ALGONQUIN DEFINING MOMENTS

Episode 58: Earth CareTaker Way - Nature Awareness (Cont'd)

Episode 58 Earth Caretaker Way Part 3: Nature Awareness - Building Connections and Relationships

This episode is the third of what are now seven episodes on the Earth Caretaker Way a newly released book by Tim Corcoran and Julie Boettler from Headwaters School in Mt. Shasta California. In this episode, I continue my discussion and storytelling with Julie and Tim on the importance of nature awareness and how becoming more aware can help build meaningful connections and relationships with plants and animals.  This art of building a personal relationship with nature by awakening your senses and rewilding your heart helps generate purpose and meaning to our lives.

Several books that Tim referenced include:

• Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird’s 2004 book  The Secret Life of Plants: A Fascinating Account of the Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Relations Between Plants and Man
• Peter Tompkins’ 1997 book The Secret Life of Nature: Living in Harmony With the Hidden World of Nature Spirits from Fairies to Quarks
• Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird’s  1998 book  Secrets of the Soil: New Solutions for Restoring Our Planet
• Douglas W. Tallamy’s 2020 book Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard  There is also a Young Person’s version that was published in April 2023.

The musical interludes in this episode come from Dan Gibson’s Solitudes CD 2024 CD called Mountain Magic  They include one called Spring’s Caress and a second called /Quiet Moment. Both are brought to you with the approval of Digital Funding LLC. Solitudes music can be found wherever you get your music streaming.

 

 

Episode 57: Nature Awareness - The Earth Caretaker Way

This episode is the second of what is now seven episodes on the Earth Caretaker Way a newly released book by friends Tim Corcoran and Julie Boettler from Headwaters School in Mt. Shasta California. In this episode I’m going to introduce you to Julie, one of the key land Earth Caretakers at Headwaters. Over the next six episodes, she and I with Tim’s help are going to delve deeper into the four key elements of the Earth Caretaker Way beginning with Nature Awareness, which is the art of building a personal relationship with nature by awakening your senses and rewilding your heart.

The musical interlude in this episode is called Silent Contemplation and comes from Dan Gibson’s Solitudes CD 2024 CD called Mountain Magic  It is brought to you with the approval of Digital Funding LLC. Solitudes music can be found wherever you get your music streaming.

Episode 56: The Earth Caretaker Way Origin Story with Tim Corcoran

Episode 56: The Earth Caretaker Way Origin Story with Tim Corcoran

In this episode and the four-part follow on, I’m going to take my podcast in what I hope you will experience as an innovative new direction. Nearly 20 years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Tim Corcoran, leader, and owner of the Headwaters Outdoor School near Mount Shasta in California, who has just released a new book called The Earth Caretaker Way. 30+ years in the making, Tim with co-author Julie Boettler, have synthesized the essence of all of their learnings and teachings into an absorbing guide filled with stories to tell around the campfire or in a meadow. The Earth Caretaker Way is designed so that you can choose your own adventure by opening up to any page and do as Tim often says, Walk Backwards into the Future and Remember What We Already Know.  But The Earth Caretaker Way isn’t just a book, we want it to become the beginning of a global movement. A movement designed to amplify this knowledge, reconnect with our past through nature and use that wisdom to personally help heal the earth and reverse some of the negative impacts of climate change. In this episode I’ll be focusing on Tim’s origin story and then explore at a high level his views on Nature Awareness, Wilderness Living Skills, the keys to opening your heart through learnings about Earth Philosophy and lastly how to integrate the Earth Caretaker Way into your life through a Life of Service to the Earth.

Some additional links for those interested:

• The Earth Caretaker Way Website: https://www.earthcaretakerway.org
• The Earth Caretaker Way Introductory Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDzaDHg8oiQ
• The Earth Caretaker Way  Book Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giPEY5joVSg
• Headwaters Outdoor School Website: https://hwos.com

The musical interlude for this episode is called  “A Purposeful Life” and comes from Dan Gibson’s Solitudes 2024 CD entitled Mountain Magic.  It is brought to you with the approval of Digital Funding LLC. Solitudes music can be found wherever you get your music streaming.

Episode 55 - Part III: Digging Up the Past

This is the third of three episodes on archeological activities that have taken place in Algonquin Park  since the late 1930s. The focus in Part III  is  to share insights into the archeological work that has been done in the Park since the 1990s. Most of the investigations have been initiated by private archeologists with permission from the then Park Authorities. 

This musical interlude is called Algonquin Provincial Park and comes from Dan Gibson’s Solitudes National Parks and Sanctuaries CD. It is brought to you with the approval of Digital Funding LLC. Solitudes music can be found wherever you get your music streaming.

For this series, I’ve relied on a number of key sources including:

• Rory MacKay’s Algonquin Park – A Place Like No Other and Spirits of the Little Bonnechere

 Several ‘thought leadership papers by William Allen including:

• Importance of Archaeology re Species at Risk: Eel Focus William Allen Nov 2007
• Nineteenth Century Aboriginal Farmers of the Madawaska River

Several ‘thought leadership papers by Rory MacKay including:

• Potatoes in the Pines - Looking at the Material Culture of Nineteenth Century Logging Camps: An Algonquin Park Perspective and beyond April 2014
• Why was this research on the camboose shanties of Algonquin Park important?- Rory MacKay
• Archaeological Research in Algonquin Provincial Park and immediate vicinity to 2023: A Categorization and Chronology
• An Alternate Explanation for the Anomalous Vision Pits at Rock Lake in Algonquin Provincial Park
• Looking at the Material Culture of Nineteenth Century Logging Camps: An Algonquin Park Perspective and beyond April 2014

Ontario Archeological Society’s ARC Notes Vol 12 Issue 5 Sept-Oct 2007

• Pukaskwa Pits: Rethinking the vision quest hypothesis, by Nancy Champagne

Ontario Archeological Society’s ARC Notes Vol 14 Issue 6 Nov-Dec 200

• The Aarel Site Camboose Shanty in Algonquin Park by Rory MacKay
• Archeologists Come to Their Senses - Looking beyond visual archaeological evidence By William Allen

Ontario Archeological Society’s ARC Notes Vol 16 Issue 2 Mar-Apr 2011

• The Nesswabic (Petawawa) River Watershed – Zone of Political Tension Over the Centuries by William Allen

Episode 54: Part II - Digging Up The Past

This is the second of three episodes on archeological activities that have taken place in Algonquin Park since the late 1930s. The focus of Part II  is to provide some insight into the archeological work that was done from 1939 to the late 1990s, mostly by private archeologists with permission from the then Park Authorities.  

This musical interlude is called Ride the Wind and comes from Dan Gibson’s Solitudes CD Thunder Spirit.  It is brought to you with the approval of Digital Funding LLC. Solitudes music can be found wherever you get your music streaming.

For this series, I’ve relied on a number of key sources including:

• Rory MacKay’s Algonquin Park – A Place Like No Other and Spirits of the Little Bonnechere
• Several ‘thought leadership papers by William Allen including:
  • Importance of Archaeology re Species at Risk: Eel Focus William Allen Nov 2007
  • Nineteenth Century Aboriginal Farmers of the Madawaska River
• Several ‘thought leadership papers by Rory MacKay including:
  • Potatoes in the Pines
  • Looking at the Material Culture of Nineteenth Century Logging Camps: An Algonquin Park Perspective and beyond April 2014
  • Why was this research on the camboose shanties of Algonquin Park important?- Rory MacKay
  • Archaeological Research in Algonquin Provincial Park and immediate vicinity to 2023: A Categorization and Chronology
  • An Alternate Explanation for the Anomalous Vision Pits at Rock Lake in Algonquin Provincial Park
• Ontario Archeological Society’s ARC Notes Vol 12 Issue 5 Sept-Oct 2007

  • Pukaskwa Pits: Rethinking the vision quest hypothesis, by Nancy Champagne

• Ontario Archeological Society’s ARC Notes Vol 14 Issue 6 Nov-Dec 2009

  • The Aarel Site Camboose Shanty in Algonquin Park by Rory MacKay

  • Archeologists Come to Their Senses - Looking beyond visual archaeological evidence By William Allen

• Ontario Archeological Society’s ARC Notes Vol 16 Issue 2 Mar-Apr 2011

  • The Nesswabic (Petawawa) River Watershed – Zone of Political Tension Over the Centuries by William Allen

• The Ontario Archaeological Society Field Manual
• William Hurley’s Second Annual report on Archaeological research conducted in Algonquin Provincial Park.
• Dr. John Casselman: American Eels in the St. Lawrence River System - Going, Going, Gone?         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3uKAKkHzb0

Episode 53: Digging in Algonquin Park Part 1 - Indigenous Origins

Episode 53: Digging in Algonquin Park Part 1 - Indigenous Origins

This is the first of three episodes on archeological activities that have taken place in Algonquin Park since the late 1930s. The focus of the  Part 1 is to provide some insight into the archeological and anthropological origins of Algonquin Park's first visitors.

This musical interlude is called Arrival and comes from Dan Gibson’s Solitudes CD Thunder Spirit.  It is brought to you with the approval of Digital Funding LLC. Solitudes music can be found where ever you get your music streaming.

For this series, I’ve relied on a number of key sources including:

• Chapter 2 in David Euler and Mike Wilton’s 2009 Algonquin Park – The Human Impact by Chief Kirby Whiteduck,
• Rory MacKay’s Algonquin Park – A Place Like No Other and Spirits of the Little Bonnechere
•  Several ‘thought leadership papers by William Allen including:
  • Importance of Archaeology re Species at Risk: Eel Focus William Allen Nov 2007
  • Nineteenth Century Aboriginal Farmers of the Madawaska River

• Several ‘thought leadership papers by Rory MacKay including
  • Potatoes in the Pines - Looking at the Material Culture of Nineteenth Century Logging Camps: An Algonquin Park Perspective and beyond April 2014
  • Why was this research on the camboose shanties of Algonquin Park important?
  • Archaeological Research in Algonquin Provincial Park and immediate vicinity to 2023: A Categorization and Chronology
  • An Alternate Explanation for the Anomalous Vision Pits at Rock Lake in Algonquin Provincial Park
• Ontario Archeological Society’s ARC Notes Vol 12 Issue 5 Sept-Oct 2007

• Pukaskwa Pits: Rethinking the vision quest hypothesis, by Nancy Champagne

• Ontario Archeological Society’s ARC Notes Vol 14 Issue 6 Nov-Dec 2009

  • The Aarel site Caboose Shanty, Algonquin Park by Rory MacKay

  • Archaeologists Come to Their Senses - Looking beyond visual archaeological evidence By William Allen

• Ontario Archeological Society’s ARC Notes Vol 16 Issue 2 Mar-Apr 2011

  • The Nesswabic (Petawawa) River Watershed: Zone of Political Tension over the Centuries  by William Allen

• The Ontario Archaeological Society Field Manual
• William Hurley’s Second Annual report on Archaeological research conducted in Algonquin Provincial Park.
• Dr. John Casselman: American Eels in the St. Lawrence River System - Going, Going, Gone
  •  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3uKAKkHzb0
• Paddling through the past. Ottawa-Gatineau's Ancient Cultural Landscape
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fShFTkp9j7g 

Episode 52: Tom Thomson Remembered: Anniversary Special

Episode 52: Tom Thomson Remembered: Anniversary Special

Given that it is the anniversary this week of Tom Thomson’s disappearance and ultimate death 106 years  ago, I thought it would fun to take Algonquin Defining Moments in a slightly different direction. Published two years ago by  Deryck N. Robertson from Paddler Press in Peterborough, Ontario, Canoe Lake Memories is a book of poetry with reflections on Thomson, Canoe Lake and of course fishing and water.  In addition are some great paintings, which I have posted on my www.algonquinparkheritage.com website.

So for this episode, it’s best to find a relaxing spot in nature along with your favourite libation, assume your mindfulness pose and view the episode as a meditation of sorts.  For each  piece, I’ll introduce a bit about the writer so as to provide a bit of context. 

I've also included my 3  favorite Tom Thomson songs from Ian Tamblyn including 'Down at Tea Lake Dam' My Heart Belongs to the Northland in Spring' and 'Brush and Paddle'  from his Walking in the  Footsteps  CD.  Also special thanks to Deryck N. Robertson Editor-in-Chief at Paddler Press.  The book Canoe Lake Memories can be found on www.paddlerpress.ca   Enjoy!!!

 

Episode 51: Habitat Impacts due to Climate Change

Episode 51: Habitat Impacts due to Climate Change

In this episode, I’m focusing on sharing some of the latest research and thinking on how climate change may impact the habitats of Algonquin.  Specific focus is on the work on both climate projections overall and the expected impacts to fish habitats. 

Musical interlude is a composition by Sara Spring called Under Cold Water which can be found anywhere you listen to your music streaming or www.sarapringpiano.ca

Key References include:

• Ridgeway  M.,  Smith D., and Middel T.,  Science and Information Report  IR-14: Climate warming projections for Algonquin Provincial Park 
• Ridgeway R., Middel T.,  and Bell A., SciencE and Information Report IR-10: Aquatic ecology, history, and diversity of Algonquin Provincial Park 
• Ridgeway M, McMeans B.,  and Wells M.,Science and  Research  Report  IR-22: The Smoke, Canoe, and Tea lakes fish movement project in Algonquin Provincial Park  2021
• Lemieux C., Gray P., Scott D., and Davis R., Climate Change Research Report CCRR-06: - Climate Change and Ontario’s Provincial Parks: Towards an Adaptation Strategy
• Tozer R., Birds of Algonquinn Park, 2012  
• Michael Runtz, Explorers Guide to Algonquin Park 2021 Edition
• Wildlife Research Station Researcher’s Day Presentations
• Raven article July  27, 2012 (Vol 53 No. 3) 
• Climate Variability Promotes Unnprecedented Cyanobatterial blooms in a Remote Oliotropic Ontario Lake. Journal of  Paleolimnology  JUne 2019
   

Episode 50: PT2 - Salamander Research Update with Patrick Moldowan

Episode 50: PT2 - Salamander Research Update with Patrick Moldowan.

This is the second of two episodes where I sat down with Patrick Moldowan from the University of Toronto’s School of the Environment and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Board Chair of the Wildlife Research Station to share his recent research insights into the world of the Spotted Salamander. Amphibian research has occurred periodically in Algonquin Park working from the Wildlife Research Station since the mid-1980s and in 2008, Glenn Tattersall from Brock University initiated a continuous study of the salamander population. It appears that they are now key indicators (canaries in the coal mine) of the potential impacts of climate change on the Algonquin landscape. For those interested in learning more about the Algonquin’s Wildlife Research Station check out www.algonquinwrs.ca.

This musical interlude is called Spring Awakening and comes from Dan Gibson’s Solitudes CD of the same name.  It is brought to you with the approval of Digital Funding LLC. Solitudes music can be found where ever you get your music streaming.

 

Episode 49: Salamander Research Update with Patrick Moldowan

Based out of the Wildlife Research Station, amphibian research has occurred periodically in Algonquin Park since the mid-1980s.  In 2008, Glenn Tattersall from Brock University initiated a continuous study of the salamander population. Still very active today, this research has generated an extensive body of knowledge, which may be showing us that salamanders could be key ‘canaries in the coal mine’ as it relates to the impacts of climate change on the Algonquin ecosystem.

This is the first of two episodes where I am sitting down with Patrick Moldowan from the University of Toronto’s School of the Environment and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology to share his research insights into the world of the Spotted Salamander. Patrick has just successfully defended his PHd thesis on Ecology and Sensitivity to Environmental Change of a Northern Population of Spotted Salamander. Patrick is a devoted lifelong interpretive naturalist with a special interest in herpetology and biogeography especially salamanders and turtles.  In 2015, he was named Canada’s 26th ‘New Noah’ by Wildlife Preservation Canada.  Patrick is also the Board Chair for Algonquin’s Wildlife Research Station.  For those interested in learning more about the Algonquin’s Wildlife Research Station check out www.algonquinwrs.ca.

This musical interlude is called Marshlands and comes from Dan Gibson’s Solitudes Algonquin Suite CD.   It is brought to you with the approval of Digital Funding LLC. Solitudes music can be found where ever you get your music streaming.

Key Research References of Interest

Favot, E. J., Rühland, K. M., DeSellas, A. M., Ingram, R., Paterson, A. M., & Smol, J. P. (2019). Climate variability promotes unprecedented cyanobacterial blooms in a remote oligotrophic Ontario Lake: evidence from paleolimnology. Journal of Paleolimnology, 62(1), 31-52.  (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10933-019-00074-4?muraadminpreview&error=cookies_not_supported&code=5bff1736-2082-4895-b515-fb960cbdf5d8)

Lemieux, C. J., Scott, D. J., Gray, P. A., & Davis, R. G. 2007. Climate change and Ontario’s Provincial Parks. Towards an adaptation strategy. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Applied Research and Development Branch. Climate change research report CCRR-06. (https://files.cvc.ca/cvc/uploads/2011/02/climate-change-and-ontarios-provincial-parks-adaptation-strategy.pdf)

Moldowan, P. D., Tattersall, G. J., & Rollinson, N. (2022) Climate-associated Decline of Body Condition in a Fossorial Salamander. Global Change Biology, 28(5), 1725-1739. (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/gcb.15766?casa_token=axFcXV7OJx4AAAAA%3A6geU4RawXjNJHlG8LgX12YTE9wd3s0ZP2Hio3F5w9PsWYS7wfHEoiRjP171nGvZnkOB_TrRWslNOtNgQ)

Ridgway, M., Smith, D., & Middel, T. 2018. Climate warming projections for Algonquin Provincial Park. Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Science and Research Branch. Science and research information report IR-14. (https://www.harkness.ca/wp_harkness/wp-content/uploads/SRB-IR-14-Ridgway-ClimateWarmingProjectionAPP.pdf)