Progress! Canadian Conference for Nature 
     
    

    
     Soliciting workers for planning the upcoming Canadian Conference for 
     
     Nature (C.C.F.N.) hasn't proved to be an insurmountable problem. 
     
    

    
     All the major committees have chairmen and several enthusiastic 
     
    
   
   
    
     workers, and a lot of progress has been made since the October N.H.S. 
     
     Meeting. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Firsf,our Conference dates have been finalized for August 16—21, 1978, 
     
     and arrangements for accomodations and conference rooms at U.P.E.I. 
     
     are well underway. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The Conference Committee has met twice, and on October 27 the programme 
     
     for the sessions was approved in principle. No doubt some minor details 
     
     will be changed but the Programme Committee can now go ahead and contact 
     
     speakers. The exact title for the CCnference has yet to be decided. 
     
     However the obvious impact of man on the P.E.I. and Maritime scene will 
     
     be a major topic of the Conference. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Mary Majka and David Christie of the New Brunswick Federation of 
     
     Naturalists (N.B.F.O.N.) met with us in Charlottetown on October 26 and 
     
     gave their whole—hearted support to our programme thus far. The 
     
     N.B.F.O.N. will be hosting a number of field trips in New Brunswick. 
     
     Thus naturalists driving through N.B. to P.E.I. will be able to stop 
     
     and enjoy New Brunswick's wildlife, and in the company of other natur— 
     
    
   
   
    
     alists. The N.B. tours will add a wider Maritime dimension to the 
     
     Conference. 
     
     Meanwhile, the local Field Trip Committee is working on a number of 
     
    
   
   
    
     tours to take in representative areas of P.E.I. Right now they're 
     
     timing some proposed trips to find out just how much of P.E.I. can 
     
     be crammed into one day, while still maintaining an enjoyable tour! 
     
     We've also obtained support from the National Museum of Canada for a 
     
     proposed wildlife photography session at the Conference, a first for 
     
     the C.C.F.N. The Museum has kindly agreed to loan us an expert 
     
     photographer in the person of Silvija Ulmanis. ‘ 
     
    
   
   
    
     Money-wise we've already received $250 from the Canadian Nature Fed- 
     
     eration to get us on our way, and we are looking into support from 
     
     government departments and private enterprise. We're seriously 
     
    

    
     aiming to be the first host province to make a profit on the Conference, 
     
     so wish us luck. But better than depending on luck, we're counting 
     
    

    
     on you, our members, to make this the best Canadian Conference for 
     
     Nature ever! Our next meeting will be held on November 15, 1977 (8:30 
     
     p.m.) at the Research Station, and everyone is welcome to attend. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Winston Johnston 
     
    

    
     Rosemary Curley 
     
    

    
     Chairmen, Canadian Conference 
     
     for Nature Committee 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Ragweed on P.E.I. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     During the October N.H.S. meeting Bruce MacLaren gave a very interesting 
     
     lecture on the occurrence and status of Ragweed on P.E.I. Since 1971, 
     
     Bruce has been waging a one-man war against Ragweed on P.E.I. He showed 
     
     samples of the two species which occur here: Common Ragweed Ambrosia 
     
     artemisiifolia and Giant Ragweed Ambrosia trifida. Mr. MacLaren stated 
     
     that very few Islanders recognize these plants, and this is probably 
     
    

    
     due to the fact that the flowers are not showy, but rather, small, 
     
     greenish and inconspicuous. Ragweed is not a native plant to P.E.I. 
     
    

    
     It was introduced to P.E.I. rather recently, the seeds being accidentally 
     
     brought in with scratch grain imported from western Canada. Ragweed 
     
     does well today in waste places. It is an annual and hence reproduces 
     
     solely by seeds. It bears huge quantities of pollen so light and fine 
     
     that it can rise a hundred feet in the air and travel several miles 
     
    

    
     from the plant source. It is the pollen which causes hay—fever in 
     
     allergic persons.