Tag: Nature Owen Sound
June 28, 2018. The Hibou Wetland Interpretive Trail was officially opened!
We would like to thank all who have supported Friends of Hibou volunteering your time, and energy since we began our work in 2013. Celebrating the completion of this project was a great event. It was a sunny warm day. We enjoyed seeing all those who attended. Thank you to Carol Harris for these photos.
People gathered at the entrance to the trail. Sonya Skinner, CEO of Grey Sauble Conservation Authority (GSCA) greeted people arriving.
Kate McLaren is past President of OSFN, one of our donors.
Krista Mckee, retired from GSCA, contributed significantly to the design of the signs abd brochure.
Don Sankey, a member of the Friends of Hibou Steering committee is also Chair of the GSCA Foundation, another donor.
Catherine Little, Chair of the GSCA Board of Governors brought greetings from the GSCA and complimented Friends of Hibou on the work that went into 
the trail as well as the outcome.
Bob Knapp, Co-Chair of the Committee, spoke about the history of Friends of Hibou and introduced the speakers.
Dick Hibma, past Board Chair expressed his support for this project. He introduced Larry Miller MP who said he will be bringing his grandchild to walk the trail when they come to visit Owen Sound.
Bill Walker MPP spoke of the value of the Interpretive Trail in educating as well as in promoting and supporting general health and well being.
Don Sankey thanked the Funders: Kiwanis Club of Owen Sound, OSFN, Community Foundation, Bob and Marie Knapp Family Endowment Fund (Community Foundation), GSCA Foundation, TD Environmental Fund. Marie Knapp expressed the vision seeing a future where parents and grandparents bring their children to the Trail. She also invited teachers to bring classes there for the many ways the trail supports the curriculum at several levels. The brochure is available in the box below the signs at both entrances and on line if someone wishes to review it in advance.
The Trail was officially opened when the ribbon was cut by Stewart Reid of Community Foundation with Kate McLaren of OSFN and Kevin Dandeno of the Kiwanis.
Following a short meet and greet with light refreshments, Bob Knapp led a walk around the trail loop.
We hope you will find an opportunity to walk the trail. Pick up a brochure at the large sign and read the interpretive comments related to each number as you reach the appropriate post. Wetlands serve a valuable purpose in preventing flooding and helping to filter surface water. They also provide habitat for plants and animals not found elsewhere. Enjoy your walk through this wetland.
Beach Clean-up Tues Apr 25, 2017 9:30am
When: T
uesday morning April 25th at 9:30 till noon
Where to meet: at the beach parking lot
What to bring: work gloves, tools such as rakes and pitchforks plus a wheel barrow if you have one. we simply have to move the sawdust debris from the shore and dump it back a little so that the GSCA tractor can pick it up.
It is getting to be that time again. Sometime in the last century there was sawmill and they dumped the sawdust into Georgian Bay. The current picks up what lies on the bottom and takes it to be dumped along the shoreline at the Hibou beach area. By getting rid of it a little at a time, it makes the beach area much more pleasant for swimming through the summer. We are hoping that by doing this in early spring this year we will catch more of the sawdust before it is washed into the water.
It is so helpful for us to know roughly how many will be there to help. If there is significant rain that morning we will have to reschedule. Many hands make lighter work.
let us know by email at friendsofhibou@rogers.com
New Boardwalks For Hibou
We are very grateful for all the help we get from our volunteers. Thank you so much for your contributions of time and energy. The pictures show well the success of work teams in the past. You are great.
We have scheduled two mornings when we plan to build boardwalks again. We need volunteers. Can you help? Please let us know ahead. Email Bob Knapp rmknapp@yahoo.com
Date and Time: Wed July 27 and Thurs July 28, 9:00 to 12:30.
Location: meet at the garage at the left parking lot at main beach.
Bring: hammer, work gloves and ear protection if you have it and a bathing suit if you want to swim.
Plan: There will be pre-cut wood on the site. We will work in teams to build 8 ft sections. They will be stored in the garage until a later date when we use them to replace some of the older sections in the wetland.
Please contact Bob Knapp ahead if you plan to come:
rmknapp@yahoo.com or phone 519 371 1255
Enthusiastic Group Begins
by Marie Knapp
For me this is like picking up where we left off over 30 years ago. Bob had been very involved with the procurement of Hibou. We have continued to visit the area for a walk along the shore or for a ski or snowshoe over the years. The water levels changing have had an impact on the beach at Paynter’s Bay but that didn’t keep us from entering the trails more to the south and finding a place for a refreshing dip in the water on a hot summer’s day.
Frequently it crossed my mind that we should develop a Friends of Hibou to help with the upkeep of the area. In his book published in 2008, Bob Knapp wrote: “Thirty five years have passed since Hibou became a park. Perhaps it is time to form a friends of Hibou organization to assist with the park so that it continues to be a very special place on Georgian Bay“.
The timing is right. Malcolm Kirk died in September 2012. In his obituary I found the following: “An ardent conservationist throughout his life, Mac was deeply committed to the preservation of Ontario’s and Canada’s natural heritage. Mac and his generation were the pioneers of Ontario’s modern environmental movement. His legacy is manifested in numerous nature reserves which were secured in conjunction with public and non-profit nature organizations.” Yes the time is right! It is partly filling a legacy left behind by those of another generation who were ahead of their times. This is very exciting!
Friends of Hibou Conservation Area - Ontario, Canada 