The mallard duck has long been a component our club logo.
Ontario Streams Partnership with Mill Creek
July saw our first official outing with our new stream partners – Ontario Streams. Technologist Deborah Silver of Ontario Streams travelled to Orillia for this outing, as the TLCC were trained in stream analysis work. We first were given instructions on mapping techniques and then proceeded to map the fist 200 ft of Mill Creek starting from the Comfort Inn entranceway culverts. Distances, direction, contours, depth, soil/bottom composition, specific challenges and flora and fauna all get charted for future usage. The second segment of the stream study was to perform a Benthic Analysis at various spots along the stream bed. Specific nationally/internationally accepted collection techniques must be adhered to, to perform a proper collection. Once the sample(s) are collected the daunting task of identification of the species can begin.
The club members were quite astounded by the number (264) and variety of species (8) that were found within the total sample and then further by the number (170) and variety found in ONE spoonful of that same sample.
The next joint stream outing is scheduled for late August/ early September for electro-shocking identification. We are still awaiting any approval for our CFWIP funding to perform two other stream improvement tasks late this fall.
Thank you to our partners Ontario Streams and to their partners Trullium Foundation that make it possible for our club (and many others) to gain from the expertise of the Ontario Streams organization.
2012 Mariposa Folk Festival Waste Diversion
The Twin Lakes Conservation Club once again played a leading role in the MFF Waste Diversion program for the festival organizers.
There was a significant reduction again this year (over past years) of the ‘to landfill’ garbage. Each year (four festivals now) the amount of garbage has been reduced. Successful composting and recycling programs continue to pay huge dividends at this event for the community at large. There are still some gains possible from several areas within the event and even further reductions in garbage could be made achievable. The pictures tell the story for the 2012 waste diversion results. It is a very large job.
Muskie Restoration Project – MNR/Muskies Canada
April 30th, 2012 we again this year assisted the MNR staff with the Muskie Restoration Project.
In total – 2000 muskie yearlings were successfully released in the fall of 2011 throughout Lake Simcoe. This is a very good number of young fish to be able to successfully release and an incredible recovery and success from the 2010 disaster caused by infection. The 2012 project is just nicely underway under the guidance of Brent Shirley and Cliff VanKoughnett – MNR (staff) Fisheries Technicians/Biologists. All volunteers (like our club members) must be instructed in all safety protocols (including equipment and procedures) before leaving shore. Volunteers then receive a safety check of the MNR boat used for this project, again including all safety equipment location and procedures. All volunteers must also have a valid Boat Operator card and everyone involved out on the water must wear a full length floatation suit at all times. They apparently also have to be willing and able to endure the rigors of possible cold and wet weather and potential rough water conditions. Todays outing was abit cool and somewhat windy at times – but it was the ‘reward’ of having Mother Nature pelt you with hail that was a real bonus at the end of our morning on the water.
Budget cuts for 2012 will see the program cut short with staffing hours but the staff involved are optimistic of successfully finding 3 different family pairings and to be able to harvest about 15,000 to 20,000 eggs from each family pair.
This morning we checked and re-set all 6 MNR netting sites within Glouster Pool on the Trent Severn Waterway. All nets were functioning fine but we were not successful at capturing any muskie. Several very healthy communities of other fish species were recorded and released though, including: Large and Smallmouth Bass, Pumpkinseed (Sunfish), Pike, Black Crappie, Brown Bullhead (Mudcat) and Rock Bass. Along with these fish species there were several different sizes of Map Turtles which were also recorded and released. During the net checking this morning Cliff did see a very large Muskie travelling along the outside perimeter of one of the box nets. Always an encouraging sign if you are able to have the rare opportunity to see one of these incredible fish NOT actually in the nets. This hasn’t happened in the previous years of this project.
These two dedicated staff members are to be commended for their years of dedication and committment to this Muskie Program. Their reward becomes very obvious when you see and hear their excitement and feel the anticipation, as we position the boat at each subsequent box net. Their excitement about seeing that ‘first’ captured muskie is infectious for sure.
What an incredible experience to be able to share with these two.
Ontario Streams Stewardship Workshop – March 2012
Two members of the Twin Lakes Conservation Club will be attending this training workshop next week. This training will be very beneficial with our clubs on-going work on Mill Creek and its watershed areas. The workshop is being held Thursday March 29th in the evening and all day Saturday March 31st, 2012.
Welcome !
Welcome to the Twin Lakes Conservation Club website.
Here you will find sufficient (but not all) information about our ‘small’ conservation club located in the Orillia area. There are pages within this website dedicated to informing folks about alot of our work projects and most of the environmental initiatives that we have been involved with in the past…. and currently are active in now. We welcome any and all interested new members both male and female (young and old). We attempt to balance and match (as best possible) our work parties to the number and the physical capabilities of our members.
We hope you enjoy this site and please feel free to leave any comments, suggestions or project ideas. If interested in joining our little group of committed and caring individuals then please look for the online application form or JOIN US for our next adventure!
Warren Howes
President
Twin Lakes Conservation Club
A Day With The Swans….
The TLCC travelled south (but not for the whole winter and not that far south) to Burlington (LaSalle Park) on January 3rd, 2012. A bright sunny day, but bitterly COLD at a balmy -18C. About 20 members, guests and friends were hosted by Beverley Kingdon and her two amazing swan volunteers. Hundreds of trumpeter swans call this location home for about 2 months of the year during mid-December through mid-February. See the incredible photographs of the feeding process and the tagging procedures – all done outdoors!!
January 8 Update
21 photos from the Twin Lakes trip down to LaSalle Park in Burlington Jan. 3 have now been loaded. To see the swans and tagging process used by the Trumpeter Swan Restoration volunteer group click on the sight above.
Twin Lakes Conservation Club 
You must be logged in to post a comment.