NCC Magazine: Winter 2022

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BOOTS ON THE TRAIL Stony Mountain Prairie Preserve Large yellow lady’s slipper French St See some of Manitoba’s prairie gems at this property located close to Winnipeg The Stony Mountain Prairie Preserve is located on the top of the Stony Mountain escarpment. The preserve features a unique oasis of grasses and flowers common to the native tall grass and mixed-grass prairies that once covered the region. Just a 20-minute drive north of Winnipeg, within the town of Stony Mountain, this unique site is situated on limestone bedrock and features a valuable remnant of native prairie. N From the preserve, visitors can explore five kilometres of easy recreational trails on a network connecting this scenic prairie habitat and naturally reclaimed limestone quarries. In spring and summer, watch for pollinators visiting the prairie crocuses, lilies and nectar plants that share this space. Visitors are asked to clean their boots after a visit, as this site also has invasive leafy spurge growing in several places. In winter, wandering the trail on snowshoes makes for a perfect nature break. No matter the season, this local treasure has something special to offer. STAY SAFE Please stay safe and respect physical distancing and local health directives when visiting NCC properties. For more information, visit natureconservancy.ca/stonymountain.ca.1 Wood lily LEGEND --- Boundary --- Trail PLANTS TO SPOT • wood lily • big bluestem • hazelnut • blue grama grass • milkweed • wild bergamot • large yellow lady’s slipper • prairie crocus Wild bergamot ROBERT MCCAW; NCC; ROBERT MCCAW. MAP: JACQUES PERRAULT. 6 WINTER 2022 natureconservancy.ca
ACTIVITY CORNER BACKPACK ESSENTIALS Spring cleaning Get your yard ready for spring ILLUSTRATION: ASHLEY BARRON. PHOTO: GENEVIÈVE LESIEUR. INSET: ISTOCK. Whether you have a modest garden or a few hectares of property, you can help protect nature at home. From planning the upcoming gardening season to preparing seeds for sowing, there’s much to do, even when nature seems dormant and at rest. Cleaning up your garden for spring can revitalize the look of your yard. It can also help the plants and animals in your garden, for example, by giving insects a place to safely overwinter. Here are a few tips from NCC stewardship staff on prepping your garden for spring: 1. Prune small shrubs and trees to maintain good form and vigour. 2. Clear away stalks of perennials that provided shelter and seeds to wildlife over the winter months. Trim plants with hollow stems to varying heights to attract cavity-nesting insects. 3. Divide and transplant perennials that bloomed the previous fall. Moving them while they’re dormant can minimize stress on the plants. 4. Rake lawns later in spring when temperatures reach 10 C consistently for 10 days. Do so gently to ensure you don’t disturb any caterpillars, cocoons and chrysalids. 5. Learn about which plants are native to your area and find out how you can incorporate these species into your garden. Bonus (if you have feeders and nest boxes): sanitize feeders, bird baths and nest boxes to minimize the risk of parasites and disease for feathery visitors. 10X François Duclos gets up close and personal with nature, using his geology loupe The moment you step into your first geology class, you adopt a new staple item that never leaves your backpack: the 10X magnifier. Geologists use magnifiers to help identify rocks, minerals and fossils, which often only reveal their true identity when looked at under the magnifier lens. My career has since taken a very different path, but the magnifier has never left my bag. Nowadays, whether I’m taking a stroll on a pebble beach on the Gaspé Peninsula, or hiking up a volcano in Central America, I can’t resist the urge to explore the world beneath my feet. This world includes fungi, lichens, insects and even snowflakes, which all offer amazing spectacles barely visible to the naked eye. It sometimes feels a little awkward to kneel and look through a magnifier while other hikers are standing and looking up through their binoculars. Next time we meet, let’s take a minute and show each other the world through our respective lenses!1 natureconservancy.ca WINTER 2022 7
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NCC Magazine: Winter 2022

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