Parry Sound Nature Club
Parry Sound Nature Club Events
Welcome to the Parry Sound Nature Club event page! All events are currently virtual.
January
January 20th, 7pm - via Zoom
The Secret Life of Blanding's Turtles
Reta is a fourth year thesis student at McMaster University and has been working with freshwater turtles throughout her undergraduate career! Reta's talk will focus on the freshwater turtles of Georgian Bay, Ontario. Particularly focusing on the landscape and community ecology of Blanding's turtles, this talk will bring insight to help understand the importance of reptiles, their interesting life cycle, and various conservation plans to help their declining population. Join to learn all about turtles and how much fun it is to work with them!
February
February 17th, 7pm - via Zoom
Life in the Mauritius - Canada's New Noah
Eric Jolin was Canada's 30th New Noah, a special program by Wildlife Preservation Canada. Learn about the endemic flora and fauna of Mauritius, and the dedicated researchers who are working around the clock to save them from extinction. Going from working with the Massasauga Rattlesnake of Georgian Bay to one of the world's rarest snake species, the Round Island Boa, this was truly a once in a lifetime experience. If you're looking for a tropical escape this winter, join us in the warmth and see all about what it takes to work as an island restoration specialist.
March
March 17th, 7pm - via Zoom
Hidden Clues: How DNA can help us better protect amphibian populations
Out of all animal groups Amphibians are the most likely to become endangered, with an estimated 1/3rd of all amphibians at risk of extinction globally. To protect Georgian Bay’s amphibians from increasing threats, new and innovative monitoring techniques are needed. Environmental DNA is an emerging method of species detection that could greatly advance our ability to track species. Cameron Brown, a 4th year undergraduate student at McMaster University, has spent the last year researching how environmental DNA can be used to monitor Mole Salamander populations in eastern Georgian Bay.
April
April 21st, 7pm - via Zoom
Ontario Bats & The Canadian Bat Box Project
Bats in Canada face multiple threats, including habitat loss and the fungal disease white-nose syndrome. A popular way to provide additional roosting habitat for bats is installing bat boxes. However, there has been very little research done on the effectiveness of bat boxes in Canada, the best designs for our northern climate, and which bat species use bat boxes. As part of her PhD, Karen Vanderwolf is starting a citizen science national bat box project to address these knowledge gaps. Join us to learn more about bats, their current status, and how you can participate in this new citizen science research project!
May
May 19th, 7pm - via Zoom
A Place To Call Home: The Lapland Longspur
Lapland Longspur are one of the most common and abundant nesting birds on the Arctic Tundra, with a population estimate of 200 million birds worldwide, however, with current projections, they could lose up to 60% of suitable breeding habitat by 2050. Sarah Bonnett’s research focuses on how Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) nest sites are influenced by food availability, vegetation, and elevation. She has had two previous field seasons on the tundra near Baker Lake, Nunavut. Sarah is a second year MSc student in the Environmental & Life Sciences program at Trent University, co-supervised by Dr. Erica Nol and Dr. Paul Smith.
June
TBD
Spring Bird Hike
Come out and look for spring birds with us! This is the perfect time to head out on a walk and experience the spring. Sp
Fall Calendar - TBA