Now that we are seeing our big yellow sun so much again, this month we are looking at Arboretum life that has the word "yellow" in its name. Good luck! The answers are at the bottom of the newsletter and a printable version is available by clicking here.

It has been another busy month at The Arboretum. Spring is almost here and soon the grounds staff will be spending more time on the grounds.

Arboretum staff acted as instructors and judges at the recent OAC Horticultural Skills Competition for regional high school students. Arboretum staff also represented OAC at Canada Blooms in Toronto earlier this month.

Staff have been busy in the Henry Kock Propagation Centre propagating thousands of plants for a range of restoration and conservation projects that we're undertaking this year.

Plant records for all the oak specimens in the Arboretum collections were shared with BGCI (Botanic Gardens Conservation International) through participation in their ex situ survey. Find out more about this global information sharing platform at https://www.bgci.org/plant-conservation/exsitu/

Some other notable initiatives that we've recently been involved with include providing the Royal Ontario Museum with plant samples for an upcoming publication and sending seeds off to the National Tree Seed Centre for long-term conservation archiving.

We have a new exciting workshop coming up the weekend of May 27 and 28. It is a 2 full days of learning how to build a stone wall with field stones. Participants will be building a wall here on the grounds. Check out our website for more information or to register.

College Royal here at The University was this past weekend. Jason, Alex and some of our volunteers represented The Arboretum at our tables set up in the Plant Ag building. They enjoyed talking with the many visitors that stopped by.

Dawn Ann our Bookings Co-ordinator has been busy booking weddings as well as meetings etc. We have two great locations for wedding ceremonies as well as the building for receptions. If you are looking for somewhere to hold a wedding please contact Dawn Ann ([log in to unmask] or 519-824-4120 ext. 54110). Both the West Lawn and the Conifer Site are fabulous green locations for your wedding ceremony.

The calendar says Spring is here. The grounds will are open everyday so please take the time to come and enjoy them. If you are free Wednesday at 12:15 p.m. join Jason for his walk beginning at the kiosk.

by Aron Fazekas, Curator

Looking out the window this morning on this last day of February, one might be forgiven for thinking that spring is just around the corner. The recent spell of warm weather certainly seemed to brighten people’s spirits and I even saw some students around campus in shorts. I also overheard some people talking about the warm days and relating it climate change.

Although the two are clearly related, confusing ‘weather’ and ‘climate’ is unfortunately a common occurrence, as is using individual weather events to make generalized statements about climate. The two terms are different in scale – across time and in geographical area. ‘Weather’ relates to what happens in the atmosphere in the short term – on the scale of minutes to weeks – and is usually discussed in a local or regional context. ‘Climate’ on the other hand is based on long-term averages – years to centuries – and often (although not always) in a larger geographical context.

Thinking about the recent unusually warm weather made me wonder just how unusual was it? Looking at information on the Environment Canada website, I found that record high temperatures were recently observed on several days, with February 23rd the warmest ever recorded at almost 18° C. Spring weather indeed, but the forecast is a return to more ‘normal’ temperatures – so while yes, spring is coming, it’s probably not quite here yet.

Curious about longer-term comparisons (thinking climate now), I continued looking through the websites of Environment Canada and NOAA (the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), to find that February 2017 was actually the warmest February on record, and that 2016 was so far the warmest year on record. One warm month, or even breaking the record for the warmest year, may by itself not mean too much. But looking at the annual temperature records, 2014, 2015 and 2016 were each record breaking years in succession. It’s these sorts of increasing and extreme weather events that are disconcerting.

When considering related data, including the effects on species, glacier erosion, etc, scientists are increasingly alarmed about climate change - even though we know that the climate has undergone many fluctuations in the past. For example it wasn’t even that long ago (~12,500 years) that the Laurentide ice sheet, which once completely covered our part of the world, had melted, re-exposing land for colonization. The ice sheet retreated northward, the climate warmed, and over millennia, plants and animals were able to advance northward as well. So the present day concern about climate is not just that it’s changing again, it’s the pace of change that is the issue. It’s unprecedented.

The worry is that organisms – especially those with long generation times – and the ecosystems they are part of will not be able to readily adapt to the pace of change. And that affects us, the human organisms who rely on those healthy, functioning ecosystems.

Trees are such organisms, and they are the backbone of Ontario’s forests, and one of our major natural resources. They can live for 100 to 300 years and more. Understanding and predicting how our climate is changing and how it will affect our forests is the focus of many scientists. One important challenge relates to determining best practices for transferring seed. Most populations of tree species are well adapted to the local conditions they are growing in. And it’s been well known for a long time that moving seed that originated from one population too far north or south can have consequences to the survival, growth and health of the seedlings. Tree seed zones were developed to guide people – they are delineations of geographic areas within which you can plant seed collected from the same zone and expect the new trees to do well.

These tree seed zones in Ontario have been well established but we now must factor in a rapidly changing climate. This is critically important for our long-lived tree species that can’t up and move when the climate is no longer optimal for growth, no longer supports the necessary pollinators or no longer keeps damaging insect populations in check. Being able to predict the best places to collect seed for the future climate of a particular site is an ongoing effort within Natural Resources Canada and organizations such as the Forest Gene Conservation Association.

A tool we can use to help us select and move seed to adapt to a changing climate is gene banking. Past newsletters and other articles have talked about the gene banks at The Arboretum. These are living collections of individual trees from different populations of many of the rarer tree species in Ontario. A main motivation for establishing the gene banks in the 1970’s was to conserve or archive the genetic diversity of these species that was being eroded due to urbanization and intensifying agriculture. As the trees in our gene banks begin to mature they produce seed whose particular source is well known. This means some of that seed may be used strategically to establish sites north of the original collection location in anticipation of the future climate there. This process of intentionally and strategically moving seed of known source to a different zone is known as assisted migration – recognizing that most tree species will not be able to move as quickly as the climate is changing (I’ll talk about assisted migration more in a future article).

With the challenges of a rapidly changing climate, The Arboretum’s gene banks take on an even greater importance in helping preserve genetic diversity for the establishment of future forests, and we are continually adding new individuals and new species - archiving genetic material that will support the forests of tomorrow.

A printable version of this newsletter is available by clicking here.

by Jason Chan, Interpretive Naturalist Intern

Normally after a brutal, harsh and cold winter (which we didn’t really seem to have this year), the sights and sounds of the well known American Robin (Turdus migratorius) delights us as it symbolizes that spring is on its way. But this past winter, you may have noticed that flocks of robins have been making their way around town. Even here at The Arboretum we’ve been home to a flock of a few dozen, if not more, during the chilly months. Have we been fooled? Are they still reliable as an indicator of spring? Will spring ever come?

Now maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but there’s much to learn from the common bird which so often is neglected or deemed as “boring”. First, we have to give some credit to the robin for being one of the few species that has successfully thrived in urban and developing areas.

At the same time, our red-breasted friends also give us some insight to their lives when they leave just before the winter months. Like many of the birds we’re familiar with, robins usually migrate south, and food abundance is the reason behind this phenomenon. Canadian winters are harsh, and food sources become scarce, so it only makes sense to move to a place where more food is available to sustain oneself. So why do we see them occasionally in the winter, like we did this year? The reason is the same: the abundance of food. If an individual has found a place with sufficient food to keep them alive and warm, then there’s no need to spend all that energy flying south.

You may also notice some other changes in their life history. Whilst robins are staying put for the winter, their diet also changes with the seasons. In the spring, we’re used to seeing robins forage on the ground for earthworms and other invertebrates. But in the winter time, worms are deep in the ground, buried under the snow, and so, the robins turn to fruit. Crabapples, bittersweet, and buckthorn berries are quickly devoured, especially when they’re in their flocks of dozens, hundreds, and potentially even thousands.

These large flocks also reveal another aspect to the life history of this North American thrush. Take a moment to pause and see if you can remember if you’ve ever noticed flocks of robins in the springtime? My guess is that you haven’t. As it turns out, robins, among other birds, separate and disperse from their flock in the springtime, becoming territorial for mating and offspring-rearing season. Why exactly they come together in the winter has not been confirmed, but perhaps it’s protection in numbers, or an increased efficiency in foraging? We may not know, but we can be sure that there must be an adaptive reason behind their flocking, and it isn’t just due to the lack of territoriality.

Wouldn’t you agree that the American Robin is brilliant? As Aristotle once said, “we ought not childishly neglect the study of the meaner animals because there is something wonderful in all nature. We ought to investigate all sorts of animals because all of them will reveal something of nature and something of beauty.” I encourage you to marvel and be amazed by the next American Robin you come across. In fact, in a few short weeks, if not already, the chirps we know and love will be greeting us every morning from lawn to lawn and yard to yard - spring is upon us!

A printable version of this article is available by clicking here.

by Jason Chan, Interpretive Naturalist Intern

I would like to think of myself as an organized person. I love making lists, I like when everything is in its place, and I like planning out my day and its activities - it’s a delight to have order in my life. This organization clearly seems to have transferred to how I plan for the different educational programs I lead here at The Arboretum as the Interpretive Naturalist. From my summer Wednesday Night Walks, to the after-school Junior Naturalists programs we offer; I’m planning, brainstorming ideas, and making handouts weeks (even months) ahead of time. Oh the wonders of organization!

But when it came to the Wednesday Noon Hour Walks that are new this year, I was given the task and responsibility to lead unplanned, spontaneous, and unscripted walks for whoever decides to come out. This was incredibly uncomfortable for me because it went against how I worked and how I was wired, but I knew it was a positive challenge for me to learn how to think on my feet and to be more confident in my capabilities. One thing I’ve learnt is that it is only in uncomfortable and challenging situations that we grow.

The aim (and this has pretty much become the slogan) of the walk from the angle of the participants is “getting off the Promenade”; you know, that main road that everyone walks through? Now, there’s nothing wrong with the Promenade, but our hope is that these walks would help you explore and discover all The Arboretum has to offer, from our old growth forests, to the vast diversity of fauna and flora, to our conservation efforts.

It’s mid March now, and two-thirds of the walks will be over, but my initial discomfort from these walks has quickly become an ever-increasing joy. It’s always a pleasure to see the regulars again, and a pleasure to welcome newcomers to The Arboretum. Together we’ve delved into The Arboretum’s past and it’s origins, we’ve spotted signs and marks left by the largest woodpecker in the area, the Pileated Woodpecker, poked at some unknown scat, investigated turkey tracks, learnt how to identify some trees in the winter, and familiarized ourselves with The Arboretum porcupine.

We still have just over a month’s worth of walks left, and I hope you’ll come out and join us! Whether if it’s to walk the dog, get some exercise, or explore the natural world, The Arboretum awaits! With nature being unpredictable and unexpected, who knows what we’ll find the next time we go for a walk into the woods - unscripted.

inserted photos by Alan Watson

We like to share information and photos. If you would like to see more from us then please check out our Facebook, Flickr Twitter and YouTube. You can go directly to each of the sites by clicking on the corresponding word above.

Spring is just around the corner and we can both outfit you for Spring and provide you with tools to get out and enjoy nature. We have t-shirts, hats, biodiversity sheets, booklets and journals. Check them out on our website.

Arboretum Staff

Warbler I and II (book both and receive a discount), Introduction to Birds and Black and White Photography workshops are approaching. The dates and registration deadlines can be found in our Coming Events listing in the column on the left side of this newsletter. A detailed description of each course is available on our website. Help us promote our programs… please forward this e-mail on to your friends and colleagues who may be interested. The more participants we have, the more programs we can offer.

Registering early is important for us because we need lead time to decide if there are enough people registered to run the workshop or not. To encourage registering before the deadline, we have an Early Bird Fee. You can still register after the deadline, but it will cost an extra $10, so why not register early?

Registration is available on-line, which allows you to register for our programs at anytime, not just during our regular business hours. A secure link is provided on our website for this easy registration process.

If you do not have internet access, registration can still be made by phone or in person at 519-824-4120 ext. 52358 as in the past. Please remember that a decision is made on the registration deadline as to whether the workshop will run or not, based on the minimum number of required registrants. You may still register after the deadline as long as the workshop is running and there is space.

Spring seems to be early, but we are not complaining! Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles are showing up and the Northern Cardinals are singing up a storm. The Canada Geese are now pairing up so you might see them standing on or beside one of our ponds getting ready to nest. Jason and Alexandra, our incredible interpretive naturalist interns, saw a Bald Eagle and some swans fly overhead recently, too. Snowdrops are blooming and Alexandra found our first caterpillar, a Virginia Ctenucha. Our docent crew noticed some buds starting to really swell, too!

  
Canada Geese                                         Sunset on Arboretum Grounds
photo by Brenda Doherty                           photo by Chris Earley

                           
                           Red Winged Blackbird
                           photo by Chris Earley

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Be a part of the BetterPlanet Project by donating on-line:

Your donation can be directed to The Arboretum online through the secure University of Guelph donation page: http://uofg.convio.net/arboretum

If you prefer not to make an online donation, there are several other ways to provide your financial support. You can choose to donate by telephone, mail, fax, or in person:

UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH Attention Alumni Affairs 50 Stone Road East Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1 Tel: 1-888-266-3108 ext. 56934 Tel: 519-824-4120 ext. 56934 Fax: 519-822-2670 Email: [log in to unmask]

If you would like information on bequests and planned giving to The Arboretum please contact:

Ross Butler
Director, Gift Planning
at (519) 824-4120 ext. 56196 or by e-mail at [log in to unmask]