Building a natural connection
Island Nature Trust’s Passport to Nature series features variety of outdoor events
With warmer weather on the horizon, Island Nature Trust has begun its annual Passport to Nature event series across P.E.I.
The March Passport event was an educational walk of Fullerton’s Creek Conservation Park in Stratford, led by Kaylee Busniuk, the land stewardship manager at Island Nature Trust.
Busniuk guided the small group through the park, identifying and describing the significance of wildlife habitat and greenspace drainage.
Stopping periodically throughout the two-hour walk, Busniuk focused on explaining the importance and impact of natural greenspaces in urban environments such as parks, community and backyard gardens and protected watershed areas.
Busniuk also told attendees that the contents of a greenspace have been proven to impact a person's subconscious view of that space.
Greenspaces perceived as being more ecologically diverse have been found to be more beneficial than less environmentally complex greenspaces such as traditional grass lawns, Busniuk said.
“Shrubs and trees and wildflowers versus just grass is always better, but anything that is permeable is a good first step,” Busniuk told SaltWire following the walk.
While lawn greenspaces are important, Busniuk also described the importance of trees, ponds and environmentally diverse greenspaces.
A DELICATE BALANCE
In addition to lowering overall temperatures, improving the water table and encouraging wildlife to visit and live in and around urban areas, greenspaces can improve the mental and physical health of the residents of urban areas.
“We (humans) like to have control and design of our environment, so depending on the natural area you kind of have to strike a balance,” Busniuk said, adding that greenspaces in an urban environment are incredibly impactful.
The area benefited by a greenspace is estimated to be as much as nine times the size of the greenspace itself, depending on the size and ecological density of the space itself.
“The gold standard for a natural area is to focus on protecting the natural areas that already exist. Nature is pretty good at doing it itself,” Busniuk said.
Busniuk continued by saying that while watershed groups advocate for the future of existing wild greenspaces, new urban construction that prioritizes greenspace in its design can still benefit the surrounding area in a similar capacity.
“If we have a natural area that hasn’t been preserved, protecting that at almost all cost is preferable to creating man-made natural areas,” Busniuk said.
When asked about beneficial plants for smaller greenspaces, Busniuk highlighted the Grow Me Instead Guide available through the P.E.I. Invasive Species Council. The guide identifies native plant species that are ideal alternatives to traditional or invasive species used in personal and urban greenspace planning.
A YEAR OF EVENTS
The Passport to Nature event series features a different event every month in 2024 from February to November, all focusing the importance of getting back in touch with nature.
Kayle Laverty, engagement co-ordinator for Island Nature Trust, spoke to SaltWire about the importance of promoting nature and the environment.
“Being in nature helps us build a connection and allows us to learn more about the natural world, which is extremely important and will hopefully urge us all to do more to protect it,” Laverty said in an interview on March 26.
The Island Nature Trust has been holding the Passport to Nature event series for several years, with each event focusing on a different, but equally important topic. These events range from guided walks and hikes to book readings and outdoor classes.
“Our (event) leaders are passionate community members with a variety of backgrounds related to the natural world including ecologists, biologists, naturalists, and people who have real world experiences to share,” Laverty said.
People interested in attending future Passport to Nature events can find a downloadable copy of the Passport on Island Nature Trust’s website and register as events approach.
The next passport event is on April 20, specifically for youths ages eight to 12 and focuses on youth outdoor survival skills.