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Celebrating National Tree Day in Torbay with a Community Tree Planting! |
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Showcasing Local Conservation: Secretary of State for Nature Visits SAM Projects |
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On August 25th, SAM was proud to welcome the Honourable Nathalie Provost, Secretary of State for Nature, to Newfoundland and Labrador to showcase the important conservation work being led by municipalities and communities across the province. |
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The visit brought together federal, municipal, and community partners in Bauline and Torbay, providing an opportunity to celebrate the progress being made through collaboration and investment in local conservation. |
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(L-R): Joe Crocker (Regional Director for the Atlantic Region, Canadian Wildlife Service), Chris Dredge (Mayor, Town of Bauline), Joselyn Maclellan (Issues Manager & Senior Policy Advisor, Canadian Wildlife Service), Terry Hillier (Harbour Authority President, Town of Bauline), Heidi Kolodniski (Councillor, Town of Bauline and Chair of SAM's Board of Directors), and Zach Burrows (Executive Director, SAM) in the Town of Bauline. |
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In the Town of Bauline, SAM’s Executive Director Zachary Burrows and Board Chair Heidi Kolodniski joined Mayor Chris Dredge to tour the panoramic shoreline and view the nearby Conservation Areas. We walked together along the White Horse Path of the East Coast Trail, taking in the surrounding landscape while discussing SAM’s Nature Smart Climate Solutions work. Along the way, we had the opportunity to meet local residents, pick a few salty-air blueberries, and connect with a representative of the Bauline Harbour Authority. These informal moments helped showcase the strong connection between Bauline’s natural areas, its community, and the people who use and care for these places. |
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(L-R): Julia Schwarz (Director of Planning & Development, Town of Torbay, Craig Scott (Mayor, Town of Torbay), Honourable Nathalie Provost (Secretary of State for Nature, Canada), Zach Burrows (Executive Director, SAM), Heidi Kolodniski (Councillor, Town of Bauline and Chair of SAM's Board of Directors), and Joe Crocker (Regional Director for the Atlantic Region, Canadian Wildlife Service) in the Town of Torbay. |
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From Bauline, they travelled to Torbay and stopped at Torbay Beach to explore the shoreline Conservation Area, take in the coastal habitat, and observe local wildlife. We were joined by Town of Torbay staff member Julia Schwarz, as well as Mayor Craig Scott. Sharing a sweet treat together gave us an opportunity to step away from a formal setting and have genuine conversations about the importance of local conservation. Connecting directly with municipal staff and elected leaders reinforced how important strong partnerships and federal support are to municipalities as they work to protect their natural areas and deliver conservation projects in their communities. |
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“It’s meaningful to see this level of interest in Bauline and in the natural spaces that our community values. The support we receive and the partnerships we cultivate with organizations like SAM are essential to our capacity to care for these areas and inspire our connections to them.” - Heidi Kolodniski, SAM Chair and Councillor from the Town of Bauline |
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Building Conservation Connections in Labrador |
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In August, SAM staff travelled to Labrador for a week of meetings, conservation work, and community connections. Natalie, Willem, and Zach visited Labrador City, Wabush, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Port Hope Simpson, Mary’s Harbour, St. Peter’s Bay, and Henley Harbour. |
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Throughout the trip, the team met with municipal councils and staff, connected with community members and partners, and learned more about the conservation priorities and unique natural environments found throughout the region. |
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In Wabush, Labrador City, and Happy Valley-Goose Bay, continued our partnership with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) on the “Don’t Let It Loose” campaign. This campaign advocates against the release of aquarium pets and plants into waterways. Released species can establish themselves and spread, becoming Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS). As part of this work, SAM installed campaign signage around waterbodies in each of these communities and connected with municipal staff and community members to talk about AIS and how we can help prevent their spread. |
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The team then travelled to the east coast of Labrador, where they had the opportunity to explore Mary’s Harbour, St. Peter’s Bay, and Henley Harbour with NunatuKavut Community Council. Partners and community members came together for a community supper and hands-on evening of building Common eider nesting boxes, which were later deployed on islands in St. Peter’s Bay. |
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Community stewardship of Common eiders in St. Peter’s Bay has a long history. The waterfowl in St. Peter’s Bay, particularly Common eiders, use the rocky coasts, shoals, and islands for breeding, nesting, moulting, staging, and overwintering. The Canadian Wildlife Service considers the bay to be a primary moulting area for eiders along the southern Labrador coast. |
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The team’s Labrador trip ended with a tour of Henley Harbour, a resettled area of significance for many community members. It was a meaningful opportunity to learn more about the people’s history, landscape, and relationship with the land and water. |
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Throughout the week, the team also had opportunities to spend time outdoors, from exploring trails and boardwalks to boat rides, coastal views, and wildlife encounters. The trip provided an opportunity to experience some of Labrador’s incredible landscapes firsthand while strengthening relationships with communities and partners working to conserve these special places. SAM extends a sincere thank you to the communities and partners who welcomed the team throughout the trip, and especially to NunatuKavut for sharing their knowledge, connections, and perspectives on this beautiful part of Labrador. |
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The trip was filled with meaningful conversations, new connections, unforgettable views, and, of course, a few bakeapples along the way. SAM is grateful for the opportunity to spend time with communities across Labrador and looks forward to continuing to build on these relationships and support conservation work throughout the region. |
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Growing a Legacy: 250 Years, 100 Trees |
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This year, the Presentation Sisters are celebrating 250 years of education, service, and community. To mark this incredible milestone, the Presentation Sisters have launched their “250 Years, 100 Trees” initiative, providing trees to communities across NL. The initiative is a meaningful way to celebrate 250 years of the Presentation Sisters’ legacy while looking toward the future. Each tree planted serves as a living tribute to their years of education, service, and community-building, while also helping create greener spaces, support biodiversity, and contribute to healthier communities for years to come. |
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SAM was incredibly grateful to partner with the Presentation Sisters to bring this initiative into several communities throughout the province. Over the summer, SAM visited Flatrock, Whitbourne, Bay Roberts, Carbonear, Spaniard’s Bay, and Harbour Grace to plant commemorative trees and celebrate this special milestone alongside local communities. From planting two commemorative trees at Shearstown Gardens in Bay Roberts to planting a tree at Spirit of Harbour Grace Municipal Park alongside members of Earhart’s 50+ Club, each planting offered an opportunity to connect with the community and create something that will continue to grow. In Carbonear, a commemorative tree was planted at the St. Patrick’s Organic Community Garden, located on the former site of St. Clare’s School, which was operated by the Presentation Sisters. This provided a particularly meaningful connection between the Sisters’ history in the community and the new tree being planted as part of their 250th anniversary. |
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While each tree is a small addition to the landscape, together these plantings represent something much bigger. Trees take time to grow, but their benefits can last for generations, providing habitat, supporting biodiversity, creating welcoming greenspaces, and bringing people together. Through the “250 Years, 100 Trees” initiative, the Presentation Sisters are helping create a living legacy that will continue well beyond this anniversary year. SAM is incredibly grateful for their generous partnership and support, and we are proud to help bring this meaningful initiative to communities across NL. |
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Fall Regional Meetings: Save the Dates! |
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SAM’s Fall Regional Meetings are coming up! These meetings are a great opportunity for SAM member municipalities and partners to connect, share updates, discuss local conservation priorities, and learn from one another. |
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Keep these dates on your calendar and watch for more information, including registration details and the meeting agenda, coming soon. We look forward to seeing you there! |
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Wetlands, Barrens & Everything In Between |
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This summer, SAM’s Conservation Biologist Natalie spent time travelling across the west coast and northern peninsula of Newfoundland, celebrating nature, connecting with communities and partners, and supporting local stewardship. From the wetlands of the Codroy Valley to the limestone barrens of the Great Northern Peninsula, the season provided opportunities to learn, share, get out on the land and water with partners, and create opportunities to care about the places we call home. |
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In June, SAM supported the Codroy Valley Nature Festival, a three-day celebration hosted at the Wetland Interpretation Centre on the Grand Codroy Estuary. Throughout the weekend, participants enjoyed engaging presentations, hands-on activities, guided nature walks, and the chance to experience the incredible biodiversity of the Codroy Valley. With beautiful weather on their side, many sessions took place outdoors, making the experience even more memorable. |
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Left: Bruce Rodrigues (Wildlife Division) shows early-morning attendees how birds are banded. Right: Testing out binoculars on Dr. Catherine Dale’s (Birds Canada) introduction to birdwatching walk. |
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The festival brought together presenters and partners from the Department of Forestry, Agriculture and Lands NL’s Wildlife Division, Birds Canada (including the MOTUS team), Grenfell Campus of Memorial University, Intervale Associates, the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Ducks Unlimited Canada, dedicated local volunteers, and SAM. Festival-goers also enjoyed handcrafted products from Suzanne (Berry Patch Preserves), Ann (Wool n Twig), and Phil (The Knotty Turner). |
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Left: Interpretive walk along the Codroy Valley’s Wetland Trail with SAM staff Natalie, NCC staff Ash Hall, Caelin Randall-Scott, Matthew Hayden, and DUC staff Danielle Fequet. Right: Juvenile Bald Eagle spotted on the trail |
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Events like these wouldn’t be possible without the incredible people behind the scenes. SAM extends its thanks to everyone who volunteered, presented, attended, and supported this year’s festival. |
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A special thank you goes to Lucy Poirier and Pat Brooks, whose passion and dedication were truly the heart of this year’s festival. SAM is also grateful to the volunteers from the Codroy Valley Area Development Association (CVADA) and the Lions Club, who welcomed everyone each morning with a delicious breakfast at the Wetland Centre. |
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The day began with a welcome and Smudging Ceremony before participants headed onto the Limestone Barrens for a guided walk led by Natalie, along with Jess from Intervale, and Sarah from the Wilder Institute. Along the way, participants discovered the species, from the tiniest plants to the largest animals, that call these extraordinary landscapes home - including the delightfully fragrant vanilla-scented bog orchid, which truly smells like vanilla! |
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Left: SAM Staff Natalie participates in the Smudging Ceremony. Right: Vanilla-scented Bog orchid (Pseudorchis straminea). |
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Visitors also signed the Limestone Barrens Day Pledge, enjoyed the photo booth, and admired the creative Limestone Barrens Day flag designs created by students at French Shore Academy through Parks Canada’s Caribou Kids Klub. Thanks to Bonnie Lou for organizing! SAM hopes to see one of these inspiring designs flying proudly in the community next year. |
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Left: SAM Staff Natalie signing the Limestone Barrens Day Pledge. Right: Making friends with the local caribou! Image Credits: Bonnie Lou |
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The Limestone Barrens represent less than 1% of the island of Newfoundland but support one of the highest concentrations of rare plants in the province. With more than 100 globally rare species occurring across these landscapes, the Limestone Barrens are considered a Key Biodiversity Area, having long been recognized for harbouring a unique and irreplaceable mix of flora and fauna. |
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These ecosystems are extremely sensitive, slow to recover, and often understudied and underappreciated. Limestone Barrens Day exists to recognize the importance of these landscapes, increase public awareness, and encourage actions that protect, conserve, and restore them for generations to come. |
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Thank you to everyone who joined SAM in celebrating and learning about this remarkable landscape. Together, we’re helping inspire appreciation and stewardship for NL’s unique Limestone Barrens! |
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Connecting with Communities |
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This summer, SAM staff spent plenty of time out in communities across NL, connecting with residents, youth of all ages, families, and community groups through environmental education, outreach events, and hands-on activities. From summer camps and community markets to guided nature walks and local celebrations, these opportunities gave SAM a chance to share information about NL’s wildlife, habitats, and conservation work while learning more about the communities we serve. |
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SAM’s Outreach Coordinator Karleena in Spaniard’s Bay presenting to their summer camp on NL Wildlife. |
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Environmental education was a major part of the summer. SAM’s Outreach Coordinator Karleena visited summer camps in Harbour Grace, Spaniard’s Bay, Bay Roberts, and Bauline, where campers explored local wildlife and habitats and learned about everything from forests and wetlands to our oceans. Bauline’s summer campers also had the opportunity to visit the community’s pollinator garden, where they became “Pollinator Investigators” and explored how gardens can support bees, butterflies, and other wildlife. |
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SAM’s Outreach Coordinator Karleena in Harbour Grace presenting to their summer camp on NL Wildlife. |
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Karleena also co-led a guided butterfly walk for teens at Chamberlains Park in Conception Bay South with Nature NL, where participants explored local butterflies, moths, wildflowers, and other plants while contributing observations to eButterfly. At Salmonier Nature Park, Karleena assisted with hosting a pollinator-themed event featuring trivia, a scavenger hunt, crafts, and activities celebrating the many pollinators that help our ecosystems thrive. SAM also joined the Trinity-Placentia Summer Expo in Whitbourne, connecting with residents alongside the Watershed Stewardship Association. |
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SAM’s Outreach Coordinator Karleena in Bauline at their end of summer camp celebration in the Bee Garden! |
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Outreach also took SAM staff into communities for a variety of other activities. Conservation Biologist Willem spent time in St. Lawrence, where he led a session with the community youth group before heading out on the Chambers Cove Trail to explore local plants, wildlife, wetlands, and species at risk. He also represented SAM at the Exploits Valley Community Market’s Salmonfest Edition in Grand Falls-Windsor, where he connected with residents and shared information about SAM’s conservation work. |
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SAM’s Conservation Biologist Willem at the Exploits Valley Community Market’s Salmonfest Edition in Grand Falls-Windsor. |
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Conservation Biologist Natalie and summer staff member David attended the annual Bay St. George Powwow in Flat Bay. |
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As part of SAM’s outreach in Stephenville Crossing this summer, summer staff member David took part in the community’s Family Fun Day, where he connected with local residents and families to share information about SAM’s work and the Urban Forestry Community Engagement Project. The event provided a great opportunity to speak with community members about the natural spaces they value, answer questions, and encourage residents to share their thoughts through SAM’s community survey and interactive greenspace map. It was a fun day of connecting with the community and learning more about what matters to the people of Stephenville Crossing. The feedback, mapping, fieldwork, and conversations we gathered will be brought together to provide guidance for future stewardship opportunities. David and Natalie also took part in a community planting event at the Stephenville Crossing Sensory Garden, working alongside local partners, the Stephenville Crossing Fire Department and the Mi’kmaw Cultural Foundation, to help establish a space where people can interact with plants and nature. |
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Together, these activities are an important part of SAM’s outreach work. Whether through a summer camp, a community celebration, a market, a guided walk, or a cleanup, each interaction provides an opportunity to connect people with the natural world and encourage stewardship in their own communities. We are grateful to all of the communities, organizations, and participants who welcomed SAM this summer and helped make these outreach opportunities possible. |
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Fostering Resilience at Thomas Howe |
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Planting Roots: Conservation and Community in Torbay |
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This summer, some of SAM’s work in the Northeast Avalon focused on connecting people with the various natural areas around them, with fish habitat and the ever-important wetlands being a focal point. We worked closely with the Town of Torbay and the Conservation Corps NL Green Team, and thank them tremendously for the wonderful partnership. We also appreciate the contribution from Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Environmental Damages Fund, which supported this project. This funding also allowed SAM to hire summer staff member Logan, who helped deliver the many conservation and environmental education activities throughout the summer. |
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In Torbay, SAM worked with local schools, daycares, summer programs, community groups, volunteers, and the Town of Torbay to deliver a wide range of conservation and environmental education activities, from planting 144 native trees to leading interactive wetland walks. |
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SAM Staff Logan and Willem with students of Holy Trinity Elementary before cleaning up The Gully, Torbay |
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One of the focuses was environmental education. We spent time with students at Holy Trinity Elementary, leading Grade 2 classes on an interpretive walk through the Torbay Gully Wetland. The students explored the wetland, learned about local wildlife and habitat, participated in a nature scavenger hunt, and helped clean up litter from the area. |
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Interpretive Walk in The Gully with Torbay Milestones Daycare |
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We also worked with Milestones Daycare, delivering several hands-on learning opportunities. At Watts Pond, we installed bird nest boxes with children while introducing them to local birds and wildlife habitat. We also led interpretive walks at the Doyles and Quigleys and Watts Pond locations, giving children an opportunity to explore wetlands and learn about the plants and animals that depend on them. |
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Interpretive Walk in The Gully with Torbay Milestones Daycare |
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Our summer work also included plenty of hands-on restoration. With the Torbay Conservation Corps NL Green Team, SAM helped remove an old wharf and clean up the area around Jones Pond, improving the site and surrounding aquatic habitat. We also partnered with MUNHope to plant 144 native trees along South Pond and in other areas. These trees will help restore the shoreline, improve riparian habitat, and contribute to the long-term health of the pond. |
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Another highlight was a very successful Community Tree Planting to celebrate National Tree Day on September 23rd at Woodbridge Park and Forest River Road. Grade 2 students from Holy Trinity Elementary joined SAM to help plant trees and contribute to habitat restoration in the community. The planting was followed by cupcakes and a BBQ to celebrate and recognize everyone’s hard work! |
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National Tree Day Tree Planting in Torbay with Holy Trinity Elementary |
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To support this outreach, SAM has developed several communication materials, including a project brochure and caution signs for the restoration areas. From classrooms and daycares to ponds, wetlands, and community spaces, our summer demonstrates what conservation looks like when people are given the opportunity to get outside in their own community. |
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SAM Staff Logan and Willem with students of Holy Trinity Elementary on an Interpretive Walk in The Gully, Torbay |
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Thank you to all of the students, educators, daycare staff, volunteers, Town of Torbay staff, MUNHope, the Green Team, community groups, and partners who helped make this summer such a success. SAM will continue to carry out restoration activities in the area this fall and into 2027 with the Town of York Harbour. |
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Planted tree saplings in The Gully, Torbay |
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And a special thank you to Logan for a summer of hard work, creativity, education, and stewardship! |
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Zooming In: Finding Hope in Local Conservation |
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Reflections with Willem, SAM’s East Coast Biologist |
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2026 marks my third summer as Conservation Biologist with SAM. Each year brings with it new places to visit, new people to meet, and new experiences to have. It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to travel this beautiful province, and after three years of working with communities to conserve, enhance, and restore some amazing wild spaces, I’ve come to realize it is also a privilege to be shown a perspective on the environmental challenges of our time that is divergent from what many are exposed to from popular information sources. |
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Willem touring Jean Lake in the Town of Wabush with Charlie, Town Manager and Gertie, Mayor |
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The perspective I am referring to is one of proactive initiatives, positive attitudes, and genuine care towards the natural world. Everywhere I go, from Grand Falls-Windsor to Torbay, from St. Lawrence to Labrador City, I meet with people, councils, staff, and organizations who have the ambition to protect the environment, the courage to stand up for it, and the will to do something about it. |
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In the environmental sciences, we talk a lot about the macro and micro scales. Macro is a zoomed-out, high-level assessment of a landscape. It is useful for a general understanding of the area. It can answer questions like: Is the area forested or is it farmland? Is it urban or rural? Are wetlands being lost or gained? Climate change, through its very nature as a global crisis, is often treated as a macro subject. Much of what you hear of it is general statements made to conform to the broadest possible interpretations of data while still remaining true. As a result, the statements can be as disheartening as they are vague. Are we losing wetlands? Strictly by the numbers, yes. Do greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise? Yes. But this doesn’t mean that we are powerless. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the environment, we need to enter the world I get to work in every day. The world comprised of the efforts of the motivated few. The world of the micro. |
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Bakeapples (Rubus chamaemorus) growing in Labrador |
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At a macro level, we continue to lose wetlands every year. It is a statement as true as it is discouraging. But in a more zoomed-in look, we can make a different statement. For example, according to the Ontario wetland policy, over 65% of wetlands in the province’s southern region have been lost due to agriculture and development. That’s at the macro level. At the micro level, 60% of those wetlands were already gone by the early 1980s. That means, thanks to modern conservation efforts, only 5% of Ontario’s southern wetlands have been lost in the last 40 years. This despite the tremendous increase in the region’s population in the intervening time. Now tell me that doesn’t change your perspective! |
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Crowberries (Empetrum sp.) growing in Labrador |
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Unfortunately, we do not have as much detailed information on NL’s wetlands to make similar statements (we’re working on that!), but we do have plenty of micro-level stories that inspire hope for a sustainable future. Significant and meaningful environmental conservation is being done by small groups, governments, and individuals all across the province. |
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In July, I met with residents and council members in the town of St. Lawrence, who are committed to ensuring what they currently have protected under a Habitat Conservation Agreement will remain so. I climbed the beautiful Cap Rouge headland and skirted the rugged coastal cliffs of Chamber Cove. The town has carved its identity from this beautiful landscape, from the Truxtun and Pollux naval disaster to the modern wonder of a proposed space port. My meeting with St. Lawrence residents made it clear that they are proactively seeking to maintain a balance between their economy and their environment. |
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Grand Falls-Windsor made a similar declaration of environmental commitment this summer, this one being heard across the country. SAM has been supporting efforts in our province to help the federal government reach its national goal of protecting 30% of our land and water by 2030. In an illustrative example of the macro vs. micro scale, municipal efforts have not often been historically recognized in the national accounting of environmental protection. The Canadian Protection and Conservation Areas Database (CPCAD) was created to bridge the macro and micro worlds of landscape protection. Now, previous municipal conservation efforts will be recognized alongside the ecological titans of our country. The Corduroy Brook Nature Trail in Grand Falls-Windsor is in the same database as Gros Morne, Kejimkujik, and Banff. |
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Corduroy Brook, Town of Grand Falls-Windsor |
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After all, intact habitat is intact habitat. A family of common goldeneye are just as dependent on a hectare of wetland in Corduroy Brook as a herd of caribou are on the entire Long Range Mountains landscape in Gros Morne. |
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By committing to the long-term protection of Corduroy Brook in 1998, Grand Falls-Windsor secured habitat for flora and fauna, recreational opportunities for residents, and now they are recognized nationally for their contribution to conservation. It is insights like these into the micro world of environmental efforts that give me hope for a sustainable future. Now, with CPCAD facilitating information flow from the macro to the micro, I hope these micro stories, these local stories, can grow in the public’s awareness and bring more hope and enthusiasm for our collective environmental future. |
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Willem chatting with residents of Bonavista at the Maker’s Market |
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I can write a dozen stories like the above from my travels during this summer alone. There are the efforts made in Bonavista to gain a better understanding of their wetlands and enhance their ecosystem services through planting and management. Communities in Labrador are helping to inform their residents of the ever-increasing threat of invasive species and are taking proactive steps in addressing the issue. In the Town of Gander. there are efforts to maintain and enhance the beautiful Thomas Howe Demonstration Forest and for increased environmental recreation and education in their community. There is certainly no shortage of inspiring people and beautiful places everywhere you look while travelling this amazing province. Sometimes all you need to do is adjust your focus, zoom into the micro, and see what’s happening in your own backyard. |
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For the best place to read about conservation efforts near you, check out our website. We have 57 member municipalities and counting, so chances are you will find a great story of conservation somewhere near you! SAM also works closely with and partners with local conservation entities. There are several environmental organizations in the province also working to protect our wild places. Local efforts like these are just as important in addressing the climate crisis as provincial and national initiatives. After all, what is the macro world if not just a series of micro worlds woven together in a harmonious tapestry? Together, we can reverse the worst impacts of the climate crisis, and we can do it one step, one wetland, one town, at a time. |
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Species of importance found within SAM’s Conservation Areas |
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The Wood duck (Aix sponsa) is one of North America’s most striking waterfowl and one of the most colourful ducks that can be encountered in NL. Males are especially distinctive, with iridescent green and purple plumage, a bold white pattern around the face, a red eye, and a long, swept-back crest. Females are more subtly coloured, with warm brown plumage, a white eye-ring, and a slightly raised crest. Unlike most ducks, Wood ducks are excellent climbers and are considered perching ducks, often resting in trees and nesting in tree cavities. |
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Wood ducks are closely associated with wooded wetlands, including beaver ponds, swamps, marshes, and small lakes surrounded by trees. They feed mostly on the surface of the water, eating seeds, fruits, aquatic plants, and small invertebrates. During the breeding season, females seek out natural tree cavities or abandoned woodpecker holes for nesting and can also make use of artificial nest boxes. After hatching, ducklings leave the nest cavity within a day or two and follow their mother to nearby water. |
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In NL, Wood ducks are considered an uncommon and irregular visitor. The province’s General Status of Wild Species Information lists the Wood Duck as Accidental in both Newfoundland and Labrador, reflecting its rarity and irregular occurrence in the province. Despite this, Wood ducks have been recorded in a variety of wetlands and coastal areas around the province, including the Grand Codroy Estuary, where they have been documented among the many waterfowl species that use this important wetland. |
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The Wood duck’s reliance on wooded wetlands makes the protection of these habitats especially important. Healthy wetlands provide feeding areas, shelter, and nesting opportunities, while mature trees and standing deadwood can provide the cavities these ducks need to raise their young. Protecting wetlands and maintaining the natural vegetation around ponds, rivers, and other waterbodies can benefit Wood ducks as well as many other species that depend on these habitats. |
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Wood ducks have been spotted in several areas throughout the province, including in St. John’s, Corner Brook, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Grand Falls-Windsor, Flatrock, Port Rexton, Carmanville, and Deer Lake, although sightings continue to remain relatively uncommon. For birdwatchers, spotting a colourful male Wood duck can be an especially exciting find. Continued stewardship of wetlands, wooded shorelines, and other natural habitats by municipalities, landowners, and conservation partners can help ensure that these remarkable ducks continue to have suitable places to stop, feed, and potentially breed in NL. |
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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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