etermined that this section of the Confederation Trail be developed into a world-class ttraction that will bring many new visitors to the area, thus providing valuable economic development for the Eastern Kings region.

The EKTDA has appointed a 6—member Trail Advisory Council to administer the development of the Confederation Trail pilot project, and the Bays & Dunes Drive development project, another tourism development project of the EKTDA. The Council consists of Sherry Cheverie (president) and Fred Foster representing the EKTDA, Paul Gallant representing the Rail Trail Committee of the EKTDA (the committee in charge of community liaison for the Confederation Trail Pilot Project), Babe MacAdam from the Heritage Bays & Dunes Tourism Association, Nadine Cheverie from the Souris Branch of the PEI wildlife Federation, and Doug Murray who is the Tourism PEI Project Manager for the entire Confederation Trail. Kumari Campbell is the Trails Co-ordinator who manages both of the EKTDA’s development projects.

Following an introduction to the Confederation Trail by master—of-ceremonies Doug Murray, speeches were made by Robert Boyer, Fred Foster, and let Kings MLAs Ross Young and Roger Soloman, who were representing the Premier, Tourism Minister Robert Morrissey, and Transportation Minister Keith Milligan. Each one of them congratulated the EKTDA for its long-time dedication to trail development, and to the many individuals who have invested many hours in the project. They wished all trail enthusiasts in Eastern Kings many years of enjoyable "trailing" on the new state-of-the—art trail. After the official ceremonies, a merry parade of walkers attired in brightly coloured rain gear, took to the freshly gravelled trail. Returning from their walk, they were regaled by the musical talents of Lem and Melanie Chaisson, and treated to a feast of Island Blue Mussels cooked up by Paul Gallant.

MRSTERING BIRD SONGS:

Canadian bird watchers who collect data for the Breeding Bird Survey and the Forest Bird Monitoring Program will be using a new computer aid to hone their skills. Gary Schumacher, a member of the Cornell Laboratory's Library of Natural Sounds and a self— employed computer consultant, developed a computer program that would play selected sounds but leave out the identification. He found the technique worked very fast for him and he .pproached LNS curator Greg Budney with the idea. Mr. Budney recognized the potential of such a program for training volunteer acoustic bird surveyors or upgrading their skills. The program lets the participant select the species they wish to work on, presents their sounds in random order, and even keeps track of responses so you can repeat songs you missed. The Canadian Wildlife Service is one of the first LNS clients and has had five copies each of a compact disc (CDs) produced for each of the four major biotic zones in Canada. Each came with a specially modified version of Birdsong Master, the software developed by Mr. Schumacher. (adapted from Cds Go Better with Birdsong Master by Cynthia Berger in Birdscope 9:2)

mm NATURE wanna swarm:

A new annual award for nature writing has been created to honour the memory of the late

Swedish—Canadian naturalist and author Louise de Kiriline Lawrence. The winner will receive 5 1,500 and a framed illustrated certificate. Entry forms and complete details are available from Natural Heritage/Natural History Inc., P.O. Box 95, station 0, Toronto, Ont. M4A 2M8 or phone 416-694-7907; fax 416-690-0819. (adapted from Nature Canada winter 1995). Editor's Note: Details on two awards about nature writing on Ontario themes, the 1994 Greg Clark1Award and the Canadian Forest Service-—Ontario Journalism award, is available from the Canadian Science Writer's Association, Suite 316, 25 Saint Nicholas St. Toronto, Ont. M4! 1W5. (adapted from Toronto Field Naturalist 449).

NEWS FROM ABOUT: compiled by Dan McAskill

Congratulations go out to Premier Michael Harcourt of British Columbia for declaration of the protection of the largest intact coastal rainforest on earth, the 317,000 hectare Greater Kitlope Ecosystem on B.C.'s north central coast. This action is the result of an historic provincial agreement with the Haisla Nation and West Fraser Timber Company.

Rockweed harvesting in the Bay of Fundy is one of the latest environmental issues on

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