Human Resources Development Canada continues to support our efforts by funding this unique endeavor ? one that focuses on the biological inventory of a city park in London, Ontario, Canada. This is our third consecutive season working with H.R.D.C. and our second season working jointly on the Cavendish Trail Project. This year's sponsors include; Anchor Video, Audrey Heagy, the London Regional Children's Museum, Edcom and GoAbroad.com. Collectively, a total of $27,000 in sponsorship or in-kind contributions have been obtained for the Cavendish Trail Project and we are very grateful for this tremendous support. A new team of EARTHQUEST Field Assistants continues to identify and document more exciting species for our project report. This bold undertaking - an effort to log the entire biological inventory of Cavendish ? was first initiated in 1995. Dave Jolly ? the Executive Director and Founder of EARTHQUEST ? continues to spearhead this dynamic project. As a veteran Expedition Leader, David selects and trains exceptional candidates to become Field Assistants: Sheila Chouinard ? the Project Photographer - has compiled an incredible image portfolio, one that illustrates the tremendous beauty and biodiversity of Cavendish Park. Sheila?s expert input and some of her wonderful photographs will be evident in our exciting and newly updated Field Assistant Training (F.A.T.) Manual. Her passion for wildflowers and Lepidopterans (butterflies & moths) has garnished the discovery of many new species for the Project. Jennifer Hayman, B.Sc. ? a graduate of Environmental Biology at McMaster University ? brings her data collection, interpretation and organizational skills to the forefront at Cavendish. Jennifer?s exemplary recording and researching techniques are invaluable when collating and analyzing the ?mountains? of new information we continue to gather. Much of her expertise will be strongly evident when our many behavioural and ecological studies are completed. Jennifer also oversees the revision of our project report that includes species of plants, moths, butterflies, herptiles, birds and mammals located and identified for the first time ever at Cavendish! Paul McCleary is a local authority on reptiles and amphibians and ? in this capacity - has provided further insight regarding the Herpetofauna of Cavendish. His discovery of a non-indigenous species - a group of Red-Ear Slider Turtles (Pseudemys scripta elegans) flourishing in the Cavendish portion of the Thames River ? may be critical. The substantial number of these Chelonians ? released from the pet trade - appear to be breeding and may dynamically compete with the threatened (as per Committee On the Status of Endangered Wildlife In Canada) Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtles (Apalone s. spiniferens) for food, territory and basking/nesting sites. As an experienced environmental educator, Paul also supervised visitations to Cavendish when youngsters from the London Childrens? Museum participated in our Junior Field Assistant Training programmes. A focal study at Cavendish is that of the Carolina Wren (Thryothorus l. ludoviciantus). This small, southern bird is at the northernmost end of its? range here in southern Ontario and ? being a non-migratory (resident) bird - its? local population is challenged by harsh, snowy winters. Fortunately, our relatively mild winters of late have allowed our local population of Carolina Wrens to survive, affording us the opportunity to study their ecology. Habitat Preference and Intruder Distance Assessment studies will provide us with some exciting and useful information about the behaviour of this fascinating avian. Recently, we determined that the unique flora, fauna and habitat of Cavendish Park deserves further recognition and protection. Soon, we will approach the City of London and the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority to propose that Cavendish be designated as a Significant Natural Area. As the fabulous biodiversity of this park continues to unfold, so does the urgency of its? preservation.

First EARTHQUEST promotional video

Photo: Peter Skrypnyk
American goldfinch (Carduelis tristis)

Sponsored by the JCP Program of:
Also in association/partnership with:

Funding from HRDC this year has enabled EARTHQUEST to produce an 8-10 minute promotional video, which largely focuses on the FAT training participants receive on the Cavendish Trail Project, with some footage on the Bruce Trail Project. This promotional video is due to be released near the beginning of the New Year and is entitled "The Road to Environmental Leadership: The Field Assistant Training Program". We are very grateful to Sheila Chouinard, Jennifer Hayman and Paul McCleary (this year's FAs on the Cavendish Trail Project) for all their input, assistance and support in the making of the video. A special thanks to our sponsors and supporters; Audrey Heagy, Anchor Video, Craig Parkinson of Edcom Multimedia, Dawn Miskelley of the London Regional Children's Museum, Jon McCraken of the Long Point Bird Observatory, Scott Gillingwater of the Upper Thames Region Conservation Authority and Beth Anstett of Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC).

La Suerte Biological Field Station

EARTHQUEST formed a new partnership with the La Suerte Biological Field Station early in the year and teamed up with them to offer AFASST equivalent courses in Primate Ecology and Behaviour, Rainforest Ecology and Conservation, and Neotropical Ethnobotany. Now, students enrolled in the FAT Program may now take these field courses after the successful completion of their Level 1 FASST Course. This may then be followed by the Level 2 FASST Course in leadership/management if participants are interested in becoming FAs for EARTHQUEST. Since 1994 over 1500 students have graduated from La Suerte field courses and EARTHQUEST has already sent several through the primate AFASST equivalent courses in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. For more information on the AFASST equivalent courses with La Suerte please go to the following pages on our website; Nicaragua Primate FAT page Costa Rica Primate FAT page Rainforest Ecology and Conservation page Ethnobotany page For applications on EARTHQUEST/La Suerte programs please Click here.

Preliminary Biological Inventory of Port Burwell Provincial Park

From September 3 - 15, 2001 (12 days) a team of 4 young ladies from Germany, Belgium and Japan assisted the author with the first biological inventory of vascular plant at Port Burwell Provincial Park, located along the shoreline of Lake Erie in southwestern Ontario, in 18 years. The team successfully catalogued over 120 species of vascular plants, including rare tree species such as Sassafras. The work resulted in a publication which will aid park staff with their efforts to make the provincial park more attractive to visitors.

Field Guide book on Flora and Fauna of Bruce Trail

Photo: Dave Jolly
Yellow wart mushroom

We are still working toward the publication of our first field guide book on the flora and fauna of the Bruce Trail from the field work conducted from 1999 - 2001. The format for the book has been revised to include birding, wildflower, butterfly, mammal, amphibian and reptile "hotspots" within 20, 30 and 45 minutes of the "tip", "middle", and "bottom" of the Bruce peninsula. Our publisher, David Hancock of Hancock House, is excited about the new developments and is currently reviewing the latest manuscript. Our goal is to get the manuscript ready for publication by the year 2003.