get out there and enjoy the wonders of Mother Nature.

We encourage and always welcome your commentary below or to earthmatters@cornwallfreenews.com

CFN

One of my own pet peeves is the far reaching hand of plastic in the ‘day to day’ of most people.  Newspapers are delivered in plastic bags.  Bread, vegetables and fruit are packaged in plastic.  Next time you are in your local grocery store, take a good look around to see how much plastic is in each grocery cart.  It can be overwhelming when you consider that most of this plastic is not recycled, ends up in a landfill (if it doesn’t blow out of the ‘garbage can’ waiting for the weekly refuse pick-up or if it doesn’t blow off of the garbage truck on its way to the dump) and when, and if it eventually breaks down into small little particles, could very well contribute to the death of a life form that inadvertently consumes it as food.  For those of you who read the last Earth Matters column, hundreds of thousands lives are lost due to the consumption of plastic.

With the snow gone and the grasses and plants just beginning to blossom you can’t help but notice the incredible amount of plastic garbage everywhere.  I find this quite disturbing.  The image below was taken on a recent walk through a wooded area in Cornwall, Ontario.  Amongst the blossoming forest floor is a piece of plastic from a nearby business.

So what practical steps can we take?  Refuse to use!  I know it is easier said than done.  How about growing some of your own food?  Planting season is just around the corner.   Growing some of your own food will eliminate the plastic packaging if bought, provide optimum nutrition because the item would go from garden to table and would save the resources and eliminate the carbon production required to transport the product to your grocery store.  Here are a couple of items that are easy to grow.

How about some radishes?  Radishes are an easy to grow cool season vegetable.  Radishes love cool weather and could actually be started now.  This is a vegetable that can also be sown in late summer.  Radishes and their leaves are an excellent source of vitamin C which is a cancer-preventing antioxidant.  They are also great sources of folic acid and potassium and aid in digestion and liver health.  Packs quite the health punch for a small easy to grow vegetable.

Zucchini is one of my most favourite vegetables to grow.  They are very easy to grow; I usually start them from seed outdoors.  Like all squash varieties, they need plenty of room to grow.  Each plant will require a spacing of about 3 feet between plants.  This is a plant that requires warm weather.  It will grow very fast once it begins to blossom.  They also require lots of water and fertilizer throughout the growing season.  Zucchini is rich in Vitamin C and lutein both of which are food for the eyes.  The plant also produces beautiful large orange blossoms which can be eaten.  A great specimen for the beginner or experienced gardener.

If you live in a very confined space I urge you to visit the Cornwall Transition + Facebook    They have some interesting suggestions for growing food in limited space.

Do you have any suggestions?  Please share below or drop a line to earthmatters@cornwallfreenews.com

CFN

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After all, doesn’t the sight and sounds of birds and butterflies sustain you?  If so we need to insure the habitats they need to thrive and survive are there to nourish them which in turn serve to support us.  It may be worthy noting that other areas of the world have laws protecting hedgerows from destruction or damage.

Seeing the following thought provoking image circulating on social media sites over the past week speaks volumes about how “one “ species has assumed a disproportionate influence in nature and often to the detriment of the whole.

It seems that we are managing our personal and business worlds in a fashion that is disrespectful and dangerous to the life forms that we share this planet with…which just happens to include ourselves.  So what can we do?  We all need cover, food, clean water and air…….and love.

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Ask yourself, in this action, in this moment, am I respectfully interacting with my world?  It is obvious that trees are felled and certain lands are cleared to make way for agriculture.  How can we do this with respect to the circle of life?    We are still a biodiverse planet with many species and habitats which demand and need our consideration and respect to flourish.  We can each do our part in the spaces that we occupy and visit each day.  By wasting nothing, buying less, and being respectful to the environment that we visit and live in.  Our mindful way of treading lightly will inspire others to do the same. There is immense power in the little choices we make each and every day.

On a further note to clear cutting in this area it has come to our attention that the Ministry of Natural Resources wants each Ontario Stewardship Council across Ontario, of which there are 42, to incorporate and raise all the money needed for their projects themselves.

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People working with the Stewardship Council are sensing that this is just an excuse to get rid of the program which is the only program in the MNR that works with and helps rural landowners.  The MNR gave our local Stewardship Council $10,000 which they leveraged into seven times that amount.  They do vital work which supports habitat and species protection and revitalization which ultimately benefits each of us.  Please consider lending your support with your signature to the Premier of Ontario on the petition on this link.  http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/ontario-stewardship-councils-are-important-to-ontarians.html  Your signature indicates your support of the continuation and work of the Resource Stewardship Councils.

Your commentary is appreciated and always welcome below or to earthmatters@cornwallfreenews.com

CFN

According to Nature Conservancy Canada Wetlands are a vital part of our environment that sustains a rich diversity of life and many species at risk for at least part of their lives.  You may be surprised to know that 70% of the    wetlands of Southern Ontario have been drained since 1900.  Wetlands play a vital role in our lives too.  They filter our water of contaminants, protect inland areas from floods and guard against erosion.

The boardwalk is in need of replacement and a new fundraising effort is underway to replace the current boardwalk with a composite material that is earth friendly and will last for years to come.   The Cooper Marsh Conservator volunteers are planning to rebuild the aging boardwalk at the Marsh, one board at a time.  They are inviting you to “Get on Board” by helping them to raise the $ 311,000.00 needed to restore, upgrade and widen the Boardwalk to make it wheelchair accessible.  The goal of the project is to make the Marsh a safer and more comprehensive outdoor experience for all.  New boardwalk boards are now for sale.  Each investment of $10 will purchase a length of recycled plastic composite board that will take Cooper Marsh one step closer to a new boardwalk.  (Note: Image below taken on boardwalk at Cooper Marsh 2007 during an Invitational Envirothon. You would not normally see so many people on the boardwalk at the same place, at the same time.)

Individual and group partners will be recognized for their contributions to rebuilding the Cooper Marsh Boardwalk in a number of ways.  All donations of $10 or more will be acknowledged as a partner on a special Cooper Marsh Partnership Honour Roll in the Visitors’ Centre.  A donation of $25 will buy one board bearing a plaque engraved with your name.  A partnership donation of $1000 or more of money, goods or services will be honoured with an engraved plaque marking a section of boardwalk (name and logo) as well as acknowledgement on a Partnership Tree Sculpture at the Cooper Marsh entrance.

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A special feature of the improved Cooper Marsh Boardwalk will include three new purpose-built viewing “Towers” linked to the boardwalk. Contributors will receive recognition for their contributions to “Get on Board with Cooper Marsh” through recognition plaques on the interpretive signage at the “Tower” identifying the individual or sponsoring group.

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This is an initiative that will insure that this beautiful space will continue to be accessible to the general public for all to enjoy for many years to come.  Please consider supporting this initiative.  Cooper Marsh is accessible year round and entrance is FREE.

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Cheques may be made payable to the “Cooper Marsh Conservators” and mailed to:  Sandy Crites  C.M. C.  Inc. Treasurer, c/o Raisin Region Conservation Authority, 18045 County Road 2, Cornwall, Ontario K6H 5T2  Kindly contact 613-938-3611 or info@rrca.on.ca for further details.

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Your commentary is always appreciated and welcome below or to earthmatters@cornwallfreenews.com

CFN

It really is as simple as “bonjour”.  You may begin with a layer of soil in a bin or begin with your actual lawn as your base layer.  Composting basically involves layering brown material, (things that were plants such as chipped twigs, shredded paper, dried up leaves, dried up lawn clippings, hay or straw) with layers of green material. (fresh grass clippings, plant material, vegetable and fruit peelings, weeds before they go to seed).  The brown layer is composed of material such as aged manure, dry straw or hay, shredded twigs and leaves.  This provides the carbon necessary for compost.  The green layer is made up of materials high in nitrogen.  This would include plant food scraps, coffee grinds, tea leaves, fresh plant trimmings and weeds as well as fresh non-carnivorous animal manure.  (From horses, chickens, alpacas, rabbits, sheep)

It is important not to include animal bones or meat, dairy products, whole eggs, oils or manure from meat eating animals.  These items will attract animals and create unpleasant odours.  Include crushed egg shells in limited quantities only as the excess minerals can interfere with the composting process.

Moisture is a requirement for a healthy compost pile.  In wet weather you may have to put a tarp on the pile to insure a healthy compost environment and alternately may have to water the pile if it becomes too dry.  When holding a handful of material from the compost pile in your hand, look for a wetness level that one might associate with a wrung out facecloth.  The compost pile also needs to be kept oxygenated.  This is easily accomplished by turning the material about once a week or so.  Inserting 3 or 4 five inch diameter pipes with holes throughout the length of pipe, the depth of the pile, also allows air to circulate.

The average temperature of a working compost pile is about 140 degrees F.  If you find your pile isn’t composting fast enough you can add more green material, add a little water and turn more frequently.  If it has an ammonia smell there is probably too much green material.  Add more brown material such as leaves or straw from the previous season to counter this symptom.

What to use?  There are many ‘compost kits’ on the market or you can simply begin a couple of different piles in your yard on the ground.  Using a little scrap untreated wood or fencing can shelter your pile from the elements and keep everything in one spot.  Having more than one pile means that as you fill and mix one pile you can begin another so that when the second pile is full you will have yourself some fully composted material, often referred to as black gold, in the first pile that can be spread to provide nourishment for your lawn, garden and house plants.

There are many web sites out there to help you along the way in this new adventure.  A good place to start would be http://www.howtocompost.org

Your commentary is always welcome and appreciated below or to earthmatters@cornwallfreenews.com

CFN

The Aronia berry bush is a member of the Rose family and grows to a height and width of three to six feet tall. The Spring May white flower clusters from which the fruit forms is primarily pollinated by bees.  The fruit begins to form mid to late summer and the pea-sized fruit ripens late summer into the fall.  The fruit and juice is a deep purple colour.   Further information related to the many health benefits of this fruit can be viewed at http://www.paghat.com/chokeberry.html  According to this site this shrub can thrive in swampy or dry environments, in acid, neutral or mildly alkaline soil, in full sun or half shade, is rarely troubled by insects or diseases and is cold hardy (according to http://www.raysahelian.com/aronia.html ) to at least -40 Celsius.  Indeed a hardy specimen.  The bush does not like very hot conditions.  Ideal conditions would be moist well-drained soil with bright sunshine. It is very tolerant to being transplanted and can be expected to thrive when planted in any season with great success.  When making inquires with your local Plant Nursery about availability of the Aronia bush, we pass along the suggestion of asking for the “Autumn Magic” cultivar.  In conclusion if you’re looking for a bush that can provide some cover, shade, privacy, blooms and supplies some awesome nutrition for you and your wildlife visitors, consider an Aronia bush.  Happy planting.

Are you wild about wetlands?  Katherine Beehler, RAP Implementation Coordinator at the Raison Region Conservation Authority (Cornwall, Ontario Region) is looking for volunteers to be trained as amphibian and/or bird monitors for wetlands in Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry for their community “Marsh Monitoring Program. (MMP)  The MMP has been tracking local populations of amphibians and birds in marshes since 1995.  The data collected is sent to Bird Studies Canada which uses the data to asses the health of our marshes around the Great Lakes Basin.

Volunteering as a marsh monitor only involves a 10 – 12 hour Annual commitment.  An amazing opportunity to get out and enjoy nature and all the simple pleasures and lessons she has to offer.  Beehler has been monitoring amphibians at Charlottenburgh Park since 2007.  “It’s a fun program that teaches you to listen to nature in a whole new way.”  For more information about this program opportunity, kindly contact Katherine Beehler at 613-938-3611, ext 229 or e-mail katherine.beehler@rrca.on.ca

“The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago.  The next best time is today.”
~Chinese Proverb~

Your commentary is always welcome and appreciated below or to earthmatters@cornwallfreenews.com

CFN

Remember the SARS outbreak not long ago?  Remember the line-ups to get flu shots as there was major concern about a world outbreak of a strain of flu that could have dire consequences to world populations?  Well that never happened…but what if it did?  What if the borders were closed to traffic to quarantine a virus or illness?  Can we sustain our population with the local food that we produce?  What would our grocery shelves look like if the borders were closed?  I can only guess that many of the items that we purchase on a regular basis would not be available.

So what can we do to insure that if such an event ever occurred we could nourish ourselves in spite of the limited items available to us?  There are certainly items that will not be available as they do not grow in our climate zone.  Items such as citrus fruit, (although I have heard there is a limited quantity available on the west coast of Canada) bananas, olives, certain spices would simply not be available.  Our climate however supports the growth of many fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts which can easily sustain a body healthfully.   Many of these items however are not grown on the acres of farmlands that surround us.  Seems most of the farmlands are involved in growing miles and miles of corn and Soya beans.  Crops not even grown for human consumption, but for fuel and cattle feed.  What the heck is wrong with this picture?  Although I have seen many signs on farmland that indicate “Farmers Feed Cities”, I fail to see the diversity of crops that actually nourish or provide the diversity of elements required for health.  It would seem that “profit” is in the huge monoculture crops such as corn or Soya although after watching the video “A Ripple Effect Production”

on the Mercola.com site and reading the related material, it indicates this assumption is absolutely false.   The site notes that “researchers at the University of Wisconsin’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Michael Fields Agricultural Institute (results published in 2008 in the Agronomy Journal) found that traditional organic farming techniques of planting a variety of plants to ward off pests is more profitable than monocropping”.

So what steps can we take to insure we have the variety of foods necessary for our growth and wellbeing?  Support your local Food Producers with at least $10.00 out of your weekly food budget.  If each of us did this, we can insure our producers have the means to continue to put healthy homegrown options on our table.  From field to fork is a much healthier option for our bodies and the planet.  Cook, can, dry or freeze food in season and pass these vital skills onto your children.  Support or organize activities that promote a sustainable food system.   Consider planting a sustainable garden at your home, office or school.  A great way to have fresh food right at your finger tips.  Consider planting trees or bushes that not only provide habitat for wildlife but food for the table.  Support local food vendors that purchase locally produced organic food.

The above video is available for your viewing, free until Saturday, March 3rd.  It is a powerful video just over an hour in length, urging us to begin to reacquaint ourselves with our food, where it comes from and how it is produced.  It is a real eye opener!

Your commentary is appreciated and always welcome below or to earthmatters@cornwallfreenews.com

CFN

One of things on my “do list” weekend was to clean up an area in my home which seems to be the catch all place for whatever seems to be in my hands at the moment.  I keep going by this place and keep thinking that I need to make some time to clean this up.  This area is a space in our home that I go by everyday, a place that I have to look at a few times a day each and every day that I spend in our home.  Whether I consciously realize it or not it makes me feel less than relaxed and today was the day to look after this mess.  There were photographs, papers, elastic bands, a jar of hand cream, an enlarger…yes an enlarger which had sat in that same place for well over 365 days folks.  So I decided to take this small area take a before photograph and get down to work.

So you might be wondering, “What does this have to do with Earth Matters”?  The motivation for me to continue my work with this weekly column and the Earth Matters facebook page is to inform and encourage readers to be friends, stewards of our living earth which will undoubtedly enrich our own lives.  If I wish to help with some of these community matters, a good starting point is my very own messes.

So I started with 4 piles of items, “keep”, “recycle”, and “garbage” or “give away”.  Most of the items were relegated to the paper recycle bin, some were put away, a handful of photographs were for give away and a few items were put in the garbage (small plastic bags which I wish we recycled here in our township) and the enlarger was given a new storage area in the basement for future consideration.

So what are the lessons in all this?  Firstly, the space is now clean and gives me more space to breathe and relax.  Now that this personal space has been decluttered and cleaned I feel a sense of freedom and energy to move on to projects outside of my personal space.  Looking after each important area of our lives such as family, community and ourselves gives us fuel necessary for “peace of mind”, for our own ultimate happiness.

On a completely different note, I know there are many things happening in the world that concern people, which they are not happy about.  Earth Matters would like to encourage people to respectfully converse with all people for or against your position.  Telling someone to stick their head where the sun doesn’t shine or resorting to name calling accomplishes NOTHING! This only shuts the door on any possible conversation.  It has been noted that people are quick to talk about what they dislike or don’t want without offering solutions or mentioning what they would like to see.  Kindly consider the immense benefits of stating your position in the positive such as:  instead of “People against Pipeline ABC”, how about “People for Alternative Sustainable Energy”.  I believe one encourages a conversation and states your position in a positive manner.  Just a thought folks.  Take what you like and leave the rest.

Your commentary is encouraged and always welcome below or to earthmatters@conrwallfreenews.com