
The Climate is Changing: Will We?
SAVE THE DATE! The Sources of Knowledge Board had decided to postpone this year’s spring Forum due to the rise in covid-19 spread in our community. We’ve made some adjustments and will be holding it in the fall instead! Scheduled for October 28 – 30, we hope to have many of the same speakers joining us and look forward to welcoming everyone back.
Stay tuned for more details, which will be posted as they become available!
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Accounting for the Past, Envisioning the Future: A Seven Generations Based Framework for the Bruce Peninsula
Speakers

Dr. Deborah McGregor
James S. Quinn (Jim): is a professor of biology at McMaster University. He teaches conservation biology, molecular ecology, and behavioural ecology as well as a first year course called “Biodiversity, Evolution, and Humanity”.

Alan Corbiere
Alan Ojiig Corbiere, Bne doodemid (Ruffed Grouse clan): is an Anishinaabe from M’Chigeeng First Nation on Manitoulin Island. He was educated on the reserve and then attended the University of Toronto for a Bachelor of Science, he then entered York University and earned his Masters of Environmental Studies.

Dr. Deborah McGregor
Deborah McGregor: Associate Professor & Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Environmental Justice, York University, Osgoode Hall Law School and Faculty of Environmental Studies TOPIC: Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Environmental Futures

Dr. John Borrows
Dr. John Borrows: Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Law, University of Victoria and citizen of the Chippewas of the Nawash First Nation TOPIC: Learning From The Land: Understanding Anishinaabe Law on the Saugeen Peninsula

Dr. Dan Longboat
Dr. Dan Longboat: Director, Indigenous Studies and Science, Trent University Topic: Seven Generations Thinking: Understanding the Future By Remembering the Past

Nathan Tidridge
Nathan Tidridge: Teacher of History and Government, Waterdown High School Topic: The Queen as Treaty Partner The Crown’s Role in Reconciliation

Kit Worzel
Kit Worzel: is a dynamic young futurist with a focus on science and technology. His experience in the field, both at Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the University of Guelph have given him strong insight into trends in science, and being a favored guest on InnerSpace on the Space network keeps him sharp and on top of his game.
Peoples of The Great Arc: Two Ways of Knowing
A presentation and discussion of the implications of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada report for the residents of the Bruce Peninsula was the feature of the Sunday morning final session of the 2016 Sources of Knowledge Forum. Special Speaker: Chief Vernon Roote, Saugeen First Nation.
The Great Arc: Life On The (L)edge
Speakers

Matthew & Kristin Buckley and Morag Kloeze
Matthew & Kristin Buckley and Morag Kloeze

Dr. Stephen Scharper
Dr. Stephen Scharper

Daryl Cowell
Daryl Cowell

Elizabeth Thorn
Elizabeth Thorn

Derek Ford
Derek Ford

Hazel Lyder
Hazel Lyder

Paul Regnier
Paul Regnier

Rod Steinacher
Rod Steinacher

Patrick Donnelly
Patrick Donnelly

Kim Clarke
Kim Clarke

Frank Brunton
Frank Brunton

Dr. Roger Kuhns
Dr. Roger Kuhns

Eric Fowle
Eric Fowle

Dr. Don Mikulic
Dr. Don Mikulic

Dr. Joanne Kluessendorf
Dr. Joanne Kluessendorf

Bob Bultman
Bob Bultman

Steve DeBaker
Steve DeBaker
Changing Lakes
Speakers

Keynote Speaker: Jeff Gray
Keynote Speaker: Jeff Gray

Arunas Liskauskas
Arunas Liskauskas

Geoff Peach
Geoff Peach

Dr. Scott Parker
Dr. Scott Parker

Daryl Cowell
Daryl Cowell

Mike Shantz
Mike Shantz

David Bywater
David Bywater

Dr. Patrick Lawrence
Dr. Patrick Lawrence

Greg Mayne
Greg Mayne

Dan Krauss
Dan Krauss

Dr. Stephen Riley
Dr. Stephen Riley

Dr. Stephen Scharper
Dr. Stephen Scharper
Climate Change
Speakers

Gary Nielsen
Gary Nielsen

Dr. Christopher Lemieux
Dr. Christopher Lemieux

Bill Caulfeild-Browne
Bill Caulfeild-Browne

Dr. Barry Smit
Dr. Barry Smit
Dr. Brenda Jones
Dr. Brenda Jones
Transition Group
Transition Group

Dr. David Pearson
Dr. David Pearson

Dr. Patrick Doran
Dr. Patrick Doran

Dr. Stephen Murphy
Dr. Stephen Murphy

Dr. Stephen Woodley – Keynote Speaker
Dr. Stephen Woodley – Keynote Speaker
Plastics in the Great Lakes: Finding Solutions Together with Parks Canada, Georgian Bay Forever & Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation
On June 26-27, the Sources of Knowledge and Parks Canada co-hosted a Friday evening Zoom talk on the damage micro-plastics are doing to the Great Lakes, followed by a community cleanup. For those of you who were unable to attend, here is a short summary of the findings and follow-up.
It is estimated that 22 million pounds of plastics enter the Great Lakes each year. Eventually all plastics break down into what are referred to as micro-plastics. These small pieces of plastic are often mistaken for food by insects, plankton, fish, and other aquatic life. Ingestion can cause abrasions or blockages, which can lead to outright starvation. Plastics spread toxins across ecosystems. Aquatic organisms can even get defects as they absorb pollutants into their skin and at the molecular level, which then get passed up the food chain. We learned that current research on Lake Superior, Lake Huron, and Lake Erie proposes that plastic concentrations observed exceed data collected in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch!
Brooke Harrison from Georgian Bay Forever reported on their project employing 100 Filtrol laundry filters with local Parry Sound residents to remove micro-fibres lost from your clothing ($160 each – filtrol.com). Brooke’s monitoring showed a recordable difference in micro-fibres in the municipal sewage treatment plant. Parks Canada has just purchased Filtrols for six laundry machines in the park! Brooke is working with University of Toronto professor, Dr. Chelsea Rochman – her graduate student, Lisa Erdl has determined that fish from the Great Lakes can have up to 40 micro-plastics in their digestive tracts.
Hannah Cann from the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation outlined their efforts at regular shoreline cleanups. Hannah reported that 80% of anthropogenic litter is plastics and 600 metric tonnes enter Lake Huron/year, ranging in size from nano (<1 micron) to micro (up to 5 mm) all the way up to mega plastics such as tires. With a 22-year residence time before water leaves Lake Huron this stuff tumbles around, breaking into smaller and smaller plastics. Hannah ended her talk with some positive news highlighting C.R. Plastics in Stratford who use 60 lbs of collected plastic waste to produce one of their Adirondack chairs, and Terracyle who will assist you in recycling many different kinds of plastics that don’t fit in our Blue Box programs.
Our Saturday morning cleanup was dominated by cigarette butts which from a quick Google search is sadly the case with almost all cleanups (4,723 butts in a 2019 Goderich beach cleanup!). Cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate fibres which breakdown into micro-plastics and take decades to decompose. Filters also contain thousands of chemicals that can kill plants and animals. We don’t have to go on about how smoking is bad for one’s health – PLEASE, just pick up your cigarette butts!
2009 Proceedings
This event attracted 117 participants. The theme for the 2009 Forum was ‘Coastal Heritage’ and included presentations, workshops and field trips by universities, government organizations, conservation groups, First Nations, schools and citizens and covered such topics as wildlife conservation as well as other issues affecting these and other Ontario national parks.
The 2009 Conference Proceedings have been compiled to make this knowledge available to anyone interested in learning about the natural and cultural heritage of the Bruce Peninsula and furthermore, to inspire action.
2010 Proceedings
The second Sources of Knowledge forum was held May 14th and 15th, 2010 – again hosted by the Parks Advisory Committee in partnership with Parks Canada, Friends of Bruce District Parks, Bruce Peninsula District School and St. Edmunds Public School.
The theme for the 2010 Sources of Knowledge Forum was Wildlife, Research, Management, Conservation and Planning. A link to the entire PDF is provided.
The Painted Turtles Silent Auction
This summer, over 20 resin turtle shells have been brought to life through the Painted Turtles art exhibit at the Parks Canada Visitor Centre. Local artists, including many from the Bruce Peninsula Society of Artists and members of the Saugeen Ojibwe Nation, have contributed time, talent, and creativity to raise awareness around turtle conservation. The shells range in design from colourful paintings to multimedia creations featuring beads, feathers, porcupine quills, and stained glass.
On Saturday, September 22nd from 7-9pm, Sources of Knowledge and Parks Canada are partnering to host a Silent Auction event for the turtle shells. The event also includes a special presentation from Wendy Baggs, Education Coordinator at the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre (OTCC) in Peterborough. The OTCC is known as Ontario’s “turtle hospital,” rehabilitating turtles from across the province who have been hit by vehicles. Wendy will be bringing four live turtles with her for the presentation.
Dark Skies, Bright Minds
The third Sources of Knowledge Forum: Dark Skies, Bright Minds, was held in Tobermory, Ontario on April 29-30, 2011. Once again, the Forum celebrated the natural and cultural heritage of Bruce Peninsula National Park, Fathom Five National Marine Park and the surrounding communities by exploring the value and importance of our dark skies.
The event brought together local, national and international speakers on dark sky conservation, astronomy and ecology of the night. Artists, scientists and practitioners alike all shared their perspectives and reinforced the on-going efforts to recognize and protect the region’s dark skies.
The venue was filled to capacity and attracted 107 students, local residents, and others with an interest in this important and inspired theme.
The theme for the 2011 Sources of Knowledge Forum was Dark Skies, Bright Minds. The Table of Contents are listed here and a link to the entire PDF is provided below.
Climate Change
By all accounts this sold-out Forum was a great success – world class speakers, community voices, generous sponsors, and attentive participants. The Climate Change Forum Proceedings are available below.
CLIMATE CHANGE; WHAT MIGHT IT MEAN FOR THE BRUCE? was the focus of the 4th Sources of Knowledge Forum April 28-29, 2012 at the Parks Visitor Centre, Tobermory. Informative and thought-provoking presentations helped to improve our understanding of how our weather and climate are changing and the impact on health, safety, economy and the environment. Everyone in attendance had an opportunity to learn more about the effect of climate change on lake levels, tourism, recreation, agriculture and biodiversity as well as what it takes to adapt to changing needs and circumstances.
The Forum brought together an eclectic panel of speakers sharing their knowledge on various aspects of one of today’s most challenging subjects – CLIMATE CHANGE.
In addition to the plenary sessions during the day on Saturday, April 28th, there was a dinner, catered by The Green Door Cafe with guest speaker, internationally renowned Dr. Stephen Woodley.
On Sunday morning, April 29th at the Visitor Centre, Tobermory, the Peninsula Transition Group hosted a workshop with interactive and collaborative activities, and presentations on local projects and initiatives that align with Transition values.
In the afternoon there was a mini Climate Change Film Festival, hosted by Dr. Stephen Scharper at the Parks Canada Visitor Centre, Tobermory.
There was also exhibitor displays and an art show Changing Weather featuring Bruce Peninsula artists.
Changing Lakes
As Lake Huron-Georgian Bay continues to experience profound and novel change (e.g., driven by invasive species, lake levels, development, water quality, etc.), the context for coastal and offshore conservation becomes increasingly complex and uncertain. Although protected areas such as Fathom Five National Marine Park and Bruce Peninsula National Park are recognized for the central role they play in protecting natural and cultural values, their effectiveness to do so is being challenged and requires a rethinking of our stewardship efforts. The 2013 Sources of Knowledge Forum provided a platform for scientists, students, decision-makers, and the public to understand the changing nature of Lake Huron and discuss the means to better protect it.
Through presentations and workshops, topics covered at the Forum included:
- Describe the changing and novel ecosystems of Lake Huron.
- Review the status, benefits, and efficacy of aquatic protected areas.
- Explore opportunities for place-based conservation.
- Discuss the possibility of an international peace park or other network initiative.
- Present contemporary offshore and coastal mapping and assessment techniques.
Beneath the Waves: Underwater Discovery in Fathom Five National Marine Park
This year’s Forum celebrated the long history, and bright future, for underwater exploration in the Tobermory area.
There are lots of rich and interwoven stories here. These include the early surveys by British and American navies, the rich history of diving in the area, the role of that dive community in the establishment of Fathom Five and the technologies such as Sublimnos that have been pioneered. This background is timely as we embark upon exciting new projects to better map our wrecks and monitor subsurface conditions. For example, laser imaging and advanced filming techniques are now being employed to produce 3-D and interactive models of the wrecks.
The field trip on Friday afternoon, May 2, featured demonstrations of subsurface mapping and diving techniques. Members of the Canadian Navy’s Experimental Diving and Undersea Group participated. Friday evening, Stephen Scharper from the University of Toronto hosted the annual film festival on this year’s theme.
Saturday Speakers
- Stuart Seldon on the early years of discovery around Fathom Five;
- Dr. George Harpur: a pioneer in medical diving and hyperbaric medicine;
- Andrew Leyzack: an expert on high resolution hydrography with the Canadian Hydrographic Service
- Flora Davidson: of the Parks Canada Marine Archaeology Unit on modern methods of surveying shipwrecks;
- Doug Elsey: pioneering diver and engineer on the 1969-71 Sublimnos habitat project with Dr. Joe MacInnis, who will provide a video-taped introduction;
- Dr. Jim Rusak of the Ontario Ministry of the Environment on the Global Lake Experimental Observatory Network (GLEON);
Event Details
The dinner on Saturday was catered by The Grandview, Tobermory and featured keynote speaker, Marc-André Bernier of the Parks Canada Underwater Archaeology Section. He gave a presentation on 50 years of Marine Archaeology carried out by Parks Canada personnel, including the location of HMS Investigator and the recent search for Franklin.
The first session on Sunday morning featured Lt. Troy Beechinor of the Canadian Navy’s Experimental Diving Group who described new techniques for deep diving. If you have ever wondered what those mysterious black-suited divers in black Zodiacs are up to, this was your chance to find out.
For the remainder of the morning, Dr. Gordon Nelson moderated a panel – Daryl Cowell, Scarlett Janusas, Eric Fowle, Jim Uhrinak – previewing the 2015 Forum on The Great Arc – a look at the social and scientific issues common to communities, like Tobermory, living around the rim of the Michigan Basin.
2015 Forum Proceedings
The 2015 Sources of Knowledge Forum titled “The Great Arc: Life on the (L)Edge” took place in Tobermory on May 8-10, with the goal of building bridges to other communities which, like the Bruce, lie on the rim of the Michigan Basin.
This geological structure, often referred to as the “Great Arc”, extends from the Niagara Peninsula northward through the Bruce, across Manitoulin Island and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and then southward through the Door Peninsula of Wisconsin to Green Bay and beyond.
Communities situated on this Arc, while different in many ways, have in common an escarpment, sometimes submerged or buried, but very evident in areas such as the Bruce and Door peninsulas.
They share a dolostone bedrock chemistry. Where the rim is exposed, their soils are thin and rocky. Thanks to their common bedrock source, the soils support a similar biodiversity.
Learning about these communities is interesting in itself, but it is our common issues and the ways they have been addressed that form the core of this Forum. This year we focussed on that area of Wisconsin encompassing Green Bay and the Door Peninsula to the north. The Door and Bruce peninsulas in particular have geographical and geological similarities. The Door escarpment faces west and is referred to as the “Ledge”. The film shown to our National Park Visitors, featuring our escarpment, is called “Life on the Edge”, hence the Forum title.
Both economies depend on tourism, have offshore islands and tour boat operations, are home to retirees and artists, and depend on urban centres at their base (Green Bay and Owen Sound) for major supplies. Both have rich archeological and cultural histories, have First Nation communities, struggle with wind turbine issues, and have hiking trails and parks. John Muir, famous as the founder of the Sierra club, lived for a time at the base of both peninsulas!
There are also major differences. Green Bay is a much larger centre than Owen Sound. The Door is more heavily populated and economically more developed than the Bruce. In a sense, the Door represents one version of a future for the Bruce as we seek to develop economically; not necessarily the future we might choose, but worthy of study. Conversely, residents of the Door might envy the state of preservation of this area, and seek to learn from it.
The 2015 Forum provided opportunities to look at these possibilities. We worked with Eric Fowle of the East Wisconsin Planning Commission in preparation for this event, and attracted other officials and Wisconsin residents to the Forum. They even shared their local wines and cheeses with us!
As usual, the Forum included a Friday afternoon field trip, the Friday evening Film Festival with Dr. Stephen Scharper, and the Saturday evening social and dinner with keynote speaker.