Owen Sound Field Naturalists Recognized with Bruce Trail Conservancy Award
From the Gravel Gran Fondo to bird banding and youth programs, OSFN marks a season of community engagement and environmental action.
COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION
Here are the latest updates from the Owen Sound Field Naturalists.
Kudos to Mike Campbell and his team, supporters, and cyclists at the Bruce Peninsula Biosphere for staging the 7th Annual Gravel Gran Fondo on Sunday, October 5. A cycling event from Lighthouse to Lighthouse (from Lion’s Head to Cabot Head), this very successful ride supports their cause — protecting the Bruce Peninsula Biosphere.
All funds raised by the Fondo will go to the Bruce Peninsula Biosphere Association, a charitable non-profit organization, to undertake environmental projects on the Bruce. Check out www.bpba.ca for more information.
Coincidentally, just this morning I was speaking to someone who cycled it last year and had a memorable sighting — observing a healthy young black bear stretched out on a limb of an apple tree, enjoying a feed of apples from a former orchard along one section of the route while cyclists pedalled by. The weather also cooperated for a great ride and a wonderful experience. Bravo!
Young Naturalists report from Amanda Eriksen
On September 28, the Young Naturalists had a beautiful day to clean out the bird boxes. There were no signs of bluebirds, but someone “laid” some acorns! We did check out the salmon in the river as well, but I was too busy keeping kids dry to take photos. Seems like there are a lot of fish this year!
The club, aimed at ages 7 to 12 (with some leeway), generally meets from 2 to 4 p.m. on the last Sunday of the month, from September to June, with some adjustments for holidays. To learn more or to register, email youngnaturalistsos@gmail.com.
Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory
Excerpt from this week’s blog - Posted by Stéphane Menu, September 26, 2025
The past week, September 20–26, marked a radical change from all the previous weeks of this fall season: there were very, very, very few birds captured in our nets. So few that the week’s total is actually the lowest ever in 24 fall seasons for this period, with only 63 birds banded — five fewer than the previous lowest totals (in 2017 and 2018).
It is such a contrast from the week before (September 13–19), when the banding total came within a few feathers of breaking the record for that week (249 birds in 2024, 246 in 2025). The higher the climb, the harder they fall!
OSFN Wins Bruce Trail Conservancy’s Calypso Orchid Environmental Award
OSFN’s Stewardship Director, Jeannine Kralt, recently shared this exciting news:
Congratulations to OSFN on being awarded the Bruce Trail Conservancy’s (BTC) prestigious Calypso Award, presented by BTC staff member Rhiannon to OSFN representative Barbara Palmer at the Peninsula Bruce Trail Club’s annual Hiking Festival this weekend, with comments by PBTC/OSFN member Marg Glendon.
From BTC CEO Michael McDonald:
“I am pleased to inform you that the Owen Sound Field Naturalists have been selected as this year’s recipients of the Bruce Trail Conservancy’s Calypso Orchid Environmental Award.Each year we present the Calypso Orchid Environmental Award to an individual or organization that has made a significant contribution to the restoration and preservation of the Bruce Trail conservation corridor or significantly enhanced the education of users or potential users of the Trail. The Owen Sound Field Naturalists are a perfect fit.
The Bruce Trail Conservancy would like to recognize and celebrate OSFN’s outstanding dedication to nurturing the appreciation and conservation of our natural world. In particular, OSFN’s educational activities, Young Naturalist program, and newly revised guidebooks are stellar examples of how OSFN promotes understanding and inspires action for the protection of nature.
Through the Calypso Orchid Environmental Award 2025, the Bruce Trail Conservancy honours OSFN’s tremendous volunteer efforts to increase public awareness on environmental issues affecting the Niagara Escarpment, boost understanding and appreciation of Escarpment biodiversity, and contribute to the preservation of the Bruce Trail’s conservation corridor. Congratulations, Owen Sound Field Naturalists!”
Congratulations to OSFN members, past and present, for your contributions that have led to this award!
Final Thoughts
To close, a quote from The Book of Hope by the esteemed primatologist and conservationist Jane Goodall. Goodall died on October 1, aged 91, while continuing to tour with her important messages, including slowing the growth of the human population:
“By destroying habitats we force animals into closer contact with people... And as the human population grows, people and their livestock are penetrating ever deeper into remaining wilderness areas, wanting more space to expand their villages and to farm.”
Thank you to sponsors of The Owen Sound Current Writers’ Fund, who make these community contributions possible. Contributions from the community do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of The Owen Sound Current and its editor or publisher.
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