BRENDA NEAR, North Durham Nature
This past Saturday afternoon a low profile Scot Pine thinning occurred in the Countryside Preserve with two groups, the Uxbridge Cub Scouts and North Durham Nature. The groups were given different locations in the Preserve, to reduce congestion and address social distancing issues. Many adults wore masks and all maintained distance in the fields. A North Durham Nature liability waiver was completed by participants. Twelve adults and nine Cub Scouts removed hundreds of invasive Scot Pine shoots over the two hour period. The removal of Scot Pine, Pinus sylvestris, an Invasive tree species, improves biodiversity, keeping the meadows open for wildflowers, butterflies and other pollinators, grassland birds, and other wildlife. The idea was first suggested by the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) management plan for the Uxbridge Countryside Preserve in 2009, and has been an annual volunteer effort by the Trail volunteers, Nature club, Uxbridge Scouts and community. Thanks, this year, to Uxbridge Cub Scouts and North Durham Nature! Interested in Scouting? Check out their website at www.1stuxbridge.ca. Learn about and help nature join us at www.northdurhamnature.com.