Author Archives: admin

A misty walk at East Pine Island Pond on Canada Day 2023

Posted on July 5, 2023 by admin

Photos by Joshua Barss Donham and Rosa Barss Donham at East Pine Island Pond in the Purcells Cove Backlands on Canada Day

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Presumptive Exobasidium infestation on Black Huckleberry extends well beyond Osprey Trail area (Halifax Backlands) 5July2023

Posted on July 5, 2023 by admin

It took only 2 days following my initial post about this “mystery pest” on Black Huckleberry in the Osprey Trail area (McIntosh Run barrens) to document, courtesy of Joshua Barss Donham & Rosa Barss Donham & iNaturalist, occurrences of the … Continue reading →

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Fruit production by Black Huckleberry on the McIntosh Run barrens reduced by mystery pest 3Jul2023

Posted on July 3, 2023 by admin

The mystery pest appears to be the work of a fungus in the genus Exobasidium, a group of parasitic fungi.  While berry production in the area examined will certainly be reduced this year, it probably  won’t have serious longer term … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservation, Exobasidium | Comments Off on Fruit production by Black Huckleberry on the McIntosh Run barrens reduced by mystery pest 3Jul2023

Golden Heather in flower in the Backlands 30Jun2023

Posted on June 30, 2023 by admin

And some thoughts about what’s involved in keeping it around. By David Patriquin I have been observing Golden Heather (Hudsonia ericoides ) in flower in the Backlands over the last last 10 days or so. Golden Heather is hard to … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservation, Fire Ecology | Comments Off on Golden Heather in flower in the Backlands 30Jun2023

“Sharing the Care of Williams Lake” 12Jun2023

Posted on June 12, 2023 by admin

“At their Annual General Meeting, on Tuesday May 23 at the Captain William Spry Centre, WLCC directors showcased the impacts of the environmental projects they completed in the past year. Projects ranged from guides on invasive plant species, a series … Continue reading →

Posted in Community, Conservation, Watershed | Comments Off on “Sharing the Care of Williams Lake” 12Jun2023

Jack Pines are in flower in the Backlands (Halifax, NS) 30May2023

Posted on May 30, 2023 by admin

We generally don’t think of conifers or Gymnosperms as flowering and if you follow the strict definition of flowers as ‘the reproductive structures of Angiosperms – the flowering plants’, they do not. However conifers do produce the reproductive structures equivalent … Continue reading →

Posted in Fire Ecology, Nature Stuff | Comments Off on Jack Pines are in flower in the Backlands (Halifax, NS) 30May2023

Full year of citizen science water quality monitoring reveals episodic salt events in Governors Brook (Halifax, NS) 29May2023

Posted on May 29, 2023 by admin

Governors Brook, originating near Herring Cove Road, feeds into Colpitt Lake (unsettled), which in turn drains into the partially settled Williams Lake.* A study conducted in December of 2015 suggested that Governors Brook/Colpitt Lake is the major source of salt … Continue reading →

Posted in Lakes, Water Quality, Watershed | Comments Off on Full year of citizen science water quality monitoring reveals episodic salt events in Governors Brook (Halifax, NS) 29May2023

Fire-scarred white pines are a reminder that it’s Fire Season – especially in the Backlands (Halifax, NS) 19May2023

Posted on May 19, 2023 by admin

Contributed by David Patriquin Update May 28, 2023: Out-of-control fire in Upper Tantallon Area, All of HRM under Fire Ban. View The Coast ———- On the last weekend in April, I participated in two walks in the Backlands in which … Continue reading →

Posted in Fire Ecology, Recreation | Comments Off on Fire-scarred white pines are a reminder that it’s Fire Season – especially in the Backlands (Halifax, NS) 19May2023

Trout stocking of Williams Lake on May 30, 2023

Posted on May 5, 2023 by admin

Received today: “Trout Stocking of Williams Lake Cunard Pond Beach and Wyndrock Dr. May 30 at 10:00 a.m Williams Lake is a popular recreational sport fishing area.  The trout-truck from McGowan Lake Fish Hatchery will arrive at HRM’s Cunard Pond Beach … Continue reading →

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Sat Apr 29, 2023: NS Wild Flora Society hosting iNaturalist/City Nature Challenge hike on Osprey Trail (Halifax, NS)

Posted on April 25, 2023 by admin
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