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Welcome to Ontario Nature’s 77th
annual general meeting!
 As
outgoing President, I thank you for making my two-year term such a
pleasure.
Ontario’ field
naturalists, land stewards and environmentalists, are a warm,
committed , fascinating community. I’ve been taught to find spotted
turtles, appreciate tall grass prairie, watched bird banding and
hooted for owls. I’ve listened in astonishment to tales of the birders
who travel to the Antipodes to complete their life lists. I’ve learned
an especial admiration for the brave and tireless community activists
among us who push back against the encroachments of urban sprawl.
Join me, please, for this
year’s annual meeting Saturday afternoon June 7, coinciding with the
weekend-long Carden Nature Festival, hosted by the Couchiching
Conservancy.
We hope many of you will
enjoy this opportunity to discover or re-discover the Carden
Festival. But don’t forget the important business of the AGM, which
will be held at 3:30 p.m. at the historic Sir William Mackenzie Inn in
Kirkfield—plus, on the verandah, the winners of the youth writing
contest, and the announcement of our annual award winners..
Our staff have planned a
kid-friendly day, so please bring your young naturalists along. While
we adults debate our resolutions, consider Ontario Nature’s finances,
and elect new officers, the Wye Marsh will take your kids on a Wet n’
Scaly” adventure on the grounds of the Inn.
This is the third year
that we will consider resolutions coming from our 140 clubs and other
affiliates . Last year, you passed seven resolutions, some of local
concern, like the Orillia landfill, and others of over-riding
importance, such as cuts to MNR staff and funding.. Letters based on
the resolutions have gone to the relevant Ministers, stressing that
they had unanimous delegate support.
At this year’s AGM, we
hope to focus more closely on a couple of your issues, and hope for
more bang for your efforts on behalf of Ontario’s wetlands, woodlands
and wildlife.
I want to thank the
Ontario Nature staff, and Carden Festival organizers for what we hope
will be an inspiring, and nature-filled, weekend
Rosemary Speirs
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