Category Archives: Wild in the City

More Noonan Hikes the Rouge Venice of the North Trail, read below…

Posted on May 29, 2015 | Leave a comment
Dames Rocket

Dames Rocket

Bareberry

Bareberry

Cattail, or Bullrush if you prefer

Cattail, or Bullrush if you prefer

Cow Parsnip

Cow Parsnip

Mustard Hedge

Mustard Hedge

Sensitive Fern

Sensitive Fern

Smooth Sumac

Smooth Sumac

Stinging Nettle

Stinging Nettle

Touch Me Not

Touch Me Not

Noonan script zSpring flowering plants6 Venice of the North trail

Ostrich Fern

Ostrich Fern

Angelica

Angelica

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Posted in conservation, environment, Hiking, Markham Greenspace, Nature Walks, Rouge National Urban Park, Toronto greenspace, Wild in the City

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Noonan Hikes the Rouge, May 27th…

Posted on May 28, 2015 | Leave a comment
...and Peter paddles

…and Peter paddles

Jan being swallowed by the fern field...

Jan being swallowed by the fern field…

Old Man River...

Old Man River…

Noonan Hikes 2 fiddle head 20150527_105747 (3)

...more fiddlehead

…more fiddlehead

Dryads fungus

Dryads fungus

frogs of the future...

frogs of the future…

John pondering the river...

John pondering the river…

Red Tail

Red Tail

Red Wing

Red Wing

Vulture

Vulture

Noonan Hikes River 20150527_100659

 

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Posted in conservation, environment, frogs, Hiking, Nature Walks, Rouge National Urban Park, Wild in the City

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Paddle the Rouge River!

Posted on May 25, 2015 | Leave a comment

http://www.wildlandsleague.org/paddle-the-rouge

 

JUNE 13, Paddle the Rouge! One of Toronto’s great rivers…

…click above for details.

 

 

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Posted in conservation, environment, Markham Greenspace, Rouge National Urban Park, Toronto greenspace, Uncategorized, Wild in the City

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A walk on the wild side- Rouge Ponds

Posted on May 25, 2015 | Leave a comment

No 1 rouge

Turtles

Turtles

No 3 RougeMay1E 076No 4 rouge

No rouge

A walk through Rouge ponds…

 

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Posted in conservation, Hiking, Markham Greenspace, Nature Walks, Rouge National Urban Park, Wild in the City

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More Flowers in Beautiful Rouge Park

Posted on May 8, 2015 | Leave a comment

xnoonan 320150506_101731_sFiddleheads

MANITOBA MAPLE

MANITOBA MAPLE

xnoonan 4 20150506_110404_sRiverside Trail

RIVERSIDE TRAIL

RIVERSIDE TRAIL

 

NOTE: The pictured  fiddlehead photo above represents a species that is heavily poached in the Park. The north portion of the Park is now patrolled but the south portion is not thanks to the Wynne government’s inaction on transferring the agreed-upon lands under their jurisdiction to Parks Canada, and the province accordingly is not offering any protection, either!

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Posted in conservation, environment, Hiking, Nature Walks, Wild in the City

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PARKS CANADA TAKES QUICK ACTION in Rouge National Urban Park

Posted on May 5, 2015 | Leave a comment

Parks Canada have taken more action in the Rouge in a few short weeks than Ontario has in the last 30 years!

Current restoration projects include activities to restore aquatic and riparian ecosystems in the part of the Park now managed by Parks Canada and does not include the Rouge lands and waterways still controlled by the Ontario Government due to Premier Wynn’s refusal to live up to the agreement that government signed on January 26, 2013.

The restoration work is in the portion of the Urban Park in Markham and is being done in concert with the Rouge National Urban Park farming community.

If you are in support of the Parks Canada protections and restoration projects and that they should apply to the whole of the Rouge Park area ask the premier to live up to the agreement and commitment previously signed to transfer the provincial portions of the park lands forthwith.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:Larry Noonan- 905-420-8696, Hon. Pauline Browes- 416-439-1437

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Posted in conservation, environment, Markham Greenspace, Wild in the City

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Rouge Park Hike on the Mast Trail presents flowering promises

Posted on May 4, 2015 | Leave a comment

We were delighted by the spring sprouts and growth of the upcoming season’s promised wildflower spectacular. The TRILLIUM, Ontario’s official flower, are just starting to develop their flowers. HERB ROBERT, a geranium family member, also called Red Robin, was earlier used to treat toothaches and nosebleeds but no longer recommended as a treatment.

BLUE COHOSH leaves are purplish blue, also called Squaw Root or Papoose, blue berry-like fruits not out yet. CELANDINE has yellow flowers and was mentioned by Roman Historian Pliny for its  medicinal purposes, still popular in Russia where it is used to treat certain kinds of cancer.

MAY APPLE is a herbaceous perennial flowering typically in May. TROUT LILY is a spring flower. HEPATICA (Medieval Latin for Liverwort) is in the Buttercup family sometimes used as an astringent to help to heal injuries, but not recommended for any medicinal use today.

GARLIC MUSTARD is an invasive herb native to Europe. It is edible and vaguely smells and tastes like garlic- sometimes used in salads…

…these and many other plant and wildflower varieties can be seen on any hike through the trails of Rouge Park. Photos of each of these can be seen on the previous posting.

Larry Noonan

 

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Posted in conservation, environment, Markham Greenspace, Nature Walks, Toronto greenspace, Wild in the City

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Mast Trail in Rouge Park early flowerings…

Posted on May 4, 2015 | Leave a comment
Blue Cohosh

Blue Cohosh

Herb Robert

Herb Robert

Trillium

Trillium

Garlic Mustard

Garlic Mustard

Hepatica

Hepatica

Trout Lily

Trout Lily

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Posted in environment, Hiking, Rouge National Urban Park, Wild in the City

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Suzuki Foundation and Rouge National Urban Park

Posted on May 1, 2015 | Leave a comment

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/wildlife-habitat/projects/rouge-national-park/

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Posted in conservation, environment, Rouge National Urban Park, Wild in the City

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DANFORTH MILITARY TRAIL- to Rouge Park

Posted on April 30, 2015 | Leave a comment

Danforth 20150427_180541 (9)_sHotel Cowan Pick Harbour 20150427_174106 (9)_sHotel Cowan Pick Harbour 20150427_174106 _s Hotel Cowan Pick Harbour 20150427_174106 (3)_s

The Danforth Military Trail, started by American Col. Asa Danforth in 1799, was built under contract to the government of the time. The trail enters into the valley from Pickering and to a location where a bridge once stood over the Rouge River. From the other side of the river the trail goes west into Toronto. When the trail approaches the valley floor it turns west where a number of ruins can be seen.

Turning east is a smaller trail which goes toward the mouth of the river, and along this is the remains of the Cowan Hotel which served sailors from Pickering Harbour.

Photos include: Danforth Military Trail, still wide enough to take wagons; the Rouge River beside the Cowan Hotel; chimney remains of the two-story Cowan Hotel.

Larry Noonan

 

 

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Posted in Hiking, Nature Walks, Rouge National Urban Park, Wild in the City

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