ST. LAWRENCEISLANDS - History of Parks Canada...

SPRING 2010

IN THIS ISSUE

Haudenosaunee TurtleStory................................7

Akwesasne’s Voice...........7

Stewardship Success........6

Facilities & Activities......12

Calendar of Events.........12

Facility update................11

Hours of Operation........12

Looking Back...................2

Map................................12

Ticks & Lyme Disease.....10

Photo: Chris Bellemore

MALLORYTOWN

LANDING, ONTARIO

parkscanada.gc.ca/sli

Printed in Canada © Her Majestythe Queen in Right of Canada, repre-sented by the Chief Executive Officerof Parks Canada, 2010.

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St. Lawrence IslandsNational Park

2 County Rd. 5, R.R.#3Mallorytown, ON

K0E 1R0

(613) 923-5261

www.pc.gc.ca/sli

Email: [email protected]

ST. LAWRENCE ISLANDSNATIONALPARK OFCANADA

The Pitch Pine Post

Fire clears path for new pitch pineThe huge column of smoke that

rose from Georgina Island one warmday last August signalled the rebirth ofa very special island ecosystem.

Parks Canada was conducting aprescribed burn, and while the imme-diate results were fiery and dramatic,drawing a number of onlookers onland and river alike, the most impor-tant effects of the fire are to be seennow in the quiet, gradual process ofregeneration.

The purpose of the burn was tocreate soil and forest conditions thatwill encourage the growth of pitch pineseedlings on the western end of theisland. Already there are indicationsthat the burn is benefiting fire-dependent species on the island. Evenin the short growth period last fallthere was a resurgence of red oak anda variety of blueberry species.

In addition to helping pitch pine,the burn is potentially beneficial fordeerberry, a species at risk found with-in the park. The conditions created ina post-burn environment likeGeorgina – reduced competition andincreased sunlight -- are favourable to

A Parks Canada fire official keeps an eye on the Georgina Island pre-scribed fire last August. The fire cleared the way for fire-dependentspecies like the rare pitch pine tree. A fire to promote the growth of redoak trees on Gordon Island is planned for this spring.

Trails and exhibits open

St. Lawrence Islands NationalPark’s Jones Creek trail networkwas officially opened by GordBrown, member of Parliament forLeeds-Grenville, in a ceremonylast September.

The 15-kilometer trail net-work at Jones Creek was complet-ed last summer with the construc-tion of a 200-metre boardwalkand bridge across Mud Creek.Hundreds of visitors have hiked,snowshoed, and skied the trailsover the past several months.

“We’ve been thrilled to see somany people using the trails,” saysPaul Bruneau, St. Lawrence IslandsNational Park visitor services coor-dinator. “The parking lot off the

1000 IslandsParkwayalmost alwayshas vehicles init, and word isspreading thatthe trails areopen, and they are beautiful.”

The September ceremony alsocelebrated the completion of theMallorytown Landing revitaliza-

New park wardensfor law enforcement

Three new park wardens will bestationed at St. Lawrence IslandsNational Park beginning in May2010 as part of the new Parks Cana-da warden service, which is nowresponsible for law enforcement

See GEORGINA on page 3

See MALLORYTOWN on page 2

See WILDFIRE on page 8

New outdoor exhibits at Mallory-town Landing include mural paint-ings by Kingston artist Jan Swarenand rock carvings by Akwesasnecarver Andy Swamp.

Photos: Parks Canada

Accidental fireburns Grenadier

A fire at a private cottage onGrenadier Island on April 4 spreadonto national park property at theisland’s east end, where it destroyedthe historic ice house and damagedthe campground. Four Americanand two Canadian fire departmentsresponded to the blaze, which

See WARDENS on page 11

THE PITCH PINE POST2 - SPRING 2010

The Superintendent Says...By Jeff Leggo, St. Lawrence Islands National Park Acting Superintendent

Hello and welcome to the 106th year of St.Lawrence Islands National Park.

This edition of the Pitch Pine Post highlightsrecent and upcoming events at the park. In addi-tion to providing great visitor experiences, ahealthy ecosystem is also directly related tohuman health, as you can read in the article onpage 9. Our resource management projects aim toprotect the park so that it is here for all Canadians

to visit and enjoy now and in the future. If you are visiting St. Law rence Islands National Park, you have

chosen a great time to come, with many interesting things to see anddo. This summer, enjoy a birds of prey show and a geocaching work-shop at Mallorytown Landing, several guided hikes throughout thepark, and many other exciting events.

During your visit you may notice some changes to the way thatthe park is managed, some of which are presented in this edition. Ifyou have any questions, please feel free to ask park staff for furtherinformation. As in other years, your input on the operation of thepark is important to us, and yourcomments are always welcome.

While you are visiting, take theopportunity to stroll the new trailsystem through the forest and wet-land ecosystem of Jones Creek orexperience paddling and hiking inother parts of the park. There isalways a spot to stop and enjoy thenatural setting of this special place.Enjoy a safe and happy experienceand we hope you return homerefreshed after your visit to the park.

Photo: The National Air Photo Library of Canada

Changes over time

Photo: Quickbird SatelliteImagery, Ontario Ministryof Natural Resources

1931 2004

1924

Landon Bay Landon Bay

Grenadier Island

2008Grenadier Island

Development and changes in farminghave dramatically altered the landscape ofthe 1000 Islands region over the past cen-tury.

Landon Bay (right), just east ofGananoque, is now sandwiched betweenthe 1000 Islands Parkway and Highway401.

Grenadier Island (below) no longersupports a year-round farming communityand large portions of the island havereturned to pre-settlement forests and wet-lands.

Highway 401

1000 Islands Parkway

1000 Islands Parkway

Central Grenadier

Schoolhouse

Schoolhouse

West Grenadier

West Grenadier

tion project, which includes a newplayground, shoreline renatural-ization, and new walking paths,exhibits, and artwork.

The Mohawk ThanksgivingAddress, a traditional opening andclosing for meetings and gather-ings, is depicted as rock carvingsdisplayed along the pathways atMallorytown Landing.

“The Thanksgiving Address andother aspects of Mohawk cultureare explained on panels at ‘contem-plation rock,’ where there is a won-derful view of the river,” explainsSophie Borcoman, St. LawrenceIslands National Park visitor expe-rience manager. “And in addition,visitors can explore MallorytownLanding to find each of the ele-ments of the address – such as thestars, the birds, and the waters –beautifully carved on rocks scat-tered across the landscape.”

A colourful mural depictingvisitors in the park in all four sea-sons, sculpted ospreys made ofrecycled materials, and panelsdescribing the winners of thepark’s leaders of the landscapecontest (see page 4) were also

installed in the fall.Park volunteers and several

regional residents were honouredat the ceremony as part of a day ofactivities and special events called“A Celebration of New Places andFamiliar Faces.” Trail stewards,islands stewards, citizen scientistsand other volunteers donatedmore than 4,000 hours to St.Lawrence Islands National Parkin 2009.

“I am proud to represent thisregion in Ottawa, and verypleased to honour the many citi-zen volunteers and communitypartners of all ages who getinvolved with St. LawrenceIslands National Park," said MPGord Brown. "When contributingto and supporting the work ofParks Canada, you make our com-munities a healthier and greenerplace to live and you contribute toensuring that this living legacy ispreserved for future generations."

For more information aboutthe Mallorytown Landing revital-ization, new trails, or volunteeropportunities at the park, pleasecall 613-923-5261.

Mallorytown Landing ceremony celebratesnew exhibits and recognizes volunteers

Photo: Quickbird Satellite Imagery, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources

Photo: The NationalAir Photo Library ofCanada

Looking Back...

Continued from page 1

Photo: Parks Canada

Bring a camera to capture thebeauty of St. Lawrence IslandsNational Park and the 1000Islands.

ST. LAWRENCE ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK SPRING 2010 - 3

Gordon Island prescribed burn will benefit red oaks

Smoke and flames from the Georgina Island prescribed fire created dramat-ic pictures from the St. Lawrence River. A larger but less intense fire tookplace on Gordon Island this spring.

deerberry, and park ecosystemscientists planted several deer-berry shrubs in a very suitablelocation after the burn.

“If they are able to survive thepH levels of that particular soil,they will become the fifth popula-tion of this rare plant in Canada,”says park ecosystem scientistJosh Van Wieren.

A variety of plant species wereable to regenerate in the shortgrowing period after the burn,especially bracken fern. Theseearly developments are anencouraging indication of whatremains in store for pitch pine onthe island.

“With pitch pine, we won’t seethe full effect of it for manyyears,” says acting superinten-dent Jeff Leggo. “It will be futuregenerations who see the results ofthe burn in their entirety.”

Laying the groundwork forpitch pine regeneration took care-ful planning and management.There is an established stand ofmature pitch pine at the burn site,but it has seen virtually no newseedling growth for many years.The event was timed to takeadvantage of moisture and windconditions that would allow for alow-intensity burn that clears the

way for new growth but still pre-serves the established stand ofmature pitch pines.

Those conditions were inplace in early August last sum-mer, so the decision was made totemporarily close the island andconduct the burn when it wouldbe most beneficial to pitch pineregeneration. While visitation tothe island was affected for twoweeks, the long-term result of theburn will be the preservation ofthe natural beauty that draws vis-itors to the island year after year.

The fire has created openspaces for seedlings, burned awayleaf litter that would have imped-ed their germination and provid-ed them with a mineral-richseedbed that will allow the treesto take root and thrive. Over thenext 15 years, St. LawrenceIslands National Park will bemonitoring the effects of the fireon the Georgina pitch pine popu-lation. This ongoing monitoring isa key component of the pre-scribed burn program, allowingfor adaptive management andproviding guidance for futurerestoration activities.

Visitors to Georgina will seeevidence of the regenerationthemselves, as the trail loop to thewestern portion of the island willreopen this spring.

Following a safe and success-ful prescribed burn on GeorginaIsland, St. Lawrence IslandsNational Park conducted anotherburn this spring, this time on Gor-don Island.

In this case, the application offire is aimed at restoring a red oakforest. Like the pitch pine in theGeorgina Island burn, red oakrequires periodic wildfire to cre-ate conditions for successfulregeneration. Fire suppressionover the last century has alteredthis process, so the park is step-ping in to simulate a naturallyoccurring fire for the benefit of theoaks.

“Given the beneficial effect offire on red oak regeneration, pre-scribed burning can be an appro-priate and cost-effective restora-tion technique,” says Harry Szeto,acting manager of resource con-servation.

The fire will be a fresh start fora forest that has been damaged bya combination of drought andinfestation by gypsy moth and oakworm. It will reduce competitionat the shrub layer and allow oak

Photo: Parks Canada

Georgina fire helps species at riskContinued from page 1

seedlings to get a head start andgrow to a height above that layer.

Trees are less affected by firewhen they are dormant andresearch has shown that spring-time burns provide optimalresults. The prescribed burnencompassed seven hectares,which is 80 per cent of the island,and avoided the northeast end ofthe island where there are parkstructures. Though of a largerscale, the burn was a less intensefire than the one conducted lastsummer on Georgina Island topromote pitch pine growth. Gor-don Island will require a secondburn in two to four years.

The operation involved someof the same Parks Canada firespecialists and crews that workedon the Georgina Island burn lastsummer. The fire crew from St.Lawrence Islands National Parkwas joined by staff from ParksCanada’s national office, a firecrew from La Mauricie NationalPark, the Gananoque Fire Depart-ment, Leeds and the ThousandIslands volunteer firefighters, andthe Ontario Provincial Police.

Boat propellers threatenturtle populations

Extensive propeller scars werefound on more than eight per centof the map turtles captured dur-ing turtle studies at St. LawrenceIslands National Park.

In a study published in the sci-entific journal Aquatic Conserva-tion: Marine and FreshwaterEcosystems last year, University ofOttawa researchers report that ifeven 10 per cent of the female tur-tles that are hit by a boat propellerdie, there is a 99 per cent chancethat the map turtle population willdisappear in the next 500 years.

That alarming statistic is forthe map turtle population in the

Canadian waters of the St.Lawrence between Rockport andMallorytown, Ontario. The popu-lation has been intensively stud-ied since 2005.

A 10 per cent mortality ratecorresponds to one adult femalein the Rockport to MallorytownLanding section of the river beingkilled by a boat every 3 years, thestudy reports. Considering theseverity of the scars on survivingturtles, it is not difficult to imag-ine that a high percentage of tur-tles that are hit are being killed.

Propeller scars were muchmore common on adult female

turtles than on males or juvenilefemales, for a number of possiblereasons: female turtles tend tobask at the surface more often,adult females use habitats withmore open water and furtherfrom shore, females often travellong distances (up to 5 km) to getto nesting grounds, and adultfemales are larger and thereforemore likely to survive a propellerhit than the smaller males andyounger turtles.

Boat traffic also tends to bebusier and faster in open water

and during the summer monthswhen female turtles are moving toand from nesting grounds.

“No wake” zones in manywaterways are in place to preventshoreline erosion, but might alsoplay a role in reducing turtle injuriesand mortalities, especially in sensi-tive habitat areas, such as hiberna-tion, nesting, and basking sites.

Many marine supply storesalso sell propeller guards, whichmight help to protect turtles bask-ing near the surface of the waterin busy boat traffic zones.

More than eight per cent of the map turtles captured during turtle studies atSt. Lawrence Islands National Park had extensive propeller injuries on theirshells. The population is at risk of extinction if even 10 per cent of turtles hitby boats are killed.

Photo: Marie-Andrée Carrière Photo: Grégory Bulté


After more than 30 years atSt. Lawrence Islands NationalPark, the historic Brown’s Baywreck will soon be moving to anew home just downriver at FortWellington National Historic Sitein Prescott.

The remains of the 19th-cen-tury British gunboat will becomethe centrepiece of Fort Welling-ton’s new multi-million-dollarvisitor centre. The centre is slatedto open in time for War of 1812celebrations in 2012.

"At over 50 feet long, the gun-boat hull is an authentic artefactthat will help to vividly illustratethe story of the War of 1812,” saysJohn Grenville, national historicsites program manager for ParksCanada. “The relocation of thisgunboat will provide an opportu-nity to engage visitors and helptell the story of the role that theBritish military played in thedefence of Canada along thestrategic St. Lawrence River.”

Fort Wellington was builtduring the War of 1812 to defendthe St. Lawrence River shippingroute between Montreal and

Historic gunboat will becentrepiece of FortWellington visitor centre

Kingston from possible attack bythe United States. It was calledinto service again and rebuilt in1838 when Canadian rebels andtheir American compatriotsthreatened invasion.

The fort continued to be usedfor military purposes, with occa-sional periods of abandonment,until it was transferred to theDepartment of the Interior in1923 to be opened to the public asan historic site. Today, FortWellington welcomes thousandsof visitors from across Canada andfrom around the world every year.

Funding for the new FortWellington visitor centre and forthe enhanced gunboat exhibit wasannounced in February by GordBrown, member of Parliament forLeeds-Grenville, as part of Cana-da’s Economic Action Plan.

The remains of the Britishgunboat were found in Brown’sBay, several kilometers east ofMallorytown Landing, and raisedfrom the river as part of a centen-nial project in 1967.

For more information, pleasecall 613-925-2896.

The remains of a 19th-century British gunboat were raised from the St.Lawrence River and preserved in the 1960s. They have been on display at St.Lawrence Islands National Park since that time and will soon be moving toa new home at Fort Wellington National Historic Site in Prescott.

Photo: Parks Canada

Leaders of the landscape honouredThe contributions of Baker

and Struthers and the other Lead-ers of the Landscape winners arecelebrated in an outdoor exhibitthat is part of the recent revital-ization of Mallorytown Landing.

Carol Pratt, a teacher atBrockville Collegiate Institute, nom-inated her co-worker Anik Hahn.

“In her professional as well asher personal life, Anik talks thetalk and walks the walk,” Prattwrote in the nomination. “Shehas been instrumental in startingthe Environment Club atBrockville Collegiate Institute,and in keeping it going.”

Hahn was chosen as a Leadersof the Landscape winner in envi-ronmental education for thenumerous projects she initiated

Hundreds have new homesbecause of Garnet Baker andDwayne Struthers. Hundreds ofanimals, that is.

Baker and Struthers areamong 15 regional residentswhose efforts to promote sustain-ability in the 1000 Islands regionwere recognized in St. LawrenceIslands National Park’s Leaders ofthe Landscape contest last year.

Baker and Struthers havebuilt nesting structures and plat-forms for eagles, osprey, falcons,ducks, owls, bluebirds, and evenblack rat snakes. In addition,they involve local landowners andschools, teaching others how toconstruct and monitor the neststhrough their “Woodworking forWildlife” programs.

with the school’s environmentclub, and for her personal effortsto promote sustainability andenvironmental awareness.

Long-time park visitors werealso among the winners. John

Gananoque student Fraser Macaulayreceives an award from Parks Cana-da field unit superintendent GordGiffin at a ceremony at MallorytownLanding last fall. Macaulay was rec-ognized for his youth leadership in St.Lawrence Islands National Park’sLeaders of the Landscape contest.

Photo: George Vandervlugt

and Joan Leech of Kingstonswitched to solar power on boardtheir boat several years ago andnow volunteer as park islandstewards, willingly sharing infor-mation about solar power withpark visitors.

Other winners installed solarenergy systems in their homes,grew native plants in their gar-dens, preserved large tracts ofland, initiated tree-planting pro-grams, and started school recy-cling programs.

The contest recognized bothyouth and adult leaders for theirenvironmental actions. The parkreceived many nominations forthe nine contest categories, a tes-timony to the region’s commit-ment to sustainability and envi-ronmental stewardship.

The firstnational park- unofficially

Was St. Lawrence IslandsNational Park the first part ofCanada to be considered as anational park?

As Parks Canada prepares tocelebrate 100 years since the for-mation of the first national parkservice in the world, anniversarieshave become a topic of conversa-tion across the country.

While 2011 will mark the cen-tennial of Parks Canada’s forerun-ner, the Dominion Parks Branch,Banff National Park celebrates its125th anniversary this year. Itofficially became the first nationalpark in Canada when it was estab-lished in 1885.

Unofficially, the 1000 Islandsregion may have been the first areain Canada to be considered fornational park status. In 1874, thepeople of Prescott and Brockvillebegan petitioning the governmentto not sell islands to private indi-viduals. Residents were concernedthey would no longer have accessto the islands that were alreadybeing used as public parks.

The 1000 Islands have longbeen held as a sacred area by theHaudenosaunee (Iroquois Con-federacy). Decades before theBrockville petition, the Hau-denosaunee had also expressed aneed to have the area protected.

Thadius Leavitt, a newspapereditor for the Brockville Recorder,may have been the first to refer tothe region as a national park. OnSeptember 6, 1877 his editorialdescribed the 1000 Islands as anarea where “…beautiful islesremain in a state of nature, agigantic national park, wheretents may be pitched and campsbuilt at will, only provisions beingthat the foliage be not destroyed.”

He went on to write, “No whereon the continent of America, or forthat matter in the world, is there anational park of equal beauty andmagnitude as the Canadian Thou-sand Islands. That it should bepreserved intact no statesman willhesitate to deny.”

It took several years, however,before St. LawrenceIslands National Parkwas officially created asa national park on Sep-tember 20, 1904 by afederal governmentorder-in-council. Theoriginal park included amainland base donatedby the Mallory family atMallorytown Landing,ten islands (Aubrey,Mermaid, Beau Rivage,

Camelot, Endymion, Gordon,Georgina, Constance, Adelaideand Stovin), and part ofGrenadier Island.

“...beautiful isles remainin a state of nature, agigantic national park,where tents may be

pitched and camps builtat will...”

- Thadius Leavitt, 1877

A Mallory family reunion picnic inone of the original national park pic-nic shelters at Mallorytown Landingin the early 20th century. Althoughthe park was officially established in1904, references to a national park inthe 1000 Islands date back to 1877.

Photo: Parks Canada

Species Study AreaPopulationestimate

Blanding’s turtle Emydoidea blandingii

Brooker’s Creek wetland com-plex on Grenadier Island

115 turtles

Map turtleGraptemys geographica

Canadian waters of the St.Lawrence River between Mallo-rytown Landing and Rockport

650 turtles

Stinkpot turtleSternotherus odoratus

Canadian waters of the St.Lawrence River between Mallo-rytown Landing and Rockport

240 turtles


MP proposes name change for St. Lawrence Islands National ParkLocal municipalities support proposal

What’s in a name? A lot ofconfusion, according MP GordBrown. Brown, with the supportof several local municipalities andinterest groups, has proposedchanging the name of St.Lawrence Islands National Parkto solve the problem of confusionwith the provincially operated St.Lawrence Parks Commission andBrockville’s St. Lawrence Park.

“It is our belief that renaming[the park] would bring clarity tothe location of this national parkand help tie it into our region,”says Brown, member of Parlia-ment for Leeds-Grenville. “Wealso believe that renaming thepark would assist branding effortsunderway in the 1000 Islandsregion to promote tourism andbusiness development.”

The motion to rename thepark was initiated after ParksCanada aired a television ad thatfeatured several national parksand national historic sites andended with a short clip from St.Lawrence Islands National Park.

“It has occurred to folks wholive in the area of St. LawrenceIslands National Park that as pre-sented [in the ad], the park couldbe anywhere along the St.Lawrence River,” says Brown.

The City of Kingston, Front ofYonge Township, the Township ofLeeds and the Thousand Islands,the Town of Gananoque, theThousand Islands Area Residents’Association and the directors ofthe Frontenac Arch BiosphereReserve all approved motions insupport of the name change lastsummer. The 1000 IslandsGananoque Chamber of Com-merce is also lending its supportto the proposal.

To move forward with a possi-ble name change, consultationwith First Nations, individualarea residents, tourism partners,the provincial government, andtraditional park users will takeplace over the next year.

“We will be using a variety ofmethods, including surveys andpublic meetings, to solicit input

on the name change,” says ChrisBellemore, St. Lawrence IslandsNational Park external relationscoordinator.

The names of two nationalparks have been changed in thepast, both as part of land claimagreements. Ivvavik NationalPark was originally known asNorthern Yukon National Parkand Quittinirpaaq National Parkwas formerly Ellesmere IslandNational Park.

St. Lawrence Islands NationalPark’s name was officially estab-lished by the government in 1904.Historic government records donot clearly explain why that namewas selected, but refer to the parkland as “islands situated in theRiver St. Lawrence” and “islandsin the St. Lawrence which com-prise the Thousand IslandsGroup.”

To add your input to the con-sultation or for more information,please call 613-923-5261 or [email protected].

Maybe not so slow?Female Blanding’s turtle travels nearly 2 km in one day

One Blanding’s turtle onGrenadier Island is busting theslow and steady myth and provingthat plodding is not the pace for allturtles. In the summer of 2009, afemale Blanding’s turtle at St.Lawrence Islands National Parkmoved more than1,900 metres in asingle day duringthe nesting season.

The Blanding’sturtle’s movementswere tracked aspart of a five-yearstudy that lookedat stinkpot, map,and Blanding’sturtle populationsin and around St.Lawrence IslandsNational Park.Last summer marked the study’sfinal year.

“We now have a feel for thehome range of all three turtlespecies,” says Josh Van Wieren,ecosystem scientist at St.Lawrence Islands National Park.“We know approximately howmany turtles there are, the size ofthe area they use, and where theygo at different times of the year tobreed, feed, and hibernate.”

Male and female Blanding’sturtles on Grenadier Island havean average home range of ninehectares (22 acres). Nesting tur-tles travelled the furthest, withone female using a surprising 40

hectares (100 acres). Knowing home ranges and

movement patterns allows parkresearchers to choose areas wheremanagement activities mighthave the most positive effect onturtle populations. Population

estimates thenallow biologists toassess the health ofthe species.

“Over time,population trendsare the only toolthat allow re search -ers to measure howwell conservationinitiatives areworking,” explainsCatherine Millar,the Ottawa Univer-sity researcher

who led the turtle study in 2008and 2009.

Population trends are key forguiding the biologists who decide

Photo: Parks Canada

University of Ottawa graduate stu-dent Catherine Millar attached radiotransmitters to the shells of 19 Bland-ing’s turtles on Grenadier Island in2009. The turtles were trackedalmost daily from late April to theend of August to gather informationabout home ranges and habitat use.

Fencingused toreduceroadkill

The low black fencing near thetree line along parts of the 1000Islands Parkway last summer wasput in place to keep animals offthe road and direct them under itinstead.

Of the 195 culverts that divertwater under the 37-kilometreparkway, approximately 60 areopen at both ends and might beused by animals as an alternateway to cross the road.

In 2009, low fences were setup at four locations to direct ani-mals toward culverts. Fenceswere set up in areas identified in2008 as roadkill “hotspots” fordifferent animal groups.

Motion-sensor cameras locat-ed at four of the culvert crossingsshowed several mammal speciesat the entrance or emerging fromthe culvert. Animals caught oncamera included red squirrel, greysquirrel, mink, otter, weasel, chip-munk, and an entire family of rac-coons.

As in 2008, a researcher bikedalong the road four days a week toidentify and mark the location ofeach roadkill victim. Although theresults of the 2009 roadkill surveyare not yet available, the hope isthat mortality rates have beenlowered from 2008’s average ofmore than 5 animals per kilome-tre per day.

“We wanted to see if roadkillof frogs and turtles would godown,” explains Josh Van Wieren,St. Lawrence Islands NationalPark ecosystem scientist. “If wefind that these temporary mitiga-tion methods worked, we couldwork with partners to look atdoing something more perma-nent.”

Frogs were the most commonvictims in 2008, making up morethan 87 per cent of all recordedroadkill. Final data analysisrevealed an estimated 35,140 ani-mals were killed along the 1000Islands Parkway between Apriland October of 2008. Multipleindividuals of five species at riskwere among the victims.

With St. Law rence IslandsNational Park land on both sidesof the 1000 Islands Parkway, it isimportant for park managers tounderstand more about the effectsof roadkill so that species at riskand other animals in the park canbe protected.

For more information, pleasecall 613-923-5261.

whether a species is at risk and thedegree of that risk (special concern,threatened, endangered, etc.).

For more information aboutturtles at St. Lawrence IslandsNational Park, please call 613-923-5261 or visit www.pc.gc.ca/ sli.

A young Blanding’s turtle, oneof three turtle species at riskwhose habitats and movementshave been extensively studiedat St. Lawrence IslandsNational Park.

Photo: Parks Canada


When Gord Giffin retired ear-lier this year, the strong connec-tions he had forged during hiscareer were evident in the guestspresent at his retire-ment party. Thecrowd included manyof Parks Canada’scommunity partnersand stakeholdersfrom all parts of East-ern Ontario.

“I am thankfulthat I played somepart in bringing ParksCanada and commu-nities together,” Giffinsaid, looking backover more than threedecades of work withthe agency. “I amproud of St. LawrenceIslands and its outstanding staffand friends. We have come a longway together, and the park alongwith its partners is going to set avery high bar for Parks Canada.”

Giffin began his career withParks Canada as a summer studentat Newboro Lockstation on theRideau Canal. He moved on towork as a lockmaster at OttawaLocks and in various managementpositions at parks and sites across

the country. In 2001, Giffinreturned to eastern Ontario assuperintendent of St. LawrenceIslands National Park and, morerecently, as acting field unit superin-

tendent for ParksCanada’s EasternOntario Field Unit.

Well-wishers atthe retirementparty also includedmany Parks Canadastaff members. Gif-fin was very appre-ciative of the sup-port shown byParks Canada staffmembers at theevent and says he’sthankful for all ofthe people he hasworked with and

who have taught him over the years.He feels he’s had the opportunity towork for an outstanding organiza-tion where there were opportunitiesto make a difference, even whileworking through challenges.

“Even with its blemishes, it isstill an incredible place to work’”says Giffin.

In his eight years at St.Lawrence Islands National Park,Giffin’s achievements include pro-

tecting sensitive species at riskhabitat while doubling the size ofthe national park, initiating thedevelopment of an extensive trailon the mainland, and strengtheningthe park’s ties with the Mohawks ofAkwesasne.

In 2007, Akwesasne invited thenational park, led by Giffin, to takepart in a traditional Smoky Fire cer-emony to formalize a commitmentto work together. It was the firsttime in more than a decade that theunique cultural ceremony had takenplace with the federal government.

“What I’ve learned from theMohawk is the way of peace,” saysGiffin. “I applied that in buildingrelationships which resulted in thepark forging strong partnershipswith our communities.”

In the 18 months prior to hisretirement in February, Giffin’sleadership led to the successfullaunch of the Rideau CorridorLandscape Strategy. This projectbrings together Parks Canada, theAlgonquians of Ontario, 13 munici-palities, two counties, and numer-ous stakeholders to work togetheron an innovative and long-termplan for the protection and enjoy-ment of the Rideau Canal WorldHeritage Site.

“Gord challenges all those

Retired superintendent leaves legacy of relationships

Lower deer numbers are hav-ing a positive effect on HillIsland’s plants and animals,which include 17 regionally andnationally threatened species.

“Two snowier winters (2007and 2008), along with deer man-agement, have reduced the num-ber of deer on Hill Island,”explains Dr. Emily Gonzales,ecosystem scientist at St. LawrenceIslands National Park. “Coupledwith cool, wet summers, the lasttwo years have provided the rightrecipe for plant recovery.”

Increased growth of trees andshrubs is a positive sign towardthe recovery of the island’s plantcommunity, which had been dev-

astated by an overabundance ofwhite-tailed deer (Odocoileus vir-ginianus).

Plant growth will continue tobe monitored for the next severalyears. In the meantime, the nextstep in the recovery of vegetationis to manage alien invasivespecies, several of which are abun-dant and increasing on Hill Island.

St. Lawrence Islands NationalPark is working with other nation-al parks in Ontario to developstrategies to prevent and controlthe spread of alien invasive species.

Human activities are largelyresponsible for the spread of alienspecies but human activities willalso be the solution.

Hill Island vegetation rebounds

Invasive Species WatchInvasive species are those that have been introduced to regions out-side of their normal range and pose a threat to the health of naturalecosystems, the economy and even human health. Invasive speciesare one of the top three stresses on ecological integrity at St. LawrenceIslands National Park. Be on the lookout for these invasive species:

With small white flowers and a dis-tinctive onion- or garlic-like odour,this invasive plant is rapidlyexpanding in moist areas alongroadways and railways, and ofteninvades mature, undisturbed forests.Garlic mustard comes up early in thespring, which gives it a head startover native wildflowers.

This aggressive Eurasian vine withpurplish flowers can grow as muchas 1-2 metres in one year, generallyalong roads, fence lines, and hill-sides. A member of the milkweedfamily, the vine chokes out trees,affects monarch butterfly popula-tions, and threatens rare plantspecies. Leaves are opposite, 5-10 cmlong, hairless, dark green, shiny, andoblong to ovate in shape, narrowingto a point at the tip.

It’s a perfect invasive alien,superbly adapted to spreadinginto a new environment. Garlicmustard (Alliaria petiolata)flourishes in disturbed areas andalong trails and roads. Each plantproduces thousands of seeds thatcling to clothing, shoes and pets.Once carried to a new environ-ment, the seeds germinate andgrow quickly.

Within a few years, garlic mus-tard can dominate an area, espe-cially in the early spring when it isone of the first plants to come upand flower. Native to Europe,where it has more than 60 naturalenemies, garlic mustard enjoysthe happy situation of having noneof those insect or fungus enemiesin North America.

Staying on trails and keepingyour pets leashed can help stopthe spread of this invasive plant.On your own property, small pop-ulations can be controlled andeven eradicated by pulling or cut-ting plants after they flower butbefore they produce seeds. Evenbetter, by planting native plantsin the disturbed soil, you willreduce the chance that more gar-lic mustard or other invasivespecies will grow in that space.

“It’s a long-term commitmentto eradicate an invasive species onyour property, but with dedica-tion, it’s possible,” says Dr. EmilyGonzales, ecosystem scientist atSt. Lawrence Islands NationalPark. “If you and all your neigh-bours try to remove an invasivespecies, it can prevent spreading

and make a difference in theecosystem.”

A survey of Grenadier Islandcompleted in 2009 by AgataPawlowski, a student in theSchool for Resource and Environ-mental Studies at Dalhousie Uni-versity, confirmed dense popula-tions of garlic mustard in dis-turbed areas across the island.The park’s immediate goal is toslow the spread of the plant byencouraging visitors to stay ontrails and keep their pets leashed.

Garlic mustard can be foundthroughout eastern Ontario.

For more information aboutgarlic mustard and removal tech-niques, visit:

http://na.fs.fed.us/spfo/inva-siveplants/factsheets/pdf/garlic-mustard.pdf.

Stay on trails to stop thespread of garlic mustard

Restoration efforts to reducenon-native species within thenational park will be strengthenedby the help of local residents. Thepark will continue to work withlandowners, regional partners,and volunteers to monitor andcontrol alien plants.

Have you seen

dog-strangling vine on or

near park property?

Help stop the spread of this

invasive species by reporting

it to the park.

Call 613-923-5261.

A volunteer holds two newly hatchedsnakes from a nest box constructed atLandon Bay as part of the gray rat-snake (Elaphe obsoleta) habitat cre-ation program. Though tiny whenthey hatched in the fall of 2009, thesereptiles are Canada’s largest snakespecies. To learn more about whatyou can do to protect this non-ven-omous species at risk on your prop-erty, call the Leeds County Steward-ship Council at 613-342-8526 orvisit:www.ontariostewardship.org/coucils/leeds/files/BRS_HomeownersBrochure_Web1.pdf

Photo: Garnet Baker

Photo: Bill Pratt

Photo: Parks Canada

Photo: Parks Canada

Garlic mustard Alliaria petiolata

Dog-strangling vine or pale swallowwort

Vincetoxicum rossicum andVincetoxicum nigrum

around him to take risks and aimfor excellence,” says Jeff Leggo, act-ing superintendent at St. LawrenceIslands National Park. “His percep-tive leadership has inspired a newgeneration of Parks Canada staffwho will carry his innovative,strategic, risk-taking approachthroughout their careers.”

Successful stewardship


I grew up in the Six Nations reserve

down near Brantford. I lived with my

grandmother and my grandfather and

great-grandmother and … I was quite

young. And every night, when the kids

would sit around (we had 13 kids at

home), grandparents would tell us stories

about the world, and the world around

us, and the creatures there - how we

related to them, and why they were

important to us.

One of them was the story about the

Blanding’s turtle. The Blanding’s turtle has

a yellow throat, always looks like it’s smil-

ing, and there’s a good reason for that.

At that time the sun and the moon

and the stars could walk around the

world and see us, in a way they don’t

today. They’re up in the sky for a purpose

now. But back then, they could come and

visit us. They could knock on the door

and walk in. The sun decided that it was

going to come down to the earth, and

look around, and see how everything

was going, and see that the proper things

were being done. Well, there was an Evil

Person, and this Evil Person seized the

sun and put him in a big box and held

him in that box and he couldn’t get out.

We talk about the sun being our elder

brother. And so, the world was left in

darkness. There was no light. The only

thing in the sky was Grandmother moon,

and she couldn’t do the work that the

sun could do. And so all of the creatures

of the world decided that they had to

free the sun because in this darkness

there would be no food and no way to

walk around. Well, they all tried. And the

story goes on for a very long time about

this as each animal tries to free the sun

and fails.

So finally the Blanding’s turtle

decides that it wants to try. And at that

time, the Blanding’s turtle was a pretty

drab looking turtle. You know, dark,

black, not very exciting. In fact, it very

much looked like a stone. He crept up

out of the water, across the mud, out

across the gravel, and crawled quickly

The Blanding’s Turtle as told by Henry Lickers in

Voices of Akwesasne

St. Lawrence Islands NationalPark is working in close coopera-tion with the Mohawks of Akwe-sasne, a community of approxi-mately 21,000 that straddles theboundary between Canada andthe United States at Cornwall.The park recognizes the strongties that the community of Akwe-sasne has to the natural world.

The following article isreprinted with permission of theauthor, Brendan White, commu-nications officer for the MohawkCouncil of Akwesasne. It firstappeared in the publicationAkwesasne: A Special People in aSpecial Place in February 2008.

Eagle seeseverything in the natural

worldAkwesasne has a rich and

diverse ecosystem. Its nearly3,000 acres of wetlands support avariety of plants, fish, birds, andother animals. The fertile river’sshallow marshes offer shelter forfish to spawn and protected areasfor wildlife, like the bald eagle, tohunt. It also provides medicinalplants, materials used by local arti-sans, and foods that continue to bean important part of our culture.

The eagle is the Creator’s mes-senger as it flies the highest andsees the furthest of all the birds.It is revered and honoured for itsimportant role in viewing every-thing that takes place in the natu-ral world. It is often seen flyingover Akwesasne and resting alongthe banks of the St. LawrenceRiver, known as Kaniataro -wanneneh (Big River).

The Kanienkehaka (Mohawk

Akwesasne’s VoicePeople) have a relationship ofrespect and responsibility withthe St. Lawrence River. It’s arelationship that acknowledgesthe inter-relatedness and interde-pendence amongst all forms oflife. This web of relationshipsforms our natural environment.

We recognize and give thanksto all, including the animals andfish, for their gifts to the world inour Ohen:ton Karihwatehkwen(Thanksgiving Address). In ourcreation, it was the animals thatwere critical in preparing for thecoming of human beings. We aredependent upon them for food,

and quietly toward the house.

Well, he got into the house. The Evil

Person was walking around and saw this

thing on the ground – the turtle of course

brought all his arms and legs and every-

thing in – and thought it was a stone,

and said, “There’s a stone in my house.

That doesn’t matter.” And so he didn’t

even think about it. But the turtle

crawled very quietly over to the box that

the sun was being held in, opened up the

box, and there was the sun. And he

grabbed the sun, and he put the sun

under his neck. And he held his neck

down like that [bending his neck for-

ward] because he had a space there in

order to do that, and held the sun there

medicine, and clothing. We alsolook to them for emotional and spir-itual strength, as well as for survival.

The Ohen:ton Karihwatehk-wen places all life forms in aninterdependent relationship witheach other. It places a burden ofresponsibility on all parts of thenatural world to ensure its properfunctioning. It places a special setof responsibilities on humanbeings to understand and reconcileany disruption to its natural state.

We believe in a holisticapproach to all decisions that mayimpact our natural world and theweb of relationships that existwithin it.

Photo: Tom Lusk

“All of our Native Americanteachings are greatly needed.How to be in balance with theworld, with life, with creation.”

Those are the words of GrandChief Mike Mitchell speaking inVoices of Akwesasne, an oral his-tory video produced by ParksCanada in partnership with theMohawk community of Akwe-sasne. The video was launched ina celebration at the Tri DistrictElders Lodge in Akwesasne inDecember.

There’s urgency in whatMitchell says of the need to pre-serve sustainable ways of living inour environment and to retainthat knowledge in an ever-chang-ing world. Voices of Akwesasne isan effort to share some of that tra-ditional knowledge with the widercommunity while recounting theconnection between the Hau-denosaunee People (also knownas the Six Nations Iroquois Con-federacy), the St. Lawrence Riverand the 1000 Islands ecosystem.

Throughout the video, thespeakers return to the St.Lawrence River as the referencepoint for the community. Changesto the river, from the damming of

the waters to generate hydroelec-tricity to pollution from industryupstream, have brought some verynegative changes to life in a com-munity closely connected to thosewaters. Haudenosaunee teachingshold as a truth that all life formsare interdependent -- that to dis-rupt one is to disrupt all. In Voicesof Akwesasne, we hear many sto-ries of how the community is cop-ing with the fallout of a disruptedriver ecosystem.

Still, the video reveals howHaudenosaunee tradition main-tains the interconnection with thenatural world, from a tree restora-tion project related to traditionalbasket making, to the knowledgeof medicinal plants acquiredthrough a lifetime of learning.

Among the voices in the videois that of Brian David, who offersthe traditional concept of “onebowl, one spoon,” a vision of howdifferent interests can shareaccess to natural resources.

“It’s a principal that I thinkwill survive the test of time and isapplicable to the future relation-ship between Akwesasne and itsneighbouring communities,” saysDavid.

Park launches video project

A Voices of Akwesasne kiosk will be set up in the park’s visitor cen-tre at Mallorytown Landing this summer. St. Lawrence Islands Nation-al Park and the community of Akwesasne have developed a lesson planfor grade 9 and 11 students linked to the content of Voices of Akwe-sasne with a focus on species restoration. The lesson plan will be avail-able on the park’s website following in-class testing with local schoolsthis spring, including schools in the community of Akwesasne.

For more information, contact the park at [email protected] or call613-923-5261.

See the video and lesson plan

and began to walk out of the lodge.

And so the Blanding’s turtle was

able to get out of the house, and when

he did he lifted up his neck and his head,

and the sun came out and went back up

into the sky. And from that day on the

Blanding’s turtle, all under his neck, is all

yellow, and there’s a little bit of spotting

around his legs and arms…. he’s always

laughing that he fooled this evil person,

and he’s always happy as he basks in

that sun.

And so, those were some of the sto-

ries that we heard from our grandpar-

ents. And now, today, I tell those stories

to my children and I hope that they’ll tell

them to their children.

The Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) has a bright yellow throat anda mouth that is curved in a perpetual “smile.”

Photo: Parks Canada

Adult bald eagle (Haliatus leuco-cephalus) over the frozen St.Lawrence River in March.


Scientists from Queen’s Uni-versity have been searching thedepths of local lakes to find evi-dence of the long-term role of firein the 1000 Islands ecosystem.

Supervised by Dr. Brian Cum-ming and Dr. Douglas Hallett, grad-uate students Suzanne Ellwood andAlexandra Gerber from the Schoolof Environmental Studies havecompleted research of fossil char-coal in local lake sediments thatinvestigates the frequency of largefire events over the past 12,000years. This is a period known as theHolocene, and it began as the lastice age was ending.

Parks Canada supported thework as the results will offer a bet-ter picture of the historic role offire in the 1000 Islands ecosystemand can be applied to settingappropriate management goalsfor fire-dependent ecosystems.The project was also supported byCharleston Lake Provincial Park.

Airborne charcoal lands inlakes during forest fires, and large,stand-replacing fires can be detect-ed in the layers of charcoal laiddown in lake sediments. Whileother methods of tracing fire histo-ry, such as tree ring dating, canprovide information from the pastfew hundred years, the study oflake sediments can reveal the firehistory of a region dating backthousands of years. Charcoaldeposits in soil at Hill Island hadbeen considered for this research,but the soil layers have been dis-turbed and so do not provide acontinuous record. Also, much ofthe charcoal found was from themodern era, pointing to a morerecent history of fire on Hill Island.

In order to get an accuratelook back, it’s important that thelake sediments are undisturbed.The lakes chosen for the two stud-ies were both located nearCharleston Lake.

“Mud Lakeand Little BlackLake were chosenas representativestudy lakes basedon their relativeisolation fromc ommun i t i e s ,their small sizeand simple shape,and their small orabsent inflows andoutflows,” saysGerber. “Theselake characteris-tics ensure the sediment and char-coal record remains as undis-turbed as possible.”

Getting to the lakes to take thesamples presented some chal-lenges. For summer fieldwork,large gear was transported by hel-icopter, and additional equip-ment was hauled by boat and thenby hand to both lake sites. Work-ing from a raft in the centre of the

lake, the researchers assembledlong metal coring tubes and drovethem down into the lake sedi-ments to extract the cores. Sam-ples were also taken in the winter,when ice served as a stable plat-form for the work.

After taking a core samplefrom a lake, coniferous needles,grass fragments, and charcoalpieces were removed and sent forcarbon dating. The ages of thematerial corresponded well withthe depth of the core from whicheach was removed, confirmingthat the sediment records wereundisturbed and continuous.

“Research into modern fireshas found that the quantity ofcharcoal in the lake sediment isconsiderably higher immediatelyafter a large fire has taken place inthe area, and this enables the useof charcoal levels as an indicatorof historic fires,” says Ellwood.“The amount of charcoal aeriallydeposited into a lake depends onthe size of the fire, its proximity tothe lake, and the weather condi-tions at the time. Most of the firesidentified by the analysis of char-coal in Mud Lake and Little BlackLake sediment were likely large,stand-replacing burns that tookplace relatively close to the lakes.”

At Mud Lake, Ellwood deter-mined that, when averaged out,significant burns occurredaround the lake at approximately175-year intervals. For LittleBlack Lake, the focus of Gerber’sstudy, that interval was approxi-mately 244 years. The differentlevel of fire activity around thetwo lakes reflects the variations inthe landscape in this part of east-ern Ontario as well as the variablenature of fire conditions, includ-ing moisture and lightning.

The research also revealedthat the area’s fire frequency may

have related tobroader climatetrends. Fire fre-quency decreased inthe region around7,500 years agowhen wetter sum-mers became morecommon in easternCanada, and similardeclines in fireactivity at that timehave been seen inother fire historystudies done in thispart of the country.

“Studies such as these arevaluable to park managersbecause they give us a record ofhow, historically, our local forestswere renewed,” says Parks Cana-da fire technician Derek Bedford.“This helps us to explain why theforests look the way they dotoday, and how we need to man-age them to preserve their ecolog-ical integrity in the future.”

Archaeologists have uncov-ered stone tools that date back tobetween 3000 and 2500 BC dur-ing recent excavations at St.Lawrence Islands National Park.

Since 2001, archaeologistsfrom Parks Canada have visitedvirtually every part of the park,from Main Duck Island to themainland properties, in responseto threats to known or suspectedarchaeological resources.

“We are generally concernedabout testing an area within thepark that is slated for some formof park development, such as newsign erection, composting toiletconstruction, trail networkexpansion, or structure demoli-tion,” says Brian Ross, a seniorarchaeologist for Parks Canadanational parks and native sites.

While checking sites to pro-vide clearance for development,the archaeologists have been ableto discover new archaeologicalresources.

“Recently, we were able to sal-vage artifacts and valuable databy excavating an important sitethat was threatened by erosion,”explains Ross.

Some of the exciting finds inrecent years have included 5,000-year-old stone tools, ceramics andpottery from around AD 1500 to1600, a French gunflint likelyfrom before 1700, and an intact19th-century cut-stone drain.

Archaeological resources can

Throughout St. Lawrence Islands National Park, archaeologists have foundceramic artifacts that are found nowhere else in Ontario. The unique materialis from a group of people that archaeologists call the Owasco, who appear tohave lived along the St. Lawrence River from around AD 600 to 1300.

If you find an artifact,report it to park staff immedi-ately. If the item has beenmoved, try to record, in asmuch detail as possible, whereit was found.

Remember that damage to anarchaeological site and theremoval of artifacts from thepark is against the law. Cultur-al resources are not renewableresources! You can neverregenerate an 8th-centuryOwasco campsite.

The coring raft at Little BlackLake.

tell us about the people who havelived in the 1000 Islands regionover the past 5,000 years andmore. Analysis of the early stonetools, for example, can giveinsight into industry and traderoutes.

“We have found material inSt. Lawrence Islands NationalPark that comes from ManitoulinIsland, Pennsylvania, andLabrador,” says Ross. “The peo-ple who lived here long before thearrival of Europeans had anamazing trade network over quitea swath of North America.”

Archaeology doesn’t alwaysmean far in the past. The ruins ofa convalescent hospital for WorldWar I soldiers on ThwartwayIsland are an example of a moremodern archaeological resourcein St. Lawrence Islands NationalPark, and one that is truly unique.

Paleoecological studies reconstruct local fire history

Archaeologists find 5,000-year-old tools

Photo: Douglas Hallett

Photo: Ben Mortimer

Photo: Jeff Leggo

The new gazebo and composting toilet at EastGrenadier were spared in the wildfire that black-ened more than 30 hectares (75 acres) of marshand burned through the campground on April 4.

travelled quicklythrough tens ofhectares of marsh-land. Thanks to thequick response ofnearly 60 firefighters,the historic ice house,a protected heritagestructure, was theonly building dam-aged in the wildfire.The three campsitesat East Grenadier willbe opened by the Maylong weekend.

Wildfire burns 32 hectaresContinued from page 1


As the saying goes, the earlybird gets the worm, but inresearcher Pauline Quesnelle’sworld, the early bird gets the bird.

Last summer, Quesnelle led ateam of field researchers gather-ing information on the local pop-ulation of cerulean warblers aspart of a larger study of habitatuse for a number of species. Theteam had to start out early, andQuesnelle was setting her alarmclock for 3:30 am to search outthe secretive bird.

“We wanted to get out there tohear the dawn chorus, when thebirds are singing their hearts outand are most active,” says Ques-nelle. “By surveying at sunrise, wewould be sure to not miss anybirds and to get an accurate read-ing on where they’re living.”

By its very nature, Quesnelle’swork in landscape ecologyrequires long days in the field tocover a lot of territory.

“When you’re working on a land-scape scale you have to get out tomany areas and cover a lot of groundto detect patterns in where certainspecies occur,” says Quesnelle.

Landscape ecology is a field ofscience that looks at the relation-ship between wildlife and the land-scape features that affect speciesabundance, distribution and per-sistence. In essence, it looks atwhat landscape features positivelyor negatively affect species sur-vival. These features includeforests, wetlands, roads and otherenvironments. The arrangement ofthese environments, their size,connectedness and placement

near other landscape featuresaffects the reproduction, mortalityand movement of wildlife.

Quesnelle’s work, part of hergraduate studies at Carleton Uni-versity, uses habitat maps to pre-dict where certain species mightbe found. Predictions are basedon different landscape featuresfor each species. By looking forthe species in areas that are pre-dicted to be good habitat, Ques-nelle’s team can validate the habi-tat suitability models and gathermore details about how and whena species uses different habitats.

Quesnelle will then take theanalysis one step further by look-ing at the factors that influencehabitat quality and make seem-ingly similar tracts of land eithersuitable or unsuitable for a partic-ular species.

In addition to cerulean war-blers, the wildlife surveys includeother forest birds, wetland birdsand turtles.

The study is a treasure troveof information for those whowork in resource conservation atSt. Lawrence Islands NationalPark. The integrated, multi-species approach of the projectwill help the park concentrate itsprotection and restorationefforts. It’s an efficient way tohelp a number of species.

“Managing at the habitatlevel is an effective and efficientway for ecological integrity to bemaintained and the well-being ofa number of species to beimproved,” says acting superin-tendent Jeff Leggo.

Early bird research

House shopping from a cerulean warbler’s point of view

Photo: Lloyd Spitalnik

St. Lawrence Islands NationalPark is at the centre of a newrecovery strategy for one of Cana-da’s rarest plants.

Deerberry (Vaccinium sta-mineum) is a shrub that isextremely rare in this country, withonly three populations found in the1000 Islands and one populationfound in the Niagara region. It hasbeen designated threatened byboth the Committee on the Statusof Endangered Wildlife in Canada(COSEWIC) and by the Committeeon the Status of Species at Risk inOntario (COSSARO).

Josh Van Wieren, an ecosys-tem scientist at the park, is part of

the team that developed theplant’s recovery strategy.

“Deerberry is one of the manyspecies that make up the richplant and animal diversity of the1000 Islands,” says Van Wieren.“Protecting the species is not onlyimportant to ensure that the fourremaining Canadian populationsremain a part of this rich ecosys-tem, but also because Canadianpopulations are genetically dis-tinct from all others.”

The aim of the strategy is toensure that deerberry populationsin Ontario remain stable orincrease within the next ten years.The park has already contributed

to this effort by working with part-ners to identify successful propa-gation and planting techniques.After over 10 years of preparatorywork, the park will be planting newpopulations on park propertiesover the next five years, includingtwo new populations by 2012. Aswell, the park has taken measuresto ensure that the plants are nottrampled, by shifting visitor trailsaway from deerberry sites.

A large part of helping thepopulation thrive and grow has todo with learning more about theplant – its habitat needs, geneticdiversity, life history and popula-tion trends. Again, the park iscontributing to the recovery effortby conducting important work inthe area of habitat mapping.Knowing where deerberry is likelyto grow will help in the protection

Cerulean warblers have very particular habitat needs, and choos-ing a home involves very specific criteria with regard to location,space and “building materials.” What kind of habitat has curbappeal for cerulean warblers? Here’s their real estate shopping list:

An Established NeighbourhoodNo new developments for cerulean warblers – they want an estab-lished deciduous forest neighbourhood with large, well-spacedtrees.

Location, Location, Location These birds love waterfront property along rivers and other bodiesof water.

Solid Roof with SkylightsThe “roof” is an important selling feature for habitat in thecerulean warbler’s world. Cerulean warblers look for a densefoliage cover in the upper midstory and canopy of a forest, but theyalso seem to prefer this sort of habitat broken up with “skylights”or internal canopy gaps.

Open Concept with Cathedral CeilingsA high canopy “ceiling” and a relatively open understory make thecerulean warbler feel at home. This isn’t about aesthetics, but morea matter of practicality. Male cerulean warblers in particular seemto prefer certain open-concept core areas that serve as a stage fortheir singing during breeding. Some scientists have theorized thatthe males’ preference for stands of bitternut hickory in the springhas to do with the hickory’s quality of being among the last trees tofully leaf out in eastern Ontario. It is thought that the males likesinging in these areas because a more densely forested habitatwould block the sound of their mating call.

A Second HomeA summer resident only, the cerulean warbler is found in easternOntario from May to August and migrates to the Andes Mountainsof South America for the winter. In the Andes, these birds maketheir home in mature, humid evergreen forests and modified forestsettings such as shade coffee plantations where coffee is grownamong larger trees.

Recovery plan will help rare plant

A few plants and animals are disappearing. So what?

A healthy ecosystem is essen-tial for healthy human popula-tions. We require a healthyecosystem for our basic needs -food (agriculture, pollination),water (clean sources of drinkingwater), and shelter (ozone layer,air quality, stable climate).

But what makes a healthyecosystem? Let us compare thefunctioning of an ecosystem to the

of habitat within the park and infinding suitable transplantationsites to establish new populations.

The deerberry strategy drawson the expertise of other organiza-tions, among them the OntarioMinistry of Natural Resources,the Niagara Parks Commissionand the University of Toronto.Queen’s University has beeninvolved in the development ofthe strategy, conducting geneticresearch of northern deerberrypopulations and fine-tuning prop-agation techniques to ensure thatthe park has plants to establishnew populations in the region.

To learn more about deerber-ry, see the Draft Recovery Strate-gy for Deerberry in Ontario atwww.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Busi-ness/Spec ies/2ColumnSub-Page/279150.html.

functioning of a car. A car runsmost effectively with all of itsparts present and in workingorder. If a tire, spark plug, or fuelis missing, the car will not provideyou with the benefits you enjoy.Ecosystems work in the same way.If a component of the ecosystem,such as a snake or turtle species, isremoved, the ecosystem ceases towork as it should.


WARNINGBlacklegged ticks are

present in this region.

These ticks can transmit

Lyme disease, a serious

and potentially disabling

infection that can affect

your heart and nervous

system.

Check your body thor-

oughly for ticks after you

have spent time outdoors.

Ticks range in size from 1-

5 mm. If you have been

bitten, remove the tick

immediately and see your

doctor. For more infor-

mation, contact the park

office at Mallo-

rytown Land-

ing (613-

923-5261)

or your local

health unit.

To stay safe:• Stay on marked trails.

• When hiking, wear insectrepellent containing DEET,long sleeves, pants and hik-ing boots. Tuck pants intoyour socks. Avoid wearingsandals or bare feet.

• When you return from a dayoutdoors, check your bodythoroughly for ticks.

• Always keep your pets on aleash and on the trails.

• Never feed wildlife.

Photo: Parks CanadaPark and firefighters ready ifsearch and rescue is needed

It’s a warm night in Septemberand strange lights appear in theusually dark woods on Hill Island.

The lights move through thetrees and, bit-by-bit, the figures oftwo men become visible. They’rewearing headlamps and have amap and compass in hand. Asthey emerge from a gap in thetrees there are shouts of welcomefrom a group gathered aroundvehicles at the trailhead.

The men have been takingpart in search and rescue trainingat St. Lawrence Islands NationalPark. On this particular night,they’re learning how to navigatein the dark using only a map andcompass.

Last September park staff,along with members of the Frontof Yonge Fire Department,learned about search techniquesfrom Ron Williams, a former firecaptain and search manager whois currently the park wardensupervisor at Bruce PeninsulaNational Park. Williams led thesession with Bruce County para-medic Rob Rouse, a former firestation chief who has beeninvolved in search and rescue forover 20 years both in the park andthroughout the Bruce Peninsula.

Williams’ training session atthe park focussed on the tools andtechniques of successful searches– the factors that can make a dif-ference in a lost person case andensure that the person comes outof the situation alive. The instruc-tors brought their experience intothe classroom and into the woods,with training ranging from how tolocate a map grid reference toputting these skills into play in

search simulations like the nightnavigation exercise on Hill Island.

The trainers also shared theirknowledge of the psychology ofsurvival, the behavioural profilesof different types of missing per-sons, and the specific search tech-niques employed across Canada,from searches for missing personsin national parks to police search-es for crime suspects.

“It’s fascinating how two peo-ple, depending on their age,health or mental state, will reactvery differently to being lost in thewoods,” says one of the parktrainees, Lisa Werden. “It’s inter-esting information in training andvital information in a real searchsituation.”

A common theme throughoutthe training was the idea thatevery search is an emergency. Thetraining also revealed that asearch is very much a mystery,and the searcher is a sleuth whorequires a good eye for locatingand recognizing clues.

“Search is called the classicmystery and, as such, searchers andsearch managers need to be awareand get as much information aspossible,” says Williams. “Descrip-tions and details are critical, andlooking for clues is important.”

St. Lawrence Islands NationalPark has invested in this level oftraining to increase the park’ssearch and rescue capabilities inthe event of an incident on thepark’s new mainland trail system.With the training, a core group ofpark and fire department searchersare prepared to tackle such myster-ies should the need arise.

An in-depth study of ticks andLyme disease underway at St.Lawrence Islands National Parkhas revealed the presence ofblacklegged ticks in every sur-veyed location on both islandsand the mainland in the 1000Islands region.

The park is working with theUniversity of Guelph, Canada’sPublic Health Agency, and theOntario Ministry of NaturalResources to gather more infor-mation about the prevalence ofticks and what percentage are car-rying the Lyme disease pathogen.

“We are interested in wildlifeand human health implications ofLyme disease and ticks,” explainsJeff Bowman, a research scientistwith the Ontario Ministry of Nat-ural Resources. “Our goal is tounderstand the pathogen and itsfuture in Ontario.”

“The more we know, the bet-ter we can communicate with thecommunity, visitors, and staff toensure that everyone can enjoy

the outdoors safely,” says Dr.Emily Gonzales, ecosystem scien-tist at St. Lawrence IslandsNational Park.

The study is looking at whatfactors make it more likely thatticks and Lyme disease will befound in certain areas. Deer andsmall mammal populations, prox-imity to the source of ticks (theUnited States), local climate, andplant communities can all influ-ence the number of ticks.

“Based on our first year of datacollection, the greatest rates ofinfection tend to be on islands clos-est to the United States,” explainsGonzales, though she notes thatmore seasons of fieldwork areneeded to confirm that trendbecause tick populations fluctuatewith weather, rodent populationcycles and other factors.

Lyme disease has been recog-nized in the eastern United Statessince the mid-1970s. Establishedblacklegged tick populations wereconfirmed in the 1000 Islands

region in 2006. One of the earli-est local sites studied for ticks wasThwartway Island.

“There doesn’t seem to bemuch variation in the databetween 2006 and 2009,” says Dr.Robbin Lindsay, research scientistwith the Public Health Agency ofCanada. “Tick prevalence andinfection rates on Thwartwayseem to be very stable.”

Studies in 2009 were expand-ed to survey twelve island andmainland sites in the 1000Islands region. On average, 30per cent of ticks from the sur-veyed locations carried the bacte-ria that causes Lyme disease,though there was a great deal ofvariation from site to site.

Tick hotspots include Cam -elot, Endymion and Thwartwayislands, but Gonzales emphasizesthat the take-home message isthat ticks are everywhere in the1000 Islands region.

“Ticks and Lyme disease are apart of the eastern Ontario land-scape now,” she says.

The Leeds, Grenville andLanark District Health Unit con-ducts passive tick surveillance byaccepting, identifying and testingticks that have bitten people. Thehealth unit no longer accepts tickscollected from pets, as many vetclinics are now able to test forLyme disease in-house.

“Last year, 277 ticks removedfrom humans were submitted foridentification and testing,” saysKim McCann, senior public healthinspector for the Leeds, Grenvilleand Lanark District Health Unit.“Of those, 224 were blackleggedticks and 10 per cent were positivefor Lyme disease.”

The bacteria Anaplasma,which causes human granulocyticanaplasmosis (HGA), was alsodetected in a small percentage ofticks on Thwartway Island. HGAis increasingly recognized as acause of fever and flu-like symp-toms after tick bites in areas ofNorth America with blackleggedticks. Symptoms range in severityand, in rare cases, infection may

Ticks continue to thrive in eastern Ontario

Park hosts veterinarystudent field courseEighteen studentsfrom Canada’sfive veterinarycolleges spent aweek at St.Lawrence IslandsNational Park aspart of a nationaleco-health fieldcourse for vet stu-dents last sum-mer. As part ofthe course, thestudents collecteddata for the park’sLyme disease and tick studies, participated in lectures and courses, and maderecommendations to the park on communications strategies, research possibil-ities, and management techniques related to wildlife and disease transmission.

Photo: Claire Jardine

result in death.For more information on the

park’s tick studies or to learn howyou can survey and collect ticksfor the park or from your back-yard, please call 613-923-5261.For more information about Lymedisease and HGA, please contactyour local health unit.


PARK FACILITY UPDATE� Completion of the composting toi-

let project with installation of units

at Mallorytown Landing and on

McDonald, North Grenadier, Con-

stance and Main Duck islands.

� Ongoing restoration of Mallory-

town Landing with planting of

native trees, shrubs, and flowers.

� Removal of all old pit privies.

� Ongoing repair and chipping of

island trails.

� Installation of a new playground,

tree house, pathways, rock sculp-

tures, mural, children’s garden,

birdhouses, and interpretive signs

at Mallorytown Landing.

� Installation of new signs to direct

visitors to mainland trails and the

visitor centre.

� Completion of a boardwalk bridge

across Mud Creek and installation

of a welcome sign at the Jones

Creek trail entrance.

� Building of a new picnic gazebo at

East Grenadier.

� Installation of new docks at Central

Grenadier.

� Replacement of the dock at Main

Duck Island.

� Stairway installation and repair at

steep trail sections on Georgina

Island.

• Refurbish or replace docks onAubrey Island (northwest dock)

and Endymion Island (east fixed

dock).

• Install a small dock in Landon Bay

for access to Fitzsimmons Moun-

tain hiking trail.

• Complete boardwalks and install

additional trail markers and wel-

come signs on Jones Creek and

Fitzsimmons Mountain trails.

• Repair Georgina Island trails affect-

ed by the 2009 prescribed burn.

• Install new visitor services signs on

mainland and island properties.

• Ongoing repair and chipping of

island trails.

• Remove storm-damaged trees and

repair or replace stairs, ramps, and

docks damaged by winter storms.

• Complete a full assessment of visi-

tor facilities; begin repair and

replacement of assets in critical

condition (picnic tables, campsites,

shelters, docks, etc.).

• Install new animal-proof garbage,

recycling and food storage contain-

ers.

Completed in 2009 2010 Projects

Photo: BearSaver by Haul-All Equipment

Your fees at work

activities in Canada’s national parks. The wardens will be conducting

targeted law enforcement activitiesrelated to national park regulations.For example, they will ensure visitorscomply with fee payment, conditionsof a permit, noise restrictions, andpets on a leash.

The wardens are supported inthis work by other park staff andstewardship partners in a wider pro-gram of prevention that aims to edu-cate and inform visitors of the rulesand regulations to minimize thenumber of incidents that require lawenforcement. Where issues cannotbe resolved in this manner, parkwardens and other enforcementagencies will step in with targetedactions to address specific problems.

Island attendants and parkmanagers have the authority to can-cel the permits of visitors who vio-late certain rules, and wardens havethe authority to issue fines and evictvisitors. The law enforcement sec-tion will ensure fair, impartial, con-sistent, professional and proactivelaw enforcement on all lands andwaters administered by Park Cana-da with the goal to ensure that allvisitors have an enjoyable nationalpark experience while respecting thepark as a place that has value andmeaning for Canadians.

The Parks Canada warden serv-ice changed in 2009 in response to acourt decision about the dangers towhich park wardens are exposedwhile conducting law enforcementactivities. As a result, the park war-dens are now an armed service andare focussed on law enforcement.The past ten years have been a peri-od of transition, with law enforce-ment duties being performed at dif-ferent times by the RCMP and theOntario Provincial Police.

This is the first summer thatarmed park wardens will be dedicat-ed to law enforcement at St.Lawrence Islands National Park.The park wardens will also providesome enforcement services on theRideau Canal. For more informationabout the Parks Canada wardenservice, please call 613-923-5261.

Wardens to enforce law in park this year

Recycling available at four locations in parkRecycling and garbage collection

will be available on McDonald, Beau

Rivage and Central Grenadier islands

and at Mallorytown Landing begin-

ning in May 2010. On all other

islands, visitors will be responsible

for packing out their own garbage.

The decision to offer garbage

pickup at four park locations was

reached after several years of public

feedback, financial assessment and

public consultation. In response to

visitors’ requests, recycling facilities

will be added at the four locations

Animal-proof recycling and garbage con-

tainers will be available on McDonald,

Beau Rivage and Central Grenadier islands

and at Mallorytown Landing this summer.

It’s up to you!Objects put in recycling containers

will only be recycled if they are clean. One

unclean bottle or can will cause the entire

bag to be sent to the landfill. Do your part

- rinse and wash your containers!

Continued from page 1

where garbage is collected.

Parks Canada is making an effort

to provide a service offer that appeals

to a variety of users and new genera-

tions of Canadians. A review of the

service offer is a response to the need

to reach out to new potential markets

and provide a variety of options to

various user groups. This includes a

model of islands that allow generator

use and islands that are generator

free. The park will communicate with

user groups on the best approach to

phasing in this service model and to

help them investigate alternative

What are the consequences?

Consequences vary dependingon the offence and severity of theincident. Fines for commoninfractions range from $65 to$130, while evictions from thepark can range from 48 hours toone year in length. Some of themore common infractions and anexample of the possible conse-quences are listed below.

Permit violations (e.g.,no permit, invalid permit, illegalmooring)Consequences: $65 fine, eviction Justification: Park fees arerequired to pay for services andfacilities. Mooring restrictions,such as yellow lines, are in placeto ensure visitor safety and effi-cient access for emergency andpark vessels.

Pets off leashConsequences: $90 fine, eviction Justification: Pets wandering offtrails may pick up parasites suchas ticks, which can transmit dis-ease to humans. Pets may disturbother visitors, can harm ordestroy vegetation and wildlife,and can contribute to the spreadof invasive species.

Open alcoholConsequences: $130 fine, evictionJustification: The Liquor LicenceAct of Ontario governs the posses-sion and consumption of liquor inthe province. Within the park,open liquor is permitted only onregistered campsites and on regis-tered, moored vessels that containfacilities normally associated witha residence (beds, lavatories, etc.)with a valid park permit. Openliquor is not permitted in com-

mon areas such as docks, picnicareas, and shelters.

Collection of naturalobjects (e.g., burning fallenbranches)Consequences: $130 fine, evictionJustification: Fallen trees andbranches provide critical habitat formany animals, such as salamanders.Natural cycles of decay returnimportant nutrients to the soil. Theremoval of any natural object (flow-ers, herbs, rocks, etc.) disturbs theecological integrity of the ecosystem.Firewood is available for sale onislands where fires are permitted.

What happens if Idon’t pay my fine?

Parks Canada fines areentered into provincial andnational law enforcement sys-tems. Parks Canada has an agree-ment with Ontario, Quebec andNew York that will not permit youto renew your driver’s licence ifyou have outstanding fines onyour record. In addition, you mayhave to return to the area wherethe fine was incurred (in this case,Brockville or Kingston) in orderto pay it. For other provinces andstates, the matter is turned overto a collection agency.

energy options and power saving

techniques. In 2010, generator use

will be permitted at Mallorytown

Landing and on the following

islands: Aubrey, Beau Rivage,

Camelot, Central Grenadier,

Grenadier West, Constance,

Georgina, Gordon, Hill and McDon-

ald.

The service model is based on

several years of public feedback and

public consultation. Consultation

included public meetings in the fall

of 2007 that all season pass holders

and the community at large were

invited to through newspaper ads

and a mailed newsletter outlining

the proposed changes to the service

offer on the islands. In addition, a

survey was mailed to all season pass

holders in the spring of 2008. The

park’s aim is to provide a visitor

experience that appeals to all user

groups, including boaters, day

users, kayakers and canoeists.

The cooperation of boating visi-

tors and changes to garbage collec-

tion points and generator use over

the past ten years has already begun

to reduce the human footprint on

the national park. Since 2001,

garbage produced in the park has

been reduced by 60 per cent.

Through park interpretive roving

programs and the help of some pas-

sionate solar Island Stewards, we

have shared information with

boaters over the past few seasons on

cost-effective and simple alterna-

tive energy solutions, and have seen

a number of boaters convert to

solar.

Garbage and recycling facilities

are also available for a fee at sever-

al local marinas and municipal

docks. For more information, call

613-923-5261.


May 22 – Visitor Centre opens for2010 - Meet native snakes, fishand other animals and check outthe world of nocturnal creatureswith our new travelling exhibit“Bats of Ontario” from the RoyalOntario Museum. Bring a picnicand explore new outdoor exhibitson Mohawk culture and the sto-ries of local residents who make adifference in our ecosystem.

May 29 – Hill Island Hike – Partici-pate in an off-trail guided hikethrough the national park’snature preserve on Hill Island tolearn more about the scientificresearch taking place in this pro-tected area of the park. Meet inthe 1000 Islands SkyDeck park-ing lot on Hill Island. Bridge tollwill be charged to access HillIsland. 1 – 3 p.m.

June 5 – Jones Creek Hike – Interna-tional Trails Day – Explore St.Lawrence Islands National Park'snew trail system at Jones Creek ina tour of the trails’ highlights anda look at the biodiversity of the1000 Islands region. Trailhead isaccessible from the 1000 IslandsParkway, across from the Brown’sBay picnic area. Parking feeapplies. 1 – 3 p.m.

July & August – Nature Kids – Youngchildren ages 3 to 5 can explorenature, play games, and take part ininteractive activities with their par-ent or adult supervisor. A newnature theme is explored eachweek. Wednesdays 10:30 a.m. – 12p.m. July 7 to August 25.

July & August – Feeding Time –Learn more about what the ani-mals in our ecosystem are eatingand how they find and consumetheir food as we feed the VisitorCentre’s summer residents. Tues-days and Saturdays at 2 p.m.

July & August – Roving Interpreta-tion – Is fire a friend or foe?What’s happening to the turtles inthe river? Watch for park inter-preters on the weekends as theyrove through the campsites anddocks of national park islands toshare the stories of St. LawrenceIslands National Park.

July & August – Landon Bay NatureDay Camp – In partnership withthe Frontenac Arch BiosphereReserve, St. Lawrence IslandsNational Park offers program-ming during the Landon BayNature Day Camp’s week-longsessions. Children ages 6 to 11will explore a new environmentaltheme each week through out-door adventures, experiments,crafts and other fun activities.

Please contact the Frontenac ArchBiosphere Reserve at 613-659-4824 or visit www.landonbay.orgfor program, registration and feeinformation.

July 1 – Canada Day Celebrations –Celebrate Canada Day at St.Lawrence Islands National Park.Enjoy cake, games, face paintingand films showcasing Ontario'snational parks. Activities from 12– 3 p.m. Vehicle parking fee doesnot apply on Canada Day.

July 10 –Kids’ Fishing Day with theOPP – Join the Ontario ProvincialPolice for a day of family fishingfun at St. Lawrence IslandsNational Park. Contact the parkfor more details.

July 17 – Canada’s Parks Day – Birdsof Prey Flight Show – See free-flyingbirds of prey up close during flightdemonstrations by Little Ray’sReptile Zoo. Celebrate Canada’sParks Day by meeting birds, rep-tiles, amphibians and other ani-mals representing the diversity oflife in and around St. LawrenceIslands National Park. Shows at1:00 and 2:30 p.m.

September 11 – Geocaching 101 –Search for multi-caches along thepark trails or join us for a one-hourworkshop that will help you getstarted on this family-friendly glob-al activity. GPS units will be provid-ed for the beginner workshop. Pre-registration required. 12 – 4 p.m.

September 17-19 & 25-26 – Art inthe Park - The Thousand IslandsFine Arts Association (TIFAA) artexhibit and winners of the 2009Art in the Park art contest will bedisplayed in the MallorytownLanding Visitor Centre.

October 2 – Hill Island Hike – Par-ticipate in an off-trail guided hikethrough the national park’s naturepreserve on Hill Island to learnmore about the scientific researchtaking place in this protected areaof the park. Meet in the 1000Islands SkyDeck parking lot on HillIsland. Bridge toll will be chargedto access Hill Island. 1 – 3 p.m.

October 15 – Photo Contest EntryDeadline – Capture the beauty ofSt. Lawrence Islands NationalPark during your visits and enteryour photos in our annual photocontest. Contest details and entryforms available at www.pc.gc.ca/sli.

Fall 2010 – Completion of Fitzsim-

mons Mountain Trail – Accessible onlyby kayak or canoe from Landon Bay,the 5-km round-trip trail leads to animpressive scenic lookout.

Events & ProgramsFor more information or to pre-register for events, call 613-923-

5261 or email [email protected]. All events take place at the Mallory-town Landing Visitor Centre (1121- 1000 Islands Parkway) unlessotherwise noted. Parking fees ($6.80 per vehicle) apply at Mallory-town Landing and Jones Creek from May 22 to September 6. Addi-tional costs are noted if applicable. Seasonal permits are available.

St. Lawrence Islands National Park’s mainland trails, visitor centre,and administration office are located on the 1000 Islands Parkwaybetween Brockville and Gananoque, Ontario. The 1000 Islands Park-way is accessible from Highway 401 exits 647 to 685 and from theUnited States via the 1000 Islands International Bridge.

Mallorytown Landing visitor centre, trails and boat launch:1121-1000 Islands Parkway (401 exit 675).Jones Creek trails: 1000 Islands Parkway, 6 km east of Mallory-town Landing (401 exit 675 or 685).Landon Bay Centre: 302-1000 Islands Parkway (401 exit 647)Administration office: 2 County Road 5 (401 exit 675).Islands:More than 20 island properties in the St. Lawrence Riverbetween Kingston and Brockville. The park does not provide trans-portation to the islands.

How to Get to St. Lawrence Islands NP

Mallorytown Landing

• Visitor centre with live animals,hands-on exhibits, Aboriginalstories, children’s activities

• Outdoor exhibits and artwork

• Playground

• 2-km trail with easy and mod-erate hiking loops

• Boat launch

• Picnic area

• Scenic river views

• Geocaches

Jones Creek trails

• 12-km trail network of easy todifficult trail loops

• Wildlife viewing

• Lookout points

• Scenic wetland boardwalk

• Geocaches

Landon Bay Centre

(Privately operated)

• 7-km trail network

• Scenic lookout

• Playground

• Geocaches

• Picnic area

• Campground

• Pool

Islands

• Docks & mooring buoys

• Composting toilets

• Walking trails

• Campsites (12 islands)

• Picnic shelters (14 islands)

• Scenic river views & wildlife

• Garbage & recycling pick-up (3islands)

• Beaches (2 islands)

• Geocaches (2 islands)

• Potable water (CentralGrenadier only)

Mallorytown LandingMay 22 to June 6

• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekendsand holidays.

June 12 to September 6

• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday toFriday

• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday

Fees are payable from May 22 toSeptember 6 for all services, anduntil October 11 for vehicle andtrailer parking and launching.

Jones Creek trailsOpen year-round. Parking feesapply May 22 to September 6.

Landon Bay Centre

(Privately operated)Open year-round. Parking feefor Jones Creek and Mallory-town Landing covers trail useat Landon Bay May 22 toSeptember 6. Separate feesapply for other services and off-season use. For more informa-tion visit www.landonbay.org.

IslandsServices and facilities are main-tained from Victoria Day toThanksgiving (May 22 to October11). Fees are payable by self-regis-tration.

Park Administration Office8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday toFriday, year round.

Hours of Operation

parkscanada.gc.ca/sli

Fees & more Information

Facilities

613-923-5261

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