A message from Oxford County Trails President Dan Molinaro:

June 1st 2024 is International Trails Day and Oxford County Trails Council is well advanced with our own plans for this special day of local festivities. Branded as Take a Hike, Oxford! we will be offering no fewer than four locations in Oxford County where people can come to learn more about our wonderful trails network and participate in a wide variety of activities designed to bring nature, and our shared responsibility to protect it, deeper into our lives.

Combining knowledge, physical and mental health is vital to our wellbeing and we recognise this starts from an early age and can last a lifetime. So, the activities at our four public sites will feature fun for kids and parents while catering for those who wish to explore each trail, with or without a guide, and perhaps capture their experiences with their camera or other mobile device. We have teamed up with several Woodstock area partners to allow up-close and personal and handson experiences to encourage a broader understanding of local nature, our environment and the many related, local resources available to us.

The four locations we have selected are as follows: Herbert Milnes Park Woodlot  Patullo Avenue Woodstock – John Lawson Trail  Wonham St. South, Ingersoll – Hickson Street North 99 Loveys Street Hickson – Oxford Thames River Trail 454779 45th Line Beachville.

Each location will be open from 10am to 2pm, rain or shine and will feature sanitation and hydration facilities. Bring your own water bottle, snacks, bug spray, sun screen and outdoor foot ware. Free parking will be available. We would like to thank our event sponsors who have made this festival free of charge for visitors.

Help us promote this event.

A pdf can be downloaded and printed from HERE

Did you know Toronto alone claims about a million avian casualties each year? If you find an injured bird this spring, here’s how you can help them.

The latest Oxford County Trails Council newsletter has information on the “Take a Hike, Oxford!” June 1st Trails Festival and developments on the Oxford Thames River Trail. Read it here.

From Ontario Nature:

The conversation around protected areas is evolving in response to the challenge of protecting 30% of Canada’s lands and waters by 2030. What protected areas traditionally have been, and what they can be, encompass many forms.

Learn more.

From Oxford County’s Facebook Page:

The “Get Smart! Energy audits for greener homes” presentation is now available online.

Watch as Partner and Senior Energy Engineer at Walter-Fedy, Patrick Darby and South-West Oxford Mayor David Mayberry outline the steps for conducting an energy audit in your home at https://www.oxfordcounty.ca/en/news/the-get-smart-learn-from-local-smart-energy-experts-presentation-is-now-available-online.aspx

The hike at Herbert Milne’s Trail outside Woodstock on March 16, 2024, featured a beautiful walk on a groomed trail where club members saw 20 tundra swans flying overhead with numerous other bird sightings within the property… nuthatch, red bellied woodpecker, juvenile bald eagle, robins, sparrows…easy walking, highly recommended. Followed up with pancakes at Jakeman’s at Sweaburg and a walk in Trillium Woods. Great morning!

From Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP) Canada:

Far too often we see disturbing products like this: they promise you privacy and climate control, but fail to inform of the numerous birds that will die once installed.

Birds collide with glass for two primary reasons: either they can see through the glass to something desirable, or they are attracted to reflected habitat.

There are many cost efficient solutions to create privacy at home that don’t put birds at risk: flap.org/stop-birds-from-hitting-windows. Mirrored films like this product from Window Film World, should be avoided.

In the latest edition of Ontario Nature Magazine, Scott Gillingwater, UTRCA Species at Risk Biologist, shares his insight into the poaching of spotted turtles. Check out the article, “Protecting All That Hops, Slithers and Crawls”, for info on the Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas and the six biggest risks to Ontario’s native species. Read it here.

From the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority

The March edition of the Thames River Current has hit inboxes! Find out what’s happening in your watershed including Tree Power sales, the extended season at our conservation areas, educational programming including spring Nature School, job opportunities, and so much more. Check it out at: https://mailchi.mp/thamesriver.on.ca/thames-river-current-march-2024

Another great Lecture Series talk to a full house tonight with Tim Arthur, field biologist, and his presentation on Algonquin Park and the effects of climate change on resident species. Well researched and presented through his own photos. Climate change effects are irrefutable and our current trajectory is not great. More effort needs to go into protecting our environment. Thanks are extended to the Ingersoll Public Library for hosting!