By Ted Farnworth Picked DSV in early June 2017 Most years we spend a lot of time battling Dog Strangling Vine (DSV) at the FWG. Over the years, we have developed many techniques. The most labour intensive method is “just pulling the plant.” This very low tech activity is ideal for many people [...]
FWG volunteers - Elizabeth Powles, Melanie Lyons, Catherine Shearer, plus 3 others - recognized for their exceptional work at the garden by Ted Farnworth At this year’s end-of-season brunch for volunteers, the Fletcher Wildlife Garden Management Committee presented volunteer recognition certificates to Christine Hanrahan, Sara Jinha, Melanie Lyons, Elizabeth Powles, Catherine Shearer, and Michelle St-Germaine. [...]
OFNC's historian, Dan Brunton (left), was on hand to provide background when Catherine McKenna, Minister of the Environment, unveiled a plaque recognizing James Fletcher By Ted Farnworth On February 15, 2016, James Fletcher was designated a national historic person of Canada by Parks Canada. A plaque to honour him was dedicated on November 9, 2017 by Catherine McKenna, [...]
This year's OIPC conference included many field trips that allowed participants to try out tools, such as the green Weeder and orange Extractigator to remove dog-strangling vine and small shrubs. by Lynn Ovenden The Ontario Invasive Plants Council hosted their 10th annual meeting and conference in Ottawa this year. The event began on October 10, 2017 with [...]
Volunteers from the TD Bank dug up an aggressively spreading patch of Comfrey near Prince of Wales Drive. by Ted Farnworth Mountain of Dog-strangling Vine removed by Royal Ottawa volunteers. Price Waterhouse Coopers, the Royal Ottawa, TD Bank, Ernst & Young, and Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton. What do they have in common? Well, each [...]
After a brief introduction to birding, Dave led participants around the trails at the FWG to see what birds could be found... by Sandy Garland This spring, we were delighted when Dave Moore agreed to give three workshops for people who want to get started in bird watching or birding. The first two have been [...]
A team of enthusiastic Carleton students helped turn a field of DSV into a wildflower meadow... by Sandy Garland Just across the canal from the FWG, Carleton University has been a good neighbour to us over the years. Most recently, students have been volunteering at the garden during their annual Carleton Serves day in the [...]
The FWG is participating in Mission Monarch, a survey of Monarch caterpillars across Canada... by Sandy Garland Just as we were about to give up hope, we noticed this large caterpillar peaking over the edge of a leaf that it was systematically devouring. Last Saturday (July 22), Daphné Laurier Montpetit of Montréal's Insectarium [...]
By Ted Farnworth The amphibian pond has been helped and hurt by the record rains that we have experienced. The good news is that many of the plants that we planted in the spring have done well thanks to the frequent downpours. But the rains have also encouraged rapid growth of many types of weeds [...]
By Ted Farnworth Students from the Ottawa School Board The Ottawa School Board offers summer classes to new Canadians as a way of giving their students more opportunities to improve their English, get more comfortable with a school setting, and as a way to learn more about the city and country they now [...]