2024 Spring AGM Hosted by the
Town of Grand Falls-Windsor |
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Thank you to the Town of Grand Falls-Windsor's municipal staff, Mayor Barry Manuel, and Town Councillors for being such amazing hosts for our 2024 Spring AGM! We are grateful for all your efforts in organizing and delivering such a productive AGM. Your support and participation in the event was incredibly appreciated. From the community outings exploring the Corduroy Brook Conservation Area and the Exploits River, to the captivating municipal conservation engagement, and stimulating takeaways and ideas. We would also like to extend our thanks to each of the municipal representatives for coming and participating in the events throughout the weekend. Your participation strengthens SAM as an organization, and continues the connections we all share in conservation. |
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We would like to specifically recognize the efforts below who helped contribute: - Mayor Barry Manuel and Staff for the Town of Grand Falls-Windsor Rod Drake, Todd Mercer, and Angela Dawe for organizing;
- Corduroy Brook Nature Centre and Trails, Riley Henniffent, their Environmental Technician, and the rest of the staff for hosting the Meet and Greet, AGM and Networking Dinner; and,
- Town of Grand Falls Fire Department for the delicious breakfast on Sunday morning.
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 | | Pictured (L-R): Riley (CB's Environmental Technician), Zach (SAM's Executive Director), Heidi (SAM's Chair of the Board), and Barry (CB's Executive Director) |
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A Change to the SAM Fall Meetings |
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A reminder that this fall, SAM is changing its meeting structure and format; our previous Fall Business Meetings will now be Fall Regional Meetings. The 2024 Fall Regional Meeting dates and locations are still being finalized, and will be announced via social media and the next SAM newsletter, with formal invitations to follow. |
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SAM's new Fall Regional Meetings are an opportunity for communities to showcase their involvement and implementation of their habitat stewardship agreement and share their future hopes and dreams for conservation and stewardship in the area, to a room full of supporting and interested community partners located within their Region (East, Central, and West/Labrador). It is also a chance to become inspired by work being done in other municipalities and bring those ideas back to your community. There will be an opportunity for discussion on a regional topic of interest, hoping to generate ideas and actions that should forward the conservation mandate of many towns. We encourage participating in discussion as the true strength of any stewardship agreement is community engagement. |
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SAM 2024 Student Scholarship Winner! |
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Tori grew up in the Town of Bishops Falls and has always had a deep interest in the environment. She spent most of her summers going back and forth to their family cabin in Phillip's Head, where there was always an abundance of sea life. Tori enjoys many outdoor hobbies including hiking, kayaking, camping, and salmon fishing with her dad, and has recently picked up bird watching. While completing her Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Memorial University, Newfoundland and Labrador (MUN), she took a MUCEP job with Dr. Bill Montevecchi. One day he brought in some stranded Leach's Storm-Petrels (Hydrobates leucorhous) to hold and feed before releasing them that evening back into the wild. This instilled a need in Tori to be involved in seabird conservation. Tori is currently working on finishing her Master of Science in Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology (Animal Behaviour) at MUN under the supervision of Dr. Montevecchi. She would like to continue working on animal conservation in her home province as it is so rich with wildlife. |
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Tori's research is on widespread reduction of coastal Artificial light at night (ALAN) as a conservation strategy, especially during avian fledging and migration periods. ALAN threatens many species of nocturnally active marine birds worldwide including Leach's Storm-Petrel, a small burrow nesting seabird which breeds off the coast of NL. The Leach's Storm-Petrel population is declining, and they have been listed as “Vulnerable” by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife (COSEWIC) in Canada and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. These birds are prone to getting stranded on land (grounded and having difficulty taking off), assumedly due to ALAN, which exposes it to risks including collisions, predation, starvation, and dehydration. In the Town of Bay de Verde there is a brightly illuminated seafood processing plant that has become a Leach's Storm-Petrel stranding hotspot. Collaborating with the Quinlan Brothers Ltd seafood processing plant staff, Tori's research has indicated that even partial light reductions can be effective in mitigating seabird strandings. This research provides evidence to support the implementation of widespread reduction of coastal ALAN as a conservation strategy, especially during avian fledging and migration periods. |
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Conservation Corps NL (CCNL) is excited to announce the beginning of it’s 32nd Green Team season! This summer, CCNL is looking forward to working alongside over 26 Community Partners across the province to provide ~100 youth with meaningful employment and skill development opportunities in a supportive team setting. Green Teams focus on environmental and cultural conservation projects developed in collaboration with partners to support local conservation activities that meet self determined needs to serve communities across the province! Be sure to say “Hello” if you notice a Green Team in your community this summer! |
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SAM works with several organizations across NL, including CCNL. SAM assists municipalities with applying for summer Green Teams, as well as providing assistance and in-field training. We are looking forward to another year of working with CCNL Green Teams this summer! If your municipality is interested in applying for a CCNL Green Team next summer, reach out! |
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Natalie, SAM's new West Coast Biologist, was born and raised in Western Newfoundland and spent her childhood caring for a flock of chickens and enjoying the natural splendour of Gros Morne National Park in her backyard. Pursuing her academic interests, she earned a Master of Science degree, specializing in boreal ecosystem conservation. In her free time, Natalie enjoys hiking and indulging her artistic side with activities from drawing to crafting miniatures. Her life is a balance of academic pursuit and creative expression, all inspired by her deep connection to nature. Since starting in March, she has been actively involved, including participating in various shorebird and species-at-risk surveys ( Bank Swallow and Piping Plover), in collaboration with our organizational partners. When asked about her time with SAM so far, Natalie says "This role has been incredibly fulfilling, allowing me to combine my love for the outdoors with my passion for conservation and community education. Every day brings something different, and I’m committed to spreading awareness about the importance of environmental stewardship within our province!" |
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 | | SAM West Coast Biologist, Natalie |
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Willem, SAM's new East Coast Biologist, grew up on the island of Newfoundland with a view of the ocean and a backyard that bordered the East Coast Trail (ECT). As a child, he would hike the ECT every weekend with his family. An appreciation for the beauty and wildness of this province steadily grew and matured as he did. As an adult, Willem pursued an education in geography, biology, and natural resource management. He has professional experience with environmental NGOs, Parks Canada, and municipal governments on environmental conservation and stewardship, and during his free time Willem loves to cross-country ski, write, and eat lunch in panoramic places. From previously monitoring air quality, marine microplastics, and boreal forests, Willem has spent his fledging career monitoring the health of the environment and its ecosystems. Now with SAM, Willem has travelled across eastern Newfoundland, meeting with several environmentally conscious municipal councils, hiking beautiful municipal trails, and, on one memorable day, hanging out with industrious Atlantic puffins. He says "I am excited to see what the rest of the summer brings and I intend to continue to encourage stewardship in as many residents of Newfoundland and Labrador as possible!" |
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 | | SAM East Coast Biologist, Willem |
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Geocaching is an easy and affordable (sometimes free!) way to promote stewardship in your community by getting outside. Geocaching is a global treasure hunt - cachers (those who hunt for Geocaches) sign-up either online at www.geocaching.com or on the Geocaching App and search their area for hidden objects (registered Geocaches) that are logged on a map. These Geocaches can be located anywhere in the natural environment, from certain important areas like look-out points, walking trails or historical monuments, to a simple hollow log. Typically they share information about the the point of interest. |
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 | | Traditional Geocache |
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Last year, SAM established several new Earth Caches. One of which is located in the Town of Harbour Grace - within hours of it being published it was already logged by a Cacher! Our Earth Cache's in the Towns of Gander and Gambo are also very popular, seeing hundreds of visitors a year. If you'd like to have SAM establish an Earth Cache in your town - reach out! |
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Aquatic Conservation Initiative and Nature NL Collaboration Project |
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 | | Tidal Flats |
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This project will span three rural communities on the eastern coast of the island of Newfoundland, including the Towns of Bonavista, Swift Current, and St. Shott's. The team at ACI will lead in water quality sampling, assessment of wetland ecosystem services (WESP), study of American eel and Salmonid habitat, and inventory of flora and fauna across these field sites. |
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 | | Bakeapple/Cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus) |
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Alongside their work, Nature NL will lead community outreach and education events highlighting the importance of wetland environments. Nature NL will host BioBlitz and Nature Walk events in: You can register to attend any of these events by clicking the links to each Facebook event above and filling out the Google Registration Form linked in the event. These events are open to all ages and nature experience levels! |
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 | | Field Work in "The Fork" |
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Stay up to date on this project by following their social media pages: |
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Species of importance found within SAM’s Conservation Areas |
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The Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) is a small migratory bird, distinguished by its slender body, brown upperparts, and white underparts with a distinctive dark breast band. It also features a notched tail and narrow, pointed wings, which aid in its agile flight. This bird thrives in open habitats near water bodies, such as rivers, lakes, and coastal regions. Bank Swallows are colonial nesters, excavating nesting tunnels into the vertical faces of sandy or gravelly banks, a behavior that has earned them their name. These birds primarily feed on insects, catching them mid-flight with remarkable skill as they swoop and dart over fields and water bodies. |
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In Newfoundland, the island’s diverse coastlines with its cliffs and banks provides ideal nesting sites. Colonies of Bank Swallows are commonly located along riverbanks, coastal areas, and occasionally in sand or gravel pits. These areas are crucial for the birds and also serve as indicators of environmental health, as Bank Swallows are sensitive to habitat changes. Conservation efforts in Newfoundland have been vital in preserving these habitats, ensuring the survival of Bank Swallows amidst threats such as habitat loss and climate change. |
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Bank Swallows are widespread across the province, predominantly nesting along the western and southwestern coasts of Newfoundland and on the Avalon Peninsula. Notable locations where these birds can be observed include SAM Conservation Areas in Channel-Port aux Basques, Grand Codroy Estuary, St. George’s, Stephenville Crossing, Deer Lake, Port au Choix, Forteau, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, and Labrador City. Conservation initiatives in these regions help safeguard the habitats essential for the survival of Bank Swallows, enabling them to continue their vital ecological roles. |
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Reflection: A Sense of Stewardship |
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Written by SAM's East Coast Biologist, Willem |
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As a child of about 12, my family gifted my father a long, lightweight red metal tube for his birthday. Its purpose at first glance was a mystery, and my brother and I took particular delight in watching our father puzzle out what exactly it was he received. Was it a piece of a larger whole that could not fit in a neatly wrapped gift box? Was it a poster tube that contained a picture of an interest of his was rolled up inside - like a tractor, or a band from the 80s? |
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As my father unscrewed the top and took out the contents that rattled inside like utensils in a sticky drawer, he revealed the key to the objects purpose - a long saw-toothed length of thin steel. What we had gifted our father was in fact a lightweight travelling saw - one you could safely carry long distances without fear of accidental lacerations and then assemble at the work site, the pieces inside the tube forming a bow-shaped hand saw reminiscent of those old pictures of lumberjacks, with their plaid shirts, grizzly beards, and sun-beaten skin. |
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Our gift to my father would allow him to fulfill a vow he had declared early that year, like a knight errant declaring a quest. He swore to clear windfall and other obstacles from far-flung sections of the expansive and rugged East Coast Trail, and this portable saw would give him the ability to fulfil his oath. The east coast trail was and still is a large part of my family's life. Growing up, we would drive to a different section almost every weekend from our home in Torbay and take in the breathtaking beauty of nature, together as a family. These cherished and formative moments inspired within all of us a sense of stewardship for nature and all the biodiverse joy it had to offer. Listening to the sound of a White-throated Sparrow holding its long final note with perfect pitch, stealing a glimpse of coy fox, and witnessing the improbable flight of a 40-tonne humpback whale soaring for one glorious second above the waves made it easy to see that these untamed places along out province’s eastern shore had immense value. |
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My father keeping the access to these places open for his family and others to experience the value of nature is one example of exercising stewardship towards nature, and there are many others. Volunteering for environmental initiatives, writing to elected officials on the need to protect our natural areas, and teaching your family, friends, and the public the value of nature are all easy ways to act as stewards towards the natural world. Ensuring the continued integrity of nature in one’s backyard fosters positive growth as a person and as a community. The sense of pride and contentment that comes with acting as a steward is why SAM refers to is as an Ethic. Acting as a steward in any capacity—from participating in a beach cleanup to the signing of conservation documents—is a valuable and worthwhile endeavor and we here at SAM hope to continue to support that for years to come. |
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Did you know? You can follow SAM on a variety of Social Media Platforms! Check us out on Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter) @SAM_Stewardship |
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2024 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!
20 years since signed (2004)
Happy Valley-Goose Bay
St. John's
15 years since signed (2009)
Mary's Harbour
St. Lewis
Red Bay
Port au Choix
5 years since signed (2019)
Elliston |
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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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