The UN Conference on Biodiversity in Montreal concluded this week with 190 countries agreeing to protect 30 per cent of Earth’s land and oceans by 2030.
This is the first agreement with such far- reaching goals, containing 23 environmental targets with monitoring mechanisms to measure achievement of these targets and insist on accountability by governments.
Previous efforts have failed because they lacked specifically measurable goals, and because today’s urgency was not felt. With the science telling us over one million species are at risk of extinction – affecting food and water for human life – the will is considerable to put words into action.
Participants agreed also to manage the remaining 70 per cent of our planet with attention to areas critical to biodiversity (wetlands, savannahs, forests, waterways) and to ensure that big businesses disclose potential biodiversity risks of their activities.
Rewilding is happening around the world. What that looks like in our backyards might include some of the following:
• Shoreline protection. Keeping and restoring native plants along lake and river shores protects from erosion and lost nesting habitat. See ‘Native Plants for Your Property Including Shorelines,’ a document on the Haliburton County Master Gardeners website that provides an extensive list of trees, grasses, shrubs, perennials, ferns and sedges, as well as sources for native plant nurseries.
• Bring back insects. A recent UK survey discovered a 64 per cent loss of flying insects since 2004. Without pollinators, there are no crops. A “Keystone Species” refers to a species that other species in an ecosystem depend on, such that if it disappeared, survival of the rest would drastically change. You can look up Keystone Species and choose these critical plants as the foundation of your garden to attract the most beneficial native insects.
• Pesticides are suicide. While these chemicals can control unwanted fungi, pests and diseases, they greatly reduce biodiversity by killing many wildlife species including mammals, birds, frogs, earthworms and bees. Natural alternatives to pesticides include diatomaceous earth, marigolds, feverfew, chives, nasturtium (keep aphids away), borage (prevents worms in tomatoes). Speak to a gardening expert to discover how to avoid pesticide use.
• Feeding wildlife. Tempting as it is to put out corn or hay for deer, a better food bar is one that mirrors the diversity of a deer’s diet. Deer eat a variety of plants and shrubs. In winter, deer eat bark and twigs from trees, or moss under the snow. Some people hang branches for deer to munch on.
• More trees. Planting a forest means providing habitat for many creatures, building an ecosystem from the bottom up. Roots ensure healthy soil, prevent erosion, and if planted close enough together they will better survive the extreme high winds climate change brings. Insects live in trees, providing sustenance for birds and other animals.
• Rethink fertilizers. Although convenient, synthetic or inorganic fertilizers often enhance the growth of one or two dominant species at the expense of the diversity of a natural ecosystem. Chemical sprays and liquid fertilizer can kill important microorganisms in the soil that create organic matter. They can leach into groundwater, causing water pollution. Your garden will prosper with tree leaves, Lomi dirt, weed remains, eggshells, coffee grounds, food waste. A complex balance of ph, moisture, microbes and fungi make up the macro and micronutrients plants require. Healthy soil is the backbone of a healthy ecosystem.
• The Haliburton County Master Gardeners have a new exciting project, ‘Stepping into Nature’ that serves to highlight local biodiversity. It includes self-guided tours via Pocketsights (mobile App) and will start in May with a focus on the Minden Riverwalk. See their website to participate.
Preventing loss of biodiversity
A farewell photo album
When a reporter writes a goodbye column, two things are mandatory: being self-aware about the difficulty of writing said column and using the word “bittersweet” at least once.
Now that I’ve done both, I could use the next 500 words to list all the times I misspelled Lake Kashagawigamog.
Instead, I’ll write about the things I won’t remember about Haliburton County and the many, many things I will.
I won’t remember the spotty cell service or the choice of language each Highlands pothole – and the bill for my car’s suspension – provoked, nor many council meetings or provincial funding announcements.
I’ve heard memory described as a camera.
Where you focus determines what your mind captures; what rattles around in your mental film canisters for decades.
I can peer through my mental viewfinder at Salerno Lake, watching a photographer’s eyes light up as he sees his new friend, a loon, that’s arrived for the summer.
“Click” goes the shutter.
Whether it’s reporting on Turtle Guardians tipping a Tupperware of younglings into Head Lake or peering up at hawks and songbirds at sunrise with the Haliburton Highlands Land Trust, I’ve been lucky enough to snap photos, both literal and figurative, of so many people who have sparked my own fascination and increasing reverence for flora and fauna.
My mental memory card has lots on the arts community.
Haliburton County is rich in creative talent. I’ll remember pain and joy reverberating from the Highlands Opera Studio’s Eugene Onegin. I still hear parents and loved ones whoop and cheer watching the last performance of the Haliburton Dance Academy or Camexicanus’ School of Rock.
I’ll remember a painter’s brushstrokes dancing across a canvas, silenced by the roar of the Gull River, and Glebe Park sculptures emerging from the mist as if they were sentinels of the forest.
I believe the health of Haliburton County is dependent on a thriving and supported arts community.
I’ve many a mental picture of the “do” people. Haliburton County is built by passionate people from Irondale to Cardiff to Dorset. The belief so many Highlanders have in their own community took the edge off cynicism, which began to harden after a difficult few years of COVID-19 (and too much time reading Facebook comments from the “say” people).
But in my pictures of Haliburton County, both brokenness and beauty fill the frame.
Near multi-million-dollar cottages, families spend winters with the heat cranked low and sparse cupboards.
Anger over short-term rentals and shoreline bylaws spills off keyboards and bounces off internet towers that spark anger too. Patients drive hours for medical procedures or wait years to find a family doctor. The community’s economy creaks under the strain of staff shortages and an aging workforce.
I count myself lucky to have met so many passionate defenders and advocates of this place who are fighting for its future. I was lucky to work with so many, too.
Working for The Highlander has been the best job I’ve ever had. I’ll be exploring my passions in art for a little bit, before seeing what other adventures I can get up to before I feel like settling down.
But since I’m leaving, I can let you in on a secret: The Highlander is biased. The best community newspapers always are. This publication unapologetically stands with Haliburton County and its communities, wildlife, people and stories.
It’s been an honour to be part of that mission. “Click.”
Winter storm to impact municipal operations, Environment Canada advising people to stay home
Townships across Haliburton County are bracing themselves as a serious winter storm sweeps across much of southern Ontario, advising area residents to stay home, if possible, over the next 24 hours.
Dysart et al, Minden Hills, Highlands East, Algonquin Highlands and the County of Haliburton have all declared significant weather events, with a slew of municipal services delayed or shuttered Dec. 23 and Dec. 24.
This comes after Environment Canada issued a weather watch for Haliburton County in the early hours of Friday morning.
“The major winter storm will continue through Saturday. Travel will become hazardous and is not advised,” a warning on the Environment Canada website reads.
Heavy snowfall is expected throughout Friday, with snow squalls forecasted overnight. Environment Canada is predicting a minimum of 20cm to fall by Saturday morning. Further flurries are expected throughout Saturday.
Cold wind chill values will develop Friday afternoon and persist into the weekend as a cold front from the south pushes north. Temperatures are expected to drop to minus 20 degrees Celsius and below, with anticipated wind gusts of up to 70 km/h.
With the heavy winds, Environment Canada is calling for near whiteout conditions across much of the County due to blowing snow.
“Consider postponing non-essential travel until conditions improve. Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow. If visibility is reduced while driving, slow down, watch for taillights ahead and be prepared to stop,” Environment Canada states.
Public Safety Canada is encouraging anyone travelling to make an emergency plan and get an emergency kit with drinking water, food, medicine, a first-aid kit and a flashlight, in case they get stranded.
Algonquin Highlands
Township staff posted a note to the municipal website at 6 a.m. Dec. 23, advising residents of several changes to operations.
All waste disposal sites will be closed Dec. 24 and 25, and are scheduled to reopen Dec. 26. The township office on North Shore Road will be closed to the public today (Dec. 23) and will remain closed throughout the holidays, reopening Jan. 3. A notice to airmen has been issued for the Stanhope Municipal Airport advising that no winter maintenance will be performed over the next few days. Fueling for emergency crews will continue.
Users of the roads and sidewalks within the municipality are advised to avoid unnecessary travel and to use caution if doing so. Municipal work forces will continue to provide maintenance operations, but for safety considerations operations will be delayed and may need to be suspended.
Dysart et al
In its notice warning the public about inclement weather, Dysart officials say they are expecting over 30 cm of snow to fall over the next couple of days. They are advising residents to stay home until the worst of the weather has passed.
“A significant weather event is declared when a weather hazard is approaching or occurring and has the potential to pose a significant danger to [residents]. The declaration suspends the standard timelines required for municipalities to meet their winter maintenance objectives until the municipality declares the significant weather event has ended,” a post on the Dysart et al website reads.
Dysart has not outlined any closures to municipal facilities.
Highlands East
All municipal buildings across Highlands East will be closed until the significant weather event is over. The Hwy. 28 waste disposal site will be closed Dec. 23, with further waste disposal site closures expected Dec. 24.
The township declared a significant weather event Dec. 23 at 6 a.m.
“The declaration may change how or when the municipality performs its winter maintenance operations and may increase the amount of time to bring the roads back to a state of repair. Highlands East is advising residents to stay off the roads unless necessary, and if you must travel, please use extreme caution as the municipality may not be able to meet its maintenance standards for roads due to freezing rain and heavy snowfall.”
Updates will be provided on the municipal website at highlandseast.ca when the weather event has ended.
Minden Hills
Posting similar advisories to other municipalities, Minden Hills is recommending people stay home until the weather event has subsided.
All municipal buildings will be closed until the event is over, including S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena. All waste disposal sites (Scotch Line, Ingoldsby, Little Gull and Iron Mine) will also be closed.
“Municipal staff would like to thank the residents and businesses for their understanding and cooperation on this matter,” the township notice reads. “We will provide updates when the significant weather event has ended.
To monitor weather conditions, visit weather.gc.ca. To report severe weather, send an email to ONstorm@ec.gc.ca.
Record-setting donation match underway
Highlanders’ financial aid to vulnerable women will be matched to unprecedented levels this festive season.
The YWCA of Peterborough and Haliburton has launched a ‘Double Your Impact’ fundraiser, injected with funds from multiple community donors who have pledged to match donations made before Dec. 31 up to $88,000. It’s the highest amount raised for the matching fundraiser to date.
A Dec. 2 media release thanks Jennifer Fraser, Olivia and Gord James, Liz Hunt of Electric City Real Estate, Ontario Insurance Network, Herod Financial, local Desjardins Insurance agents, Tammy Lee Hanlon, Kirk Norris, Kyle Harrington, Mike Harrington, Todd Spalding and Brian Mulligan and five anonymous donors for the funds.
The YWCA offers counselling and support for women experiencing violence and abuse. The organization also runs the Haliburton Emergency Rural SafeSpace (HERS) temporary housing for women fleeing abusive situations.
“A future free from abuse doesn’t belong on anyone’s wish list,” said the YWCA. “Yet, on any given night, [more than] 6,000 Canadian women and children sleep in shelters because they aren’t safe at home. Give the gift of safety for women and children experiencing gender-based violence.”
YWCA’s Crossroads and HERS shelters and support programs aren’t fully funded by the Ontario or Canadian government. That’s why donations are so vital.
“[We’re] unable to cover basic operating costs without fundraising. As demand for gender-based violence supports continues to grow, the need for funding has reached critical proportions,” the organization said.
Donors can register as holiday sponsors or donate gift cards. More information is available at ywcapeterborough.org.
$50K donation to HERS
On Dec. 14, the YWCA announced the David and Patricia Morton Family Foundation had once again donated $50,000 to support its services for women and children experiencing gender-based violence in Haliburton County.
“We are deeply moved by the continued support from Patricia and David in the Haliburton County community,” said executive director Kim Dolan.. “As the demand for our services continues to change in the COVID-19 recovery period, the Mortons’ compassion for others ensures that we can serve the rural women and children in Haliburton County, providing them with the resources and support they need to feel safe again.”
“We feel fortunate to be able to continue to support such a worthy cause,” said Patricia Morton on behalf of the foundation, “because isolated rural women are especially vulnerable to domestic abuse and gender-based violence. And, shockingly, this abuse is now significantly on the rise throughout rural Canada, as in rural Haliburton County. Thank goodness our YWCA is here for these oppressed and endangered women, and dedicated to providing the essential safety and vital support services to help them move forwards to build much better lives.”
Community members who wish to donate or find ways of supporting YWCA services in Haliburton County are encouraged to visit ywcahaliburton.org or contact Ria Nicholson directly at 705-743-3526 x113 or rnicholson@ywcapeterborough.org
YWCA’s support and crisis services are also available for women who experience violence. For more information on confidential support, resources, safety planning and more, call 1-800-461-7656 or text 705-991-0110.
OHL connection helped bring Terry to Highlands
After winning a championship during his debut season in the Ontario Hockey League in 2019, 20-year-old defenseman Zack Terry is looking to repeat the trick during his first year of OJHL hockey with the Haliburton County Huskies.
Signing with the team in October, Terry has been a mainstay on the Dogs’ blueline, logging big minutes in all situations and posting eight points in 16 games.
The Oakville native brings considerable experience to the Huskies locker room. He’s played three seasons of major junior, appearing in 187 games for the Guelph Storm and Flint Firebirds, sharing the ice with a raft of current NHLers, including Nick Suzuki (Montreal Canadiens), Sean Durzi (Los Angeles Kings) and Alexei Toropchenko (St. Louis Blues).
While he loved every second of his OHL experience, Terry was excited to join the Huskies. After leaving the Firebirds five games into this season, Terry connected with a former Storm teammate, Ty Collins, who told him all about life in Haliburton County.
He was blown away by the Huskies’ facilities and culture, saying the program is “as close to major junior as you’re going to get.”
Moving into the ‘hockey house’ in Haliburton, Terry said he’s come to appreciate life in the Highlands.
“It’s just a different lifestyle up here. It’s not like home, where there’s a Tim Hortons on every corner. Things are more laid back,” Terry said. “I’m really happy I came here.”
He’s enjoyed becoming something of a minor celebrity – he says he often stops to chat with fans while out grocery shopping, enjoying a meal, or walking around town. In fact, that level of engagement with the fans has been one of the highlights of his time in Haliburton County thus far.
“This is a community that’s so passionate about hockey. Just looking up and seeing the fans at games, and all the Huskies sweaters and hats you see around town. It’s great to see the pride everybody has in the organization,” he said.
Having the chance to win was another big factor in Terry’s decision to move north. He believes the Huskies have the best roster in the OJHL and expects to still be playing hockey come early May.
Winning a second championship in his final year of junior would be “the icing on an already pretty sweet cake,” Terry said.
“It’s not just all about talent. Every player, whether you’re on the ice for five minutes, or 25 minutes, has to contribute and buy into their role,” Terry said. “We have a special group here, and when we all pull together in the right direction great things can happen.”
Huskies riding three-game win streak
Haliburton County Huskies netminder Aidan Spooner gave his teammates an early Christmas present Dec. 17, putting together a 28-save shutout to propel the Dogs to a 2-0 home ice win over the visiting Toronto Patriots
The 20-year-old goalie, acquired in October after spending a season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Kingston Frontenacs, made several key stops to deny a game Patriots outfit that had scored 18 goals in its previous three games.
The shutout, which earned Spooner first star of the game, was his fourth in just 16 Ontario Junior Hockey League outings.
“It’s just something you try not to think about and put to the back of your head,” Spooner told The Highlander after being asked how much a shutout starts to play on a goaltender’s mind as a game progresses.
“You just want to do your job and take things one puck at a time. Shutouts are kind of taboo; a lot of goalies don’t really think about it when they’ve got one going. It’s all about maintaining focus and not getting ahead of yourself.”
The Huskies were a team on a mission during the early stages of Saturday’s tilt, flying around the ice and repeatedly testing Christopher Quizi in the Patriots goal. That pressure paid off when, 10:29 into the opening frame, captain Christian Stevens opened the scoring, assisted by Ty Collins and Luca Rea..
A scrappy end to the period saw the Huskies miss on three powerplay opportunities, with forward Boyd Stahlbaum going closest to extending the lead.
The Huskies maintained that pressure as they came out for the second. They recorded several shots on another man advantage six minutes into the period but were denied by an impressive Quizi. Buoyed by the successful penalty kill, the Patriots pushed forward and created two glorious scoring chances but found Spooner in a stingy mood.
Just as the nerves started to seep into the stands, Alex Cunningham took centre stage. The 19-year-old hopped over the boards, skated into the slot and, after receiving a pass from Isaac Sooklal, deked out two Patriots defensemen before ripping an unstoppable shot over Quizi’s glove and into the back of the net. Boyd Stahlbaum had a secondary assist on the play, extending his point streak to 15 games.
“It was a good way for us to end things on home ice going into the break. Definitely a good feeling getting the two points and sending the fans home happy,” Spooner said.
“Our team chemistry is on point right now and we know we’re playing well. Confidence is high… we go into every game knowing we have a good chance to win.”
A pair of goals each from Stahlbaum and Cunningham, and a late empty-netter by Zack Terry, were enough to carry the Huskies to a 5-2 win over the St. Michael’s Buzzers in Toronto Dec. 18.
The Huskies go into the festive break second in the OJHL South/East division, 11 points back of the Toronto Jr. Canadiens with two games in hand. The team will be back on home ice for a double header next weekend, taking on the Mississauga Chargers Dec. 30 and the Aurora Tigers Dec. 31.
Teens help teens with holiday gift drive
More than a dozen HHSS students and Interact Club members helped pack up 72 gift bags for local teens Dec. 12 after spending weeks collecting donations around the community. Thirty-six will go to the Haliburton 4Cs Food Bank, and 36 will go to the Minden Community Food Centre. “At the high school, we thought it was important that people our age also get gifts, not just little kids,” said Interact club member and fundraiser organizer Annabelle Borgdorff. Each bag contains snacks, hygiene products, stationery and more. She said she hopes it helps benefit teens who may not have a place to call home this Christmas. “We know there are a lot of people who couch-surf and stuff like that,” Borgdorff said. “Homelessness doesn’t always get recognized in a small town, because it’s not as visible.” Interact club president Sophie Longo, teacher Christine Carr, and Interact member Annabelle Borgdorff helped direct more than a dozen students who filled gift bags.
Fill-a-cruiser
Sgt. Marc Jones, left, and auxiliary staff sgt. Brad Robinson collect donations outside the Foodland in Haliburton Dec. 3 as the OPP held its annual fill-a-cruiser event. The fundraiser also went to Todd’s Independent in Haliburton and Dollo’s Foodland and Easton’s Valu-Mart in Minden, as well as in Wilberforce. OPP said on Dec. 15 that 780 bags of food and $5,200 were collected and donated to local food banks. “Members of the Haliburton Highlands OPP wish to thank the business owners, staff and the community for their generosity and wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season,” OPP said.
Walking in a winter wonderland
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the McCaig family home.
Bright lights and a generous collection of outdoor festive decorations adorn all corners of the Sunnyside Street, Haliburton property. Inside, husband and wife team, Rob and Laurie, have transformed their little slice of rural paradise into a winter wonderland that looks like it was pulled straight out of their favourite Yuletide movie.
The crown jewel is a custom-made, 175-square-foot Christmas village the pair have been building since the early 1980s. They have affectionately dubbed the scene, which fills a large portion of their basement, ‘McCaig-R-Ville’.
“Christmas has always meant a lot to our family. My mom always loved it, and she passed that spirit down to me,” Rob said. “We like to go big around the holidays, and this village really has become a tradition of ours, over many, many years.”
Propped up across several fold-up tables, McCaig-R-Ville is a sight to behold. The village boasts 42 buildings, including a thriving downtown that features a community centre, town hall, police station, library, post office, bakery and a selection of locally-themed and inspired stores; nine mountain ranges, which Laurie carefully crafted with papier mache; two train stations, where carriages circle gleefully on a loop half covered with tunnels; and a lookout tower that Rob said is styled after the 100-foot tall structure that overlooks the Frost Centre in Algonquin Highlands.
More than 500 ‘residents’ can be spotted across dozens of scenes – there’s a moving dancing hall that plays festive music on repeat, hockey rinks made from old glass cabinets, and two churches that recreate services Rob remembers from his childhood.
In designing the surrounding lands, McCaig embraced the Highlands’ natural beauty, scattering dozens of small trees, camp sites and wildlife around the display.
“Dollar stores have been good to me when it comes to little things I’ve needed for some of my sets, and for the characters. The buildings can get expensive, though,” said McCaig, who said he’s probably spent a couple thousand dollars on his collection over the past 35 years.
He works full-time on the village for three weeks each year in early November, coming up with new designs and features. The latest arrivals are a news stand, skate rental kiosk and several horse-drawn carriages.
The display will remain intact well into the new year, with McCaig saying he usually takes it down after the Super Bowl in February. He had hoped to welcome area residents into his home this year to see the village, but with the high number of COVID, flu and RSV cases, he decided to postpone.
“We really want to introduce McCaig-R-Ville to Haliburton County. It seems such a shame to have this here and not share it, but I think it’s important that we stay safe this winter.”
McCaig said. “I’ve already got ideas percolating for next year, and we will definitely open this up, and hopefully introduce a donation component so that we have something to give back to our hospitals and food banks.”
Mosley Moose and the magic of giving
Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation (HHHSF) is in the midst of its annual Believe in the Magic of Giving festive fundraiser, aiming to raise $250,000 to complete several equipment upgrade commitments and support some of the hospital’s most in-demand programs.
HHHSF executive director Melanie KlodtWong said the Foundation wants to wrap up purchases for the new nurse call bell system that has been implemented at Highland Wood and Hyland Crest long-term care homes, while also procuring new IV pumps for the Halibuton and Minden hospitals.
Money will also be used to support “critical” community support service programs such as Meals on Wheels and Medically-Required Transportation.
As is tradition, Klodt-Wong said the Foundation has recently welcomed a new addition to its ever-growing family of bears.
Mosley Moose is available for purchase over the holidays and into the new year while supplies last, priced at $25. The stuffed animal program has raised over $165,000 since it was introduced 25 years ago. To donate, or secure your own Mosley Moose, visit hhhs.ca/foundation/shop, or call 705-457-1580.
Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation executive director Melanie Klodt-Wong said Mosley Moose is “the most huggable collectible yet” in the Foundation’s family of bears.