RESTORE COOTES

"If we're ever going to get the world back on a natural footing, back in tune with natural rhythyms, if we're going to nurture the Earth and protect it and have fun with it and learn from it — which is what mothers do with their children — then we've got to put technology (an aggressive masculine system) in its proper place, which is that of a tool to be used sparingly, joyfully, gently and only in the fullest cooperation with nature. Nature must govern technology, not the other way around." Tom Robbins

Restore Cootes is honoured to be the inaugural workshop in this new outdoor educational series. Join us Sunday, August 11 at 2pm at the Urquhart Butterfly Garden in beautiful Dundas Ontario. Randy Kay of Restore Cootes, and McMaster Biology Professor Jim Quinn will discuss the history and the future of this area, including Desjardins' Canal, Spencer Creek, Cootes Drive and McMaster's parking lot M. The series is free and open to all!

The Hamilton Spectator reports that our neighbouring city of Burlington received the 2013 Municipal Leadership Award for its role in "providing a safe passage across King Road for the endangered Jefferson salamander during its annual migration to lay eggs. The road closure took place between March 18 and April 18." Hopefully one day the Burlington papers will be reporting how Hamilton received an award for providing safe passage for turtles across Cootes Drive. For now we just let them get run over.

Spencer Creek is looking to get studied with an eye on adapting to climate change.  Junction of Ancaster and Spencer Creek, north of McMaster's West Campus "...the hope is to work with the public, developers and government to identify strategies to control flooding from major rainfalls, which could include reducing paved surfaces and creating natural holding areas to temporarily store stormwater." This is great news if it means expanding the riparian zone along creeks to allow for the earth's natural hydrologic function to kick in when required during extreme weather events.  McMaster's parking lot "M" just screams out for inclusion in the near future as we aim for resilience in our natural environments.  Read the article here:  http://www.hamiltonnews.com/news/spencer-creek-study-aims-for-resilience-on-climate-change/

A McMaster student gives his all to raise awareness and appreciation of Cootes Paradise by volunteering with the Cootes Paradise Club. Listen to what Alvand has to say after devoting years to the club.