by Chris Earley

Berries are an important wildlife food source. While some are invasive species that we would rather not have here, the birds don't seem to be too picky about which ones they eat! Do you recognize any of these colourful fruits? The answers are at the bottom of the newsletter.

by Ric Jordan

One of the most common misconceptions that the public has is that things begin to slow down for the grounds crew as winter approaches. While it is true that we are not out cutting grass or planting trees at this time of year, much is going on behind the scenes that visitors may not note. Sean and his crew are busy digging plants that we wish to plant out in collections or move to a new site in the spring. These plants are placed in the Cold Storage room at the RJ Hilton Centre and overwintered at a temperature around 4 degrees Celsius. This will keep them from breaking dormancy and allow us to extend our planting season in the spring.

SKOOT is also being applied to woodies in the fields and gardens that are attractive food for deer, rabbits and rodents over winter. This foul tasting mixture needs to be applied at temperatures above 4 degrees Celsius and be on the plants for a couple of hours to dry before rain. Finding these conditions this fall has proved challenging.

Both Lig and Sean co-ordinate ‘Seed Groups’ which are on the lookout for native plants with seeds that we wish to propagate. Once harvested they must be cleaned and stored in various manners appropriate to the species so they are viable for germination in the spring.

When time permits the crew have also been tackling a few areas heavily populated with European Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata), both unwanted and invasive species in our natural areas. For more information on invasive species a good publication can be found at: http://www.ontarioinvasiveplants.ca/files/GMI2012web.pdf

Buckthorn Removal
Photo by Sen Fox

by Ric Jordan

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting Beverley Borins, a leading collector and dealer of Inuit art, and showing her where we had installed ‘Sedna’, a white quartz sculpture which was part of a donation to the MacDonald Stewart Art Centre (see link below). In Inuit mythology she is the goddess of the sea and marine animals. Also on display in the Arboretum Centre foyer is a soapstone carving simply entitled ‘Whale’. http://www.guelphmercury.com/whatson/artsentertainment/article/530255--inuit-art-collector-gives-200-works-to-guelph

For those who wish to view Sedna she can be found looking across the open area of the OAC’56 Park in the Garden. Although not a marine setting which may have been more fitting we felt this site was appropriate for a goddess overlooking her realm. If these two pieces of Inuit art spark an interest then you may want to take in an exhibition of other pieces of Bev’s donation to MSAC until December 16, 2012. http://www.msac.ca/bone-stone-and-ivory-borins-collection-inuit-art


Bev Borins and Sedna 2

Looking for a great gift for the nature lover? We have a series of 5 booklets: Feeder Birds, Wildflowers, Mammals, Dragonflies and Summer Garden Birds. Each booklet is full colour and is $8. Details can be found on our website.

We also have a nature journal with a series of colour photos in the centre pages and lots of unique pages with leaf backgrounds for sketching or journaling. Each journal is $10.

Our Wildlife Crossings sign are 12" x 12", are available in 11 different designs and also make a great gift.

Gift certificates are also available for our workshops. Owl Prowls make a fabulous family outing or check out our other workshops.

To purchase these booklets, journals, signs or gift certificates please call ext. 52358 or e-mail us at [log in to unmask]. We would be happy to mail these out to you (a mailing fee may apply).

The Christmas season is almost here. If you haven't already booked your company Christmas party it is time to think about doing so. The Arboretum is a perfect location for your staff function. We can accommodate up to 150 people for lunches or dinners with a picturesque view of The Arboretum grounds. For further information please contact Barb Watson – Ash, Marketing and Bookings Co-ordinator at extension 54110, [log in to unmask] or check out our website. All catering is provided by Hospitality Services, University of Guelph. For further information on the catering please call extension 53350 or e-mail [log in to unmask].

The Owl, Animal Tracking, Winter Landscapes Photography and Owl Prowl workshops are all 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.

For further information and / or to register please call at 519-824-4120 ext. 52358 or [log in to unmask]. Please note 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.

Winter seems to be sticking its icy fingers into The Arboretum recently. Soon its full grasp will be upon us! But the local wildlife species are ready and able to survive this challenging season. For example, our Song Sparrows and Eastern Bluebirds have gone farther south but are being replaced by many birds from farther north. Two owl species not commonly seen here have been found by different undergraduate students who were out for a walk from the main campus. One, a Northern Saw-whet Owl, had its position revealed by some chickadees that were mobbing it. The other, a Barred Owl, has been seen by a few people as they hike through Wild Goose Woods. Other birds include Bohemian Waxwings, Fox Sparrows and a Northern Shrike. We also have one report of a late Yellow-rumped Warbler that was seen in the Gosling Wildlife Gardens. A beaver is making itself known at Wild Goose Woods Pond by leaving some nearby aspen trees in a horizontal rather than a vertical position. As well, Leaf-footed Bugs are doing their best to sneak into The Arboretum Centre so they can spend the winter inside. We will hopefully have some snow soon so we can see the tracks and goings on of other Arboretum animals.

 
Barred Owl                                          Saw-Whet Owl
photo by James Telford                        photo by Chris Earley

                            
                             Tree that beaver chewed
                             Photo by Chris Earley

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 The BetterPlanet Project site! Follow these easy steps:

• Follow this link http://www.thebetterplanetproject.ca/bpp_donate_2.html
• Choose your type of gift "-One-time gift-", "-Sustaining gift-", or "-Tribute Giving-"
• On the drop down menu "-Choose a Program-" select Arboretum" and fill in the amount of your donation
• Click Calculate
• Fill in your personal information

It's that easy!

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]

Please identify The Arboretum as the focus of your donation. 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]