Waterloo Region Nature Tackles the Cleanup of Laurentian Wetland

12 April, 2023

Leader: David M. Gascoigne

Members: Heather Bagg, Terry Best, Lisa Den Besten, Fraser Gibson, Lorne Harding, Victoria Ho, Marion Kelterborn, Anne Morgan, Elaine Mowbray, Kruti Patel, Crystal Rose, Mary Ann Vanden Elzen, Oliver Watts, Para Watts, Judy Wyatt

Guests: Meredith Blunt, Matt Clark, Marilyn Henderson

     A while ago, in despair at the condition of Laurentian Wetland, I wrote about it here. Fraser Gibson contacted me following publication of that article, having visited the area himself, and we agreed that something needed to be done. So it was that we organized a cleanup under the auspices of the world's greatest nature club, Waterloo Region Nature.

     As I look at the list of people who came out to lend a hand, I take my hat off to the women of our club, who outnumbered the men three to one. Let me also acknowledge the non-members who came out to help. Meredith and Matt are local residents and Marilyn was visiting Marion Kelterborn, all the way from South Carolina.

     I have become so dependent on Miriam to act as photographer that I neglected to take my camera, so there is no customary group picture, nor any pictures from me of the event itself, or the large number of garbage bags set out for pick up by the city at the end of the morning. I am indebted to Marion for all the pictures here.

     It was a beautiful day for the event and everyone gathered in high spirits ready to tackle the mess.

     Matt and Meredith signed the appropriate insurance waivers as non-members.

     Marion had some supplies left over from a cleanup at Lakeside Park last year and she brought them with her. 

     Everyone got what they needed, black bags for "regular" trash, white for recyclable items, grabber tools at the ready.

Judy, Anne, Heather, Mary Ann

     Lisa, ever ebullient, was delighted to be involved.

     Marilyn looked like a warrior from a Star Wars movie, ready to fight for truth and justice!

     Crystal was determined, and ceaseless in her dedication to the task at hand.

     Judy was bringing full bags to place at the kerb, to get new bags and begin afresh.

     Fraser was the very soul of dedication and hard work - no surprise there.

     We started out being amazed at some of the stuff we found, but soon nothing surprised us any more. There is no limit, it seems, to the capacity of humans to dump their trash and degrade the environment.

     I was with Lorne when he pulled a complete vacuum cleaner from the water. I also know that there is a tyre and a shopping cart in the storm water management pond, but the water level was high and we were unable to see them. How we might be able to get them out is another matter entirely.

     Kruti, who lives in the neighbourhood worked tirelessly, and bemoaned the need to clean up after uncaring people.

     Victoria worked incessantly and efficiently.

     It was encouraging that several people passing by took the time to thank us for what we were doing. We will see what we can do next year to encourage more residents to become involved, perhaps thereby stimulating local pride. It would also be very helpful if a few committed volunteers went along from time to time and cleaned up some of the easily accessible trash, especially those items that are likely to be blown into the water.

     There appears to be a need for a couple of garbage cans nearby, and that might go some way in mitigating the sheer volume of trash that we found. We will contact the city and see whether that can be arranged.

     Most of all though, a new attitude is what is needed, and until people take more pride in their living space it is difficult to believe that a great deal will change. If we are unable to take care of our own backyard, it is hard to believe that we will ever come to grips with global pollution.

     In the meantime, heeding the adage "Act locally, think globally," we will continue to do our part.

     Thanks to all of my cherished friends who came out to do what is right. You are simply the best.

Are we capable of change?

 We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we start to see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.

Aldo Leopold

     It hasn't happened yet, Aldo.

     Laurentian Wetland is a gem in the City of Kitchener, encompassing about 22 acres of wetland and surrounding shoreline, a magnet for wildlife, a haven for the weary urbanite, a refuge from the noise, dirt, clutter and frenzied pace of a city.

     Well that was the idea anyway. A grand idea it was too.

     We could have this.....

   ..... and this.

     How would this be?

     And this, and this.

     We are even encouraged to be good stewards of the environment (not that we should need encouragement).

     That entreaty falls on deaf ears obviously  Community stewardship, it says. What the hell does that mean?

     Far better we throw an old tyre in the water.

     Or dump the sofa cushions.

     Perish the thought that we should pay a couple of bucks and have them disposed of properly.

     Interestingly while I was there, a municipal crew was undertaking the semblance of a cleanup but in the desultory fashion of such crews much was left behind, and for the forty-five minutes I was there the crew of three talked at their truck and I never saw them pick up anything.

     There was no lack of opportunity.

     Might have had to don hip waders at times.

     Don't you love those people who scoop the poop after their dog and hang the bag on a branch?

     I could have presented you with a whole gallery of these.

     Humans are disgusting, I tell you. We are the only species that degrades, pollutes, damages and soils its own environment, knowing full well what we are doing, yet keeps on doing it. How much sense does that make? In the process we poison the land and water and destroy the homes of so many other fellow creatures who have an equal claim on this Earth. In the process we have changed the biosphere so radically that we are experiencing terrifying rises in temperature, out of control wildfires and floods, droughts of epic proportions, oceans that have become huge garbage dumps. And on it goes. We now know that microplastics have been detected in human blood: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/24/microplastics-found-in-human-blood-for-first-time

      But, I digress. I started by expressing concern over one little wetland in my own area, the region that I have chosen to call home, the place where Miriam and I conduct our daily lives. Wouldn't you think we could join together to keep it clean? It requires, quite literally, no effort to do so.

      We choose this instead.

     Is this really how we want to live? That's a rhetorical question, I suppose, since the answer is obviously. "Yes." Every time I have ever been involved in the cleanup of a natural area, within days the trash  starts to appear again.

     There is no end to it. Is this the styrofoam tray that you tossed out? The one you disposed of properly only to have it picked up by the wind at the dump and dispersed far and wide?

    Is this the landscape you wish to bequeath to your children and grandchildren? The indestructible trash will be here a thousand years from now.

     It makes me very sad that so grand an idea can have gone so awry. I can conceive of no nobler goal than to integrate humans and other wildlife, to have a living, breathing, functioning wetland as part of a neighbourhood, yet the residents seem utterly determined to make sure it doesn't happen.

     If a madman in Russia doesn't start a nuclear conflagration to annihilate us all we may have embarked on a path to do it ourselves. It may take a little longer but the result will be just the same.  

Another Wetland Episode

Laurentian Wetland

28 October 2014

     Although very mild for the time of year the day was wet with some heavy rain, a little drizzle and a few sunny intervals. Drawn as I am to wetlands, I decided once again to see what I could find.

     My visit to Laurentian Wetland was very satisfactory. For the most part the rain held off, although the sky was grey and overcast most of the time. Several species of duck have recently arrived and a careful search turned up a great variety of waterfowl.

     I think that Northern Pintail Anas acuta is one of the most elegant of all ducks, and I was happy to see a pair feeding together. Given the distance from the shore and the poor light the images are not great, but they serve as a record of the presence of this species on this date.

Bottoms up!

     Canada Goose Branta canadensis is resident all year at the wetland unless there is a total freeze up, when out of necessity they have to move elsewhere. In historical times this species was entirely migratory, but now whole generations accustomed to the easy life around humans, have lost the urge to migrate and spend the winter here. It is an extremely common species, very adaptable and highly successful and little attention is paid to it, other than for people who revile it, principally due to the problem caused by its droppings. It is, in fact a handsome bird indeed, and worthy of our admiration.

     Mallards, Anas platyrynchos continue to delight me, and I never tire of their stunning beauty. Often found in the company of Canada Geese, these two species share in the ignominious distinction of being almost totally ignored.

     I saw but one Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus as this male streamed by way off in the distance.

     Several pairs of American Wigeon Anas americana were present, this pair getting along amicably with Canada Geese.

    

      As might be expected Great Blue Herons Ardea herodias dotted the shallows, and this hardy species will stay until the water freezes over, when it will migrate south. 

     Northern Shovelers Anas clypeata were particularly hard to photograph and spent most of their time upended in the water. They were also distant and in poor light.

     American Robins Turdus migratorius were feeding on berries, and it seemed serendipitous that this one, as was the case yesterday, came to bid me farewell.