EcologyEcology

Only by studying the earth and itsparts-the energy flow, the water cycle,the nutrient cycle-can we understandhow the system works. And only byunderstanding the system can wemake decisions that will allow us todevelop lifestyles that are harmoniouswith nature.

- author unknown

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IntroductionThe Junior Forest Warden Adventurer Ecology Module willenhance the study of the interrelationships of organisms andthe environment. The word ecology is derived from the Greekword oikos which means home. Ecology literally means "theknowledge of home" or "home-wisdom." Ecology invites ourunderstanding of the world’s living space and all containedtherein. Today ecology it has been limited to bits and pieces,however, organisms do not "stand alone", they exist andevolve within a complex ecological web.

Leaders will find the Ecology Module stimulating. The contentis interesting, some components are thoughtful, and theknowledge can be a tool for making a difference in the humanjourney though the millennium. This module will provide youand the wardens with information that is a starting point forfurther study of our home planet.

It may seem like a lot of information to cover and it is if eachobjective is treated separately. However, when you combinethe concepts in this module with skills required in theLeadership Module or combine components from Forestry,Woodstravel and Ecology together into one field trip, then thetask of covering all the material is not so daunting.

Warden ManualThe Warden’s Manual is similar to but not exactly the same asthe Leader’s Manual. The reason the manuals are not thesame is to provide the leader with the advantage of being theonly person giving instruction, leading discussions andproviding answers. The Leader’s Manual also has activitymaster sheets that are not in the Warden’s manual. This wasdone to give the leader more programming control duringmeetings. Leaders have to plan, copy the necessaryinformation before meetings and facilitate an interestingagenda.

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The Junior Forest Warden program enables Leaders to adaptactivities to suit their circumstances. Leaders are encouragedto contact local experts who are able to share their area ofexpertise with Wardens. Ensure that your years as a JFWLeader are enjoyable and stimulating. It is important to passon meaningful knowledge to young people who are our futureleaders and caretakers. Let us do our part in teaching ourchildren well.

JFW Ecology Learning ObjectivesThe Wardens will develop an appreciation for the beauty anduniqueness of all living things by observing and comparing thedifferences in colour, form, texture, arrangement or design ofobjects in the environment and demonstrating knowledge,skills and attitudes regarding the diversity of the environment,including life found within.

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Table of Contents

I

II

III

IV

Framework vii

Enjoying the Outdoors 1

Classification 11

Understanding Ecology 17

Ecological Issues 55

APPENDICES

I. Canadian Wilderness Charter

II. Children’s Behaviours and Interests

III Monitoring Programs

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Framework

The Wardens will develop an appreciation for the beauty anduniqueness of all living things by observing and comparing thedifferences in colour, form, texture, arrangement or design ofobjects in the environment and demonstrating knowledge, skillsand attitudes regarding the diversity of the environment, includingthe life found within.

I. Enjoying the Outdoors

Wardens will develop and further instill a deep appreciation forthe diversity of our natural world.

❑ Lead one nature awareness walks for younger wardens.

❑ Present a slide show, video recording, talk or photo album on why

natural areas are important to you.

II. Classification

Organisms are classified on the basis of similarities anddifferences. The fundamental unit of classification is a single kindor species. Wardens will learn to identify and classify species ofliving things.

❑ Identify at least two trees using a dichotomous key.

❑ Show younger Wardens how to use a field guide of your choice.

❑ Discuss how wildlife is monitored and identify some endangered

species in your province.❑ Participate in a provincial species count or a monitoring program.

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III. Understanding Ecology

Wardens will develop an understanding of the interdependence of living things and the relationshipsbetween species, including humans, and their environment.

❑ Define and understand the following terms: biosphere, ecosystem, biological diversity, niche.

❑ Discuss how food webs and food chains demonstrate the flow of energy through an ecosystem.

❑ Examine the interactions of plants and animals with a project showing one of the following: tree

reproduction and growth, insect reproduction and growth, insects and disease in a forest ecosystem,forest disease reproduction and growth, habitat infringement from human activities.

❑ Illustrate and explain one of the following global climactic changes to younger wardens: the

greenhouse effect, acid rain, or thinning ozone. ❑ Describe how environmental factors affect plants and animals.

❑ Discuss how human actions modify the environment in positive and negative ways.

IV. Ecological Issues

The only way in which Wardens can approach a knowing and understanding of a subject is byreading, discussing and listening to what other people have to say about it.

❑ Choose an environmental issue and find differing opinions about the issue from a variety of sources.

❑ Choose an newspaper or magazine article and evaluate the writer’s bias or point of view. Share your

opinions with your group.❑ Present a 250 word essay or a letter to an editor or a 10 minute presentation about an environmental

topic you feel strongly about and share with your group.❑ Discuss the dynamics of social change in our culture and how it affects environmental issues.

Ecology Learning Objectives: The Wardens will develop an appreciation for the beauty and uniquenessof all living things by observing and comparing the differences in colour, form, texture, arrangement ordesign of objects in the environment and demonstrating knowledge, skills and attitudes regarding thediversity of the environment, including the life found within.

I.ENJOYING THEOUTDOORS

Wardens will develop and further instill a deep appreciationfor the diversity of our natural world.

Lead one nature awareness walk for younger wardens.page 3

Present a slide show, video recording, talk or photo album onwhy natural areas are important to you. page 7

date completed ✓

1

I. Enjoying the Outdoors

3

Lead one nature awareness walkfor younger wardens.

IntroductionNature walks can have a profound effect if an experienced andcaring person leads the way. It can take some people severalyears and many kilometers to learn how to lead an effectivenature hike. Don’t be discouraged, every great journey beginswith one step.

Below are some things to keep in mind as you develop yourwalk:

Plan it. Don’t go out with a bunch of kids and “wing it.”Choose a topic and narrow down so you have a focus ortheme. For example, you may decide to choose ecology asyour topic and theme of the hike will be “Everything isbecoming something else.” Develop three main points thatyou will develop during the hike.

Pre-visit the trail as part of your planning process. Look forinteresting things to talk about and hazards that may detractfrom the hike or cause an injury.

Encourage hikers to use all their senses- smell, touch andlisten. Kids learn best from first-hand experience, and theylearn better when they are actively involved in the learningprocess. Be careful about tasting unless you are positiveabout the edibility of a wild plant. A nice drink of lemonade,however, would be welcome after a hike on a hot day.

Structure your walk to include variety. Don’t do the same typesof things all through the walk. Using a variety of approachesto enhance learning.

1.

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Try to find out unusual information to spark interest, forexample, the male mosquito never bites and the main diet formosquitoes is plant liquids.

Be enthusiastic. This should be easy for you, after all, you arean older Warden with knowledge to share and a role model forthe younger Wardens.

Use Questions. Questioning can encourage involvement inthree ways:1. Ask questions to get hikers thinking.2. Encourage younger Wardens to ask you questions.3. Answer questions in such a way that draws wardens

into further discussion.

When you are asked questions, wardens will give you hintsabout what they really want to know and whether you areaddressing their interests.

❑ Keep in mind that some friendly competition stimulateslearning.

❑ Consider including a game that can make specific point(s)to fit your theme.

❑ People learn best from first-hand experiences. ❑ An organized presentation is more memorable than an

ad-lib one.

The opposite page is an example of a Nature Walk Record.This can also be used as a planning outline to keep youorganized and on task during your walk.

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Record of Nature Walk

N a t u r e W a l k

Topic:Theme:Three main Points:

1.

2.

3.

Outline:

Introduction

Main Points

Closing Points

Location:

Duration:

Length:

Evaluation:

Things that went well:

Things I would change:

WARDEN

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Present a slide show, videorecording, talk or photo albumon why natural areas areimportant to you.

BACKGROUNDNatural areas can range from a green space in yourneighbourhood, right-of-ways, provincial parks, protectedareas, wilderness areas, or the six major natural regions inAlberta. Wardens can include all, some or one of the areasmentioned. Natural areas can be wild or have somedevelopment in them for the purposes of ecotourism.

A c t i v i t y I d e a s

◗ Discuss the characteristics of natural areas.

◗ Discuss the pros and cons of natural areas.

◗ List all the natural areas in the local community.

◗ Have Wardens keep a journal of their thoughts about

natural areas when you go on outtrips.

◗ Have Wardens finish this sentence and develop it into an

essay or journal entry: “This I believe about natural areas:”

◗ Have Wardens decide on some areas that should be

protected as a natural area by the local community or

government.

◗ Make a night of the presentations or have them

interspersed though the year. First-year Adventurers can

do their presentations one meeting night, second-year

Adventurers another night and so on.

2.

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Guidelines for a PresentationGetting Started

❍ Start with an idea and then develop objectives for yourpresentation.

❍ Express your idea concisely. Write a short paragraph,describing what you wish to accomplish.

❍ Decide whether you want to inform your audience or toinstruct them. An information presentation is general innature, serving as an introduction or an overview. It canbe motivational, entertaining or dramatic. An instructionalpresentation should be planned systematically so learningprinciples are incorporated and learners are able to checktheir understandings.

❍ Develop objectives to provide guidance so that yourpresentation will be orderly. Objectives can be written insuch a way that you and the learners are able to measurewhat they have learned. In planning, write no more than afew concisely stated achievable objectives.

❍ Consider the audience. The characteristics of youraudience and your objectives cannot be separated fromeach other. The audience is the determining factor whenconsidering the complexity of the ideas to be presented.

Audio Visual PresentationsSlide and video presentations come in a variety of themes andare limited only by the number of images that you haveavailable. If you have access to a camera then you can designyour talk about anything. The images show the audienceimportant segments of your theme.

SlidesMake sure you have experience with the camera you areusing. Practice first by taking a roll of film and having itdeveloped before you take the pictures you want for yourpresentation. ❍ Use the right film. Ensure that the film you buy is for slides

and not photographs.

❍ Plan the presentation. Write out the presentation in twocolumns. The text first on the left and the images to match

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the text on the right.

❍ Take a lot of pictures. You will probably discard a lot ofphotos because of the poor quality.

❍ Do a dry run of the slide show to make sure the slides areplaced in the carousel correctly, e.g. upside down andbackwards will give the correct image on the screen.

❍ Make sure there is an extra bulb for the slide projector anda reasonable place to project the images. Will the roomget dark enough? Do you need a small penlight to read thetext in the dark?

Your presentation may have more impact if you plan to leavethe viewers with a final thought or an interesting question.

VideoUse the video camera in good lighting and make sure theimage is steady. Use a tripod if necessary. Plan the video bywriting out a storyboard. A storyboard is like a cartoon stripwith draft cartoon like pictures of the images you plan to take.The text runs underneath the cartoon pictures. A storyboardgives you the opportunity to plan the video production beforeyou head out and videotape the images you need. This willprevent a bad production and keeps you from creating an “offthe cuff ” production. Plan it and they will come . . . to watch.

Verbal PresentationsA talk on why natural areas are important to you is a talkabout your opinion. It’s not about what other people think ofnatural areas. The focus is why something is important to you.Keep your presentation within a short time limit, 10 to 15minutes.

Then practice, practice, practice. Prepare an outline to ensurethat all your points will be covered. Above all, remember thatyou are unique and have a valid and unique perspective onhow you see the world. The talk you develop and deliver willbe unmatched.

Appendix III - “Making Presentations” in the Leadershipmodule of your program has information on developingeffective presentations.

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Photo AlbumPhoto albums are collections of pictures that may be labeledand sorted in chronological order. In the old days they weremounted onto black pages with corner stickers. Writings werearound the pictures in white ink. Nowadays, photo albums areturning into stylish scrapbooks using construction paper,coloured markers, and decorative-edged scissors.

❍ Scrapbook pages tell the story behind the photos. Trysome of these ideas:

❍ Creative lettering, alphabet stickers and creative croppingof photographs will strengthen a picture’s impact.

❍ Cropping will eliminate unwanted backgrounds andspotlight the primary subject. Keep in mind to think twice,cut once. Play with the layout before you crop.Experiment with different ways to position your photos oruse your photos.

❍ Make plastic templates in various shapes as guides to cropphotos. Layer the cropped photo with background papercut in the same shape but slightly larger to add colour.

❍ Save all the picture trimmings and cut them into shapessuch as leaves on trees, flowers, borders, letters ornumbers. Or use your scraps to make a backgroundcollage.

❍ Don’t be afraid to use your imagination to express how youreally feel about natural areas. Try it from anotherperspective, with thought balloons, as a documentary.Anything goes. Do what feels right for you.

.II.CLASSIFICATIONOrganisms are classified on the basis of similarities anddifferences. The fundamental unit of classification is asingle kind or species. Wardens will learn to identify andclassify species of living things.

Identify at least two trees using a dichotomous key.page 13

Show younger Wardens how to use a field guide of your choice.page 14

Discuss how wildlife is monitored and identify some endangeredspecies in your province.

page 15

Participate in a provincial species count or a monitoring program.page 16

date completed ✓

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II. Classification

Identify at least two tree speciesusing a dichotomous key.

Background on the Dichotomous Key

The Linnaean (inventor Carolus Linnaeus, 1707-1778) orDichotomous System, is the acceptable classification systemwhich assists us today in classifying newly discovered speciesand in communicating about already known species.

The classification system we use today groups livingorganisms into seven different levels based on similarities:Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species.

The system is based on a series of paired or binary statementsabout physical qualities that plants, animals and other livingorganisms may possess, for example, leaflets attached singlyor leaflets clustered. The system starts with the broadestcharacteristics first and moves through to more specificfeatures. Some examples of choices regarding characteristicsof leaves: Broadleaf or needle leaf? Alternate or opposite?Sheathed or unsheathed? Compound or simple? Smooth ortoothed? In this way all plants and trees can be classified andidentified, as well as animal species.

Linnaeus used Latin names and gave all living things a two-part name. People have two-part names (first & surname).Similarly, he developed the two-part name to show whichfamily the organism belongs in and then the individual.Biologists put the family name first, for example, Populustremuloides and Populus balsamifera. Populus is the familyname covering a group of related species known as genus,tremuloides & balsamifera refer to the particular species.

1.

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A c t i v i t y I d e a sThere is an excellent resource developed for trees and shrubsin Alberta entitled, Guide to Common Native Trees and Shrubsof Alberta. Refer to the Supporting Resources section in thismodule for more information. Wardens should have their owncopy of this key.◗ Practice using the guide on every outing or in the area

surrounding your meeting place.◗ To help wardens understand dichotomous keys, have them

classify the leaders or members of their group using one.

Show younger Wardens how touse a field guide of your choice.

BACKGROUNDField guide books come in a variety of sizes, formats and

methods of identification. For example, some are presented ina dichotomous key format, species are organized by colour(flowers) or size (birds), or by structure (mushrooms, lichen.)There are many formats to choose from and you will likely findone that will suit your knowledge level and overallpreferences. Most field guide books are presented in acolourful, easy to use, handy-sized format, and some arefurther enhanced for non-biologists and technical terms havebeen avoided. If they have been used, definitions are usuallyprovided in a glossary to explain the more technical terms. Aneffective field guide is not bulky and is easy to carry and store.Most field guides books are useful at two levels: the generalinformation contained in them is accessible andunderstandable to an interested person and the book alsoserves as a resource for the more advanced student in thatarea. All field contribute to further understanding of Alberta’sflora and fauna.

Please note that any field guidebook developed to identifyedible mushrooms should be used in conjunction with ahands-on course in identifying edible and non-ediblemushrooms.

2.

Lone Pine Publishing has a wide

variety of field guides for Alberta.

Check out the current list of

available titles in the Supporting

Resources section of this module.

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A c t i v i t y I d e a sDon’t bluff your way through a field guide when you areteaching younger Wardens about them. Become familiar withhow the species are organized in the field guide and how youcan do the following two things: identify a species and find aspecies you already know the name of. ◗ Explain why range maps in field guides are important in

helping to correctly identify species.

◗ Teach a younger group of Wardens how to use two to

three field guides. Show the whole group how the field

guides are to be properly used. Break the young Wardens

up into smaller groups and give each group a field guide.

For each field guide have the small groups do three tasks.

For example in a bird field guide: 1. Find the summer range for ___(name species) . 2. Find a bird about the size of a sparrow and list some

identifying marks. 3. What does a Rudy-crowned Kinglet look like? Make up your own questions based upon the field guides you

plan to demonstrate. Have the young Wardens read thewritten description and information on the species and not justto focus on correct identification as the only goal for using afield guide. Field guides also help us broaden ourunderstandings and increase our knowledge base.

Discuss how wildlife ismonitored and identify someendangered species in yourprovince.

BACKGROUNDAlberta’s wildlife is a part of the landscape as much as itscitizens are. It is important for Albertans to become wellinformed and learn about some of the issues about wildlife, forexample, what component of a wildlife species is at risk,which species are at risk. There are good reasons forappreciating and keeping wildlife in our lives. A species listedas threatened is the first step toward creating awareness thatsomething is wrong. What happens after that is up to us all.

3.

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Wildlife includes all species of mammals, fish, birds, plants,insects, amphibians and reptiles. The majority of wildlife speciesin Alberta have healthy populations and adequate habitat.Components of habitat include food, water, shelter and space.

A c t i v i t y I d e a s◗ Invite a speaker in to talk to your group about species at risk

in Alberta.

◗ Collect the Threatened Species brochure series (Refer to

Supporting Resources section in this module.) Have each

Wardens choose a species and make a short presentation to

the group about its status and the causes of its status.

Participate in a provincial speciescount or a monitoring program.

Refer to Appendix III, Monitoring Programs for information onsome ongoing programs to get involved with.

4.

III..Wardens will develop an understanding of the interde-pendence of living things and the relationships between species,including humans, and their environment.

UNDERSTANDINGECOLOGY

Define and understand the following terms: biosphere,ecosystem, biological diversity, niche. page 19

Discuss how food webs and food chains demonstrate theflow of energy through an ecosystem. page 22

Examine the interactions of plants and animals with aproject showing one of the following: tree reproduction andgrowth, insect reproduction and growth, insects and diseasein a forest ecosystem, forest disease reproduction andgrowth, habitat infringement from human activities.

page 28

Illustrate and explain one of the following global climacticchanges to younger wardens: the greenhouse effect, acidrain, or thinning ozone. page 35

Describe how environmental factors affect plants andanimals. page 50

Discuss how human actions modify the environment inpositive and negative ways. page 46

date completed ✓

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Understanding Ecology

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Define and understand thefollowing terms: biosphere,ecology, ecosphere, ecosystem,biological diversity, and niche.

BACKGROUNDIt is important for Wardens to have a strong base knowledgeof terms and definitions when reading and learning aboutecology.

BiosphereThe biosphere is commonly used as a synonym for ecospherebut it makes more sense to define biosphere with all theearth’s plants and animals. All life exists within a thin film ofair, water and soil about 15 km deep. This shell is known asthe biosphere that can be divided into three layers: theatmosphere (air) , the hydrosphere (water) and the lithosphere(rock and soil.)

EcologyEcology is the study of the structure and function ofecosystems, dealing mainly with the interaction of organismswith one another and with the non-living setting.

EcosphereAll of the living things on earth together with the part of thenonliving world in which and with which they interact.

EcosystemA self-regulating community of plants and animals interactingwith one another and with their nonliving environment.Ecosystems perform functions that are essential to humanexistence, such as oxygen and soil production and waterpurification.

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Biological DiversityOften referred to as biodiversity, biological diversity refers tothe variety of species and ecosystems on Earth and ecologicalprocesses of which they are a part.

Three components of biodiversity are:1. Ecosystem diversity

Ecosystem diversity describes the variety of different natural systems found in a region, country or on the

planet.

2. Species diversityA species is a group of plants or animals that are more orless alike and are able to breed and produce fertileoffspring under natural conditions. One way of describingbiodiversity of a region is to measure the number of

species of living things. Some environmental factors thatcan affect species diversity are climate, geography, andhistory.

3. Genetic diversityGenes carry genetic information affecting how an organism

looks and behaves. Genetic diversity refers to how eachindividual is different in some way from every otherindividual of its species. For example, genetic diversity inhumans can be seen with different eye colour, body sizes,or behavioural variance. It can also be less obvious suchas how individuals resist disease or how they grow.

NicheA species niche refers to the unique, functional role or “place”of that species in an ecosystem. You could think of it as theorganism’s profession—how it makes its living, how and whenit gets its energy and nutrients, how and when it reproduces,how it relates to other species.

A habitat niche exists within an ecosystem. A forest, forexample, can be seen as having layers of habitat niches.Some species are found on the forest floor, some foundbeneath the surface and other may occupy trunks.

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Food niches can be differentiated by time of day and food type.A hawk hunts by day and an owl hunts by night. Both hunt forthe same prey but have different—night and day niches. Otherspecies feed at daylight and twilight. Food niches can also beseparated by food type. Birds, for example, eat at the sametime and in the same place because they eat different foodsuch as insects and seeds.

It is important to be aware of these subtleties in nichesbecause they reinforce the general rule in nature that no twodifferent species can occupy the same niche at the same timefor very long.

A c t i v i t y I d e a s◗ Choose one species of Alberta’s flora or fauna and discuss

its niche.

◗ Discuss why biodiversity conservation is important.

◗ Write a poem with the theme; “the forest is like a salad.”

◗ Make a Wanted poster with the theme, Wanted: A World

Rich in Biodiversity.

◗ Have Wardens discuss biodiversity listing the diversity of

species and ecosystems in Alberta.

◗ Discuss the threats to biodiversity.

◗ Locate and read Millennium in Maps: Biodiversity.

Supplement to National Geographic, February, 1999. It

contains some of the following information: Threats to

Biodiversity, Conservation and Research, Have We

overdrawn Our Account?, Rapid Extinction, Slow

Recoveries, and The Natural Vegetation Biomes

Throughout the World.

◗ Find articles in local newspapers and magazines that use

any of the above terms. Evaluate their interpretation and

meaning.

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Discuss how food webs and foodchains demonstrate the flow ofenergy through an ecosystem.

BACKGROUNDThe Earth depends on a continuous supply of heat and lightfrom the sun. The only organisms that are able to make use oflight energy to make food are green plants and a few bacteria.The light energy captured by green plants is converted tochemical energy, which is used by animals. Chemical energyis the fuel that drives biological processes.

The conversion of energy in an ecosystem may be traced fromone level to another. Primary producers are eaten by primaryconsumers such as herbivores. No animal can convert its totalfood intake into an equal amount of energy. The flow ofenergy is linear (flowing in one direction) and the availableenergy decreases at each level of the food chain. All energy iseventually lost as heat and must be replaced by energy fromthe sun.

Organisms can be divided into three groups based on theirsource of food: producers, consumers and decomposers.

1. Primary ProducersThe seemingly magical transformation of the sun’s energy intoorganic materials is possible due to the green pigment inplants called chlorophyll. Most plants appear green becausetheir chlorophyll absorbs red and blue wavelengths andreflects the green wavelengths of light. They are able to trapthe sunlight and use it to make food in a process referred to asphotosynthesis. Carbon dioxide and water combine using thelight energy to produce carbohydrates (sugar) and oxygen.Carbohydrates are stored in the plant as needed. Respirationuses up to half of the stored chemical energy. The other half isused for new growth and becomes available to animals thateat the plant.

One of the byproducts of photosynthesis is oxygen. Greenplants contribute this vital gas to our planet. It was about twobillion years ago that the first photosynthesizing organismsbegan preparing the Earth’s atmosphere to become suitable forlife that now exists.

2.

Terrestrial plants cover less than

one quarter of the planet, but are

responsible for fixing 50% of the

total sunlight captured by plants

and make up 97% of the Earth’s

biomass (the total mass of organic

life.)

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2. The Consumers Consumers are organisms that depend on producers for food.Primary consumers, or herbivores, feed directly on plants.Herbivores include insects, reptiles, birds and mammals.Herbivores are adapted to feed on plant material and mustbreak down the cellulose to unlock the energy in the plant. Allplants have a rigid form because of the cellulose in their cellwalls.

Only a few herbivores can digest cellulose. A herbivore rarelyeats an entire plant because it cannot digest all of thecellulose. Most of the food it eats is passed through thedigestive system undigested. Ruminants, such as goats andcows, chew their food well before passing it on into therumen, a compartment of the stomach where it is fermented.Bacteria in the rumen secrete cellulose enzyme, which breaksdown cellulose. The digested food and some bacteria thenpass into a second stomach where digestion is completed.

Secondary consumers prey on herbivores, and are calledcarnivores. In a food chain there are always fewer secondarythan primary consumers, fewer tertiary than secondary and soon through to the top of the chain. The primary consumer isusually physically smaller than the secondary consumer andgets its food over a smaller area.

Some consumers are omnivores, feeding on both plants andanimals. The ability to eat a variety of foods is a greatadvantage; if the main food source is scarce, the animal caneat something else.

3. DecomposersDecomposers feed on wastes and the remains of dead plantsand animals. Without decomposers, the Earth would be buriedin dead organic matter. Fungi and bacteria are the maindecomposers. When they break down the dead organisms,they release carbon dioxide, nitrogen and other substancesback into the environment to be used by producers to makenew food.

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4. Food Chains and Food WebsIn a well-defined ecosystem, such as a forest, more than 90%of primary production is consumed by the organisms in thedetritus chain. Less than 10% is consumed in a grazing chain.

plants > herbivorous animals > carnivorous predators

Grazing Food Chain

dead plants > decomposers

Detritus Food Chain

In a less developed ecosystem such as a fishpond or farmland,50% or more is consumed in grazing.

Each level in the chain is called the trophic level. The firsttrophic level is composed of the primary producers and thesecond trophic level by the primary consumers.

Because of the inefficiency of the energy transfer process, andthe huge energy losses that result, food chains rarely havemore that four or five links.

The amount of energy that is

transferred between organisms in

a food chain is only 10 to 15%.

This small amount is due to

energy wastage, up to 85% at each

level, most of which is lost as heat

when organisms respire.

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Food WebsA food web is a complex relationship formed by intercon-necting and overlapping food chains. In any ecosystem it ispossible to build a complex food web that shows all thefeeding relationships. This food web may show an animal asboth a primary and secondary consumer feeding on bothplants and animals; it can also be a secondary or tertiaryconsumer depending on which animals it feeds at a giventime. An ecosystem can easily support a larger base ofprimary consumers than secondary or tertiary consumers.

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In an aquatic ecosystem, at the first level of the food web, onlya small amount of food is needed as long as the pond remainswell supplied with sunlight. A large base of consumers feedson the small base, in turn supporting a large number of higherconsumers, up to the top of the web. In a land-based foodweb, the first level usually needs to be larger.

The food web in a pond or lake ultimately relies on photosyn-thesis. Microscopic phytoplankton on the surface and greenplants in shallow water both make up their food source.These primary producers occupy the first trophic level. Theother trophic levels or consumers are made up of a varietyanimals such as insects, fish, larger fish and a top consumersuch as a predatory fish, bird or human. Detritus feeders(decomposers) are always on the bottom and are notconsidered a trophic level.

A c t i v i t y I d e a s❍ Have Adventurers explain to a group of younger Wardens

why we are not up to our necks in dead leaves. Whathappens to the leaves that fall annually during the autumnseason? (Without decomposers, the Earth would soon bepiled high with organic wastes.)

❍ Have Adventurers work on developing a wetland food web.Use the activity ideas on page 27 as a guide. Answers areprovided on page 28.

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Develop a Wetland Food WebUse a pencil and draw arrows between the organisms to showthe various relationships they have in a wetland food web, orenlarge and cut apart the drawings of wetland organisms,arrange them on a large piece of paper or display board toshow their relationships. Share this with younger Wardens on

Wetland Food Web

1. Producer (green plants)

2. Detrites (organic decay)

3. Water snail

4. Earth worm

5. Zooplankton

6. Phytoplankton

7. Mayfly larvae

8. Cardisfly larvae

9. Dragonfly larvae

10. Freshwater shrimp

11. Isopod

12. Mosquito larvae

13. Lake whitefish

14. Stickleback

15. Minnow

16. Water beetle

17. Northern pike

18. Tree frog

19. Kingfisher

20. Great Blue heron

21. Trumpeter swan

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a nature walk or in a presentation.

Wetland Food Web

1. Producer (green plants)

2. Detrites (organic decay)

3. Water snail

4. Earth worm

5. Zooplankton

6. Phytoplankton

7. Mayfly larvae

8. Cardisfly larvae

9. Dragonfly larvae

10. Freshwater shrimp

11. Isopod

12. Mosquito larvae

13. Lake whitefish

14. Stickleback

15. Minnow

16. Water beetle

17. Northern pike

18. Tree frog

19. Kingfisher

20. Great Blue heron

21. Trumpeter swan

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3. The Wetland Food WebExamine the interactions of plantsand animals with a projectshowing one of the following: treereproduction and growth, insectsand diseases in a forestecosystem, forest diseases andgrowth, habitat infringement fromhuman activities.

Tree Reproduction and GrowthBACKGROUNDAn adult tree is ready to reproduce when it can produce flowersand seeds. The length of time it takes for trees to mature varies.A tree’s ability to flower may have more to do with size andgrowing conditions than with age. Many people are surprised tofind out that trees have flowers. Flowers are the sex organs ofplants and trees and are necessary for reproduction. The blackspruce has a small reddish cone-like flower. Pollination dependsprimarily on the wind. Pine trees have both male and femaleflowers on the same tree. Other species, such as willow andpoplar, are either male or female.

Tree pollination begins when pollen released from the maleflowers fertilizes female flowers. The pollen is commonly carriedby wind and surrounding trees usually fertilize each other. It iscommon for the large floating masses of pollen on ponds to bemistaken as pollution. Insects (bees, wasps, butterflies, beetlesand moths), hummingbirds and bats carry pollen from one tree toanother and are responsible for pollinating most of the smallflowering plants, however they do not play a significant part inthe pollination of trees.

The male produces the pollen and the female produces a fruit orseed when fertilized. The number of seeds a tree produces eachyear varies significantly. Generally, intolerant trees such a poplarand birch have shorter amount of time between each period ofseed production.

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Some trees depend on fire, flooding, wind throw or otherdisturbances to get started. These events open up areas of theforest that previously had little or no light. Trees are adaptedfor the difficult conditions found in the forest and establishthemselves in three major ways:1. Pioneer trees are quickly established after a disturbance

such as fire, flooding or harvesting. These trees do not like

shade and seeds grow quickly. E.g. aspen. Female aspentrees can produce millions of seeds each year and arecarried by the wind up to 30 km away. Most aspenreproduce without seeds. A parent tree sends outunderground shoots and suckers grow up into geneticallyidentical trees. A stand of trees that has grown from asingle parent is called a clone.

2. Intermediate trees can handle a little shade until some kindof disturbance helps them find a gap to grow more quickly.e.g. black spruce, lodgepole pine

3. Shade tolerant species can grow in the dark, shadyunderstory of a forest. Sometimes spaces are created forthem when the bigger trees around them die are get blownover. e.g. balsam fir

Other factors such as soil temperature, moisture and animalsdetermine how well a seed germinates. Seeds need heat togerminate and the soil’s warmth can be important. The mostdifficult time in a tree’s life is getting established. Millions ofseedlings perish during this delicate stage. If seedlings arenot eaten or destroyed, they compete with each other for food,light and water.

Soil, water, and temperature are the main influences on treegrowth. Many trees do most of their growing in May and June

Tree Species Cones/FlowersWhite Birch male and female flowers in separate catkins on same

tree.Trembling Aspen drooping catkins, male and female on separate treesBalsam Poplar male and female on separate trees, both have catkinsGreen Ash male and female on separate treesManitoba Maple male and female on separate treesTamarack pollen cones small, seed cones erect, seeds are wingedBalsam Fir pollen cones small, seed cones erect, seeds are wingedLodegepole Pine pollen cones small, seed cones slightly curvedJack Pine pollen cones small, seed cones usually curved and

pointing towards end of branch, small winged seedsBlack Spruce small pollen cones, small seed conesWhite Spruce pollen cones, seed cones hang down

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when the water is plentiful and temperatures are not toowarm. Grass growing near seedlings can inhibit growthbecause of the many small fine roots take up a lot of nutrients.

A c t i v i t y I d e a s❍ Have Wardens collect and keep a scrapbook with the

flowers and cones of local tree species.

❍ Obtain some tree cookies (cross sections of trees) andinterpret the growth of the tree. What do rings closetogether mean? Is there evidence of fire? Damage?

❍ Take the wardens on a walk through a woodlot. Look forall stages of a tree species’ life cycle: seeds, cones, flowers,seeds, seedlings, young tree, adult, snag and in variousstages of decay.

Insects and Diseases in a ForestEcosystemBACKGROUND In Canada every year, fire, insects and disease destroy approxi-mately as much wood as loggers harvest. They are nature’sown forest management tools and ensure both the renewaland survival of the forest. But when it comes to harvestingforests, fire, insects and diseases become enemies of theforest. Insects can damage wood, kill seeds and trees bychewing leaves and buds or by sucking sap. To keep pests incheck, forest companies spray chemical insecticides in theforest. Pesticides may harm living creatures other than thepests they are directed at. Insect infestations can actuallyincrease by killing the pests’ natural enemies and competitors.

Unlike a fire that is easy to see and does damage quickly,some insects and diseases are slow acting and hard to see.Often, these pests go totally unnoticed until a tree is seriouslydamaged or dead. Another major difference between fires andinsects or diseases is that wildfire control measures areimplemented quickly, but insect and disease problems may gounchecked for long periods.

The most common form of injury caused by insects includereductions of height growth and stem volume, tree mortality

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and stem disfigurement. They reduce volume and quality of woodproduct. Infestations may cause fire hazards, alter wildlifehabitat and diminish recreational value of a forest or stand oftrees.

A c t i v i t y I d e a s❍ Make an exhibit entitled, Forest Insect and Disease

Identification. Collect a sample of damaged trees that

clearly show the injury. These samples can range from

bark pieces to evidence of defoliation. Use index card to

describe the insect or disease.

❍ Take photographs of common insect and diseases in your

area. Prepare a slide show or a scrapbook.

❍ Invite a forester to come in and speak to your group about

forest insects and diseases.

Forest Diseases and GrowthBackgroundTree diseases tend to spread slowly and

sometimes there is no evidence of disease until the tree is cutdown or dies. Diseases can be broken down into two categories:abiotic (non-infectious) and biotic (infectious.)

Abiotic Injury (non-infectious)Abiotic diseases are caused by high or low temperatures, waterabundance or deficiency, mechanical injury, chemical damage orpollution.

1. Climate❍ High Temperatures (heat defoliation; sun scald; heat

canker; birch dieback; shoot droop)

❍ Low Temperatures (freezing of unprotected roots; frost

damage to buds, leaves and other tissues)

❍ Temperature Fluctuations (mid-winter thaws; frost crack

where sudden, excess cooling makes outer layers of trees

contract more than inner layers; frost shake where sudden

warming makes the growth ring separate from cooler inner

wood)

❍ Water Stresses (drought; red belt winter drying; leaf scorch;

flooding; leaf wilt)

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2. Mechanical Injuries❍ Bruising and breaking from ice, snow, wind, hail, lightning,

and machinery; transplant injuries; root compaction; animalbrowsing (girdling); windfall

3. Nutrient Deficiency

❍ Low nutrient levels; salt toxicity.

4. Pollution

❍ Herbicide damage; industrial pollution; acid rain; chemical

damage (animal urine, industrial fumes)

Biotic Diseases (infectious)Biotic diseases are caused by living organisms such as bacteria,fungi, viruses, nematodes or parasitic plants. Not all bacteria,fungi or viruses are harmful. Certain bacteria are associated withnitrogen fixation in trees. Many fungi are beneficial and theirmost important role is to decompose organic matter, whilecertain species develop favourable relationships with tree roots.

Some Biotic Diseases1. Stem and root decay and stains – caused by fungi that break

down and stain the wood fibre. They can greatly reduce woodvolumes without affecting tree growth or mortality. Stem

decay does provide habitat for cavity-dwelling and nestingwildlife.

2. Dwarf Mistletoes – are parasitic plants that attack lodgepolepine, jack pine, and black spruce in the prairie provinces. Thetrees form "witches brooms" which are unsightly and mayweaken branches, creating a potential safety hazard.

3. Root diseases – are caused by fungi that attack and destroyroots. Growth loss and tree mortality may occur. Infectedtrees become less windfirm and are susceptible to windthrow.

4. Stem canker/rusts - are caused by fungi that attack stemsand branches.

5. Foliage and cone diseases – may look bad, but account foronly a limited amount of wood loss. Foliage diseases include

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needle casts, needle rusts, and leaf spot diseases. Cone rustsmay cause considerable seed loss in spruce stands.

From “Woodlot Management Guide for the Prairie Provinces”.

A c t i v i t y I d e a s❍ Make an exhibit entitled, Forest Diseases. Collect a sample of

damaged trees that clearly show the injury. These samples canrange from bark pieces to evidence of defoliation. Use indexcards to describe the diseases.

❍ Take photographs of common biotic diseases affecting trees inyour area. Prepare a slide show or a scrapbook.

❍ Invite a forester to come in and speak to your group about forestdiseases.

Habitat Infringement from HumanActivitiesBACKGROUNDThe fragile balance of plants and animals that share the Earth tookmillions of years to develop. Some life forms have perished and willnot return. Humans, who are relative newcomers to the planet, arelargely responsible for habitat destruction, introduction of invasionspecies, over-harvesting, pollution and an increasing population. The nature of Canada is endangered. We have ploughed the prairiesfor farms, harvested the forests, and filled in the wetlands causinghabitat loss. Wild animals and plants space where they can live,breed and obtain food. Some species can adapt to changes andmove to different habitats; others are very vulnerable because theycannot adapt.

How Healthy is the Nature of CanadaTest yourself. What do you know about Canada’s spaces andspecies?1. What percent of Canada’s tall grass prairie remain?

a) 11% b) 25% c)1%

2. What percent of Canada’s West Coast rainforest is undisturbed?

a) 25% b) 65% c) 3%

3. In comparison, what percentage of Brazilian rainforesthas been destroyed to date?

a) 12% b) 23% c) 78%

4. How many Canadian species, including plants and animals are officially being listed as being at risk?a) 79 b) 236 c) 11

5. What is the biggest reason for wildlife problems in Canada?a) ov e r - h u n t i n g b) pollution c) loss of habitat d) acid rain

Answers: 1-c, 2-c, 3-a, 4-b, and 5c From Department of Canadian Heritage, Parks Service

A c t i v i t y I d e a s❍ Look around your community and list some new building

developments. How have they had an impact on habitat.What flora and fauna were/are affected?

❍ Have a closer look at Alberta’s natural regions. What kindsof activities are affecting the grassland, boreal forest,aspen parkland, Canadian Shield, Rocky Mountains andFoothills? Are the human activities the same or differentamong the regions? Which natural region is affected themost by industrial activities such as oil and gas extractionand coal mining?

❍ Determine the amount of land being transferred fromagricultural use to municipal use such as housing ortransportation. How much land is annually logged,affecting wildlife habitat?

❍ Discuss the human perspective of land use. How dopeople today view the land? How does it compare totraditional views of First Nations Peoples?

❍ Illustrate and explain to younger Wardens one of thefollowing phenomena affecting atmospheric changes: thegreenhouse effect, El Niño, La Niña, or thinning ozone.

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36

Illustrate and expalin one of thefollowing global climaticchanges you younger wardens:the greenhouse effect, acid rainor thinning ozone.BACKGROUNDClimate change is a complex and pressing environmentalglobal challenge. Climate change can have serious impacts onour environment, economy, society and our way of life.

The temperature on earth is regulated by a system known asthe greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases (primarily watervapour, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) trap theheat of the sun, preventing radiation from dissipating intospace. Without the effect of these naturally occurring gases,the average temperature on Earth would be -18° C, instead ofthe current 15° C. Life as we know it would be impossible.

When we increase the amount of greenhouse gases in theatmosphere, it is projected that we may increase globalaverage temperatures and produce climate changes.

Unless we change our direction,

we are likely to end up where we

are headed.

- Chinese proverb

4.

Potential Impacts of Climatic

Change on Various Regions of

Canada:

1. Warmer temperatures could

cause changes in fish populations.

2. Changes in rainfall could

increase drought in the prairies.

3. Water supplies in Southern

Canada could decline significantly.

4. Soil degradation and erosion of

prairie land may increase due to

moisture loss.

5. Great Lakes winter ice system

may disappear.

6. Forest region could shift

northward with deciduous trees

growing as far north asJames Bay.

7. Many coastal areas could be

flooded.

8. Inshore fisheries season could

be extended.

9. Southern Ontario snow seasons

could disappear

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Greenhouse EffectThe Problem:Human activities are causing the release of heat-trappinggases into the atmosphere in sufficient concentrations tochange the composition of the atmosphere. Furthermore,humans are cutting down the world’s trees and not replanting.In both of these ways, humans are causing global warmingwhich is commonly known as the greenhouse effect.

The Solution:Reduce emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere, stopmassive deforestation and plant trees. The greenhouse effectis caused by emissions of over 20 gases into the atmosphere.The major contributors are carbon dioxide (CO ), ozone,methane, nitrous oxide and chloroflurocarbons (CFCs.) Theprimary source of these emissions is the burning of fossil fuelsin automobiles, boilers and furnaces. When released in largequantities, these gases cause the earth’s atmosphere to warmby trapping the sun’s heat. The infrared radiation that wouldnormally be reflected back into space is now trapped in theearth’s atmosphere like a thick blanket.

Acid RainThe Problem:Pollutants causing acid rain are released into the atmosphereand are killing forests, lakes and animals.

The Solution:Reduce emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere.

Acid rain is the result of sulphur dioxide (SO ) and oxides ofnitrogen (NOX) emissions into the air. When in theatmosphere, they react with moisture, sunlight, oxygen andother gases to create sulphuric and nitric acids which fall tothe earth as acid precipitation (includes rain, snow, fog, sleet,hail and dew) or dry acidic particles or dust. The effects ofacid rain can be divided into the following categories: aquatic,terrestrial, material and human health.

2

2

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AquaticAn aquatic ecosystem is adversely affected if the pH of the

water is below 6. At pH 5.5 there are fewer species in the lakeand those remaining have trouble surviving. The more acidicthe water is, the more metals such as lead, mercury andaluminum are leached from the surrounding rock and soil.Fish, being the primary consumer, ingest these metalsinitiating the process of contamination. When a bird eats afish, the poisons are passed up the food chain.

TerrestrialAcid rain affects the pH of soil and what grows in it. The

more acidic the soil, the easier it is for minerals to be leachedfrom the soil. Potassium, for example, is washed away beforeplants can absorb it. Plants can absorb harmful metals thatare also leached out of acidic soil such as aluminum andmercury. Plants also become more susceptible to pest andfungi infestations because of the constant assault of acid onprotective surfaces of leaves and bark.

MaterialAcid rain speeds up the natural corrosion and deterioration of

materials such as brick, paints, stone and concrete. Materialsthat are especially vulnerable are limestone, marble, iron,steel, copper and zinc.

Human Health Evidence is inconclusive as to whether acid rain directly

contributes to human health problems. One study has foundthat respiratory problems admitted to hospitals doubled duringperiods of ground level ozone and sulphate pollution. Thereare higher incidences of breathing problems (dust allergies,stuffy noses and coughs with phlegm) reported in Canadianareas with high acid rain.

Acidity is measured using the pH scale which ranges from 0to 14. The scale is logarithmic which means that a pH 3 is 10times more acidic that pH 4 and 100 times more acidic thanpH 5.

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The pH Scale

A 14.0 A 13.0 - Lye (caustic soda)L 12.4 - Lime (calcium hydroxide)K 11.0 - Ammonia (NH3)A 10.5 - Milk of MagnesiaL 8.0-8.5 - The Great LakesI 8.3 - Sea WaterN 8.2 - Baking SodaE 7.4 - Human Blood* 7.0 - Neutral (distilled water)≠ 6.6 - MilkA 5.6 - Clean or normal rainC 5.0 - CarrotsI 4.2 - TomatoesD 4.0-4.5 - Average rain in CanadaI 4.0 - Wine and beerC 3.0 - ApplesC 2.2 - VinegarC 2.0 - Lemon JuiceC 1.0 - Battery AcidØ 0.0

Major sources of sulphur dioxide are ore smelters and coalburning power stations. Nitrous oxides come mainly fromvehicle exhaust and power plants. In North America, thebreakdown of nitrous oxides emissions are: 27% residential and commercial (fuel combustion and heating)40% vehicle exhaust (cars, trucks, trains, planes)33% power plantsAcid rain can fall hundreds of kilometers from the pollutionsource. It is estimated that half of the acid deposition ineastern Canada originated from emissions in the UnitedStates. From 10 to 25% of the acid rain in parts ofnortheastern U.S. originates from Canada.

Acid Rain begins at pH 4.8

pH 5 – salmon & trout fail to breed

pH 4.5 – fish disappear from lakes

pH 4 – lakes become lifeless

pH 3.2 – plant leaves are damaged

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El NiñoThe first available record of El Niño dates back to 1567. SouthAmerican fishermen noticed the appearance of warm watersin the eastern Pacific Ocean along the coast of Ecuador andPeru. Because the phenomenon typically becomes apparentaround Christmas, the name El Niño, or the Christ Child, waseventually bestowed.

During the 1920s, the head of the Indian MeteorologicalService, Sir Gilbert Walker, recognized patterns in the rainfallin South America. His discovery lead him to theorizeadditional associations between the change in the oceantemperatures and with atmospheric pressure changesmeasured at stations on both sides of the Pacific. Noticingthat as pressure rises in the east, there is typically anaccompanying decrease in the west. The reverse is also true.He coined the term Southern Oscillation. Further study led tothe realization that Asian monsoon seasons under certainbarometric conditions were often linked to drought inAustralia, Indonesia, India and parts of Africa and with mildwinters in Western Canada.

It wasn’t until the late 1960s that a connection was establishedbetween the changes in sea surface temperatures and theweak winds from the east and heavy rainfall that accompanylow-pressure conditions. Ultimately, this led to the discoverythat the warm waters of El Niño and the Southern Oscillationare interrelated leading to the full naming of the phenomenonas El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO.)

El Niño is thought to occur due to changes in the normalpatterns of the trade wind circulation. Normally, these windsmove westward, carrying warm surface water to Indonesiaand Australia and allowing cooler water to upwell along theSouth American coast. For reasons not fully understood, thesetrade winds can sometimes be reduced or even reversed. Thismoves warmer waters toward the coast of South America andraises water temperatures.

Warmer water causes heat and moisture to rise from theocean off Ecuador and Peru, resulting in more frequent stormsand torrential rainfall over these normally arid countries. Aircirculation at five kilometers into the atmosphere is alteredduring El Niño and La Niña years. During El Niño winters, thejet stream over the North pacific is likely to split on approachto North America. A weaker branch would be divertednorthward into the Northwest Territories while the lowersubtropical branch, whose mean position is over the Pacific

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Northwest and southwestern Canada, would be shifted severaldegrees of latitude southward. The southern Canadian regionlies between the two jet streams and receives a milder anddrier than normal winter.

Scientists are questioning whether climate change may beaffecting the observed increase in strength and frequency of ElNiño events in recent decades, or whether the El Niñosthemselves are contributing to global warming. There is noconsensus on any direct link. Further research is neededbefore scientists can provide confident answers to thesequestions.

La NiñaLa Niña is the antithesis of El Niño. About every four to fiveyears, a pool of cooler than normal water develops off SouthAmerica. The effects of this cooler water are called La Niña.This usually brings colder winters to the Canadian west andAlaska and drier, warmer weather to the American southeast.

La Niña is thought to occur due to increases in the strength ofthe normal patterns of trade winds circulation. Under normalconditions, these winds move westward, carrying warmsurface water to Indonesia and Australia and allowing coolerwater to upwell along the South American coast. For reasonsnot yet fully understood, periodically these trade winds arestrengthened, increasing the amount of cooler water towardthe coast of South America and reducing water temperatures.

The increased amount of cooler water toward the coast ofSouth America, causes increases in the deep cloud builduptowards southeast Asia, resulting in wetter than normalconditions over Indonesia during the northern hemispherewinter.

The changes in the tropical Pacific are accompanied by largemodulations of the jet stream within the middle latitudes,shifting the point at which the stream normally crosses NorthAmerica. The shifted jet stream contributes to largedepartures from the normal location and strength of stormpaths. The overall changes in the atmosphere result intemperature and precipitation anomalies over North Americathat can persist for several months.

The annual cycle of jet stream averaged over nine years showsintensification and weakening of the jet stream from the coldto the warm season in the Northern Hemisphere. Theprevious La Niña during the winter of 1995-96, was partly to

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blame for the flooding in Northern California, Oregon, andWashington states, and higher than normal snowfall in thenorthern plains and Atlantic states.

Thinning Ozone - What You Can’tSee Can Hurt YouThe Problem:Synthetic chemicals are destroying the ozone layer thatprotects the earth from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

The Solution:The need to stop producing and releasing ozone-depletingchemicals is urgent. Even if these chemicals were bannedtoday, thinning of the ozone layer will continue for about 100years.

The ozone layer is in the stratosphere, a layer of the earth’satmosphere between 15 and 20 km above the earth’s surface.This layer is densely concentrated about 20 km thick. If thewhole layer is compressed to ground level pressure, it wouldonly be a band three-mm thick.

The ozone layer is being destroyed by a group of chemicalsthat do not exist naturally. The major culprits are chlorofluro-carbons as well as halons (from fire extinguishers) and methylchloroform and carbon tetrachloride (industrial chemicals.)

Chloroflurocarbons takes 10 to 100 years to reach the upperatmosphere where they are broken apart by ultraviolet lightfrom the sun. As the chemicals break down, chlorine isreleased from CFC molecules. Similarly, bromine is releasedfrom halons. Chlorine and bromine eat away at the ozonelayer.

A single atom of chlorine destroys between 10,000 to 100,000molecules of ozone. Bromine is 10 times more destructive toozone than chlorine.

43

A c t i v i t y I d e a s❍ Invite a speaker in to talk about the changes to the global

climate and what countries are doing about it.

❍ Test the pH of local water bodies. Investigate theorganisms and animals that live in that aquaticenvironment.

❍ Make a copy of “Catch the Culprits” activity sheet onpage 44 for each Warden. The activity sheet is not in theWardens’ manuals. The sheet will help Wardens reviewthe sources of air emissions.

❍ Make a copy of Ozone Questionnaire activity sheet onpage 39 for each Warden. The activity sheet is not in thewarden’s manual. The sheet will help Wardens reviewfacts about ozone.

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Catch the Culprits

1. Chloroflurocarbons(CFCs)

2. Nitrous Oxide (NO2)

3. Carbon Dioxide (CO2)`

4. Methane

5. Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)

6. Total SuspendedParticulates

7. Carbon Monoxide (CO)

8. Ozone rain.

9. Bromine

A. Lead is an example.

B. Released when halons breakdown.

C. From vehicle exhaust, coal combustion and fromagricultural fertilizers.

D. Found in refrigerators, air conditioners and some foamsand aerosols.

E. Mainly from vehicle exhaust and emissions are increasing3% to 4% per decade.

F. The by-product of incomplete combustion mainly fromautomobiles.

G. Formed when emissions of hydrocarbons and nitrogenoxides interact in the air. At ground level is a greenhousegas.

H. The major contributor to acid

I. Is 10 times more destructive to ozone than chlorine.

J. Molecule for molecule, traps 20 more heat than carbondioxide.

K. Major sources of emissions are ore smelters and coalburning power stations.

L. Major component of natural gas, rotting garbage in landfill sites, burning wood and vegetable and bacteria in the guts of cattle.

M. A variety of particles suspended in the air.

N. Contributes to 25% of current greenhouse effect.

Match the emissions to its source. Some emissions have more than one answer.

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Answers:1. Chloroflurocarbons - D, N. Found in refrigerators, air

conditioners, some foams and aerosols. Contribute 10,000times more to Greenhouse Effect than carbon dioxide. Developed in the 1930s for refrigerants. In the 1950s theywere used as the blowing agent in the production of plastic

foam. In the 1970s they were used as propellants in aerosolcans and thousands of tonnes were released directly into theatmosphere. When released they take 10 to 100 years toreach upper atmosphere. Contribute to 25% of currentgreenhouse effect.

2. Nitrous Oxide (NO2) - C. Vehicle exhaust, coal combustion,

use of fertilizers in agriculture. A product of combustion. Thisemission contributes to photochemical smog and theformation of ground level ozone.

3. Carbon Dioxide - E. Vehicle exhaust. Increased use of fossilfuels is escalating this emission at 3 to 4% per decade.

4. Methane - J, L. Major component of natural gas, rottingarbage in landfill sites, burning wood and vegetable matter,

bacteria in the guts of cattle. Traps 20 times more heat,molecule for molecule, than carbon dioxide.

5. Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) - H, K. The major contributor toacid rain. The major sources of sulphur dioxide are oresmelters and coal burning power stations.

6. Total suspended particulates - A, M. A wide variety ofparticles that remain suspended in the air; lead is an

example.7. Carbon Monoxide (CO) - F. By-product of incomplete

combustion mostly from automobiles.8. Ozone - G. At ground level this is a greenhouse gas.

Formed when emissions of hydrocarbons and nitrogenoxides interact in the air.

9. Bromine - B, I. Released from the breakdown of halons. Is10 times more destructive to ozone than chlorine.

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Ozone Questionnaire Name ___________________Match the emissions to its source. Some emissions have more than one answer.

1. The ozone layer is protecting us from:a) infrared radiation b)ultraviolet (UV) radiationc) harmful gas d)all of the above

2. The ozone hole above the Antarctic is caused by:

a) volcanoes b)sun spotsc) Chloroflurocarbons d)none of the aboveOzone Questionnaire Name

___________________(CFCs)

3. The ozone layer is found where in the earth’s atmosphere:a) only above urban centresb)between 5 and 10 km above the earthc) between 15 and 20 km above the earthd) only at 27 km above the earth

4. Which of these products generally contributes to ozone

destruction?a) computers b)air conditionersc) tobacco d)spicese) halon fire extinguishers

5. The chemical which most efficiently destroys ozone molecules is:a) bromine b)chlorinec) fluorine d)nitrogen oxides

6. Increased UV radiation, due to ozone depletion, can’t cause:a) skin cancer b)immuno-suppressionc) premature aging d)cataracts and other forms of blindnesse) strokes f)all of the above

7. To protect yourself from increased UV caused by ozone depletion:a) wear a hat b)wear long pants and shirtsc) use 100% UV sunglasses d)always wear SPE 15+ sunscreen

e) all of the above8. The Montreal protocol signed in 1987, achieved the following results:

a) nothing b)banning all ozone depleting substancesc) banning CFCs d)organizing the phase-out of most ODs

9. What can I change in my lifestyle that will help protect the ozone layer:a) avoid foam cups b)find alternatives to air-conditioners

c) don’t buy CFCs d)buy locally produced organic foode) all of the above f) none of the above

Answers: 1-b, 2-c, 3-c, 4-b, 5-a, 6-e, 7-e, 8-d, and 9-e.

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48

Describe how environmentalfactors affect plants andanimals.

BACKGROUNDAn ecosystem takes into account both the organic andinorganic aspects of the processes of life. The environment isconstantly changing and life is constantly changing in thephysical environment. Volcanoes, earthquakes, hurricanes,floods and meteorites cause natural disasters.

The interconnection of living things is not limited to thebiological level. There is a flow of energy, wastes andnutrients between the biotic or living and abiotic or non-livingparts of the environment. The fabrics of living and non-livingelements of the ecosystems and ecosphere are tightly woventogether.

From “The Green School Biodiversity Booklet”by DonMcAllister, 1995.

The physical environment dictates the kind of life that willsurvive. A species survival depends on water supply, light,temperature, soil and so on. The living environment is madeup of living organisms that depend upon each other and thephysical environment. This is called the biotic environment

5.

The fire of the sun’s energy streams into the forest trees andherbs. The plants pry off oxygen from the water molecule,release it into the air, fuse the hydrogen with carbon dioxidebreathed out by animals and plants, making carbohydrates,food for the forest realm. In the dark soil a hundredthousand kilometres of fungal filaments pipe, in thinthreads, nutrients and moisture to the trees. Springtails,mites, worms gnaw the fallen leaves and twigs. A trillionbacteria convert the remains of wastes to nutrients andbuild nitrite fertilizer out of nitrogen molecules from the air.The plant roots pull in water from the rain, leaves breath itout into the air, clouds build up and spill the rain down oncemore. Some seeps, pure and slow from the leaf litter andhumus into the stream where a stonefly larvae creepsencased in tiny pebbles to hide it from the eye of trout andsculpin. Leaves fall into the stream to feast invertebrates,fishlets, and the chattering impossibly blue, kingfisher. Amouse watches. A grain of stardust falls from the sky. It isall connected together, one family.

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(Greek for bios meaning life). Every living thing, in some wayor another, depends on other living things. Most of the livingenvironment is tied together by food chains where plants areeaten by animals, which in turn are eaten by other animals.

The three main agents of environmental change are: 1. climate 2. the water cycle 3. chemical processes

1. ClimateThe sun in a process that controls temperature, rainfall, andwind fuels the Earth’s climate. Changes of only a few degreescan create an ice age or the melting of the polar ice caps.

2. Water CycleWater is the key agent of environmental change and is part ofthe cycle essential to all life. It regulates climate and globalchemistry. Water circulates around the planet on a globalscale. The water cycle is a complex process powered by thesun and gravity.

The Life of Aqua, A Molecule of WaterSuppose we were to follow a single molecule of watervented from an active volcano on a Hawaiian island. We’llcall this molecule Aqua. Liberated from a mix of othergases from deep within the planet, Aqua is blown skyward,buffeted by convection forces and atmospheric winds thatare constantly blowing across the planet. Eventually, Aquafinds itself streaming east from the islands, 10 kilometersabove the ocean, moving along a ribbon of moisture that islike a great atmospheric river.

Reaching the coast of North America, Aqua moves inlanduntil it encounters the upthrust of the Rocky Mountains.The cloud Aqua is in begins to cool, condense and finallyliquefy, and the water molecule falls towards the land aspart of a drop of rain. On striking Earth, Aqua slithers intothe soil pulled by the forces of gravity, moving erraticallyaround grains of sand that loom like miniature planets.As Aqua sinks into the soil, it encounters a slender rootletof a tree, which slurps Aqua up in its xylem tissue, drawingthe molecule by capillary action up through the trunk into

Water covers 70% of the Earth’s

surface but freshwater makes up

only 0.01% of the total water.

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From “The Sacred Balance: Rediscovering Our Place in Nature”by David Suzuki.

3. Chemical ProcessThe chemical make-up of air, water and soil is alwayschanging. Carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphurare the main components of life. When there is a change incarbon dioxide in the air, for example, it affects thetemperature of the earth’s atmosphere. The earth’s chemistryhas undergone huge changes over time. Human activitieshave disturbed atmospheric chemistry in creating pollution,increasing greenhouse gases and acid rain and depletion ofthe ozone.

Some Facts about Environment and Food Supply❍ Most of the world’s food crops are sensitive to UV

radiation: wheat, rice, barley, oats, peas, cowpeas, corn,tomatoes, cucumber, cauliflower, broccoli, carrot andsoybean crop yields will be decreased.

❍ Food production could be reduced by as much as onepercent for every one percent increase in UV-B radiationreaching the earth.

❍ UV-B radiation will also reduce the productivity ofagricultural land by disrupting fixed nitrogen in the soil.

❍ If plant productivity is reduced, livestock will require moreland for feed and pasture.

the branches. Eventually Aqua ends up in one of the seedsof a pinecone. A bird pecks at the cone, dislodging andswallowing the seed containing Aqua. As the bird flies southon its migration, it absorbs Aqua into its bloodstream.

Resting in a tropical rain forest in Central America, the birdis preyed upon by a mosquito. Aqua is sucked into themosquito’s gut, and as the blood-laden insect drops close toa creek, it is snapped up by a sharp-eyed fish, whichincorporates Aqua into its muscle tissues. An Aboriginalfisher spears the fish and triumphantly carries it, and Aqua,home for a meal. And so it goes, the endless, eventfulperegrination of every molecule of water.

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A c t i v i t y I d e a s❍ Have Wardens develop a project that illustrates the

interaction between biotic and abiotic factors affectingplants and animals.

❍ Lead a guided imagery activity. Read the passage thatbegins "The fire of the sun’s energy . .", page 40 or TheLife of Aqua a Molecule of Water, page 41 as Wardens sitquietly with eyes closed.

❍ Have Wardens go through old magazines and collectpictures to make a collage showing the biotic and abioticinteractions in an ecosystem.

❍ Go on a nature walk using a theme that focuses on thebiotic and abiotic interactions in the local area.

Discuss how human actionsmodify the environment inpositive and negative ways.

BACKGROUNDThe development of culture sets human beings apart from allthe other creatures. Humans have the ability to change theenvironment on the grandest scale. Over the past 200 years,the human population has multiplied eight times andeconomic activities such as agriculture, energy, forestry andmanufacturing have increased dramatically.

❍ Since 1850, nine million km2 of the earth’s surface hasbeen converted to farmland. That’s about the size ofEurope. Agriculture has doubled the amount of methanegas and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by 25 percent.

❍ Energy use has increased 80 times in the past 100 years.The Industrial Revolution in the early 18th century hascreated a growing demand for fossil fuels and minerals.

❍ Industry has multiplied more than 100 times in the past100 years. Industry manufactures 100,000 chemicals thataffect the environment. Canada now produces some sixmillion tonnes of hazardous waste every year.

❍ Each Canadian throws out over 1.5 kg of household wasteevery day. There are 10,000 solid landfill sites throughoutCanada.

6.

The impact of human activities on natural ecological processesis the primary cause of biodiversity loss worldwide. As thehuman population grows and consumes an increasing share ofthe planet’s resources to meet its needs, the impact on currentlevels of biodiversity increases. To conserve biodiversity anduse biological resources sustainably, a better balance must bestruck between our use of the earth’s resources and the earth’scapacity to produce them, recognizing that these resourcesmust be shared with millions of other species.

Widespread development has affected every part of thebiosphere—pollution in the air, water and land. Many of thesepollutants became incorporated into the food chains, passingchemicals from one organism to another.

As humans, an essential part of our life experience andeducation is to care for the biosphere. There is a delicatebalance in which a change in one part affects other parts ofthe biosphere. Once the balance has been upset, the damageis difficult to repair, due to substantial costs; in both time andmoney.

Life in the biosphere is possible because of three great globalcycles: the water cycle, the soil cycle and the air cycles.Survival for all living things is a challenge shaped by theenvironment. Human activities, however, are taking over theplanet and we have not factored in time for the naturalsystems to cleanse themselves.

Logging aggravates the global warming cycle by releasingstored carbon into the atmosphere. One of the best ways todelay global warming is simply to leave trees standing.Although reforestation may seem an obvious answer to theproblem, studies by the U. S. Forest Service have shown thatreplacing old forests with young plantations do little to soakup excess greenhouse gases. Even fast growing seedlings donot absorb significant amounts of carbon dioxide for decades.Although we call the tropical rain forests the lungs of theworld, research shows that the forests in the earth’s northernhemisphere (one-quarter of which are in Canada) play a biggerrole in removing carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas,from the atmosphere. Some of the large, global issues affected by human activitiesare:❍ increasing human population

❍ disappearing forests

❍ water pollution

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Only 3.7% of Canada’s forests are

protected from logging.

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❍ atmospheric pollution (acid rain, depletion of ozone,increased greenhouse gases)

❍ threats of extinction

❍ soil loss

❍ waste disposal

Brundtland CommissionThe United Nations Conference on the Human Environmentwas held in Stockholm, Sweden in 1972. It brought it to theattention of the world of the deteriorating health of the world’senvironment. In 1987, The World Commission onEnvironment and Development, also known as the BrundtlandCommission, made a report that said humans must accept thelimits imposed by nature. Humans must not exceed theselimits if we wish to survive.

Earth SummitIn 1992, delegates from all over the world met in Rio deJaneiro, Brazil, to talk about the future of the earth’senvironment. The Convention of Biological Diversity was aspecial treaty signed at this Earth Summit. Canada was thefirst industrialized nation to sign the treaty that came intoeffect December 29, 1993. The treaty is a legal bindingagreement that gives a framework for the conservation of thebiological diversity and the sustainable use of biologicalresources.

Some of the positive activities taking hold:❍ Federal and provincial governments have laws and policies

to protect the environment and flora and fauna

❍ an awareness of and a decrease in atmospheric pollution(decrease in greenhouse gases, decrease of emissioncontributing to acid rain, decrease in and findingalternatives to ozone depleting substances)

❍ conserving and restoring wilderness

❍ preserving diversity

❍ private initiatives (Ducks Unlimited, World Wildlife Fund,Wildlife Canada, Canada Nature Federation, Alberta Fishand Game Association, Federation of Alberta Naturalists,Canada Parks and Wilderness Society, Alberta WildernessAssociation, Alberta Native Plant Council, and many more)work for conservation of the environment and flora andfauna.

Soil forms from a slow process. It

takes 1,000 years to form 2.5 cm

of soil from hard rock.

❍ local community initiatives (recycling depots, Christmastree chipping, Toxic Round Up, educational events, and soon)

Solutions Are Closer When YouThinkAwareness of environmental problems is the first step. Next iscreating knowledge and understanding, and then takingaction.❍ Join an environmental organization.

❍ Learn about nature.

❍ Share space with other species.

❍ Humans must see that they are part of the web of life.

❍ Encourage eco-agriculture, eco-forestry and low impactfishing methods.

❍ Encourage the establishment of a protected area.

❍ Burn less gas and enjoy nature from a canoe or cross-country skis.

❍ Pre-cycle, reduce, reuse, and recycle.

❍ Write letters for change and thank those doing good work.

❍ Restore your spirit and walk with nature.

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A c t i v i t y I d e a s❍ Follow frequently used products from the "Cradle to the

Grave"—from their creation to their disposal. Consider theimpact each stage has on the environment. Consider fromwhere the product’s original materials come and theimpact resource extraction has on the environment. Howis the product disposed of safely? Can the product bereused? Recycled? Is there more or less energy usedwhen reused or recycled? Have wardens make a postershowing the Cradle to Grave product cycle.

❍ Have Wardens investigate one of the global cycles (air,water or soil cycle) and discuss the human activitiesaffecting it. What activities are being done locally andglobally to solve some of the affects.

❍ Invite a speaker to come in and speak to the group aboutthe Brundtland Report and the steps taken to achieve itsrecommendations.

❍ Have Wardens look around at some environmentalproblems. Ask, "For every negative effect a specific activityis having on the environment, is anything being done totake make it right?"

❍ Investigate the local activities that are done to improve thestate of the environment. Look into the local community,large towns and cities, provincially and nationally.

❍ Have Wardens discuss how the Earth’s biosphere is like aterrarium. (Draw it, write about it, or speak about it.)

❍ Discuss why we refer to the Earth as "Spaceship Earth".

❍ Discuss global, international, national, provincial andcommunity initiatives. Discuss how all these governmentsmust communicate with each other. Is one level moresuccessful than another?

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IV.ECOLOGICAL ISSUES

Choose an environmental issue and find different opinions about theissue from a variety of sources. page 57

Choose a newspaper or magazine article and evaluate the writer’s biasor point of view.Share your opinions with your group.

page 62

Present a 250-word essay, a letter to an editor or a 10-minute presentation about an environmental topic you feel strongly about andshare it with your group.

page 64

Discuss the dynamics of social change in our culture and how itaffects environmental issues. page 65

The only way in which Wardens can approach a knowingand understanding of a subject is by reading, discussing andlistening to what other people have to say about it.

date completed ✓

Ecological Issues

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Choose an environmental issueand find different opinions aboutthe issue from a variety ofsources.

BACKGROUNDThe media bombards us constantly with statements andgeneralizations about social and moral issues. To think clearlyabout these problems, it is useful if we can make distinctionsbetween facts, opinions, biases or invalid statements.Consumers of information should constantly be aware that themedia and other sources often contain statements of a contro-versial nature.

The activities suggested in this section are designed to allowWardens to experiment with statements that are fact andopinion, provable and those that are not. The activities willgive Wardens a chance to think critically about what they read.Can we believe everything we read?

Developing Basic Thinking SkillsA number of basic skills for critical thinking are listed below:

1. Locating a point of viewThe ability to determine which side of the issue an author supports.

2. Evaluating sources of informationThe ability to choose from among alternative sources, the most reliable and accurate source in relation to a given subject.

3. Distinguishing Between Primary and Secondary SourcesThe ability to understand the important distinction between sources which are primary (original or eyewitness accounts) and those which are secondary (historically removed from, and based on, primary sources.)

1.

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4. Separating Fact from OpinionThe ability to make the basic distinction between factual statements (those which can be demonstrated or verified empirically) and statements of opinion (those which are beliefs or attitudes that cannot be proved.)

5. Distinguishing Between Prejudice and ReasonThe ability to differentiate between statements or prejudice (unfavourable or preconceived judgments based on feelings instead of reason) and statements ofreason (conclusions that can be clearly and logically explained or justified.)

6. Identifying StereotypesThe ability to identify over-simplified, exaggerated descriptions (favourable or unfavourable) about peopleand insulting statements about racial, religious or national groups, based on misinformation, or lack of information.

7. Recognizing EthnocentrismThe ability to recognize attitudes or opinions that express the view that one’s own race, culture or groupis inherently superior, or those attitudes that judge another race, culture, or group in terms of one’s own.

It is important for Wardens to consider opposing viewpoints aswell as critically analyze the viewpoints.

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A c t i v i t y I d e a s❍ Distinguishing Between Fact and Opinion activity sheet,

page 62. Make one copy for each Warden or small groupand provide enough time for adequate discussions. Noanswers are provided.

❍ What’s Provable and What’s Not activity sheet, page 63.Make one copy for each Warden or small group andprovide enough time for adequate discussions. Noanswers are provided.

❍ Have Wardens peruse the local newspapers for a week andcome to a meeting with two examples of fact statementsand two examples of opinion statements. Share andcompare the examples.

❍ Have Wardens peruse the local newspapers for a week andcome to a meeting with two examples of provablestatements and two examples of statements which cannotbe proven. Share and compare the examples.

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Distinguishing Between Fact and Opinion

Consider each statement carefully. Write O by the statements you think is an opinion orinterpretation of facts. Mark F by the statements you believe are a fact. Be prepared to discussand compare your decisions with those in your group.

O = OpinionF = Fact

__________ 1. An unprecedented two- percent for the next two decades makes population growth the single greatest threat to world peace.

_________ 2. One reason for low rates of childbearing now and in the future is that women are achieving growing economic independence from men.

__________ 3. No land reform program, no amount of outside help will be sufficient tocombat world hunger if nations do not deal effectively with another basic problem—population.

__________ 4. Substantial environmental progress has been made in the past ten years.

__________ 5. Canadians can no longer afford to dissipate and destroy the natural resources that constitute the web of life.

__________ 6. Western culture sees the natural environment as a resource to be exploited for profit.

__________ 7. Nature creates no junk piles. What it produces is not disposable but reusable.

_________ 8. It is the extremists who are dangerous: the environmentalists who demand instant cures, and the industrialists who won’t budge.

__________ 9. The financial costs of pollution control are enormous.

__________ 10. Many manufacturers are investing outside Canada in countries where there are no tough environmental regulations.

__________ 11. The only way for Canadians to clean up their environment is to radically change their lifestyle.

__________ 12. Pollution is perceived increasingly as a threat not only to individual health but to individual survival as well.

- Adapted from the “Opposing Viewpoints”series

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What’s Provable and What’s Not

Consider each statement carefully. Write a P by the statements you think are provable, a C if thestatement is too controversial to be proven by anyone’s satisfaction, or a N if Not provablebecause of the lack of evidence. Be prepared to discuss and compare your decisions with thosein your group.

P = ProvableC = Too ControversialN = Not provable

__________ 1. India has the people and the resources: What India lacks are the institutions that make for productivity and prosperity.

__________ 2. There are somewhere between 75 and 80 million people being added tothe world’s population every year.

__________ 3. The efforts of environmentalists have made the public aware of the pressing environmental issues of today.

__________ 4. Almost half the topsoil in some of the most productive prairie farmland has washed away.

__________ 5. Those who would destroy capitalism in Canada have embraced the environmental movement.

__________ 6. There is no conflict between clean air, water, and land and economic growth.

__________ 7. Many more animals become extinct through the natural course of evolution than through pollution or destruction of natural resources by industry.

__________ 8. Air pollution has caused the premature death of people with respiratory or heart disease.

__________ 9. Canada’s investment in underdeveloped countries has made it possible for the people of those countries to enjoy a material abundance which they otherwise could not have imagined.

__________ 10. Communist countries show a greater concern for the environment than do capitalist countries.

__________ 11. The decline of population is a central element in the decline of a civilization.

__________ 12. The visible things that make up air pollution—the soot, ash, dust and other large particles—have been eliminated or greatly reduced since Earth Day began in 1980.

- Adapted from the “Opposing Viewpoints”series

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Choose a newspaper ormagazine article and evaluatethe writer’s bias or point of view.Share your opinions with yourgroup.

BACKGROUNDAll writers have a frame of reference from which they write.Readers understand this when they read some of theirfavourite publications, newspapers or magazines. There isnothing wrong with authors and publications that have apolitical slant or bias, each writer has a point of view and mostof the time it is not easy to hide. An important skill forwardens to develop when reading information about theenvironment is to be able to locate and identify the writer’spoint of view.

Some Skills to Develop WhenReading InformationWe all need to think critically about the information thatfloods us. Look at the source of the information carefully.Organizations funded by companies which use certain naturalresources may have a vested interested and may not bereliable. Use and trust your common sense and ability to assessinformation. Some material may have an anti-environmentalbias but proclaim objectivity and balance.Think deeply about some of our most widely heldassumptions. For example, here are some common beliefs:humans are special and our intelligence has placed us out ofthe natural world; science and technology provide us with theknowledge to find solutions to our problems; a cleanenvironment is only possible with a strong economy, theplanet is here for the taking.

2.

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Evaluate Articles to Become a BetterWriter❍ Was the article inspiring?

❍ How did the writer form the main idea?

❍ Is this person making a difference?

❍ Is this idea new or recycled? If new, then watch it to see ifit is part of a gradual change in social dialogue andacceptance.

❍ What sorts of mantras are repeated over and over again bythe media? The real bottom line is free trade, globaleconomy, marketplace)

❍ Does the media treat environmental issues as if avoidingan unpleasant sight?

❍ Is there harsh debate over the state of the biosphere?

❍ Is the media all about a story? Is the media betweenstories? When humans are in trouble, we have a goodstory. When it’s an old story, it’s no longer effective.

A c t i v i t y I d e a s❍ Have Wardens read Letters to the Editors to begin the

practice of reading critically and determine the writer’spoint of view. Locate the articles that the writers wereresponding to.

❍ Have Wardens choose a partner, then write down a list ofsome of the beliefs the partner has. Discuss how difficult itis to cover up a belief system. Our values, beliefs, andpoints of view govern our behaviour. Have Wardens sharewhat they know about each other.

❍ What belief-based behaviours do we find acceptable as asociety? For example, drinking and driving, abortion,violence, dishonesty.

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Present a 250-word essay,aletter to an editor or a 10minute presentation about anenvironmental topic you feelstrongly about and share withyour group.

BACKGROUNDIt is important for Wardens to have their own opinions aboutthe world around them. Leaders model their own beliefs andspeak from their own points of view.

Some Topics to Write About:Read and discuss some of the essays written by David Suzuki(Refer to Supporting Resources) and have Wardens write theirown essay on a similar or different topic.

❍ Living in an era of “Last Ones.”

❍ Carbon dioxide is the exhaling breath of our industrialsociety.

❍ The Earth’s circulatory system (water cycle.)

❍ During the lifetime of my species, there will never be fossilfuels again.

❍ Our use of energy in the industrialized world has given usa Pandora’s Box of miseries.

❍ Helping the Earth in the New Millennium.

❍ Improvements in industrial practices since the IndustrialRevolution and how they have responded to environmentalcrisis.

3.

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Discuss the dynamics of socialchange in our culture and how itaffects environmental issues.

BACKGROUNDThe earth has been home to human beings for possibly 40,000years. During the past 150 years or so, humans have done asmuch to alter this planet as the profound climate change andmass extinctions of the past.

There are several reasons for the unprecedented recent impactof our species on the environment.

❍ An explosive increase in human population (1/4 milliondaily) causing pressure and destruction of forests (40hectares/100 acres of tropical rain forest per minute) andwetlands.

❍ Extinction of at least 20,000 species a year.

❍ Over-use of resources. Oil and water are being used fasterthan are being replenished.

❍ Pollution into the air, water, soil and food. Toxicity are sohigh that the earth’s filtering and diluting systems are notable to break them up or flush them out.

❍ Atmospheric degradation: global temperatures areincreasing due to increase of chloroflurocarbons andcarbon dioxide; destruction of ozone layer; and acid rainthat is sterilizing lakes and forests.

❍ Annual loss of billions of tons of agricultural topsoil andthe steady decline in food production.

We tend to view them as isolated issues and as a result oursolutions are piecemeal. We are always putting out fires—putone out here and another one flares up somewhere else.Humans are the catalytic agents, the centre of all the issues.We consume too much, we pollute too much and are blindedby complacent acceptance.

4.

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Earth Time ClockPlanet earth is believed by some to be anywhere from 4,000 and8,000+ million years old. Imagine this time condensed into 12hours. Earth began at 8:00 this morning and it’s now 8:00 atnight. Look below to see what has happened during the course ofthe day.

8:00 am - 9:50 am

Nothing much is known about the earth during the first hour and fifty minutes.

9:50 am – 6:57 PM

The first flowering plant appeared

7:00 PM Scientists have pieced together thesis to find information about the development of the earth’s atmosphere, continents and rocks during the first 11 hours..

7:44 PM Dinosaurs and reptiles evolved just 16 minutes ago.

7:50 PM The first mammals arrived 10 minutes ago.

7:59 PM The first human-like creatures appeared 20 seconds ago.

7:59 PM Modern humans, homo sapiens, developed just five seconds ago.

7:59 PM Agriculture was discovered just over a second ago.

7:59 PM The Industrial Revolution began about one five-hundredths of a second ago (the time it takes a camera to take a photograph.)

8:00 PM Today.

It seems the human race has little time to change some badhabits. The affluent lifestyle and our high standard of living havecome with a cost. Our primary purpose must be to lowerconsumption while increasing our quality of life. We must relearnthat “more is less” and develop a few practical approaches tochanging the way we think and live.

The advertising industry attempts to make us believe in falsetruths. Although there are rules governing what advertisers cansay, public misconceptions are part of the plan. For example, aproduct is claimed to be “Cholesterol Free” when the product isnot even a fat. Does “light” mean the same as “fat free”? Someadvertisers take advantage of the subtle differences in languageand if the consumer is not discriminating, so much better for the

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advertiser. Sometimes it seems like a snake oil salesman istalking to the consumer.

One of the subtexts in the consumer value system is materialismand planned obsolescence, joining forces to create a need. It’sall around us: the latest fashions, the latest gadgets, the latest“look” in cars/houses/kitchens/bed sheets, furniture, beer, andon and on it goes. We are bombarded daily with advertising thatcajoles and seduces us into keeping up. Advertising is directed atturning people into consumers.

Within our short lifetime, we have already lived through somechanges in our lifestyle that has had some effect on theenvironment. Grassroots organizations and public pressurebrought changes on little by little so that now some environ-mental practices are part of the infrastructure and are commonhabits for most people.

❍ Backyard composting

❍ Municipalities collecting grass clippings

❍ Chipping of Christmas trees

❍ More use of artificial Christmas trees

❍ Recycling depots and businesses

❍ Imagination Markets (non-profit organizations that collectthrowaways from business/industries for use in arts andcrafts)

❍ Bulk food in supermarkets.

❍ Cloth shopping bags.

❍ The celebration of the environment during special weeks suchas Environment Week, Forestry Week and Wildlife Week.

❍ Collection of special wastes from the public for properdisposal (Toxic Roundup)

❍ Lunch bags full of plastic containers for re-use.

❍ Availability of information to the public on energy and waterconservation.

❍ Proper disposal of dry cleaning fluids, photographic chemicalsand collection of used oil.

❍ Photocopy machines that copy back to back and take paperthat has been used on one side.

What others can you think of?

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Will humans have to embark on a crash program to developnew values and priorities? We must rethink our future and seethat it lies with group survival and group success, not inindividual achievement.

A c t i v i t y I d e a sMake a time capsule that will be opened in three, five or 10years. Include pictures of the Wardens and Leaders, clubmembers, a newspaper, flyers to show cost of food, music andso on. Remember it’s a snapshot in time, keep in mind allaspects of life.

❍ Have Wardens make a list of 20 cultural ideas or thingsthat have changed in their lifetime.

❍ Have Wardens list 10 ways humans have changed.

❍ Discuss the North American “all consuming” passion forstuff. What are some implications for the future?

❍ Discuss some of the things we still practice in our lifestylethat could use some changes: What is the future of thedaily newspaper? Do you have any alternatives to onetime use containers at fast food outlets?

❍ Talk about some of the things that help you change yourview about new ideas? How do you see advertisinginfluencing and affecting how we think and what webelieve? Does the news media play a role in changingpublic opinion?

❍ Think the Unthinkable. Discuss the rapid changes thatmay happen to climate and civilization.

❍ Hindsight is 20/20 vision. When we look back from theyear 2040, what would we say we should have done?

❍ Do we live in the era of “last ones?”

CanadianWilderness

Charter

I

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Canadian Wilderness Charter

1. Whereas humankind is but one of millions of species sharinplanet Earth and whereas the future of theEarth is severely threatened by the activities of this single species,

2. Whereas our planet has already lost much of its former wilderness character, thereby endangering manyspecies and ecosystems,

3. Whereas Canadians still have the opportunity to complete a network of protected areas representing thebiological diversity of our country,

4. Whereas Canada’s remaining wild places, be they land or water, merit protection for their inherent value,

5. Whereas the protection of wilderness also meets an intrinsic human need for spiritual rekindling andartistic inspiration,

6. Whereas Canada’s once vast wilderness has deeply shaped the national identity and continues toprofoundly influence how we view ourselves as Canadians,

7. Whereas Canada’s aboriginal peoples hold deep and direct ties to wilderness areas throughout Canadaand seek to maintain options for traditional use,

8. Whereas protected areas can serve a variety of purposes including: a) preserving a genetic reservoir of wild plants and animals for future use and appreciation by citizens

ands the world,b) producing economic benefits from an environmentally sensitive tourism,

c) offering opportunities for research and environmental education,9. Whereas the opportunity to complete a national network of protect areas must be grasped and acted

upon during the ten years, or to be lost,We the undersigned agree and urge:1. That governments, industries, environmental groups and individual Canadians commit themselves to a

national effort at least one representative protected area in each of the natural regions of Canada by theyear 2000,

2. That the total area thereby protected comprise at least 12 per cent of the lands and waters of Canada asrecommended in the World Commission on Environment and development’s report Our Common Future,

3. That public and private agencies at international, national, provincial, territorial and local levelsrigorously monitor progress toward meeting these goals in Canada and ensure that they are fully

achieved, and4. That federal, provincial and territorial government conservation agencies on behalf of all Canadians

develop action plans by 1990 for achieving these goals by the year 2000.

For more information and copies of the Canadian Wilderness Charter, contact:Endangered Spaces Campaign

c/o World Wildlife Fund90 Eglinton Avenue E., Suite 504

Toronto, OntarioM4P 2Z7

It’s your country, your future and your right. Add your signature to the Canadian Wilderness Charter and askyour friends, family and neighbours to do the same.

Children’sBehaviour and

Interests

II

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Children’s Behaviours andInterests

It is important that Adventurers and Challengers be aware ofsome of the behaviours of younger age groups, especiallywhen you will be conducting activities and presentations tothem. This information will help Wardens develop appropriateactivities and content for a nature walk required in the Ecologymodule. Not only do children go through these stages but thebehaviours are also cumulative. Older children retain theattributes from earlier stages. Use the information as areference guide in helping you understand the audience foryour nature walks.

Age Level: 4 to 6 yearsTypical Behaviours and Interests❍ Physical activity is a predominant theme.

❍ Beginning to learn benefits of being patience to achievetheir goals.

❍ Sense-oriented and take in descriptive information quickly.

❍ Their goal is to absorb information, not necessarily to useit in problem solving.

❍ Interested in concepts related to amounts.

❍ Beginning to appreciate seasonal changes.

❍ They are beginning to see cause-and-effect relationships.

❍ They have excellent photographic memories.

Appropriate Activities❍ They want to know “why”

❍ Keep explanations simple.

❍ They enjoy using their senses.

❍ Appreciate contrasts and distinctions.

❍ Recognize colours, shapes, textures and enjoy usingcategories.

❍ Enjoy collecting, sorting, stacking and making collages.

❍ Enjoy contrast variety and contrast of activities.

❍ Have a limited curiosity about time relationships.

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❍ Enjoy counting and measuring (expect “more” or “less.”)

❍ Enjoy direct action on objects, especially physical manipu-lation.

❍ Enjoy matching colors and shapes with found objects.

Suggestions for Nature Hike Themes❍ Have a colour hike. Obtain some paint chip samples from

a paint store and have kids try to find the colours innature.

❍ Organize a “feely” walk. Make a list of feeling words, forexample, prickly, hard, cool. Have kids find things innature that feel like the words.

❍ Have kids collect found things laying on the ground duringthe walk that they like. After the walk have them classifythe objects.

❍ Have kids find opposites in the environment using all thesenses (except taste.)

Age Level: 6 to 10 yearsTypical Behaviours and Interests❍ Able to work answers out in their heads.

❍ Wonder if the things they imagine can really happen.

❍ Are eager for things to imagine.

❍ Proud of personal achievements and special talents andinterests.

❍ Are willing to stand apart from peer group as a specialistbecause of their special interests.

❍ Are interested in larger, abstract categories.

❍ They have more concrete personal experiences they canuse for reference and enjoy identifying with them.

❍ Are able to refer to seasonal events and patterns correctly.

❍ Able to use conceptual forms of reference.

❍ Can relate to objects symbolically, although subjectively.

❍ Enjoy playing with crazy comparisons.

Appropriate Activities❍ Enjoy “what if” situations and absurdities.

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❍ This is a good age to extend their vocabulary andawareness to colour and form.

❍ Like to investigate alone and report findings.

❍ Enjoy doing special projects that distinguish them fromothers.

❍ Enjoy classification exercises and learning distinctions.

❍ Interested in refining their knowledge of what happenswhen and how life forms change over time.

❍ Appreciate life cycles and food chains.

❍ Enjoy being scientific, taking measurements and reachingconclusions.

❍ Like comparing objects and identifying with other life

forms.

Suggestions for Nature Hikes❍ Lead a Question Walk. Make a small sample list of

questions and have kids suggest possible answers.

❍ Take an Unfamiliar Walk. Encourage kids to look at naturewith a different viewpoint, for example, look upside-downthrough legs, look as closely as possible at something, lookat a tall tree slowly, walk backwards down a wide levelpath.

❍ Pretend to be aliens that have crashed on this planet.

Look at nature with their point of view.

Age Level: 11 to 17 yearsTypical Behaviours and Interests❍ Moral and social attitudes are emerging.

❍ Enjoy merging their values with an interest in experi-menting with various roles.

❍ Can follow and enjoy abstract themes.

❍ Able to identify with situations in nature.

❍ Social pressures demand conformity to group standards.

❍ Aware of their role in environmental issues.

Appropriate Activities❍Aware of the “right” answer and are willing to work to learn

if the information has an application in a group context.

❍ Developing communication skills is important.

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❍ Enjoy thinking and discussions situations from all angles.

❍ Enjoy role playing.

❍ Enjoy testing hypotheses.

❍ Enjoy analogies and allusions.

❍ Activities where you can set up situations where individualcontributions enhance group achievements.

❍ Are willing to take apart and support larger issuesinvolving larger issues involving environmental quality.

❍ Are able to seek out local situations in which they can getinvolved and contribute as a group.

Suggestions for Slide Shows, Photo Album or Hikes❍ Organize a Roundtable discussion about an environmental

issue.

❍ Appoint group members to respond to an environmentalissue from a viewpoint that is not their own.

❍ Develop a slide show about how the world is like a single,living organism.

❍ Be creative with a scrapbook and show the reasons whynature is important for human and also for nature itself.

❍ Lead a nature hike with the perspective of an originalsettler to the area, as a mammal that lives in the area or asa child full of wonder.

❍ Lead a guide imagery exercise with other Wardens. Readthe journey of a water molecule through the environmentto the group as they sit quietly with their eyes closed.

❍ Do a slide show that explains the water cycle, the nitrogen(soil) cycle, the greenhouse effect, or any environmentalissue.

Idea Bank Use the projects below to give you some ideas for activitiesthat you can do with younger Wardens or as projects with yourown group. Many of these activities may help you fulfill someof the skills required in the Leadership module.

QuiltRadio showRapRiddlesRole-play/dramaSecret messageScrapbookScrollSculptureSkitSlide/tape showSloganSong storiesSpeechT-shirtTalk showTelevision showTime capsuleTimeline (illustrated)Top 10 listToyVideoWeb pageWord posterWritten report

LabelLetterMagazineMapMaskMessage in a bottleMimeMobileMock TrialModelMosaicMultimedia presentationMuralMusicNature walkNewspaperNewspaper articleOral reportPaintingPamphletPanel discussionPapier-mâchéPhoto albumPhotographsPicturePlayPoemPostcardPosterProject cubeProject trianglePuppet showPuzzleQuestionnaire

AdvertisementAcronymBannerBookletCartoonCeremonyCharadesChartCharterCheerChoral speakingCollageCollectionComic stripCommercialConstructionCooking demonstrationCraftDanceDebateDemonstrationDiagramDiaryDictionaryDrawingEssayExhibitionFact fileGameGame board/cardsGraphIllustrated poemInterviewJob description

MonitoringPrograms

III

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Some Existing MonitoringPrograms

Amphibian Monitoring ProgramThis program has volunteers surveying ten species ofamphibians. If you seriously want to participate, you willreceive a manual and audio-tape. Volunteers read the manualand listen to the tape to become familiar with Alberta’samphibians and the date sheets. You chose a site and go outand listen for frogs and toads calling. Volunteers repeat thesurvey year to year. The manual is also on the net, and incolour!

Alberta Amphibian Monitoring ProgramTel: 422-9535

Alberta Environmental ProtectionDial 310-0000 first

Wildlife Management Division then the government number 7th Floor, O. S. Longman Building

6909 - 116 StreetEdmonton, Alberta

T6H 4P2 Web Site:

http://www.gov.ca/~env/nrs/wildlife/amphib/index.html

Bluebird ProjectVolunteers can assist the biologist at the Ellis Bird Farm inLacombe with monitoring nest boxes, recording productivityinformation and assist with nest box construction, andpossibly some research project and banding.

Ellis Bird FarmTel: 346-2211Box 2980Lacombe, Alberta T0C 1S0

Butterfly SurveyThis is another great monitoring program for wardens. CWFwill provide small a small booklet with coloured illustrations tohelp with identification. You may order one for each warden ifyou choose to do this project. An excellent book to supportthis project is Butterflies of Alberta by John Acorn.

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Canadian Wildlife FederationTel: 1-800-563-9453Fax: 613-721-2902E-mail: info@cwf-fcf.org2740 Queensview DriveOttawa, Ontario K2B 1A2

Burrowing OwlsThis was formerly know as Operation Burrowing Owl and nowincludes the entire grassland ecosystem. If your group lives insouthern Alberta, you may already know some landownersinvolved in protecting the habitat of Burrowing Owls. ContactOperation Grasslands. Your club may be able to makeunderground burrows for the Burrowing Owls.

Operation GrasslandTel: 362-1400c/o Eastern Irrigation DistrictContact: David ScobieP. O. Bag 8Brooks, AlbertaT1R 1B2

Feather Care ProgramThe Telus Feather (previously AGT) program helps Alberta’sbirds. Orange, cylindrical signs that mark the location ofTelus’ buried telecommunications cables have been convertedinto nestboxes for many of Alberta’s feathered friends. Yourclub can help by convert the orange cylinders into nestboxesand annually monitor these nesting sites.

Telus Feather Care Program

Tel: 403-493-2822Toll Free: 1-800-667-1125 (outside Edmonton)Floor 6-E10035 - 102 AvenueEdmonton, AlbertaT5J 0E5

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Ladybug SurveyThe Canadian Nature Federation has a program that wardenscan get involved in monitoring. There are 16 species ofladybugs or lady beetles. CNF’s Ladybug Survey contains asmall poster with coloured illustrations to help with identifi-cation and reporting cards, as well as additional information.Best done in late spring, summer, and early fall.

Canadian Nature FederationTel: 613-562-3447, ext. 299Fax: 613-562-3371Toll Free: 1-800-267-4088E-mail: epiccnf@web.net1 Nicholas StreetSuite 606Ottawa, Ontario K1N 7B7

PlantwatchPlantwatch is a phenology (the study of seasonal timing of lifecycle events) program which links wardens as the eyes ofscience, tracking the green wave of spring moving north.Wardens will develop scientific skills while observingspringtime changes in plants and learning about biodiversity.The information gathered allows Plantwatch to measure theearliness of spring and to understand some of the effects ofclimate change.

Wardens collect information on the flowering times of four often plants being watched across Canada: ❍ saskatoon, serviceberry: Amelanchier alnifolia, canadensis

❍ prairie crocus: Anemone patens

❍ common purple lilac: Syringa vulgaris

❍ aspen popular: Populus tremuloides

Illustrations of plants and data sheets will be supplied tovolunteers.

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PlantwatchTel: 987-5455/3054Fax: 987-4141E-mail: ebeaubie@gpu.srv.ualberta.caContact: Elizabeth Beaubien Research Assistant University of Alberta Devonian Botanic GardenEdmonton, AlbertaT6G 2E1

Other Observation Activities

Christmas Bird CountTwo publications are available: How You Can Plan aChristmas Bird Count (8 page pamphlet) and Christmas BirdCount Organizer’s Manual (52 pages). Both available at nocharge from the contact information below.

Watchable Wildlife ProgramTel: 427-5185Dial 310-000 then government numberWildlife Management 4th Floor, Great West Life Bldg.9920 - 108 StreetEdmonton, Alberta T5K 2M4

Peregrine FalconsThey’re back after a 30 year absence! Once again PeregrineFalcons can be seen in southern Alberta. In recent years,Alberta Environmental Protection has been releasing PeregrineFalcons within historic nesting areas. Many of these birds arereturning to Alberta to nest. Information on observations isneeded to ensure the protection of this magnificent bird ofprey. There is a brochure to ensure that observers candistinguish between the Merlin, Prairie Falcon and thePeregrine Falcon.

Contact your local Natural Resources Service, Wildlife DivisionOffice or Alberta Environmental Protection, WildlifeManagement Division.

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Know Your Ducks. Ducks Unlimited Canada has a poster 20 pairs (both male andfemale) species that can be very helpful to wardens near ahabitat rich with waterfowl. Poster size: 30 X 60 cm.Coloured illustrations. Available from any Ducks Unlimitedoffice or the Provincial office.

Ducks Unlimited CanadaTel: 489-2002Fax: 489-1856 Contact: Al Richard202, 10470 - 176 StreetEdmonton, Alberta T5S 1L3

Riparian HabitatIf your JFW club is interested in the state of local riparian land,contact the Fish and Cows program. You may be able to helpin areas such as clean up along water ways, fencing, tree andshrub plantings, and annually monitoring habitatenhancement improvements.

Cows and Fish Program Tel: 381-5377 RITE 310-0000 then dial umber aboveLethbridge, Alberta

Heritage River SystemJFW clubs may be able to help local community groupsinterested in getting a local river system classed as a CanadianHeritage River. Although Alberta Environmental Protectiondoes not actually monitor the rivers, they may have someleads as to some local community interest groups in your areaand throughout the province.

Canadian Heritage Rivers SystemTel: 427-9381Dial 310-000Contact: Ted Dykstra Alberta Environmental Protection 2nd Floor, OxbridgePlace9820 - 106 StreetEdmonton, AlbertaT5K 2J6

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My List of Other Monitoring Programs Junior ForestWardens Can Do