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I. 6-Oroito Weekly Times, Wednesday, March 11, 1987 _ r ^Ajli* a®-/*; %» The Federation of Ontario Naturalists "W FON Çonservation Centre, Moalfield Park i 355 Lesrhi'l Road, Don Mills, Ontario, M3B 2W8 Phone; (416) 444-8419 J Town turns aside plan for convenience store (Intended for last week) By Mike Singleton Wintertime Fish Oases - They're In Place Now During late winter, waterfront visitors often notice large numbers of dead, dying and active fish 'floating' in openings where currents currents or spring-fed streams thaw openings through the frozen surface of lakes and ponds. Such congregations are not only a curiosity - they're a 'feeding station' station' for a host of ànimals - raccoons, raccoons, mink, otter, crows, coyote and gulls to name a few. They're also a fascinating lesson in the wintertime biology of lakes. For all animals in the outdoors, winter is a very stressful time. In one sense, winter's frigid water acts as a saviour. There are two reasons for this. First, a fantastic amount of energy must be released to convert 0°C water into 0°C ice. (it takes as much energy as warming water 80°C). Secondly, ice floats (unlike most materials which continue contracting contracting as they freeze). For these two reasons, the formation of ice at a lake's (or pond's) surface ensures that the lake's 'precious cargo' - of fish, insects, invertebrates and hibernating reptiles and amphibians - doesn't freeze. More than that, the cold water reduces these coldblooded coldblooded animals' body temperatures - putting them into a state of near-suspended animation, so that the precious supplies of body fat and available food will carry the animals through the long, winter period of deprivation. meaning governments here and in other western capitals face the fact that their good intentions in regard to South Africa have produced bad results. It is not just that sanctions have failed to speed the liberalization of the country's obstinate President, P.W. Botha, but by relying on puni 7 tive economic and diplomatic action, and failing to curtail apartheid, it seems to me we 'have left ourselves with no logical next step short of praising the Lord and passing the'am- munitipn. The Anglican Archbishop, Desmond Desmond Tutu, held off endorsing sanctions sanctions for months and finally embraced them only reluctantly. He did so out of frustration with the Afrikaner monolith Pretoria, not because of any conviction that sanctions would be effective. effective. And he finally admitted some weeks ago that they were not working. Now his Roman Catholic counterpart, counterpart, Archbishop Denis Hurley, recently recently on a ten-day tour of Canada, is saying the same thing even more forcefully. According to Canadian Press, Archbishop Archbishop Hurley told a news conference conference that the only apparent impact of sanctions has been to create a fortress fortress mentality among country's ruling ruling Afrikaners. He said that black majority majority rule is inevitable, but expressed doubts that it will be achieved by negotiation. The Archbishop added that Afrikaners are fearful and ( threatened, and in his words, "fear is But at the same time, this ice formation formation creates a new stress - one related to oxygen supply. As the lake froze over in the fall, it was (mostly) sealed off from the air above - as though a giant layer of saran wrap had been stretched across the surface. During the rest of the year, oxygen oxygen from the air readily crosses into into the lake's water, where it is mixed mixed by the actions of wind-driven waves and currents. And, during the summer, the lake's algae even produce oxygen. In winter, the consumption of oxygen oxygen by the fish, insects, worms and decomposing vegetation continues. But oxygen production stops. And, the ice layer both stops the movement movement of oxygen across the surface, and sharply reduces the mixing currents. currents. So, life congregates wherever there are openings through the ice. "These are most often where spr- ingwater (a 'balmy' 10"C) flows in, where rain-fed currents warm the ice from beneath, and along the shore (where the sun's warmth turns' rocks and logs into 'hot pokers' through the ice.) In these oxygen oases, all life seems to congregate - bull and green frog tadpoles, gamefish, sticklebacks and an array of minnows, minnows, dragonfly nymphs, and a huge assortment of diving beetles. There may be hundreds of fish and thousands of other animals in a few square meters. Mink, otter and raccoons raccoons come to feed on the 'easy pickings'. And an array of scavengers - crows and gulls to ,not impressed by argument". Archbishop Hurley appears to be in a cleft stick becàuse he feels he could "hardly go along with the extremity" of calling for universal sanctions,which might collapse his country's economy. economy. And although he oannot endorse the ANC's commitment to violence either, he says, like Brian Mulroney, that he understands the reason for it. Let's ^et a couple of things clear. We aren't going to get universal sanctions sanctions against South Africa. Even if we could persuade all of the appropriate governments to impose universal sanctions, we could never persuade business to do so. There may be vestigial traces of conscience in. government, but there is none whatever among those international fly-by-nighters whose profits are founded on other people's misery. In short; sanctions haven't worked, and they're not going to. And saying you cannot endorse the ANC's committment committment to violence, but that you understand the reason for it, is tantamount tantamount to suggesting that you will look the other way when violence takes place. In addition, it carries an unspoken implication that under some circumstances, in the unfor- seeable future, it might not be out of the question to support violence actively. actively. , It is becoming a very unattractive corner that the Mulroney government, millions of Canadians, and now a Roman Catholic Archbishop are painting themselves into. name a couple - come to feed on the fish which do succumb. A few of the large dpenings wil1 even àt-' tract and 'ke?P' bald eagles and great blue herP ns that have stayed around for the winter. It's intriguing to examine these openings, from a safe location. Even to those not hardy enough to watch from a concealed location (best in early morning or late afternoon), afternoon), tracks in the snow and slush record the visitors. But whatever you do, stay off thin ice. Remember that in late winter, ice melts mostly from the bottom and can vary greatly in thickness over a distance of a couple of meters. So if you're near a pond or frozen lake, watch for the oases. • You'll discover a 'new' feature of winter. Spring In The Earth By Marion Strebig There are flowers blooming at my back door. Yes. it is a southern exposure exposure and they are hugging the brick wall. But it is the first of March and, although we have had considerable sun for two weeks, the average night-time temperature has been -7 to -10 degrees Centigrade. Yet, there they are, snowdrops, sturdy little white bells, basking in the lengthening days. A dark patch like a sweat stain ha appeared on the trunk of the maple just below a shallow slash. The sap is running and the tappers are the squirrels. Each year they make several gashes at places where branches enter the main trunk so that they can enjoy a sweet treat. The woodlot is changing too. In the boggy area uphill from the swamp, mottled purple eruptions of the skunk cabbage are vigorously pushing aside last fall's debris. Members of the arum family, they enclose within these mottled purple and yellow hoods, or spathes, short thick yellow spadix on which are packed minute, petalless flowers. Most people seem to share my daughter's opinion of this first appearance appearance of the skunk cabbage. "Gross", she said. But 1 feel my blood quicken at the sight of this first real growth of a new spring. Apparently, the spadix is capable of raising the temperature inside the spàthe enough to melt the snow. Let's hear it for the skunk cabbage! By late spring it will be unrecognizable; the leaves, which were lying tightly curled against the spathe, unfurl into majestic fans. ' But don't crush one or you'll soon understand how it got its name. Because there are traces of two season, early spring is a particularly rewarding time to explore woods and meadows. Last year's cattails, foaming like the head on a good brown ale, are as soft to the touch as the underbelly of a cat. Ghosts of last summer and fall are everywhere: the caged heads of Queen Anne's lace, the rococo pillar of self-heal, the delicate drooping twist of the split back swallow-wort casing and the empty hanging bladder Of the wild cucumber. But there is life'there, rosettes of leaves underneath last year's debris. Wherever the sun has been able to get at the earth, there is growth starting; starting; in some cases it is as though the plant, like the sleeping princess, was only waiting for the right kiss to rise again. Little plants of celandine poppy rise perfect and green against a tree root; leaves of buttercup and the small-lobe'd basal leaves of the- mustard family are all there as though they had been preserved by the cold, ready to stprt business again the moment they were freed from the snow. No sign yet of that early flash of .neon, coltsfoot, garish without its leaves. A proposal by Pioneer Petroleum to develop, a convenience store in addition to an existing service station station at 114 Liberty Street in Bowmanville was denied by the General Purpose committee on Monday. The committee followed the denial recommendation of the planning planning department. The development would have been located on Liberty Street near the intersection with Ontario Ontario Street. Pioneer in support of the proposal proposal said it was a viable proposal and would serve the motoring public on the busy street. Council has received a number of objections to the plan many of It won't be long now. Soon there will be little gray, woolly clusters of hepatica buds and shoots of wild garlic. But I'm getting ahead of the season. The skunk cabbage, unabashedly shoving its way out of the cold ground, is enough to be getting on with. which objected to the proposal as it is adjacent to Memorial Park. An operator of a Liberty Street South variety store also opposed the development. Counc. Hamre said it was the responsibility of council members to make planning decisions in the interest of all residents of the community. community. She said she felt it was not an area to create another convenience convenience outlet especially next to the park. Counc. Stapleton said the developer had said the convenience store would serve the travelling public and this being the case another couple of minutes driving would bring one to one of the other thirteen convenience stores in Bowmanville. Counc. Cowman said she felt the wishes of the people should be taken into account in the decision which was to deny. It was pointed out that there was more suitable sites on Liberty Street and that an area on the north-east corner of Liberty and Baseline was already zoned to allow a convenience convenience store and would from that area give better service. C> FRIDAY 1310 13% OFF All Stock Friday Only Just Arrived GIÂNT EASTER COOKIES CUTTERS The Village Bin Ororto Phone 983-5610 OTTAWA--It is, time that well-