by Chris Earley

These Arboretum residents have names that start with "P." Can you tell what they all are? A printable version is available by clicking here. The answers are available at the bottom of the newsletter.

by Jason Chan

These past four months, I was given the incredible privilege to work as the Summer Naturalist at The Arboretum alongside the Director of Education, Chris Earley, and Educational Intern, Alexandra Kocher. As the summer naturalist, my main responsibility was to plan, prepare and lead interpretive nature programs for summer camps, school groups and the general public.

Stepping onto 165 hectares of natural space every day and calling it my office was a blessing but it was also quite overwhelming. I felt completely undeserving of the title “naturalist” because I was probably the furthest thing from it - I barely knew my birds, my flowers, my trees… the only thing I had going for me was my ability to identify insects which I picked up during the Insect Diversity and Biology course I had taken during my final semester. But throughout the summer, I was very thankful to have been given a plethora of opportunities to learn and countless teachers and experts to learn from. We dabbled in topics which ranged from forest ecology, to bird banding, to spiders to everything and anything found in between.

With every workshop and every program I attended, my appreciation for nature began and continued to grow. There is something incredibly special about being able to know and identify the pieces that make up our natural surroundings. Just as we build personal relationships with others by learning their names and stories, each organism in our natural world has a name, a purpose, and a story to share. More than that, as one who comes from a Christian faith, to appreciate nature is to marvel in awe of God, His creation, and His marvelous works (Romans 1:20).

With that being said, I would really like to encourage you, the reader, to come and explore the natural world. Unplug from the digital world that we so often get caught up in, pause the Pokémon, and come discover and share the treasures and riches that a natural space such as The Arboretum has to offer. Ask questions, be observant, look for the “real Pokémon” that reside here and I assure you that you won’t be disappointed.

In short, I could not have thought of a better way to spend my summer. But with this season over and autumn on it’s way, I am delighted that The Arboretum has asked me to be their next educational intern this upcoming year. With so much more to learn, and valuable experiences ahead, I am eager to continue growing as a budding naturalist.

                          
                           Jason Chan

Veronica Stach, Volunteer, Recent U of G Grad

3 Things You Didn't Know About Fall

I know it happens every year, but it gets me everytime. That dreaded morning when we are greeted by a bold "September 1st" staring us in the face. We even do a double take, desperately hoping the summer's end is but a nightmare. False! You look out the window, feel the sun on your face and try to memorize what the warmth feels like, because in a mere 22 days, it'll all be over...and fall will take over.

But wait! Yes...summer was lovely, summer was great (especially if you had a chance to stop at The Arboretum), but there is no need to cry because although one lovely season has ended, the season finale has yet to come. I promise you, there is more to fall than pumpkin spice lattes, and cute wooly sweaters.

Fall, easily, could pass as the most romantic of seasons...forget about Valentine's Day and fall in love with autumn instead. Grab a partner in crime and head out for a stroll. Watch as the forest comes to life and bursts with spectacular colour. Of course, the forest is literally doing quite the opposite of "coming to life," yet nonetheless, we enjoy the symptoms of it's decay and celebrate that with death, comes rebirth. Here are three interesting facts you may not have known about fall, that you can show off with this season.

Why the Change in Colour?

Although the temperature begins to drop and the hours of daylight become scarce, this recipe is necessary for producing the lovely scenery you'll encounter while treading through The Arboretum. Leaves possess a green- tinted biomolecule called chlorophyll, responsible for capturing sunlight and making energy. During the spring and summer, the production of this biomolecule is in full bloom, and so the green pigment is the only one we see. As fall sets in, chlorophyll production in the leaves draws to a halt, allowing for the ever- present yellow and orange pigments (also known as carotenoids), to seep through. Pretty impressive if you ask me.

Whose Leafing This Fall?

Now, although fall has plenty to offer besides exceptional landscapes and pumpkin picking, there are some that would prefer to leaf and not hang around for the show. For many of the 207 bird species recorded in The Arboretum, autumn marks the start of a journey. Species like the Indigo Bunting, Blackpoll Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and Purple Finch migrate and fly long distances in search of warmer climates.

In a recent tracking study involving the University of Guelph's very own, Professor Ryan Norris, it was discovered that the Blackpoll Warbler can fly up to 2770 kilometers over the western Atlantic Ocean in three days! The little guy does this without stopping to take a break or grabbing a bite to eat! This is the first time a bird of this size has ever been recorded performing such a long overwater flight. Imagine that!

The Study was published in the journal "Biology Letters." Read a summary of the article at: http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/11/4/20141045.

Who Run the World...Squirrels!!

Ok, before you think fall couldn't get any cooler...(see what I did there), we must give an honourable mention to Guelph's favourite little creatures, and that's the squirrels. Right about now is when the frenzy begins. Squirrels can be seen frantically searching for and collecting acorns and other foods, very much like the crazed squirrel from the movie Ice Age with it's beloved acorn. However, contrary to popular belief, squirrels do not hibernate. Instead, these little critters spend most of their winter hiding from the harsh weather in the nests they built in autumn. When winter strikes, on several occasions, they will leave their nests, tunnel under the snow, and recover the food they had buried in the Fall. Looks like there won't be a shortage of squirrel sightings this winter!

Now that you are well equipped with some enlightening facts, grab a friend, head out for a hike, and surprise your partner with your breadth of knowledge. That should get you some brownie points!

A printable version of this article is available here.

The Annual Wall Custance Memorial Forest Dedication Service is on Sunday, September 18, 2016 at 2:30 p.m. For further information please contact the Wall Custance Funeral Home at 519-822-0051 or www.wallcustance.com.

Wall Custance Memorial Forest Dedication Service

Although it definitely doesn't look or feel like Christmas outside, it is time to think about booking your company's Christmas Party. The Arboretum is a perfect location for your Christmas party for groups up to 130 people. For further information please contact Dawn Ann Webster, Bookings Co-ordinator at extension 54110, [log in to unmask].

All catering is provided by Hospitality Services, University of Guelph. For further information on the catering please call extension 53350 or [log in to unmask].

Auditorium set up for a Christmas Party

Shrub Identification, Tree Identification, Fall Landscape Photography, Point and Shoots Basics Photography and Close up and Macro 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 now 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.

Early September means lots of returning northern birds, migrating butterflies and eager university students! The Wildlife Club visited again and we had a great time exploring Wild Goose Woods. At one point, we found a male orbweaver spider strumming on a big female's web to keep her calm so that he could mate with her. He then jumped away from the web quickly before she decided to make him her lunch. We are finally seeing a few Monarchs now after a summer of only having 3 or 4 sightings. This week we were able to capture one and tag it. We have started banding birds again and adding colour bands to our Black-capped Chickadees. Please report any sightings of these chickadees to us or directly to iNaturalist at https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/uog-arboretum-black-capped-chickadees.

Wildlife Club

  
Chickadee in Photographer's Grip           Tagged Monarch

                             
                              Winnie Yang, Biomed Student
                              with a Banded Chickadee

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]