Natural History of The Headwaters Region
Presented in this class are the key aspects of what makes the Headwaters Region so ecologically significant, as well as the succession that has made it so. Come learn the secrets of your local region’s ecological gifts, miracles and hot spots and how they have evolved.
The class includes a driving tour of the region, beginning with the Credit Valley, continuing to the Grand River, then the Nottawasaga, the Humber and finally back again. The ABCs of our natural history are discussed, from several time scale perspectives, including:
- Tectonic scale (millions of years)
- Glacial scale (hundreds of thousands to ten thousand of years)
- Greening of the land by those who move (ten thousand years)
- Mega fauna (thousands of years)
- Cultural evolution (hundreds of years)
- Revolutions (decades)
- The Current State – singing a new song (the present)
We will discuss such topics as how our region came to be the way it is today, ecological miracles and reserves, old growth, secondary growth, and reforestation. Plant and animal diversity will also be looked at in terms of natural ebbs and flows. The influence of culture in the region is a huge chapter to be explored; we will discuss degradation and fragmentation, restoration and stewardship, and everything in between.
There are various ways to understand and to view nature. We will explore the ecological land ethic perspective, the idea of sustainable humans as dancers. The terms conservation, preservation, restoration, rehabilitation and stewardship will be defined and differentiated from each other; we will examine the evolution of our communities’ ways of relating to their region.
When: July 21(tues) and 22(wed), 2009. 6 pm-10 pm
Where: Sticks and Stones Workshop- Caledon, ON
Cost: $79 (includes instruction and all course materials)
To register and reserve your space click here. Please be sure to register at least one week before class date.
Please send check or money order, payable to Sticks and Stones Wilderness School, after sending your online registration. You will be sent a confirmation package via email unless otherwise noted. It will contain a list of what to bring and travel directions. Please notify us of any changes and inform us that Payment has been sent via email, Thank You.
For further details or questions we can be reached via email at sswsinfo@gmail.com or by phone at 519-216-6842