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The Renewable Energy Committee has worked hard over the years and has been instamental in many successes within the community, from energy tours to renewable energy projects . Read more about the renewable energy tour, information on renewable energy and energy tips...
The Northern Bruce Peninsula is now officially "Dark Sky Friendly". BPEG's Dark Sky Committee has been working for several years to bring awareness to the threat of dark sky pollution. Go to our dark sky page and learn more about protecting this precious resource...
This page will give you some history on forestry on the Bruce Peninsula, and some useful links
To learn more about forestry in Bruce County, see our forestry page...
June 2001 Genetically Modified Organisms
Another highly charged issue, the debate on genetically modified organisms, was the impetus that pushed the Bruce Peninsula Environment Group to launch an information picket outside the Zehrs store in Owen Sound one Saturday morning. Twenty members from the group came armed with literature on GMO foods and petitions requesting that these foods have mandatory labeling. The picket, which was approved by Zehrs management was a huge success, with over eighty signatures taken in one hour for mandatory labeling. The picket was covered by both the local print media and television. The overwhelmingly positive public response to our picket showed to us that concern over GMO's is not just restricted to larger centres, but is a concern across the Canadian landscape. More pickets are planned for in the future.
Water level and Quality
Water quality and current levels are of great concern to residents of the Bruce Peninsula. Low water levels in both Georgian Bay and Lake Huron have still not recovered, and talk of water diversion to areas of Southern Ontario and the Western States would further frustrate a bad situation. With these issues in mind, BPEG organized a lecture in July of 2001, given by John Jackson, former president of Great Lakes United, at the Rotary hall in Lions Head. This timely talk was extremely informative and well attended. It might be time to have John come back again for an update
Earth Day Expo
The Bruce Peninsula Environment Group's most ambitious project to date was the Earth Expo. Earth Expo was a result of the Bruce Peninsula Environment Group seeking to create a venue around Earth day for the celebration of our unique environment and to help people involved in conservation and environmental issues connect and meet others with similar views. The first Earth Expo in 1999 was intended as a forum to bring together a diverse group of individuals and agencies who are each making a positive contribution to environmental health and awareness. The theme focused on local people involved in activities such as sustainable forestry, organic farming, renewable energy generation and more. The second expo, which took place the following year, boasted over 60 exhibitors and guest speakers, attracting close to 1000 people. These extremely successful events created fun and educational community events.
Wood Duck Boxes
In October of 2005, BPEG received a request for help with wetland habitat projects being undertaken by Darci Lombard on two properties owned by her to the north of Miller Lake . BPEG was pleased to accept the invitation .
The 2006 goal was to construct a number of wood duck boxes and to place these around a lake on one of the properties, a task which had to be completed while the ice was still safe ! A dozen BPEG woodworkers volunteered to duplicate 10 copies of one part of a design used by the Sydenham Sportsmen’s Association . Then, at a joint session on February 09, we gathered at Bob’s fine, heated workshop for a (successful) pre-assembly of the boxes, for Jennifer’s Roots and Shoots group to complete the job on the Sunday. This session was also successful and enjoyed by instructors and novices alike.
Sunday, February 26, a beautiful, sunny, -9C afternoon saw a collection of 20 BPEG and Roots and Shoots members meeting at Miller Lake . Loaded with sleds, skis, tools and duck boxes, we trekked the 800m through a snowy bush wonderland to the lake. With Wetland Habitat’s Doug van Hemessen to direct the operation we heaved, stretched and drilled 10 potential wood duck homes to dead trees around the lake: all in an invigorating 2 hours. Darci, who was busy in Antarctica at the time (!) reports that none of the boxes has been used this year, at least by the intended tenants, but wood ducks have been seen in the area and once they find the boxes we are confident they will come.
Another property in the area, until recently farmland, is the target for the second project. Two ponds and a wetland area will be dug this Fall. If all goes well, BPEG will be planting native trees, bushes and nesting boxes of various kinds around the area. Stay tuned !
June 2007 Clean-up and construction at Nature Conservancy's Dyers Bay Rd. property
2007 should have been the second of a two year project to support landowner Darci Lombard’s habitat improvement plan for her property at Miller Lake . However, excavation of two pond areas on the site was delayed so that BPEG was unable to fulfill its role, the Spring planting of native trees and shrubs and the installation of nesting boxes around the ponds. On the bright side, a February clean-up visit to the wood duck boxes put up in 2006 showed all ten of them still in place and that three of them had been occupied, if not by wood ducks then by birds of some sort !
Not to be foiled, we contacted Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Lesley Mc Donell who was looking for help in cleaning up, posting and protecting their recently-acquired alvar property on the north-east corner of Highway 6 and the Dyers Bay Road. On a sunny June 6 morning, a work party of 12 enthusiastic BPEGers met with Lesley and quickly morphed into three platoons. A mere four hours later, which included a lunch break, an encounter with a rattler and a fascinating tour of the property, several sacks of garbage, 30 feet of fine cedar rail fence and a heavy-duty base for the sign-to-come, were behind us. As a bonus for BPEG, Lesley was our speaker at the monthly meeting that night and member Marlene Rothenbury had offered to be the stewardship monitor for the property.
May 2008 Habitat Improvement at Miller Lake
The ponds and associated landscape grading on the Lombard property were finally completed in November 2007, so that we were able to go ahead with our regeneration project on the Lombard farm property this spring. A mix of 500 native trees and shrubs, as recommended by County Forester Ken Goldsmith, was ordered from Grey-Sauble Conservation for pick-up on May 05 and, instructed and supervised by Ken, 8 BPEG members, together with Bonnie Miller’s Grade 10 BPDS Environment class, made the trip out to Miller Lake the next day to do the planting. It was a treat to see how well the work went : within two hours the job was complete, and we were all able to enjoy sandwiches, drinks and apples on site before heading out. Thanks to all participants. Aided no doubt by good rains during the season, almost all the implants were found to be flourishing at last inspection..
Nesting boxes are currently under construction and it is hoped to have these installed before winter sets in.
Next year’s project is still under consideration but there is no lack of choice ! More later.
White Bale Wrap
Another issue BPEG is working on is to initiate recycling of the white bale wrap plastic increasingly seen dotting our rural landscape. The use of this process for storing hay is becoming another environmental headache. Landfills don't want it since it is extremely hard to deal with, so it is usually incinerated by the farmer, an act which releases greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, and which is actually illegal in many municipalities. The Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula now has a bale wrap composter at the Eastnor landfill.
August 2009 Solar Hot Water for Golden Dawn
In 2009 BPEG’s major initiative was to work with Gerry Myles, chair of Golden Dawn, and Golden Dawn staff and board to help them select and install a 20 panel solar hot water heating system. The system is expected to save 6-7000 litres of fuel oil per year, and reduce emissions accordingly, while supplying almost half of their hot water needs. Golden Dawn is an important, non-profit institution in our community, with a volunteer board, dedicated to providing for the needs of seniors with long term nursing care, and seniors’ apartments, some of which are income assisted. The project included identifying grant programs, and helping with local fundraising to meet the almost $100,000 budget. Grants and donations so far have covered over 80% of the cost of the project. Golden Dawn can issue tax receipts, and is still looking to finalize its fundraising.