Blue Jay,Manitou R. upgrades' envy of the North'

Successful co-operative ventures

by Jim Moodie

TEHKUMMAH-Upstream of a small bridge on the Second Concession near Tehkummah, the Manitou River ran clear and swift over a pebbly bottom, while a pair of narrower channels-ideal spawning routes for salmon and trout-converged from the lush vegetation  on either side.

Downstream, the river sprawled over a stark, shallow area strewn with rocks, and oozed past a muddy bank that had been badly eroded by spring run-off and parched cows.

"What a contrast when you look from one side of the bridge to the other!" remarked Joyce Varieur, one of about 20 people who turned out for a tour of stream rehabilitation sites on the Manitou River and Blue Jay Creek last Friday.

It was a contrast that the tour guides-Paul Methner of the Blue Jay Creek Fish Hatchery, and Bob Florean, fish and wildlife specialist with the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR)-had been counting on tour participants to appreciate. It was no accident, after all, that they'd picked this site as the first stop of the itinerary.

The section of river upstream of the bridge, noted Mr. Florean, had been recently rehabilitated-a point that, given the grim picture on the other side of the bridge, hardly needed to be made. Yet if you hadn't looked below the bridge you'd probably never have known that any work had transpired here at all. On this upstream side, everything looked, well, natural. 

In fact, a great deal of scientific study, engineering, and physical labour went into creating this 'natural' habitat. An engineer prepared a thick document outlining every curve of the river and what needed to be done to restore the natural characteristics of each spot. College Boreal co-op students were recruited to map the entire area, using a high-tech Geographic Information System.

And then the grunt work began."We had Junior Rangers carrying 19 yards of gravel up here by hand, and we made these spawning channels," related Mr. Florean.

A different sort of human endeavour-no less energetic or well-intentioned,  but ultimately more destructive-contributed to the situation below the bridge. "Here, we have a good example of what happens when a combination of things go wrong," the fish and wildlife specialist noted. One of those things has, undoubtedly, been farming practices. "There is no fencing here to keep the cattle out, and when you have an 800-pound steer stepping on the bank, another chunk of the bank goes downstream," Mr. Florean said.

He hastened to add, however,  that "we are not pointing our fingers at agriculture. It made sense at one time to build your barn right on the water, and to plow right to the shore.  And when you didn't have an excavator, it also made sense to take gravel out of the river."

Nor is farming the only culprit in the degradation of the river-logging played its part too, as areas of the river were altered for the transport of logs, and its bottom scoured until only bare limestone slabs remained. Gesturing at the stark rockscape below the bridge, Mr. Florean noted that "the river here is twice as wide as it should be, and if you're a little trout or salmon, it's pretty tough to live in this sort of environment."

Farmers are increasingly making efforts to adjust their habits, particularly in the wake of Walkerton. Many now pump water from rivers (using solar energy, or current-powered sling pumps) to "remote watering" spots, and fence off access to streams. Yet, in the absence of clear legislation (other than the strictures of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans), some old habits persist, and the legacy of some old operations remains.

The good news concerning the grim situation below the Second Concession bridge is that the individual who owns this particular chunk of land, Norm Paquette, has recently agreed to participate in the Blue Jay Creek and Manitou River Enhancement Strategy-an initiative which began with a handful of volunteers about a decade ago, but has since grown into a broad-based, well-funded project that has become the envy of many other communities. As Mr. Florean proudly told those who took part in the tour, "In the south similar work has been done to rehabilitate the Grand and Credit rivers, but this is by far the largest project of this nature in Northern Ontario, and already people in other parts of the North are looking at this as a blueprint for their own areas."

Several of the people who got the ball rolling years ago were on hand for the tour, including Paul Moffatt, Peter Edward, Alex Lochead and Mike Costigan of the Lake Manitou Area Association,  who are now seeing their early volunteer efforts pay off in more ways than they probably imagined when they first started working on the issue.

Also present were members of fish and game clubs, like Blaine Williamson and Bill Hudgins; members and former members of municipal councils, such as Al Tribinevicius and Joyce Varieur; representatives of the LaCloche Manitoulin Business Assistance Corporation, which has been acting as the conduit for funding; and representatives of the farming community,  including individual landowners and Ag Rep Brian Bell.

Reviving the Manitou River and Blue Jay Creek is a project that unites a variety of sectors, crossing the spectrum of interests on Manitoulin. As Mr. Methner noted, "part of this is about improving things from a fisheries standpoint, but there are also riparian interests and a benefit to farmers as well, because we're not only working in the water, but also doing work on the shoreline." There is also a broader socio-economic  benefit, given that Manitoulin depends on the continued interest of anglers and ecotourists for its economy, and local contractors additionally benefit from the work that is being carried out. "This had to be a community-driven initiative, not  a just top-down approach," noted Mr. Methner.

Some farmers have been reluctant to embrace the program, fearing either a costly expenditure or a sudden influx of anglers on their properties. The intiative depends on the participation of landowners, however, and members of the River Enhancement  steering committee have been busy trying to bring them onside, or "buy in," as Mr. Methner put it.

Both he and Mr. Florean believe the benefits to a landowner outweigh the inconvenience or cost of a stream rehabilitation project. "When we go in and do rehabilitation work, we're improving the land, stabilizing shorelines," pointed out Mr. Florean. "Some farmers are concerned that they're going to lose land because part of what we're doing is planting trees and vegetation-but what you lose in a few feet you gain in the long run, because if we don't do this sort of work the river will just keep eating away at the shoreline."

Nor is a stream rehab project necessarily a big expense for a landowner. "We're finding the money," said Mr. Florean. "It can be expensive, but we're helping them." He noted that Tehkummah farmer and local reeve Jim Anstice was one of the first farmers to embrace the program, and many have followed his lead since. "Once we talk to landowners, and explain the strategy, 90 per cent will recognize that it's worth it."

Mr. Florean noted that some landowners have told him that they are seeing plenty of fish in the river, so can't see the point of investing money and effort in reconfiguring the shoreline. "But just because you see fish, doesn't mean that it's a healthy fishery-you need to have the progeny of those fish developing," he stressed.

The beauty of rehabilitating the Manitou River and Blue Jay Creek, from Mr. Florean's perspective, is that doing so creates a strong, sustainable fishery. "We see these streams as huge natural incubators that will produce fish that are more street-smart than those raised in an artificial system where they're used to getting hand-outs. These fish will learn how to live in the wild and avoid predators. And at 18 months, in the case of a rainbow trout, they smolt (make their first descent of the river) and go out into the big water, where they grow rapidly, feeding on biomass. The fishery becomes sustainable, where it will take care of itself indefinitely."

Fish, however, are only the most prominent beneficiaries of the improved stream habitat. "It benefits the top predators, which are salmon and trout, but also the lowest life forms," said Mr. Florean.

MNR workers, anglers and riparian dwellers are already seeing increased numbers of salmon and trout as a result of the stream rehab projects. As Mr. Methner put it, "You see the results almost instantly."

But observers are noticing a boom in other forms of life as well. "You're seeing more water snakes, mink, crayfish, aquatic insects-it's a chain reaction," said Mr. Florean.

All this, when only a handful of the areas identified for rehabilitation work have so far been tackled. "The consultant we hired identified 123 key locations on the Manitou River and Blue Jay Creek for rehabiliation, at an estimated cost of $2.3 million to have them repaired," noted Mr. Florean. Raising that money, and gaining the cooperation of landowners along the lower stretches of the rivers, will be a task, but members of the steering committee are optimistic that much more can, and will, be done.

In the meantime, they have several success stories to show off. Other spots proudly displayed during last Friday's tour included the area immediately below the dam at Sandfield, which has been revived as a spawning ground; a revitalized section of the Blue Jay Creek adjacent to the hatchery; and a stretch of the creek behind the Diebolt family's Garden's Gate Restaurant which now has a confined area for cattle watering, a new cedar fence, and creek banks that have not only been planted with native species such as cedar and dogwood but also sculpted to include undercuts, where the fish can find shelter and shade.

Fish need cold water to flourish in these streams, noted Mr. Florean, particularly brook trout, which prefer temperatures of 10 to 15 degrees Celsius and, unlike the salmon, are indigenous to the rivers. Brook trout do inhabit Blue Jay Creek, but in limited numbers, and only a few can be found these days in the Manitou River.

In many ways, the rehabilitation projects have been remarkably successful, succeeding even the expectations of those who have been working on them. But much work remains, and the ultimate barometer of success would be not only more cooperation from landowners, but a revived brook trout fishery.

Northeast Town takes potential funders on boat tour

by Richard MacKenzie

LITTLE CURRENT-The cruise ship Le Levant opened its deck on the morning of October 13 to allow representatives of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund and FedNor to gain more insight on the Waterfront Development Project.

The meeting was proposed by the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands (NEMI) council as an information session.

Stig Puschel from FedNor and Glen Warren from the Heritage Fund went on board along with NEMI mayor Joe Chapman and councillors Gary Green and Jib Turner for a quick tour from Le Levant Captain Roger Van Damme. During the tour and following, Mr. Puschel and Mr. Warren were afforded the opportunity to ask Captain Van Damme about the needs and specifics of a new dock in Little Current.

Mayor Chapman said both men took full advantage of the opportunity and that Captain Van Damme was extremely generous and informative in helping provide his guests with  a perspective  unique only to a person in his capacity.

Directly to this point, Mr. Puschel told the captain as he was exiting the boat, "it is nice to hear from someone other than an engineer regarding the project."

Mr. Pushel expanded his point by saying it was an effective visit for FedNor, as a potential funding agency, as they strive to receive as much information as possible regarding the needs of the project. He said the captain was able to elaborate on topics regarding functional aspects of a cruise ship dock, such as accessibility and servicing, as well as practical operations such as passengers needs and preferences.

Mr. Warren echoed the thoughts of his FedNor counterpart in praising the captain's personable demeanor and candid explanations during their visit. He said it was important to get a perspective from people who would be coming into the port as regular business. He said the captain offered a number of interesting recommendations and it was informative to understand where the priorities are from the captain's standpoint.

Captain Van Damme indicated his priorities start with his passengers and crew. He said accessibility to the downtown is an important factor for both groups and because many of his passengers are seniors, accessibility should be as convenient as possible. He said the current location is valued because it allows many of the passengers to take advantage of the post office and shops, and also for his crew, who will often jump ashore to use the Internet when in Little Current. He praised the citizens of Little Current and Manitoulin Island who have always gone out of their way to offer their hospitality to the visitors from the cruise ship.

Captain Van Damme said one of the biggest attractions his passengers enjoy, when cruising near and into Little Current, is the natural beauty of the island, so evident from the ship's deck. He said this port is a sharp contrast to the busy urban ports where his ship normally lands, and any chance to enhance this already popular stop would be welcomed by the Le Levant.

Michael's Bay town sought as park share

by Saulis Tribinevicius

TEHKUMMAH-The suggestion of having the historic town plot of Michael's Bay set aside as a required 5 percent municipal portion was put to a representative of the Royal Michael's Bay Golf Course last week.

Alan Atherton, executive project manager and president of Canusa International, told members of the Michael's Bay Historical Society (MBHS), who made the request, "We're not there yet."

The question of how to ensure the town site is preserved as public land was raised towards the end of the society's annual general meeting, held on Saturday in Tehkummah. And while no firm commitment was received from Mr. Atherton, the society pledged to continue to negotiate with Canusa as well as the Nature Conservancy of Canada to see if a solution can be found to keep the historic town site protected.

Prior to the meeting, the MHBS held a fundraising dinner and bake sale. Beginning at 4 pm everyone was welcome to attend the roast beef supper that volunteers and society members had started preparing earlier that morning. There were also pies and Women's Auxiliary cookbooks, reprinted by the MBHS, on sale for fundraising purposes.

The fundraising went towards fulfilling the society's various objectives including continuing historical research on the Michael's Bay town site. About 30 people came and went between 4 and 7:30 pm when the dinner was concluded.

The society was formed four years ago in response to concerns over possible use of the Michael's Bay site by private owners. Members are committed to maintaining the sanctity of the site to preserve historical knowledge, while also allowing for development to occur. Alex Lochead, who enjoys recreational use of Michael's Bay, stressed that the old town site should be publicly owned.

The old town of Michael's Bay was centered around a sawmill and had, at one time, two boarding houses, a school, grocery store and churches for its approximately five hundred inhabitants. Wayne Sanders has spoken with another researcher who believes that Michael's Bay was also used for camps by first nations peoples. There are five identified burial sites in the area containing the graves of Methodist, Baptist, Anglican and Presbyterian peoples, as well as some unidentified graves. One of the objectives of the society is to stake out and register the gravesites and ensure their protection. One of the cemeteries is currently registered, and the township of Tehkummah has purchased fencing to surround the gravesites.

Historical society chairman Ed Sagle recounted the achievements of the previous year. Research conducted by Allison Aguonie has assembled documents which include a collection of news stories regarding the town site. Mr. Sanders received help from the University of Toronto archives to make copies of a grocery store ledger.

The society wishes to again hire researchers and continue exploring the history of the site as well as continue to to fundraise. In charge of fundraising, Carol Middaugh has involved the Island Quilters Guild as well as the Women's Auxiliary. The society has in the past secured funding from Human Resources Develeopment Canada (HRDC), and is always looking for sponsors. It was suggested that universities could be approached to conduct research in the town site and history of the area.

It is the objective of the society to own the town site and to eventually develop it along the lines of an interpretive center while preserving the integrity of the cemeteries and surrounding area.

Canusa International, self-described as "Facilitative Planners for Partnerships & Strategic Alliances," has been hired by the Vandroemme family as representatives of their interests in Canada. The Vandroemmes, Claire and Walter, purchased 680 acres encompassing the Michael's Bay town site in 2000.

Some work Canusa has done includes the hiring of a golf course architect to prepare routing plans. Canusa's press release stated that "negotiations had been initiated with the Michael's Bay Historical Society to determine if a partnership may be feasible for the possible recreation of a portion of original Michael's Bay town site as a tourist attraction." Mr. Atherton indicated at the meeting on Saturday night that, "Saying there is a gravesite without confirmation is a great hindrance." The Michael's Bay Historical Society has obtained forms for registering the gravesites and has yet to register the remaining gravesites.

Mr. Atherton views the development of the area in a market paradigm, stressing aspects such as stakeholder meetings, and views the relationship with the MBHS as a "strategic partnership." Hearings to solicit public input into the development process are to occur during later planning stages.

Since the township of Tehkummah owns the road allowances of the town site, any future development, it was noted, would have to consider this fact. Regardless of the ownership of the 680 acres, the township is entitled to five percent as either land or money. While Mr. Atherton didn't close the door on the possibility of the town site being turned over as the five percent municipal portion, neither did he make any promises.

It was mentioned by Gary Brown that there were many steps in a planned development. The point was made that regardless of the owners of the property, the existence of the town site would mean that any development would have to deal with the township claim. Sale of land encompassing the town site to the Nature Conservancy of Canada-one of the scenarios suggested by Canusa-has not yet occurred, so the society will continue to negotiate with Canusa.

The meeting continued with suggestions for possible future fundraising. The society is continuing to secure research funds from larger donors such as HRDC, but is also thankful for the contributions of smaller groups such as the Quilter's Guild, and it is promising to have a variety of people interested in the project. The meeting adjourned around 9 pm. Many thanks go out to the volunteers and fundraisers for the work put into this event.

Church supper will honour Island farmers

by Michael Erskine

NORTHEASTERN MANITOULIN AND THE ISLANDS (NEMI)-Media reports of the BSE impact on cattle farmers, and their focus on facts, figures and statistics, tend to separate us from the human face of those who are impacted by this adversity. Not so for Irene Wood, who along with fellow committee member Carol Hill, met individually with over 30 local farmers as part of the United Church Outreach Committee's roast beef supper initiative.

"We were just going to have a supper, but then we came up with the idea of inviting the farmers to come to the dinner," she said. "We printed up invitations, but then we decided that we should go direct to the farmers and hand-deliver as many as possible. Some people weren't home, so we had to mail theirs, but I got to talk to more than 30."

Stopping on the doorsteps of farmers in Honora, Little Current, Sheguiandah, Green Bay and Rockville, Ms. Wood came face-to-face with the reality of the impact of the 'BSE crisis,' as she talked to farmers on their doorsteps.

"I read in one of The Expositor's editorials about how we should go out to a farm and sit on a hay bale and listen to what the farmers had to say," she said. "Well I didn't sit on any hay bales, but I sure talked, and listened, to a lot of farmers and their families."

What Ms. Wood found were a group of very discouraged farmers, especially amongst the young.

"They are having a really rough time," she said. "The older ones, and we have a lot of older farmers, most of them have the farm paid for, and they will ride it out. But for the younger ones, they just aren't getting back into it."

Most of the young farmers, noted Ms. Wood, are looking for employment outside of the farm, seeking paying jobs to meet mortgages and taxes.

"You have to put food on the table," she said. "If you have children, they have to go to school, need clothes."

That is impossible to do if your livelihood depends on selling cattle in today's market, particularly older cattle.

"People told me that when some animals get sick now, they just take it out and shoot it," she said. "The cost of the veterinarian's bill is more than the beast is worth. Even healthy animals have been put down because of the cost, and this with all the hunger in the world!"

The issue is both real and dramatic, as Ms. Wood demonstrated with a simple calculation.

"One farmer told me that he shipped off his cattle and barely got enough to cover the shipping," she said, noting that he was a lucky one. "A neighbour told me he had shipped out an older cow and got $11 for it."

By Ms. Wood's calculation, that cow, by conservative estimate, probably weighed around 800 lb.

"It was what they call a bologna cow," she said. "If it dressed out at 400 pounds, which they tell me is about right, that's 400 pounds of bologna. You pay $3 a pound for bologna in the store, so that cow the farmer got $11 for, you are paying $1,200 for it when you buy it in the store. Somebody is making money out there."

It obviously isn't the farmer, she says, but adds that the stores are claiming they aren't making any more money either.

"So who is?" asked Ms. Wood. "That's why I suggested we get a petition. It may not do any good, but at least we will have the satisfaction of trying."

Although the farmers are being invited to the dinner as guests, the spirit is one of appreciation and gratitude for the work they do, cautioned Ms. Wood.

"It isn't an act of charity," she said. "It is an expression of thanks and moral support for the difficult and dangerous work they do."

The event is being billed as a 'supper' rather than a 'dinner' because that is what farmers call the evening meal, said Ms. Wood. "We might call it dinner, but dinner to a farmer is served at lunch-time, and it is a big meal," she said. "Supper is the evening meal, and it's big too, but not as big."

The Little Current United Church Roast Beef Supper will be held this Saturday, October 23, from 5 pm to 7 pm. Those in the community who want to come out to the dinner and show their support for the farming community are most welcome, she said. Prices are $12 for adults and $5 for those 12 years-old and under. Farmers, and their wives and children, of course, are the invited guests and have been sent a ticket. All proceeds willbe going to the Manitoulin Cattleman's Association.