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JUNE 27, 2013
 Irreplaceable ecosytem at Wolf Lake: scientific report

Loss of an "irreplacable ecosystem" at Wolf Lake would threaten Canada's biodiversity, says a new report.

"We don't have a very good understanding of the biodiversity that is there," University of Guelph scientist Madhur Anand, and lead author, said on CBC Radio. "We won't know what we've lost until it's gone."

Wolf Lake sits on a "climatically sensitive area" between the Great Lakes Forest and the Boreal Forest. It's a "real treasure of scientific knowledge."

Wolf Lake has been the focus of controversial mining in the old-growth red pine forest that the province committed to protecting in a park, but has failed to act.

The report was published in the scientific journal Biodiversity and Conservation. This is the second scientific report supporting Wolf's preservation.

   EXTERNAL WEBSITE:  CBC Radio interview

                                Video: CTV News report

  BACKGROUND:  210 species found

JUNE 21, 2013
Bass spawning delayed, stay clear of nests

"Bass season opens this weekend and I'm trying to encourage anglers to stay clear of the nests," Mike Drenth of Fish Temagami says in an email.  "We need to leave the bass that are guarding the young so we have more for the future."

Drenth's concern is precipitated by the weather. “Due to the late, cold spring many of the smallmouth bass just came up to spawn around mid-June."

 VIDEO:  Bass spawning by Mike Drenth

JUNE 14, 2013
Scientists find 210 species at Wolf Lake

A team of scientists identified 210 species at Wolf Lake, including two bird species at risk. The Wolf Lake old-growth red pine forest, the largest survivor in the world, is threatened by mining, a focus of public opposition.

“We strongly urge that no further industrial disturbance be permitted to this ecosystem," said old-growth expert Peter Quinby.

“Any further industrial disturbance risks degrading the scientific value of this irreplaceable ecosystem before we have uncovered its storehouse of ecological information.”

During the study conducted last year, scientists found a high diversity of lichens and extraordinary red pine regeneration, turning conventional wisdom on its head.

Among the species found were 47 lichens, 84 plants, 6 aquatic invertebrates, 10 reptiles and amphibians, 60 breeding birds, and at-risk Canada warbler and common nighthawk.

EXTERNAL WEBSITE:  Wolf Lake Coalition

JUNE 14, 2013
Smoke advisory today

MNR issued an advisory today on smoke from Quebec wildfires.

JUNE 13, 2013
Temagami's "Discovery channel" on Sharp Rock

Harold Keevil produced a captivating time-lapse video of wildlife on a pond off Sharp Rock Inlet. He used a remote camera, placed on a wildlife trail, that was triggered by a motion detector during the day and a heat sensor at night.

 VIDEO:  Trail cam 

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