Tag Archives: weather

Earth

This Spring Improve Survival Of Trees You Plant

Leave a comment

Every year the landowners of Ontario’s watershed areas collectively plant tens of thousands of trees. These trees help to restore the natural environment by protecting water quality in streams and rivers, providing wildlife corridors and purifying the air we breathe.

Unpredictable weather patterns mean it is even more important to keep planting trees. A number of crucial steps before and after planting will improve survival.

Right tree, right place

Factors such as soil texture, drainage and surrounding vegetation determine which tree species will thrive or die. Fine clay soils can hold trees like white cedar and Norway spruce. On the other hand, loose sandy soils are well suited to white pine and sugar maple. Silver maple and tamarack like wet sites, while larch and red oak will thrive in drier locations.

Road salt can contaminate the soil, but trees such as white spruce, larch and poplar have a higher tolerance for salt and these species are best for roadsides.

Site preparation

European buckthorn – Rhamnus carthartica – Invasive Plant Found In Ontario Watersheds
European buckthorn – Rhamnus carthartica

Preparing the land before planting will provide the best growth conditions for your trees. Clear areas of brush and invasive plants, such as European buckthorn. On larger sites, this can be done with a brush saw or a tractor and rotary mower to remove obstacles and provide growing space. Installing plastic mulch before tree planting is a great way to reduce weed competition and hold moisture in the soil. If planting into bare soil, seeding a cover crop of Dutch white clover is a great way to prevent excessive weed growth.

For the first years, control vegetation around the trees to make sure they have room to grow. This will give the trees the best chance of survival.

Click me to learn about Tree Planting incentives 🙂

Get trees into the soil quickly

The roots of bare-root stock (without soil around the roots) will dry out very fast when exposed to sun and wind and need to be planted very quickly. Keep these trees in their planting bag until they are directly planted into the ground. Potted trees can be kept in a shaded area and watered until they are planted.

Mulch madness

Mulching is one of the best ways to keep your trees growing well. Organic matter applied to the base of the tree acts as a blanket to hold moisture, protect against extreme soil temperatures and reduce grass competition. Make sure to place mulch in a donut shape around the tree, so that absolutely no mulch is touching the base of the tree. This can cause decay of vital root-collar tissue. A two to four inch layer of mulch at an inch or two away from the trunk is enough.

Water, water, water

For the first few years of growth, a tree expends a lot of energy trying to establish roots in the soil. Watering can be very important  during this time if rainfall is sparse. Water the tree right after planting and weekly during hot, dry weather. But be careful not to over water, because soggy soil inhibits the tree roots from accessing oxygen. There are many circumstances when watering is difficult due to distance from a water source or the number of trees planted. For the Silo, Lisa Stocco.

Earth

Living With Canada’s Urban and Rural Coyotes

Leave a comment

Coyotes, like other wild animals, sometimes come into conflict with humans. Since migrating to Ontario and the eastern provinces from western Canada more than 100 years ago, coyotes have adapted well to urban environments and can now be found in both rural and urban settings. Coyotes can be found across Ontario but are most abundant in southern and eastern agricultural Ontario and urban areas.

Changes in land use, agricultural practices, weather, supplemental feeding and natural food shortages may contribute to more coyote sightings in your community.

Homeowners can take steps to make sure coyotes aren’t attracted to their property and to keep their pets safe. To reduce the potential for coyote encounters, the Ministry of Natural Resources has the following tips for the public.

Do not approach or feed coyotes

Coyote sightings reported in Kokomo parks, cemeteries | Local news | kokomotribune.comCoyotes are usually wary of humans and avoid people whenever possible. However, they are wild animals and should not be approached.

                • People should NOT feed coyotes — either intentionally or unintentionally. It makes them less fearful of humans and makes them accustomed to food provided by humans.
                • Aggressive behavior towards people is unusual for coyotes, but people should always exercise caution around wildlife. Secure garbage, compost and other attractants 
                • Do not provide food to coyotes and other wildlife. Properly store and maintain garbage containers to help prevent coyotes from becoming a problem.
                • In the fall, pick ripe fruit from fruit trees, remove fallen fruit from the ground and keep bird feeders from overflowing as coyotes eat fruit, nuts and seeds.
                • In the summer, protect vegetable gardens with heavy-duty garden fences or place vegetable plants in a greenhouse. Check with your local nursery to see what deterrent products are available.
                • Place trash bins inside an enclosed structure to discourage the presence of small rodents, which are an important food source for coyotes.
                • Put garbage at curb-side the morning of the scheduled pickup, rather than the night before.
                • Use enclosed composting bins rather than exposed piles. Coyotes are attracted to dog and cat waste as well as products containing meat, milk and eggs.
                • Consider eliminating artificial water sources such as koi ponds.
                • Keep pet food indoors.  Use deterrents and fences to keep coyotes away from your home and gardens
                • Use motion-sensitive lighting and/or motion-activated sprinkler systems to make your property less attractive to coyotes and other nocturnal wildlife.
                • Fence your property or yard.  It is recommended the fence be at least six-feet tall with the bottom extending at least six inches below the ground and/or a foot outward, so coyotes cannot dig under the fence.  A roller system can be attached to the top of the fence, preventing animals from gaining the foothold they need to pull themselves up and over the top of a fence.
                • Electric fencing can also help deter coyotes from properties or gardens in some circumstances. Clear away bushes and dense weeds near your home where coyotes may find cover and small animals to feed upon.
            • Install proper fencing.
            • As coyotes are primarily nocturnal, pets should be kept inside at night.
            • Keep all pets on leashes or confined to a yard.
            • Keep cats indoors and do not allow pets to roam from home.
        • Spay or neuter your dogs. Coyotes are attracted to, and can mate with, domestic dogs that have not been spayed or neutered.

If you encounter a coyote:

        • Do not turn your back on or run. Back away while remaining calm.
        • Use whistles and personal alarm devices to frighten an approaching or threatening animal.
        • If a coyote poses an immediate threat or danger to public safety, call 911.
        • Never attempt to tame a coyote. Reduce risk of predation on livestock
        • Barns or sheds can provide effective protection from the threat of coyotes preying on livestock.
        • Guard animals, such as donkeys, llamas and dogs, can be a cost-effective way to protect livestock from coyotes. Guard animals will develop a bond with livestock if they are slowly integrated and will aggressively repel predators.
    • For more information on preventing livestock predation, please visit the Ministry of Agriculture and Food website.

Managing problem wildlife

  • Landowners are responsible for managing problem wildlife, including coyotes, on their own property.
  • The Ministry of Natural Resources helps landowners and municipalities deal with problem wildlife by providing fact sheets, appropriate agency referrals, and information on steps they can take to address problems with wildlife.
Culture

Seniors Are Doing What Exactly Online?

1 Comment

With 80% of baby boomers using the internet, it is clear that seniors are a lot more adept at using tech than we give them credit for. If you’re not convinced, just have a look at the statistics that MedAlertHelp compiled.

You will see that seniors are using the internet and smart devices a lot more regularly than most people would think. But what’s more interesting, perhaps, is the reason why they are using the internet. In this post, we will go through those reasons in more detail.

 

It’s Convenient

Raise your hands – who still uses an encyclopedia instead of checking the answer online? Do encyclopedias even exist anymore? Seniors are just as keen on using useful shortcuts as the rest of us.

 

Consider other apps that might be useful, such as internet banking, for example. In most cases, you’re not going to need to go to the bank unless you need to change your address or get a new card. Just about everything else you can do by using online banking or ATMs.

 

Easy Access to Information About Things That Interest Them

Most seniors cited that they enjoyed using the internet because it was an easy way to access information about things of interest. We can all relate to that. Just 20 years ago, learning something about your favorite hobby meant finding the right books or a person who could teach you.

Now, thanks to YouTube, that’s all changed. There is a wealth of information on the internet. Not all of it is great, but the support for hobbyists is nice. Want to learn how to crochet a jacket for your chicken? Google it – you will find a pattern. And, yes, there are people who crochet jackets for their chickens.

 

For Shopping

Online shopping and the elderly can be a match made in heaven, especially when there are mobility issues to consider. Online shopping has changed the world for a lot of us – making it possible to gain access to items that we cannot easily get otherwise.

But it can also be infinitely practical. You can shop for almost anything online, from groceries to clothing. This can be a boon for the elderly with mobility problems or issues finding transport.

 

For Entertainment Purposes

I have to be honest; this one was a bit of a surprise for me. Especially since I remembered growing up and being told that video games would rot my brain. However, almost half of the elderly who regularly use the net, also use it for entertainment purposes, like gaming.

 

Communication

The internet does provide us with a number of different ways to contact our families and keep in touch with friends. Seniors are taking advantage of services like Skype, Facebook, and other instant messaging services to keep in touch with the people who are important to them.

 

Conclusion

There is no doubt that the internet is a useful tool to make day to day living less complicated. We’re not counting the potential for wasting time on it here, though. But, if used correctly, the internet can save you time and a lot of stress. Is it any surprise that seniors are taking advantage of these benefits? For the Silo, Tarun Reddy.

What Elderly Do Online Infographic

Earth

Ministers Call On More Countries To Put Forward Stepped-Up Climate Crisis Education Plan

Leave a comment

Madrid, December 2019–Two pioneering countries this week committed to stepped-up climate and environmental education in order to equip a new generation with the knowledge, awareness and skills needed to navigate the emerging challenges of the 21st C.

Italy and Mexico, speaking at a press conference at COP25 in Madrid, urged other countries to follow suit in order to make strong, environmental education a world-wide phenomenon.

They proposed Earth Day in April next year as one of a series of milestones in 2020 where like-minded nations could announce higher ambition on climate and environmental education.

The plan is to have a critical mass of countries committed to the environmental and climate education agenda by the time of the UN climate conference (COP26) taking place in Glasgow, UK in November.

Lorenzo Fioramonti, Italy’s Minister of Education, Innovation and Research, said: “Young people are demanding that governments take climate change far more seriously. There are many areas of society where we must act, and act with increased ambition: compulsory education on these topics needs to be a key part of this national and international response to the big issues of our time”.

The Italian Education Minister said that Earth Day 2020 represents one of the key moments in this important year to recognize the centrality of climate and environmental education including through  ‘Teach-Ins’ as one way of raising awareness among the young.

He said he hoped other countries would take the same opportunity mark Earth Day’s 50th anniversary and the birth of the environmental movement.

Teach-ins, in which students organize debates and propose solutions to environmental challenges, was a key feature of the first Earth Day where over 20 million young people and citizens protested in 1970, triggering in the process new laws and action by the then US administration.

Martha Delgado, Vice Minister of Global Affairs in Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said her country had now incorporated mandatory environmental education into Mexico’s constitution as the first step in a new comprehensive plan.

“Mexico is now committed to mandatory environmental education at home, but we are also committed to promoting environmental education internationally. The challenges we are facing are national but also global. Young people everywhere need the knowledge to fully respond to what is unfolding on in our world,” he said.

“Great transformations can only be achieved through knowledge, awareness and the sense of collaboration. We are convinced that environmental education is the route to meeting Sustainable Development Goals, an essential tool to fight the climate crisis and can prompt a profound cultural change to contribute to our planet’s sustainability,” said Vice-Minister Delgado.

Kathleen Rogers, President of the Earth Day Network, said environmental literacy had been at the core of Earth Day since its inception in 1970 but that governments had not gone far enough.

“Young people, through movements such as Fridays for Future, have been asking governments to tell the truth about the climate and environmental emergencies that we are now facing—‘telling the truth’ needs to happen in the schools and universities, and needs to happen now,” she said.

Rogers said that while globally climate and environmental education exist across the spectrum, from decades of formal implementation to continued exclusion of the topic as a whole, it is time to make these critical subjects compulsory and to link them to civic education so that students will develop both the knowledge and the civic skills they need to fully engage in the solutions to climate change.

 “These are the core elements of transforming our societies so that a new, far better informed and active generation can emerge to ensure governments truly respond to the challenges of our time,” she said.

Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), welcomed the announcements of Italy and Mexico as a key contribution to realizing the aims of the Paris Climate Change Agreement.

Under the Agreement governments are looking to enhance their Nationally Determined Contribution (NDCs) in 2020 as contribution to climate action but also the Sustainable Development Goals.

From Madrid and COP25, focus will also be on the Congregation for Catholic Institutes of the Holy See which has chosen Earth Day 2020 as a preparatory meeting for the Global Compact on Education that Pope Francis will launch on May 14th.  It aims to promote a global commitment that also teaches new generations respect for humankind and nature.

Earth Day Italia is working together with the Italian Ministry for the Environment and the Festival for Sustainable Education to support this initiative. For the Silo, Denice Zeck.

Earth

Strange Lights May Have Been UFO Over Southern Ontario

1 Comment

At approximately 10:15 PM EDT on March 17th I witnessed a strange sight. While driving into Simcoe, Ontario  via Hillcrest Road, something low on the horizon caught my attention. At first I wondered if this was a planet but after I pulled the car over to the side of the road and focused harder, it became clear that this object was flashing through a whole spectrum of colours:  red, blue, yellow, white one at a time at a high rate. Strange lights?

Predicted Solar Storm Aura

Yesterday was St. Patrick’s Day and skywatchers were made aware of the forecasted Solar Storm that brought Northern Lights much further south than normal. This was not the Northern Lights.

I wasn’t able to take any video because my camera phone would not zoom in to capture the object but I did manage to zoom in using the photo feature. Today I moved the photo’s onto my laptop and zoomed in further using a video editing program. I then re-opened those photo’s and used the desharp/enhance/deinterlace feature in gimp software to attempt a better look at what I saw. I am still surprised by the results- the colours that I saw vividly and clearly did not show up on the photographs and the photographs reveal what looks like a shape-shifting object!

I’ve been so intrigued by this I decided to return to sighting location so I could take a daytime photo of the sky/horizon where I had the sighting and I used my phone to get a compass reading on the direction of where the object was.

Daytime Sighting Location Compass Heading for Sighting

The first series of photo’s- shown below are the camera-zoomed in series and are unenhanced by software. The second series of  single photo’s are the software-zoomed in and enhanced versions of the first four photographs .  I’m hoping someone can offer up ideas on what I saw by commenting below or emailing The Silo (contentproducer@thesilo.ca)  *name with held by request*

Series 1

Unidentified Flying Object Simcoe OntarioSeries 2- Enhanced UFO image 1Enhanced Image 2Enhanced Image 3Enhanced Image 4

 

Supplemental- Severe Solar storm forecast predicts Northern Lights much further South than normal http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2015/03/17/solar-geomagnetic-storm/24901903/

Virtual visit: Hillcrest Road, Simcoe, ON