I Am The Lorax, I Stand To Recognize This Tree, The McKenzie Marsh Truffula Tree

Anna Lozyk Romeo — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 23:24:38 +0000

I strongly recommend reading The Lorax book by Dr. Seuss (guaranteed that it will take you about ten minutes to read) or even better seeing a movie recently released that I saw. It was that one day when I read Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss that I decided to read ALL of Seuss’s books.

McKenzie Marsh Tree, July 2007

It was few months ago that I coincidentally found a copy of The Lorax book in our local Aurora Public Library. I was amazed and very supportive of Dr. Seuss’s environmental literary piece which he published in 1971. Now, I am also a proud owner of the book. Okay, okay, Matthew is..

McKenzie Marsh Tree, July 2007

I also read last week’s Weekly Notice Board and under the Public Notice I read the Have Your Say! Tree Protection Bylaw. They asked and here is my Say! And may be little out of context, but I want to speak for the trees, dead or alive.

McKenzie Marsh Tree, July 2007

Trees clean the air. Trees give us free cooling, that is shade. Trees enhance our neighborhood look. Trees provide food, yes apples grow on trees. Trees provide habitat for wildlife and attract nature’s best flying creatures, the birds. Okay, I am getting carried away; however, that must be enough reasons to stand by the trees.

McKenzie Marsh Tree, July 2007

So I read the TOWN OF AURORA GENERAL COMMITTEE Approval of Tree Protection By-law dated January 17, 2012 (watch out the link is for PDF file).

I itched and itched to comment on few paragraphs.

‘The online survey was completed by 100 respondents. This could be considered a relatively low participation rate and not indicative of community-wide public opinion, given Aurora’s gross population of over 52,000; however, staff was advised by our Communication Department, who assisted in the survey, that this survey was among the highest in participation of any previously conducted survey.‘

I did not participated in the survey. A one hundred people responded to surveys – a good enough number, I think. Other, over 51,100, did not participated because: many don’t have trees, many of them are children, and some just don’t bother.

McKenzie Marsh Tree, April 2011

McKenzie Marsh Tree, Great Blue Heron, August 2006

‘The current by-law provides for an exemption to golf courses. In reviewing the public survey results and other municipal trees by-laws, the By-law Review Committee sees a need to regulate the cutting of trees on golf course properties; however, the Committee also believes that golf course owners need a level of flexibility to be able to manage their business needs.‘

Oh that clause to exempt the golf courses bothers me. ‘… a level of flexibility to be able to manage their business needs‘ – why not be then in the forestry business.

McKenzie Marsh Tree, Great Blue Heron, July 2007

‘Under the current by-law there are no applicable minimum/maximum fines for a first offence. The revised by-law now provides for a minimum fine of $500.00 on a first offence and a maximum fine for any offence of $100,000.00.‘

Yes, the town by-law enforcement officer (I don’t even know if we have one?) has difficulty to charge a dog owner for having a dog off the leash or for not picking up after the dog; do you really think that they will charge someone for cutting a tree. Or may be they will?

McKenzie Marsh Tree, Green Heron, July 2007

“Mister!” he said with a sawdusty sneeze, “I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. – The Lorax, Dr. Seuss.

So what really I wanted to talk about is the McKenzie Marsh landmark tree. No doubt it is dead but it has been indirectly alive and a great perching place for many marsh birds as you can see on all the photographs here taken over many years. I took many pictures over the years and yet found that every year I got a new surprise perching on this tree.

Once heavily preoccupied by Cormorants, the Gray Blue Herons stepped back. Since 2006 the cormorant population slowly declined in the pond and the tree space is often equally shared with herons, osprey and all other smaller bird species.

McKenzie Marsh Tree, Osprey, May 2011

And yet I think we know very little about the tree. What kind of tree? How old is the tree? When did it die? Well today I stand to recognize the McKenzie Marsh landmark tree of which I/we know a very little about.

McKenzie Marsh Tree, Trumpeter Swan & Mallards, August 2007

I will not be surprised that there is someone who knows a lot more about the tree, that is today still standing, strong and on duty protected by the marsh water.

McKenzie Marsh Tree, Northern Flicker, June 2007

Yes, and the real point? The point is that we just need more trees in addition to what we have. We need to protect the trees, by-law or no by-law. As mentioned above they are good in many ways. They are good when cut, but better when alive.

McKenzie Marsh Tree, Red Wing Black Bird Females, August 2007

Trees are not only cut at the golf courses, they are cut when new subdivisions are being build. Mature and healthy trees can live for a long time, yet we shred them to nothing. Best example, South East corner of Bayview and St. John’s sideroad. I was so used to this treed corner that since their removal I keep missing the intersection.

McKenzie Marsh Tree, Cormorants, August 2007

Having said all that, did you know that you can get great deal of experience and a tree deal for participating in Backyard Tree Planing Program?

McKenzie Marsh Tree, Cormorants, May 2011

‘The Backyard Tree Planting Program is a partnership involving Aurora, York Region and LEAF (Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests).

Through a full-service Backyard Tree Planting Program, a LEAF arborist meets with the participant in their backyard to select the best species and location. They teach the homeowner proper tree care and the benefits of trees. LEAF staff will return to plant the trees in spring or fall. The cost of this program ranges from $150-200 per tree (and this amount includes the consultation, tree, and planting service).

The Do-It-Yourself Program, participants complete an online workshop (education portion) and receive email advice on species selection from a LEAF arborist, picks up their tree in the spring or fall from a community event, and then plants the tree themselves. The cost for this program ranges from $25-$35 for small trees (for pick up) to $100-$150 for large trees (for delivery)‘.

McKenzie Marsh Tree, Cormorants, October 2006

And regardless of the price you can participate in the Commemorative Tree Program in the Arboretum.

McKenzie Marsh Tree, July 2007

Even better, try not to cut the tree.

Look Who Is Back At The McKenzie Marsh, The Osprey

Anna Lozyk Romeo — Sat, 07 May 2011 02:43:49 +0000

Last week one foggy night we were driving on the St. John’s sideroad. I peeked on my right and I noticed a big bird sitting on the very famous Cormorant tree (north side of St. John’s, east of the main observation deck). No doubt it was the Osprey, the fish-eating bird of prey. I was so excited of his return, and I was even more excited that he was closer than ever to the boardwalk.

Osprey Current Location

I am not sure if it is the same Osprey, but I been following him since July 2007. That was the time when I first photographed him fishing with his amazing talons – stunning action to experience. He used to sit on the far tree on the back, hard to spot, but with my zoom lens I was able to see him many times. Then he moved closer to the evergreen tree in the following years. However, in 2010 I have been to the pond many times during spring, summer and fall, but there was no trace of him, until last week.

Osprey on the Evergreen Tree, McKenzie Marsh, Aurora

It is possible that he never left, he just moved to the marsh closer to the Hadley Grange. When they started building the Nokiidaa Trail boardwalk, he probably got disturbed and moved back to this side of the marsh, but picked a new tree to reside on (just my theory). However, it will be interesting to see what will happen when the Cormorants come back? Will they fight for the spotlight? In the past the Great Blue Heron lost that battle.

Osprey, McKenzie Marsh, Aurora

It was time to take the new red-wagon and see what was happening at the McKenzie Marsh. So, couple of days ago we went for a walk to the pond. I couldn’t believe how much activity was there at this time of the year – everyone was there, including the soaring Osprey I have been looking for. On the way back he was sitting on the famous Cormorant tree close to the boardwalk (and may be one day I will find out the name of this tree too).

Osprey, McKenzie Marsh, Aurora

Not just sitting, but enjoying his captured meal – a fish. As every fish eating bird in this ponds dives for the fish and catches with its beak, the Osprey, catches with its feet. The Osprey’s toes are of equal size, and the outer toe is reversible, allowing them to grasp their prey with two toes in front and two behind. Also, the barbed pads on the soles of its feet help to grip slippery fish. The Osprey carries fish headfirst to maintain the aerodynamic flight as possible.

Seeing Osprey fish is an amazing action and I think we are very lucky to have this remarkable bird at the McKenzie Marsh in Aurora.

Osprey Head & Feet Close Up

My journey in Aurora is always full of surprises. I have to say people are very friendly, always say Hi and smile. I also have a social butterfly (my 3-year old Matthew) with me who got into habit of saying Hi to every passing person. That day in addition to the Osprey discovery, I got to meet Barry who was walking his dog along the same path. The Canada geese are usually good starting point to initiate the conversation, especially since for the past few years they been nesting closer and closer to the boardwalk. They are definitely getting used to the busy traffic on the St. John’s sideroad.

As we conversed more, I found that myself and Barry have very similar interests, mainly photography. Barry is owner of the Algonquin Adventures website (Barry’s own information-sharing website for Algonquin park users such as campers, canoeists, hikers, photographers, fishermen) and he is also Executive Committee Member of the Algonquin Backcountry Recreationalists.

Beauty is all around us, we just have to look more closely. When Matthew was born three years ago and I wanted to continue with my photography hobby I realized that you don’t have to go far, Aurora has lot of places to explore. So it looks like Barry will be sharing some of his Aurora adventures with us too on his bbaurora blog.

Living in Aurora, Town of Aurora, Ontario » Osprey

I Am The Lorax, I Stand To Recognize This Tree, The McKenzie Marsh Truffula Tree

Look Who Is Back At The McKenzie Marsh, The Osprey