/ THE MARGARET MALLETT COLLECTION:

Margaret Mallett served as the Secretary-Treasurer of the Natural History Society for over two decades. Besides being a devoted naturalist and Society supporter, she was an avid photographer who documented Society outings and usually participated in the Society’s slide shows often winning prizes. Thanks to the generosity of her family, many of her natural history slides have been donated to the Society. Some of these will be shown at the December meeting.

NEWS FROM ABOUT: Compiled by J. Dan McAskill

After nine reported fish kills this year and a total of 25 fish kills in 17 river systems since 1994, 20 Island organizations teamed up on August 16th to hold the Rally for a Healthy Island Environment at Province House. The groups agreed that at least the following steps were required for success, namely: reduced potato acreage; reduced pesticide use on the remaining acreage; increased enforcement of existing legislation; increased support for organic agriculture; and regulation and enforcement of soil and conservation guidelines. (adapted from Island Nature Trust Update Issue 78)

Canada's latest Canadian Species at Risk list, often called the "Endangered Species List", was released by the Committee on the status of Endangered Wildlife In Canada in May, 2002. The latest COSEWIC species summaries show 11 species extinct, 19 extirpated, 125 endangered, 100 threatened, 147 species of special concern, and 25 species with insufficient data to support designation. After assessment, 146 additional species were evaluated and found to be not at risk (Canadian Species at Risk, May 2002, COSEWIC)

The Royal Botanical Gardens has been awarded a five-year grant to carry out conservation programs for plant species at risk. Two of the species include the endangered red mulberry (Morus rubra) and the wood poppy (Slylophorum diphyllum). The Canadian Cattlemen's Association has partnered with the federal government's Habitat Stewardship Program and the Eastern Loggerhead Shrike Recovery Team to implement habitat restoration, enhancement or protection, propagation and release of captive bred birds maintained by the Toronto Zoo and McGill University, and education efforts. The Endangered Species Recovery Fund, a joint initiative of Environment Canada and World Wildlife Fund (Canada), supported 62 conservation projects with $738,105 in 2002-3. (adapted from Recovery June 2002 # 21)

Canada 's Unfinished Masterpiece, a guide that provides information on the many benefits provided by national parks was recently released by the Canadian Nature Federation. For online information visit www.cnf.ca/wildlands/wild_cag.html (adapted from Recovery June 2002 # 21)

The N.S. Department of Natural Resources recently released two fishers (Martes pennati), large members of the weasel family, in Hantes County as part of their relocation program for this species which began in 1994. To date, 55 fishers have been relocated in the province. This is another of the unheralded success stories for wildlife as this species had disappeared by the 19305. Earlier re-introductions of fisher led to the creation of two

. separate populations. (adapted from Halifax Field Naturalist #107)

Two Dalhousie University graduate students are studying the food habits of grey seals by an innovative technique. Their prey contains chemically distinctive spectra of fatty acids. Thus, analysis of the seal’s fat deposits from small core samples allows an assessment of what species of fish are contributing to the fat deposition. The fatty acids of the most recent food fish are deposited closest to the muscles. (adapted from Halifax Field Naturalist #107)

Two golf companies who cut trees without the appropriate permits in the Maple area of Ontario's York region have been assessed fines of $100,008 and must replant 6 hectares (15 acres) to link existing trees to an environmentally sensitive forest. It is hoped that the region's share of the fines amounting to $82,728 will be placed in a special fund to buy and preserve forest areas. (adapted from TFN #509, September 2002)