We are very much looking forward to the approaching spring - as that means its time for our AGM! This year we will once again gather on the west coast of the island in the City of Corner Brook from April 25th-27th to share our environmental stewardship stories. Our bi-annual business meetings are a great opportunity for representatives from our member municipalities, invited guests and our partner organizations to share conservation and stewardship success stories and challenges. The AGM is an opportunity for like-minded communities to showcase its involvement and implementation of your habitat stewardship agreement and in seeking to become a sustainable community. It is also a chance to become inspired by work being done in other municipalities and bring those ideas back to your community. As the AGM approaches, attendees will receive a detailed weekend itinerary and AGM Agenda. Be sure to book your accommodations soon as space is limited due to other events occurring in the area. We hope to see you there! |
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Here are answers to some frequently asked questions: |
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a) A member of council; b) A member of town staff; or, c) A member of a council committee or knowledgeable committed resident. |
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There is no registration fee to attend SAM Meetings and meals are provided at no charge during formal itinerary events. We do recognize that there can be significant travel costs incurred to attend meetings. In order to encourage members to send a SAM Representative to Spring AGM, SAM has established a travel incentive policy. Please see our FAQ Page for more details. |
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NOTE: At this meeting there will be two SAM Board of Director positions becoming vacant and we will be looking for volunteer candidates to fill these roles. If you are interested in joining SAM's Board of Directors, please email samconservation@gmail.com. |
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2025 Newfoundland and Labrador Habitat Conservation Workshop |
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The 2025 NL Habitat Conservation Workshop aspires to be a gathering of those involved in and dedicated to the management and conservation of natural lands/wildlife habitat in the province. This inaugural workshop will bring together various groups (such as government, environmental non-government organizations, Indigenous groups, industry, etc.) to: promote knowledge sharing, foster collaboration, and ultimately advance action to stimulate solutions to identified issues. The goal of this workshop is to sustainably manage, in particular, our natural lands, for future generations. This year's theme is "Conservation, Connections and Community" with a focus on provincial wetland management practices and policy. More details to come. |
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WHEN:
Tuesday, June 3rd: 1/2 Day Event for Invited NL ENGOs Only
Wednesday June 4th-Thursday June 5th: Habitat Conservation Workshop
WHERE:
Capital Hotel
208 Kenmount Road, St. John's, NL
Workshop Registration Fee: $50
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Looking Back...
Update from SAM's Board of Directors |
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With all of the snow surrounding us, the ponds frozen over, and cold temperatures, wintertime gives SAM an excellent opportunity to reflect on the accomplishments of last year, brainstorm and workshop new ideas, and prepare for the busy field season ahead. This past year, SAM was successful in engaging over twenty-two municipalities across our Province, delivering programming to over 1,400 members of the public. With new Municipal Habitat Stewardship Agreements in principle, we have been able to bring another two new municipalities into the organization's membership, and expand upon two already existing Agreements, in total helping to support an additional 2,350 acres of wildlife habitat secured for long term retention. We will continue to engage new and existing municipalities, supporting them in their conservation and environmental stewardship goals. |
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A few notable highlights from 2024: |
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A wonderful AGM in the Town of Grand Falls Windsor, intimate discussions and share-all’s at regional meetings in the Towns of Whitbourne, Gambo, Stephenville Crossing, and Flower's Cove, a scavenger hunt at the Pasadena Ski and Nature Park, a successful community engagement project in the Codroy Valley in partnership with Intervale Associates and the Codroy Valley Area Development Association, Wetland conservation programming at the Carmanville Wetland Centre and Nature Trails, Aquatic Invasive Species signage and outreach in partnership with Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, a new interpretive sign and celebration in the Town of Elliston, along with many other wonderful engagements. |
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With a tremendous number of accomplishments in 2024, we’re looking forward to continuing to deliver important educational opportunities to our SAM member communities and advancing the conservation conversation in our province. Connecting with you, the local environmental community leaders and municipal champions, is central to our mission of maintaining biodiversity in our province, and our success helps to keep our beautiful places intact for future generations to enjoy. |
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A message from Kathleen Parewick of Municipalities NL |
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First, each of the sector partners will be hosting campaign kick-offs at their respective membership gatherings. A Climate-Ready NL Roadmap should be ready by the SAM Spring AGM, where attendees will be seeing all of the details about how the three core program activities fit together to advance community climate adaptation efforts for at least 100 towns over the next two years. The first of those key three activities will begin soon thereafter, as participating towns begin hosting local climate risks and hazards mapping events with support from the Climate-Ready NL team. |
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Flooding? Erosion? Drier conditions? Storm damages? Residents know and can talk about the changes they are witnessing in their local environments. This project will capture these stories and help each town to apply this information to improve their climate resilience. Most will be working with the NLAFS on climate-informed updates to their municipal emergency plans and a lucky few will be doing a deep dive on their nature-positive adaptation options. |
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We want YOU to get involved! Given your demonstrated commitment to habitat conservation, SAM members are in a great position to test-drive the ways communities in NL can work with nature to unlock greater resilience to climate change. Our component of the Climate-Ready NL program can support up to 25 SAM Member Communities in examining their local climate risks and hazards, identifying potential nature-based solutions and compiling recommendations for their towns; next steps - next steps that could be eligible for feasibility study and implementation funding under the FCM's Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation program. |
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Please reach out to samconservation@gmail.com to register your town's interest. A follow-up webinar will be held later to go over project details and we look forward to confirming participants by the end of April. Our kick-off workshop is scheduled for Saturday, May 31st. |
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SAM Environmental Steward Award |
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The SAM Environmental Stewardship Award is used to recognize an individual, group, organization or business who has gone above and beyond in their community to support wildlife habitat stewardship, whose responsible management of wildlife habitat and the environment within Newfoundland and Labrador exceeds expectations. The SAM Environmental Stewardship Award will be awarded based on three levels. |
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SAM Student Scholarship: First awarded in 2015, this award is a $1000 scholarship awarded to a student either from or studying in Newfoundland and Labrador whose interests, activities and post-secondary goals are focused on the conservation of habitat in this province.
To be eligible for the SAM Student Scholarship, the applicant: - Must be a resident of, or must be studying in, the province of NL;
- Is (or will be) enrolled in a post-secondary program in the upcoming academic year;
- Has demonstrated an active commitment to conservation in NL.
We are currently accepting applications for the 2025 Scholarship, please send applications to samconservation@gmail.com or click the link below. |
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Individual Community Champion: This award recognizes an individual’s significant initiative or achievement in environmental stewardship in Newfoundland and Labrador. This individual’s actions will have had a positive environmental impact, proving to be a key force in conserving the environment. This Champion Award recognizes an individual’s contributions to environmental sustainability, bringing us one step closer to a greener future. |
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Innovative Organizations - Business or Non-Profit/Community Group: This award recognizes a local Business’, Non-Profit’s, or Community Group’s significant innovation or achievement in environmental stewardship. The Innovation Award recognizes a significant initiative or achievement of a Business or Non-Profit/Community Organization in Newfoundland and Labrador who is engaging in green activities and milestones. This could include business projects with a positive environmental impact, or contribution(s) to the community from an environmental or sustainable perspective. |
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709 Watershed Podcast is Back! |
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Darren Sheppard, one of SAM’s Directors and the Executive Director of the environmental non-profit Indian Bay Ecosystem Corporation (IBEC), based in the Town of Indian Bay announced last month that IBEC’s monthly podcast would once again be available for download after an eighteen-month absence. The 709 Watershed Podcast had previously recorded 43 episodes before the pause, which interviewed guests covering topics ranging from environmental concern, local business, tourism, and politics. The new episodes will continue with those subject areas, but with a more streamlined show. |
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“We decided to remove all of the ads from the new episodes,” stated Sheppard, “which will give the audience a more focused listening experience, while cutting down on the length of each episode. We will continue to bring in guests that align with IBEC's mandate, while searching for local connections that will make the listener feel directly involved with the subject being discussed.” |
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The 709 Watershed Podcast is available on all major podcast apps for download or can be accessed directly off of IBEC’s podcast website. |
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Get inspired by SAM's East Coast Conservation Biologist Willem Peters... |
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Close your eyes for a moment and picture a winter scene... |
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What do you see? Maybe you see a blanket of white, like that first blank sheet of paper that always precedes the opening of a novel. Perhaps you see a river frozen over, ice like glass - a natural window to the dormant ecosystem beneath. Or maybe you see only cold and black, which is perfectly understandable due to the lack of sunlight and early dusks of winter. |
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Whatever you see, winter can conjure a range of emotions: from melancholy or frustration, to relaxation and calm. To me, that is what makes winter so intriguing - in one day, I can feel the frustration of clearing my car of snow and ice before I can go anywhere, to the melancholy of yet another grey, cold day, to the freedom of an evening with no plans because there is just nothing to do. |
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But, there is another element to winter that can be discovered if one is just brave enough to face the elements: that is the stark, clean beauty that the season has to offer. The great outdoors may not be as accessible as it is in the summer, but nature in the winter can still offer a plethora of positive stimuli just the same. My favorite way to experience nature in the winter is cross-country skiing. As I swish through the snow on my narrow skis, my mind wanders like the winding of the trail I follow. As I pass wonders of beauty - gently falling snow around me, like down from a celestial pillow fight, the sun reflecting off a frozen pond, nearly blinding in its brilliance - I am put in a state of calm and relaxation that few activities, winter or summer, have been able to match. I feel as though I have nothing to worry about except a patch of ice or particularly steep slope. |
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Nature may seem dormant in the winter, but if you spend just a few quiet minutes among the hardy evergreens and stoic deciduous trees, you soon find out it is still very much alive! |
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The first signs of life you might encounter are the tracks of a snowshoe hare, staying on top of the snow with their large back feet. In February, SAM hosted a winter activity at the Pasadena Ski and Nature Trail where participants could identify tracks belonging to animals such as snowshoe hare, fox, moose, beaver, and caribou. Activities such as this Tricky Tracks event are both educational and a fun way to enjoy nature in the winter! |
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As you explore hiking trails, in the branches above there may also be a flurry of winter activity: Boreal and Black-capped chickadees flutter from tree to tree, hunting for any remaining berries produced by mountain ash and pincherry trees, Pine Grosbeak, blue jays and various species of woodpecker can also be seen industriously going about their day. It is also possible to see Come-from-aways at this time of year: some birds miss their flight back home due to weather and they have no choice but to make the best of it until the spring thaw brings with it a more bountiful harvest. |
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Near my home in St. John’s I can see an overwintering Baltimore Oriole and an Orange-crowned Warbler, both species that are meant to be far in the south this time of year - a sentiment I’m sure many of us agree with. Likewise, there is a regal Stellar sea eagle that now commands the skies near Terra Nova national park. Much larger than its local cousin the bald eagle, this massive bird is far from its home range of eastern Russia and parts of Korea. |
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There is no shortage of amazing natural sights to see in the winter, there is just less opportunity to see them. The next time the winter weather cooperates, put on some warm clothes, and get out to see nature in one of its many breathtaking forms. We promise it will be worth it! |
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Species of importance found within SAM’s Conservation Areas |
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The Olive-sided flycatcher (Contopus cooperi) is a medium-sized songbird of Canada’s forests. They are a stocky, barrel-chested flycatcher, with a large head and a heavy, long bill for its size. It has rather long wings that can make the tail look short. They can be identified by their olive-grey or grey-brownish plumage above and with a white mid-breast section and throat. The sides of its breast are a darker grey and make it look like they are wearing a vest. It is a migratory species that travels from South to North America to breed during the summer. Males and females look similar as they do not exhibit sexual dimorphism. |
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Olive-sided flycatchers predominantly spend their time perched on branches high up in trees, as they watch for large flying insects. In order to catch their prey, they fly out in quick pursuit and seizing their prey in their bill, and return to their same perch - this is known as sallying. |
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During the breeding, Olive-sided flycatcher males sing a song to attract a mate. Its song sounds like it is saying " Quick, three beers!" with three successive high-pitched sounds. The first sound is shorter and not as high-pitched and loud as the two others. Sometimes, during mating season, males can produce growling sounds or even squeaks when in conflict with other males. Calls are produced by birds to communicate with one another. |
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The exact causes of population decrease are not well understood, although likely include: reduced availability of insect prey, fire suppression, deforestation and land conversion in non-breeding habitat, forest harvesting and silviculture, energy and mining exploration and extraction, and residential and commercial development. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and stewardship in the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture. The Olive-sided flycatcher has been sighted across the province. Reports of sightings in southern Labrador in Labrador City and Happy Valley-Goose Bay, and widespread across the island, including along the west coast in the towns of Stephenville Crossing, Corner Brook, Deer Lake, Pasadena, in towns on the Northern Peninsula including Port au Choix and Main Brook, in Central in Gander and Gambo, and even on the Northeast Avalon. |
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Did you know? You can follow SAM on Social Media! Check us out on Facebook and Instagram @SAM_Stewardship |
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2025 Stewardship AnniversariesWe would like to recognize some significant
Municipal Habitat Stewardship Agreement signing anniversaries.
Congratulations and we look forward to many more years of
conservation and stewardship!
30 years since signed (1995)
Carmanville
Come By Chance
Stephenville Crossing
20 years since signed (2005)
Labrador City
Wabush
15 years since signed (2010)
Burgeo
Cartwright (Table Bay)
10 years since signed (2015)
Bauline
Portugal Cove-St. Philips |
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Do you have a conservation story you would like to see featured in a future newsletter? Send an email with the details to
samengagement995@gmail.com! |
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