Paradise In the Neighbourhood!

Bulletin Board at Elmwood Presbyterian Church -  Fleck Hall (See below for close up of individual selections) A Brief History of the Coves The area referred to as the "Cove" is an old meander of the Thames River that was identified by Governor John Graves Simcoe on his visit to this region on March 02, 1973.  The Governor was accompanied by his adjutant Major Edward Barker Littlehale, his personal secretary Lieutenant Thomas Talbot and Joseph Brant the paramount Chieftain of the Mohawks.  No one is quite sure about the origins of the name but it is suspected that it may have been named after the Cove (Cobh) of Cork which was the port of departure for many early emigrants from Ireland.  It was subsequently owned by two pioneering families, the MacArthurs and the Bogues who farmed the property throughout most of the 19th century. In the 1860's various Militia units (the 26th Battalion of the Middlesex Light Infantry, the First Hussars, the 7th Battalion of ...

It was great fun releasing the beetles (Neogalerucella spp.) at the Coves East pond Wednesday June 7th!    The beetles come from Europe and are used as a biological control for Purple Loosestrife, a plant that originated from Europe also and flowers with purple flowers generally around late July to mid August. What makes The beetles so effective in controlling the invasive Purple Loosestrife population is that they are host specific, which means they only feed, lay eggs on, and burrow  under Purple Loosestrife. Donna Mackenzie is the beetle specialist of Ontario beetles and is currently updating the monitoring manual, which will be posted to this page when it is completed by the end of June. If anyone is interested in helping to monitor the beetles and Purple Loosestrife please contact Donna Mackenzie via her  OntarioBeetles facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/OntarioBeetles/ There will be 3 important ways to monitor the beetles and Purple Loosest...

There are so many fascinating things to learn about the Coves environmentally significant area (ESA) , it's history, ecology, and the diverse and engaging community that borders it!   Follow Bonnie Stocking, the Friends of the Coves summer of 2017 communication and outreach intern as she explores all the things that make the Coves ESA a beautiful and unique Environmentally Significant Area!