Becoming a Better Naturalist
Following are selected references from Joan Barr’s reference library:
Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide has an easy to use key.
Roland’s Flora of Nova Scotia revised by Marian Zinck. 1998. Two volumes.
Field Guide to Butterflies North America. National Audubon Society
Field Guide to Mushrooms North America. National Audubon Society
Peterson Field Guide Eastern Birds. Roger Tory Peterson.
This is a classic and easy to use guide for beginners.
Field Guide to Birds of North America. National Geographic
The Sibley Guide to Birds. David Allen Sibley. National Audubon Society
Amphibians and Reptiles of Nova Scotia. John Gilhen. Nova Scotia Museum
Darn Metric
P.E. Trudeau gave Canada the metric system. Dan Barr will never think of his height other than in feet and inches but he is learning to think in hectares instead of acres. One hectare is 100 metres x 100 metres so that is easy to calculate.
1 Ha = 2.471 Acres
1 Acre = 0.4047 Ha
1 Metre = 3.281 Feet
PDF (Adobe Portable Document Format) Suggested Online Reading
For woodlot owners with computer savvy and computer access there are a number of Extension Notes and papers that will explain further the lessons in the Woodlot and Wildlife Module. Type key search words into a search engine, such as Google.
Betts, M.G. and G.J. Forbes (eds.). 2005. Forest Management Guidelines to Protect Native Biodiversity in the Greater Fundy Ecosystem. U. New Brunswick.
Biebighauser, Thomas R. A Guide to Creating Vernal Ponds. USDA Forest Service
COSEWIC, Canadian Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. 2006.
DeGraaf, Richard M. and Alex L. Shigo. 1985. Managing Cavity Trees for Wildlife in the Northeast. USDA. Forest Service.
Dubé, Andréa L. 2006. Restoration of Acadian Old-Growth Forests: Attitudes and Behaviors of Private Woodlot Owners in Central Nova Scotia. Dalhousie U.
Environment Canada. 1995. Canada’s Biodiversity Strategy.
Environment Canada. 1999. The Importance of Wildlife to Canadians. Survey (1996) Highlights.
Elliott, Catherine A. (editor) 1999. Biodiversity in the Forests of Maine: Guidelines for Land Management. U. Maine Coop. Ext.
Mosseler, A., J.A. Lynds, and J.E.Major. 2003. Old-growth forests of the Acadian Forest Region. NRC. Environ. Rev. 11 (suppl. 1).
Neily, Peter D. et al. 2003. Ecological Land Classification. NS Dept. Natural Resources.
Improving Wild Apple Trees for Wildlife. NS Dept. Lands and Forests, Extension Services Division
Ontario Extension Note. 1995. Cavity Trees are Refuges for Wildlife.
Ontario Extension Note. 1999. Restoring Old-Growth Features to Managed Forests in Southern Ontario.
Ontario Extension Note. 2000. Conserving the Forest Interior: A Threatened Wildlife Habitat.
Ontario Extension Note. 2003. Promoting a Healthy Forest Through Tree Marking.
Ontario Extension Note. ----. Do You Have a Healthy Woodlot?
Sepik, Greg F. et al. 1981. A Landowner’s Guide to Woodcock Management in the Northeast. U. Maine.
Web Sites Government and Non Government Organizations
Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources
with links to Wildlife Division and other DNR Divisions.
http://www.gov.ns.ca/natr/
Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
and links to other nature sites.
http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mnh/
Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Labor
Regulates any work that affects streams or wetlands
http://www.gov.ns.ca/enla/
Service Nova Scotia Air Photo Products
http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/land/products/air2.asp
Canadian Wildlife Service
Has an Atlantic office in Sackville, N.B.
http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/index_e.cfm
Nova Forest Alliance
Has an office at Stewiacke
http://www.novaforestalliance.com/default.asp?cmPageID=77
Bird Studies Canada
Has an Atlantic office in Sackville, N.B.
http://www.bsc-eoc.org/bscmain.html
Nova Scotia Nature Trust
Promotes stewardship of special places on private lands
http://www.nsnt.ca/
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS)
http://www.cpaws.org/
Ecology Action Centre
http://www.ecologyaction.ca/
Nature Nova Scotia
Is a provincial organization representing several provincial naturalist groups
http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Environment/FNSN/
Ducks Unlimited
Has an office in Amherst
http://www.ducks.ca/aboutduc/locations/index.html
Woodcock Conservation Society
http://www.whc.org/EN/grant/06-07/NovaScotiaWoodcock.htm