Greetings! I am so glad the warmer weather is here. Through the last few months, it has been the sunshine and blue skies that have elevated my spirits. Staff continue to work from home, and for me that means more time with my dog Charlie. We have been walking local trails, and I think sometimes Charlie is better at spotting wildlife than I am. He got very excited about seeing a Snapping Turtle in the leaves the other day that I would have otherwise walked right past!   This e-newsletter is especially exciting for me, as we share news on our website and Carden Challenge (and other items as well). Our website re-design has been in the works for years. It is an important source of information – and it has a lot of content. The Challenge re-cap is included, and we are in awe of the results. Read on for these updates and more.   Thanks for being here.

~ Tanya Development Coordinator

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The New Website is Here!

Website Tour The website looks quite a bit different from the old one. To help you find the information you are looking for, we have put together a page on the website that goes over the new updates. Included in this page is also a Website Re-design Tour that shows you how to navigate the new site. Visit this page here

We are so excited to share with all of you that the new Conservancy website is finally live ! We have been working hard to improve our website and design to make it user friendly so you can find information easier, faster, and all from your phone! If you come across a page or link that doesn't work, please me at tanya@couchconservancy.ca Check out the new website here

2020 Carden Challenge: At Home Edition Recap

In a 24 hour period, almost 90 people from all across Ontario were out looking for species while raising funds to help protect the alvar. This year was different – everyone was searching in their own neighbourhoods and not necessarily together with their team members. Many of the participants struggled with the weather – a cold, windy and rainy day does not make for good sightings. Our sincere thanks to everyone who participated in the 16th annual Carden Challenge and helped to raise over $38,000 for alvar conservation. We are blown away! Click here to read the full recap

At Home with The Couchiching Conservancy

The Secret Life of Trilliums with Ron Reid Plants need much more than just water and sunshine to thrive. In this video you will learn about the secret life of trilliums.

Tackling Garlic Mustard with Dave Hawke This short video tells you why garlic mustard matters, how to identify it, and how to pick and remove it safely.

Click here to see the full playlist

Help us win $20,000! Did you know for the month of June every dollar you donate is an entry for us to win $20,000 for local land conservation? These funds would help us protect and steward around 800 acres of local wilderness. Enter us to win here

Spring/Summer Notes from the Field

It’s that time of year when Dave joins staff from the Nature Conservancy of Canada (Brittany Hope this year) in working to control invasive Dog Strangling Vine on the Carden Alvar. Dave checked in to say they’d had an eventful day: “Rescued a wounded young Blanding’s turtle, saw a bear, and found Crescents and Swallowtails feeding on bear vomit.” Nature is beautiful, and also sometimes a bit gross.

“The Bat Pad” made its debut the first week of Summer, with a visit to four different Nature Reserves to monitor for bats. This new bat monitoring equipment was made possible through the Angela Rehhorn Citizen Science Memorial Fund.

The Trudeau family stepped up at Church Woods during the quarantine to not only monitor for salamanders, but keep a close eye on this 10 hectare Nature Reserve in Shanty Bay while it was closed to the public. When were re-opening the Reserves, the whole family helped to ensure the process went smoothly. Thanks to Kim and Mark, and their three children Adeline, Woodsley, and Graham.

Read more Notes from the Field here

Tick Safety Ticks are a fact of life in our region, but that doesn’t have to spoil your visits. Here are 3 easy steps to follow when in the field. Click the image to see a larger view. Click here for more resources for volunteers

Adapted Passport to Nature

Our committee members have been busy meeting over Zoom and planning out activities for you to get out in nature and learn about this region, while we aren't able to get together in person. The original program plan is on hold for next year. Our adapted program will be a mixture of webinars and download & go activities. More information on the webinar and dates will be released soon.

Can you guess what our first webinar topic might be? Here are some clues:

Read more about the Adapted Passport to Nature here

Website: www.couchichingconserv.ca Phone: 705-326-1620 Mail: Box 704, Orillia, ON L3V 0X6 Office: 1485 Division Rd W, Orillia, ON L3V 6H2 Charitable Registration #: 13972 5030 RR0001

Did you know that all species of turtles in Ontario are at risk? Turtles are on the move in late Spring and early Summer in search of nearby wetlands to lay their eggs. Protecting wetland habitats are critical for these species. You can help protect turtles and their habitats by clicking here.

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