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- Some Monarch Butterfly Populations Are Rising. Is It Enough to Save Them? — Natural History Wanderings
- Restoration in the Santa Monica Mountains —The World’s Largest Urban National Park — Natural History Wanderings
- Noonan’s May 18th Hike in the Rouge
- Terry Whittam Memorial Hike on May 11th…
- Terry Whittam Memorial Hike
- Noonan’s May 5th Hike in the Rouge
- Jan’s Photos from Hike in Bob Hunter Park
- Noonan’s April 20th Hike in the Rouge
- Noonan’s April 13th Hike in the Rouge
- Noonan’s April 6th Hike in the Rouge
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Category Archives: Farmland
Noonan’s December 2nd Hike in the Rouge
Posted in birds, conservation, environment, Farmland, Hiking, Nature Walks, Parks Canada-Toronto
New Rouge National Park Addition!
The Ontario government belatedly announced the transfer of some of the previously committed to provincial lands on Saturday, October 21 in a brief ceremony! This new announcement transferred 6.5 square KM to the new Parks Canada urban national park.
MPP Ted Arnott was critical that the government had not yet transferred the remaining 15 square KM as per the previous agreement between the Federal and Provincial governments, the provincial Liberal government stating that this transfer will be announced at a later date.
Slowly but surely Rouge National Urban Park project marches toward completion, but it looks like there is still a way to go before a full appreciation of what this unique Canadian National Park can be.
Read the debate surrounding the Amendment to the Rouge National Urban Park Act…
Check with the House of Commons Hansard service and read the debate transcript from November 24 re the various changes and amendments to the above-mentioned.
September 21 HIKE in the Rouge- Larry Noonan
Posted in birds, conservation, environment, Fall Colours, Farmland, Hiking, Nature Walks, Rouge National Urban Park, Wildflowers
Tagged Fall Colours
Once You See The Rouge You Will Fall In Love…
Governments finally announce land transfer…
…to the new Rouge National Urban Park by Province of Ontario to honour earlier agreement at last! Whoopie!
Whittamore’s Farms
This 1/2 century pick-your own strawberry operation, once expropriated for the Pickering Airport, now re-acquired by the family is Ontario’s largest ‘Pick-Your-Own’.
Read all about it in the attached Scarborough Mirror article by Larry Noonan.
Rouge National Urban Park- Environmental integrity?
Some Rouge Park proponents are stumbling over the term ‘environmental integrity’ as it applies to the current Rouge Park. The term is generally understood to mean land virtually untouched or unmarked by humankind and these-thinking proponents ignore the fact that Rouge National Urban Park cannot possibly be considered as úntouched’, particularly when one considers that the earliest North Americans have been treading on the land in the Rouge Valley for some 10,000 tears, regularly leaving their mark: such as with organized burial sites, evidence of campsites, as a carrying place from Lake Ontario north, and the like. Today there are three rail lines crossing the park area, many roads and a corridor of hydro lines- don’t forget the more modern settlement efforts starting in the early 180o’s, many of these dwellings still being utilized.
But although the valley has been ‘touched’ regularly and many times, there are still 1700 species of plants, fish, birds, mammals, insects, reptiles and amphibians. Did I mention salmon? And some good farmland, too!
It is still wild down there in the valley! Hence our usage of the term ‘Wild in the City’ as it applies to the Rouge. In the City it is, but you wouldn’t know it when you are down deep in there. When the Arctic Wolves escaped their pen at the Metro Zoo (surrounded by the park) a number of years ago they were quite happy to remain in the valley until re-captured. You can’t fool a wolf. It is still wild in the valley!
Posted in conservation, environment, Farmland, Wild in the City
Tagged Environmental itegrity
Will Rouge Park farmers see a change in their fortunes?
Three new park area Scarborough and Markham Liberal MP’s will meet to discuss aspects of the new Rouge National Urban Park. Gary Anandasangaree, MP for Scarborough Rouge River said ‘ We’ll work hard to get the full dream that Rouge really was’.
Park farmer leasees may have some worries as their long-time champion, defeated MP Paul Calandra won’t be around to offer his usually supportive voice.
Lets all support the new area MP’s efforts to work towards a realistic, positive and rapid completion of this major unique national park concept…
Previously, a few park proponents got caught up in irrelevant and non-applicable terminologies, thereby slowing down the whole park development process.
Let’s wish them all God speed and good luck in their proceedings…
…look forward to seeing you all on the trails in the Rouge!