By Richard Staniforth, Larry de March, Deanna Dodgson and Peter Taylor
Part 1 - Introduction
Five full field seasons have now passed in a five-year project to record butterfly species and numbers in southeast Manitoba. It started with records reported to the Yahoo discussion group Manitobanaturetalk, but later included sightings from group field trips and from individuals who contributed sightings directly to the authors.
Minimum: Follow all current provincial health orders. (Any individual volunteer leader can impose stricter requirements such as vaccination required or masking required.)
or
Use Nature Manitoba Outdoor Trip protocol and procedures
This article has been reprinted from Nature Manitoba News in 1981 (then called the Bulletin). It was wirtten by Norah Lane. Some of the original text has been changed to remove dated terminology.
Over the last century, Nature Manitoba has made several significant contributions to conserving Manitoba’s natural history. It would be nearly impossible to put together a comprehensive list of all the efforts made my NM members and committees over the last 100 years, and there are likely many stories and projects which haven’t been preserved in our written history or have been lost through the decades.
Tall grass prairie has survived without the help of humans for thousands of years, but today it is no longer able to thrive without extensive management and human interventions.
The Nature Manitoba Board has discussed our options regarding the upcoming AGM on March. 23rdh. Following the advisories from health authorities, and working groups regarding COVID-19, we have made the decision to postpone the in-person AGM meeting at The Franco Manitoban Cultural Centre.
Nature Manitoba's Habitat Conservation Committee members have been caretakers of 880 acres (356 ha) of tall grass prairie for many years, and were instrumental in saving this prairie type in Manitoba in the 80s and 90s. Due to lack of infrastructure for the continued care of this land, the Committee is now recommending Nature Manitoba transfer the title of all of its properties in the Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie Preserve to the Nature Conservancy of Canada, an organization which currently manages a portfolio of similar properties in the Preserve area.
Nature Manitoba was founded on May 1st, 1920, and was first established as the Natural History Society of Manitoba. It was formed to encourage popular interest in natural history, and to foster scientific study of the province’s geology, flora and fauna. The aim was also to create a connection between amateur nature enthusiasts and local scientists.
This is reprinted from a series published in our 1994 Nature Manitoba News. Text and art (adapted for digital use from illustrations) by Tom Reaume. Enjoy!
Cocklebur
There are a couple of ways of getting to know this plant. You may be out looking for it intentionally, as I was on November 22, or you might discover it burs attached to a pant cuff or matte in your dog’s fur after a walk along the river.
It is known as Cocklebur by weekend botanists. Linnaeus named it Xanthium strumarium, and your dog calls it something else.
