Category Archives: Nature Photography

The stunning Croatian city of stone and light, Dubrovnik is one of the most picturesque locations in the Balkans. The city is filled with limestone streets, baroque buildings, and big sea-facing walls representing the story of resilience and liberty. No wonder it attracts tourists worldwide who experience the rich history preserved in monuments and ancient buildings of the city. Most visited places include main street Stardun, Banje beach, and the iconic Walls of Dubrovnik.

In Dubrovnik you will find some beautiful attractions that you just cannot miss! Places like Sponza Palace, Sailing And Sea Kayaking, and Kayak Around Croatia’s Coastlines and many more. Continue reading to know more.

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Dubrovnik

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Sponza Palace is home to various art galleries, exhibitions and craft sales.

The Sponza Palace, in Croata, was built from 1516 to 1522. It is an elegant palace with a courtyard that makes it an ideal place for weddings or other ceremonial occasions. It is well known for its rich history and intricate architecture. Visitors would surely be at awe when they see the beauty of the Sponza Palace firsthand

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Sailing and sea kayaking is a unique experience for those wanting to see the city in a different way.

When in the city of Dubrovnik, one fo the most unique way of admiring the beautiful view of the Adriatic ocean and the walls of the city is through sailing and sea Kayaking. It is an exciting and one of a kind experience that one cannot forget. These activities are perfect for those looking for another way of sightseeing rather than just strolling and those who loves to get wet and explore.

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For those seeking an exciting way to admire the beauty of Croatia and the views it offers, a kayak tour is the answer.

Kayaking around Croatia’s coastlines is surely an exciting way for adventurous tourists to admire the splendid views the Croatia offers. Venture outside the famous walls of Dubrovnik,a UNSECO-listed city, and paddle around to view the magnificent sights of Lokrum Island and Lovrijenac Fort. Afterwards, wander into various sea caves while stopping for a quick break on a hidden beach. With Croatia’s long coastlines, there are still a lot of perfect kayaking spots with beautiful views of the country. Kayaking around is surely ideal for fit and active travellers looking for a unique way for sightseeing.

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The oldest scientific tree garden in this part of Eastern Europe.

Local nobleman Ivan Marinov Gučetić-Gozze built a villa and garden on this site in 1494. A few years later, his residence became a center of Renaissance humanism in this Croatian city. Today, tourists are drawn to this arboretum partly because of the beautiful view of the Adriatic Sea. The garden’s trees and plants, which include two 500-year-old Oriental Plane trees, also make the arboretum an attractive place for botany enthusiasts. Those who simply want to relax in a calm and peaceful setting are also richly rewarded in this beautiful garden.

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Admiring the terrific views of Dubrovnik while being transported to the mountaintop of Mount Srd is a must-do!.

When travelling to Mount Srd while in the city of Dubrovnik, visitors should not miss riding the cable car up to the mountain. Taking a cable car to the top of the mountain is the most convenient and swift way to get to Mount Srd. Tourists may experience the voted second-most popular activity to do in the city at The Dubrovnik Cable Car Station, located at Ulica Kralja Petra Krešimira IV. Not only riding a cable car is convenient compared to hiking or climbing the mountain, it also offers a good view of the city where riders could admire and better see the beauty of the city.

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Be one with the nature in the island of Lokrum that is filled with various types of towering trees and lush plants.

Lokrum is a beautiful island that is just a 10-minute ferry ride from the city of Dubrovnik. The island is not only known for the various oaks, pine and olive trees that tower over island, but it is also a popular swimming spot. Although the island’s beaches may be rocky, this does not stop visitors from getting under the sun. The island of Lokrum is perfect for those who love being in the great outdoors as lush and green nature surrounds them which gives off a tranquil and peaceful vibes. It is also easy to get to the island as tours are offered by the locals to really understand the history of the island as well as to explore it wholly.

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A perfect place to commune with nature, MLJET National Park is a must visit.

The first accounts and descriptions of MLJET were written by ancient Greco-Roman geographers. This is a haven for nature lovers and those looking for a place to relax and unwind. Families make up the majority of the visitors. Mljet is particularly ideal for sports enthusiasts; there are bike and scooter routes, as well as opportunities to run around the lakes or simply wander through the forests. Totally unique in comparison to other seaside destinations, and highly recommended!

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Monumental walls that still stands today to protect the city as well as to offer a magnificent view of the Adriatic Sea.

The city of Dubrovnik is famous for being the walled city overlooking the sea. Its monumental walls are considered to be the city’s most unique and famous feature as the walls not only protect the city but also offers a majestic sight that is to do die for. When walking on top of Dubrovnik city walls, tourists are able to see what the city has to offer, from its beautiful architecture of buildings to its lively town squares as well as hidden narrow streets. On the other side, the magnificent view of the Adriatic sea greets onlookers as they feel the sea breeze. Walking on the walls of Dubrovnik is a unique and wonderful experience that should not be missed.

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Korčula is known for being the miniature Dubrovnik and also offers wondrous sights of nature.

Korčula, located in Dubrovnik, is an island surrounded by the Adriatic sea. It is dubbed as the miniature Dubrovnik as everything offered by the city can be seen on the island. The island offers magnificent views of the Adriatic sea as well as captivating sights of mountain ranges.

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Dominican Monastery in Dubrovnik a religious complex that houses a monastery and museum.

Dominican Monastery, located in Dubrovnik, is a religious complex that features a church with Gothic style architecture as well as a museum full of art and artifacts. It was built in 1315 and is regarded to be one of the largest Gothic buildings in Dubrovnik.

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Rector’s Palace is a famous historical palace located in the heart of Dubrovnik.

Rector’s Palace is a historical palace in Dubrovnik that once served the centre of the government as well as the official residence of the Rector. It was built and designed by an italian architect in 1463 and has preserved furnitures on display. It is also well known for its captivating architecture.

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The grand buildings and striking natural landscape of this city make it an ideal set for a legendary TV series.

There is no doubt that the city of Dubrovnik looks magical. That is why the producers of the hit fantasy TV series Game of Thrones (GoT) chose many of the city’s locations to shoot dramatic scenes of Medieval wars and pageantry. The waterfront area of Pile Harbor, for one, was used as the harbor of the fictional place called King’s Landing. The stairs of Saint Ignatius Church, on the other hand, served as a dramatic backdrop to depict Cersei Lannister’s “walk of shame.” The City Walls also became the breathtaking meeting place of GoT monarchs as they discussed alliances and military defenses. Locations like these number to around 10, so you’ll be spoilt for choice if you know where to look.

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Exploring the oldest town in Croatia is not only enriching but also comforting and relaxing.

Stari Grad is a town on the northern side of the island of Hvar in Dalmatia, Croatia. There are a lot to see when visiting the town but it’s famous for Stari Grad Plains, an agricultural landscape established by the Greeks in the 4th BC. The plains were preserved entirely in its original form and has been part of the UNESCO’s World Heritage from 2018 due to its importance of showcasing the Greeks’ system of agriculture which were important in human settlement. Aside from this, the town of Stari Grad is perfect for those who prefer quiet and serene places as its atmosphere is relaxing. The white-stone streets, bougainvillea and the smell of lavender in the air makes the town appear picturesque as well as cozy.

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Dubrovnik Cathedral is a well known cathedral that was build to replace the one destroyed in the earthquake.

Dubrovnik Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, located in Dubrovnik, is a Roman Catholic Church with Roman Baroque architecture. It is famous for its treasury’s collections of reliquaries as well as the its dome shaped ceiling and beautiful architecture.

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In Croatia, you will find a Roman Catholic Cathedral called the Dubrovnik Cathedral.

Contributed partially by Richard the Lion Heart, a known English King, the Dubrovnik Cathedral stands in grandeur even today. One of the significant work of art within the cathedral is found in the main altar with the version of the assumption of the virgin being portrayed. It is also known for the connection it has with the seaports of the Mediterranean sea.

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Schubert moved to the city in 1995 after being awarded a scholarship to study photography at the San Francisco Art Institute. Once he arrived, Schubert immersed himself in the Bay’s thriving skateboarding and graffiti scene. Back on the East Coast, he’d been a prolific skate videographer, primarily in Washington, D.C. On that September day, we talked about his more recent work for GX1000, his friend’s skate company.

Best of all, we talked about the trouble he’d found himself in while taking photos of strangers doing illegal things — a habit Schubert had that reflected his audacious approach to his craft. He told me of one incident when a group of sex workers attacked him for taking a photo of them smoking crack in the Tenderloin. Mid-attack, Schubert told me, one of them began biting his finger. Hard.

“I had just watched a nature film with sharks that week though,” Schubert casually told me. “And it said if you’re attacked by a reef shark, don’t pull your hand out of its mouth because your flesh will tear. Instead, hit it in the throat so it will release you. So that’s what I did. That’s how I got the prostitute off my finger.”

Talking to Schubert, these kinds of stories weren’t unusual. They were simply how he lived his life: on the edge, always adjacent to trouble, illuminating the darkest sides of city living with his camera, so that the rest of the world might see it too.

“He had a drive and passion for his work that is hard to find these days,” says Lindsay Mape, who first befriended Schubert in 1995. “I was studying painting at SFAI and he would sneak in with me and use the dark rooms all day long to print his film, while I painted in the studios downstairs. Then we would leave and go hang in the Mission or the TL all night, finding trouble, hanging with friends, laughing and chilling with my dog.

“He didn’t have a nasty bone in his body,” she remembers. “Genuinely the sweetest soul.”

Noah Lang of the San Francisco gallery Electric Works, who first befriended Schubert in 1999, has similar memories of the photographer. “Even in his darkest times, he never had any anger,” Lang says. “He was an unstoppable force of positivity. He was very generous. He was interested in sharing everything that he had. He would have 17-year-old skaters email him saying they liked his work and he would just send them [a print]. He was not looking for fame or fortune ever. He just wanted enough money to live and make his books and that was pretty much it.

“I feel like street photographers are born noticers,” Lang continues. “They notice all the things that we see but don’t find remarkable, and then they synthesize it. Dave was a really great noticer and sythesizer of the coral reef around him. He knew everything about it. He could see it all and he would make a photo of it and turn normalcy into poetry in 1/60 of a second.”

Tributes poured in for Schubert over the weekend as news of his untimely death spread.

Artist Steve Powers wrote on Instagram: “I don’t know a better photographer that shot both skateboarding and graffiti as well as Dave did, but, as he would say about bragging, ‘Don’t tell it, show it’ … Dave Schubert didn’t take pictures, he took the time to love and to show the love.”

ANN ARBOR, MI – Clouds transforming into a funnel. Winds reaching 80 mph. A storm creeping toward the house from two miles away.

This is how Daryl Marshke remembers the first time a storm captured his imagination. Now a photographer for Michigan Creative through the University of Michigan, that tornado hit his Livingston County home during his first year in college.

Fortunately, the Hartland home saw only minor damage, with no more than a few shingles flying from the roof and some unearthed trees on the ground, he said. But much like the lightning he captures in his photography now, that storm sparked his interest in capturing the power and beauty of extreme weather.

“The intensity of that experience intrigued me,” Marshke said. “I had always liked watching the lightning and seeing the clouds rolling in. Then I got a little more into the photography aspect. Just showing the whole picture of nature.”

Marshke has combined his passions for photography and storms to capture striking images of extreme weather, from lightning around UM landmarks, such as Michigan Stadium and Burton Tower, as well as others in his personal trips around the country.

Growing up,Marshke watched National Geographic on TV, with dreams of being a marine biologist. After the storm at his house, he found inspiration through the shows “Storm Chasers” and “Tornado Chasers.”

One of his first attempts to capture a storm on camera was in May 2011 during the Joplin, Missouri tornado that killed 158 people when he was driving across the country with his wife to Arizona The category 5 twister with 200 mph winds was a challenging first attempt, he said.

“We’ve had some bad storms but these storms were a whole ‘nother level,” he said. “I’ve never experienced rain and wind like we experienced that day. It was kind of like the storms were just popping up and we’re kind of dodging them as best we could.”

The experience shaped his approach to shooting storms, as Marshke said he would make sure he was a safe distance from them moving forward to avoid danger.

One of his favorite photos is a lightning strike at Michigan Stadium, which he took in 2017 after a storm during the Michigan State game. There are two ways to capture lightning bolts: either with a camera with long exposure capabilities or by knowing which cloud will expel lightning and anticipating the strike in real-time, he said.

“There was one part of the system that was always having a lightning bolt in the same spot,” Marshke said. “So I just waited for that cloud to cut across the stadium. I had my hand on the shutter and just waited. When I saw just a little flinch of light, I hit the shutter and the two or three frames I got was able to get that shot.”

His passion for storm photography has another application in helping National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials map storms. Marshke became certified in storm chasing in 2021 and learned how storms build, the various categories of storm intensity, how to escape danger and more.

With his wide-angle lens and other equipment, he provides NOAA with “an extra set of eyes that Doppler can’t get,” he said.

“You’re able to call in (to the NOAA tip line) by storm if it’s a tornado warning,” Marshke said. “You give them your location, and that helps them identify where it’s at and how to prepare people in the surrounding area.”

In Michigan, there are an average of 15 tornadoes each year, according to Michigan.gov. That means Marshke is prepared to pick up his gear and help out officials more than a dozen times a year.

However, storm chasing always starts with his appreciation for weather’s beauty. His hope is that someday he can capture weather in different landscapes.

“I’m hoping very soon I’ll be able to go out west like Oklahoma with wide open fields and see the tornado drop,” he said. “Be low in the grass with some of the grass in the foreground and then the tornado on the the beautiful Nimbus clouds that are there and maybe a bolt of lightning.

“My passion is just about the natural beauty and power of nature.”

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On show until Spring 2023, the collection has been released in partnership with VIVE Arts and is available to purchase globally through the platform. It contains a unique series of artworks algorithmically generated from three core artworks: Heart of Nature, Contemplating Skeleton and Drifting Skeleton.

It might sound like a dramatic change of pace for a collage artist, considering the medium is one of the most tactile and analogue mediums still going. But for multidisciplinary artist Kristjana, whose work spans laser cut collage, animation and digital design, computers are just another tool in her artistic toolkit.

“I like working with my hands as much as I enjoy working digitally,” she explains. “I love going to museums to research and find inspiration and to markets to collect findings which I can use in my work.

“I visit antique stores, map houses, markets, and even scroll through the New York Library online to find copyright-free engravings. I use a lot of Victorian engravings in my collages, which was how the world used to be documented pre-photography, together with watercolours and pencils. When you start digging into that world, it’s vast. I don’t use one engraving style but mix them all up, which is where my strength lies.”

Speaking of engravings, the concept behind the artworks in Head in The Clouds grew out of wanting to animate an engraving of a skeleton Kristjana was working on for a different project. “I wanted to create a skeleton with sensations and emotions,” she reveals.

“Head in The Clouds is about travelling, which is one of my favourite things to do, like so many other people in this world. It is about all the sensations you may have while travelling when your head is in the clouds. There may be tingling sensations, anxiety, and excitement.

“These feelings may also occur pre-travelling when walking on clouds before embarking on an exciting journey. The skeleton is a perfect way of illustrating emotions such as anxiousness, patience or worry.”

Each edition in the Head in The Clouds collection is a unique NFT that has been generated at random via a rules-based system that Kristjana devised. This allows for subtle variations of the core image, which ties back to her aim to convey different human emotions and personalities through the image of the human skeleton.

She adds: “I wondered, what if you spin two wheels and you end up with a random chance of combining a certain personality with a certain emotion? You would achieve all the possible variations. There is a hint of playfulness. Indeed, we are not always in control of our emotions. There are so many underlying and outgoing factors which affect all our emotions. I feel like the two wheels give a bit of truth about how we are human.”

Kristjana used Victorian engravings from medical charts as the basis for this collection because she wanted to “supercharge” the emotion she wanted to convey. By including little motifs such as a watch on a little chain or two glasses of wine clinking, she could visualise the anticipation she yearned to express in a wholly new way.

“It was really fun because I could illustrate emotions such as anxiety with only a few elements,” she explains. “In the NFT format, you can express emotions using colour and motifs such as shooting stars or a fire with an anchor, playing around with different variations.”

Priced between 0.5 ETH and 0.4 ETH, the Head in The Clouds collection is available to purchase now in cryptocurrency through the VIVE Arts NFT platform. Visitors will also be able to view the artworks in Williams’ pop-up store on London’s vibrant Carnaby Street, alongside her range of 3D original artworks, Limited Edition prints and interior products.

The capital of Northern Ireland is a tourist destination of titanic proportions, but not in a way you would normally imagine. Despite having an area of only 44 square miles, what makes the city a big deal is the Titanic Museum. This attraction features the ill-fated ocean liner that sunk as spectacularly as it was huge during the early 20th century. The city has also become a giant in the entertainment industry, thanks to its use as a “Game of Thrones” filming location. Top-class restaurants and a vibrant nightlife scene also make Belfast a good destination for the casual traveler.

In Belfast you will find some beautiful attractions that you just cannot miss! Places like Titanic Belfast, Cave Hill Country Park, and Game Of Thrones Film Location Tour and many more. Continue reading to know more.

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Belfast

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Considered to be a world-leading visitor attraction, Titanic Belfast is a must see.

When visiting the Belfast and Northern Ireland, one must not miss visiting the Titanic Belfast. It is regarded as a must see attraction as it tells the story of the voyage of the unsinkable Titanic in 1912. It boasts a floor space of more than 12,00o square meters that is rich with history and story of the Titanic.

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Overlooking the entire city, Cave Hill Country Park is one of the most scenic spots you can visit in Belfast.

With an imposing outline that is visible throughout the city, the Cave Hill Country Park has long been synonymous with Belfast. It features a treasure trove of offerings for nature and history fanatics such as ecotrails, archaeological sites and numerous historical spots. One can also enjoy a lovely meal at the beautiful Belfast Castle, one of the renowned historic spots in the park.

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Tour the castles and coastlines that made GoT a famous TV series.

The highly popular medieval warfare-themed Game of Thrones (GoT) television series was brought to life in this wave-washed section of Belfast. See and feel the atmosphere of places like Carnlough Village which features colorful houses, fishing boats and its trademark old-world charm. Feel the fear that many a knight felt in the series when passing by The Dark Hedges. You can also test your courage (albeit with a tour guide instead of a squire) by crossing the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge.

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The Trip Advisor award-winning Belfast world famous black taxi now offers a wide range of five-star tours.

As seen on TV as a Trip Advisor awardee, black taxi now has tours that range from: Political mural tours, Game of Thrones tours, golfing tours or any tours tailor-made as per your request. They have a large fleet of London cabs, executive or even luxurious cars for MVPs. They have other cabs that sits seven and also coaches.

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Belfast Zoo in Northern Ireland is a must visit for nature enthusiasts.

Home to more than 1200 animals, the Belfast Zoo is an award-winning attraction that welcomes more than 200,000 visitors every year. Featuring the Asian elephant, California sea lions, apes, penguins, the giant anteater, Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo and even the more exotic animals such as the Malayan tapirs, Malayan sun bears, Visayan warty pigs, red-backed bearded sakis and ring-tailed lemurs among many others, it is truly a one-of-a-kind zoo that no nature lover would want to miss!

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The old and new combine in this large and unique shopping mall.

Victoria Square is not your average shopping mecca. After all, which mall in the world can boast of having a quaint Victorian-era fountain near its front door? And as far as shopping destinations go, this mall boasts not only of prestigious brands like Hollister and Hugo Boss, but also has a personal stylist which can help you express eloquently your fashion statement. If you need to get your film fix, enjoy the center’s cinemas that feature Odeon 8 screens. Hungry after hours of wandering about? Let the 18 eateries of this shopping center satisfy your craving. Have a go at the diverse tapestry of dishes in this mall that ranges from Japanese and Italian cuisine to all-you-can-eat buffets. The crowning glory of this recreational destination is The Dome, a hemispherical glass structure which can give you a fine view of Belfast.

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Take back the history of Belfast by visiting holy St.Anne’s Cathedral.

An unusual church serving two separate dioceses, Connor and Down & Dromore is a church of Ireland known as St.Anne’s Cathedral or Belfast Cathedral. A cathedral which is more than a hundred years old has one of the most beautiful buildings in Belfast and is a known place of events like concerts and carol services.

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Belfast’s epic history comes to life through artworks that adorn this unique Victorian government building.

The Victorian-Renaissance mash-up which is Belfast City Hall was constructed from 1898 to 1906. You don’t have to pay a cent to tour this magnificent structure. Once you are in, the marble inside clearly shows that no expense was spared to make this building a reality. The paintings, busts, statues and stained glass windows inside are not only ornamental but functional. They tell the proud history of this Northern Irish city. Presbyterian Mary-Anne McCracken, who set up schools and opposed slavery, is among the many historical icons featured here along with British monarchs and noble patrons of arts. Another interesting attraction to see here is The Titanic Memorial Garden. This memorial pays tribute to members of Belfast who died saving the lives of hundreds of people on board the ill-fated ship.

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River Lagan is beautiful a river running through Belfast and surrounded by captivating buildings.

River Lagan is a river surrounded by numerous establishments in Belfast. Guests would surely not run out of ideas or activities to do when visiting. The river also features a beautiful view of the city as well as nature. Guests could also ride boats and admire the city from the river.

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Visit this Victorian-era garden complex and have more fun than you can imagine.

This green oasis in Belfast is more than your usual botanic garden. The beautiful Palm House, built in 1839 and completed in 1852, features a cast-iron dome with curvilinear glass. A great variety of plants are showcased in this unique and large architectural gem which somewhat resembles the U.S. Capitol. In one corner of the gardens, you can view tropical ferns, orchids, lilies and banana plants all standing proud in a sunken glen. Aside from a great variety of plant life, this place also serves as a venue for concerts, festivals and other events.

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HM Prison Crumlin Road is a former prison located in Belfast and known as the Europe’s Alcatraz.

HM Prison Crumlin Road in Belfast is Europe’s own version of the Alcatraz. Compared to its counterpart, the HM Prison was escapable as there were numerous report inmates that were able to escape. There were also executions conducted in its premises but as of the present, the prison is no longer operational.

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Rediscover your favorite stories and objects in this living history museum located in the country side.

The Ulster Folk Museum housed a 100 years of history. Seated in the country side along the rolling hills and bustling town, the museum will definitely provide a mix of enjoyment, nostalgia, education, history, fun, entertainment, refreshment, and plenty of exercise. The town itself has authentic period buildings that are rich with tradition, and history. Admission is free and all you have to do is pre-book a timeslot to ensure safety.

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Crumlin Road Gaol Paranormal tour offers an unparalleled and terrifying experience that awaits those who dare.

This is a one of a kind Jail of Horror tour and you can only get this in Belfast’s oldest prison. If you can stomach the fear, you will enter the off limits section of the prison which is the dungeon in D wing. The terror is not for the weak of heart. Dare to try, enter and conquer your fear. Do not forget to wear your most comfortable shoes. What are you waiting for?

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Built in the 1860s, the Belfast Castle Estate is one of the most popular attractions of the city.

Situated on the lower slopes of Cave Hill Country Park, the estate serves as a splendid vantage point to observe the scenic beauty of the city. It is also noted for being home to a range of unique flora and fauna such as the long-eared owl and even the rarest plant of Belfast, the town hall clock. The park also features ecotrails and several archaeological sites.

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The charming St. George’s Market is one of the most vibrant destinations in Belfast.

Located on May Street, this is the last surviving Victorian market in Belfast. One of the oldest attractions of Belfast, the St. George’s Market is also one of the most popular haunts in the city. The Friday, Saturday and Sunday markets are great for sampling fresh produce as well as delicious street food and eclectic homemade products.

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Albert Memorial Clock is one of the iconic landmarks of Belfast.

Completed in 1869, this tall clock tower is located at the Queen’s Square in Belfast. Featuring a fusion of French and Gothic styles, it is stunning to look at. You can also lounge around in the many lovely bars and restaurant that are situated beside the clock tower. Many visitors enjoy taking a photograph with this majestic clock in the background.

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Bringing back bivalves and reintroducing aquatic plants can connect people to their waterways—and the ecosystems we all depend on.

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Jan 5, 2023

This article was originally published by Yale Environment 360. Read the original story here.

On a recent summer morning near Camden, New Jersey, two divers from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hovered over a patch of sediment 10 feet below the surface of the Delaware River. With less than 2 feet of visibility in the churning estuary, they were transplanting a species crucial to the ecosystem: Vallisneria americana, or wild celery grass. One diver held a GoPro camera and a flashlight, capturing a shaky clip of the thin, ribbon-like blades bending with the current.

Watching the divers’ bubbles surface from the EPA’s boat was Anthony Lara, experiential programs supervisor at the Center for Aquatic Sciences at Adventure Aquarium in Camden, who had nurtured these plants for months in tanks, from winter buds to mature grasses some 24 inches long.

“It’s a little nerve-wracking,” he says of releasing the grasses into the wild, where they could get nudged out by a competing plant or eaten by a duck. “But that’s life.”

This was the first planting of a new restoration project led by Upstream Alliance, a nonprofit focused on public access, clean water, and coastal resilience in the Delaware, Hudson, and Chesapeake watersheds. In collaboration with the Center for Aquatic Sciences, and with support from the EPA’s Mid-Atlantic team and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the alliance is working to repopulate areas of the estuary with wild celery grass, a plant vital to freshwater ecosystems. It’s among the new, natural restoration projects focused on bolstering plants and wildlife to improve water quality in the Delaware River, which provides drinking water for some 15 million people.

Such initiatives are taking place across the United States, where, 50 years after passage of the Clean Water Act, urban waterways are continuing their comeback, showing increasing signs of life. Yet ecosystems still struggle, and waters are often inaccessible to the communities that live around them. Increasingly, scientists, nonprofits, academic institutions, and state agencies are focusing on organisms like bivalves (such as oysters and mussels) and aquatic plants to help nature restore fragile ecosystems, improve water quality, and increase resilience.

Bivalves and aquatic vegetation improve water clarity by grounding suspended particles, allowing more light to penetrate deeper. They also have exceptional capacity to cycle nutrients—both by absorbing them as food and by making them more available to other organisms. Thriving underwater plant meadows act as carbon sinks and provide food and habitat for scores of small fish, crabs, and other bottom-dwellers. Healthy bivalve beds create structure that acts as a foundation for benthic habitat and holds sediment in place.

“Why not take the functional advantage of plants and animals that are naturally resilient and rebuild them?” says Danielle Kreeger, science director at the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, which is spearheading a freshwater mussel hatchery in southwest Philadelphia. “Then you get erosion control, water quality benefits, fish and wildlife habitat, as well as better access for people.”

One hundred miles north of Philadelphia, the Billion Oyster Project has been restoring the bivalves in New York Harbor since 2010, engaging more than 10,000 volunteers and 6,000 students in the project. Oyster nurseries are being installed in Belfast Lough in Northern Ireland, where until recently they were believed to have been extinct for a century. And a hatchery 30 miles west of Chicago has dispersed 25,000 mussels into area waterways, boosting the populations of common freshwater mussel species.

Underwater vegetation restoration projects have been underway in the Chesapeake Bay and Tampa Bay for years, and more recently in California, where seagrass species are in sharp decline. (Morro Bay, for example, has lost more than 90% of its eelgrass beds in the past 15 years.) The California Ocean Protection Council’s 2020 Strategic Plan to Protect California’s Coast and Ocean aims to preserve the mere 15,000 acres of known seagrass beds and cultivate 1,000 more acres by 2025.

Scientists stress that these projects must be implemented alongside strategies to continue curbing contaminants, mainly excess nutrients from sewage and fertilizers, flowing into our waterways—still the most critical step in improving water quality. After several decades of aquatic vegetation plantings in the Chesapeake Bay, for example, scientists say the modest increase of plants is largely due to nature restoring itself following a reduction in nutrient pollution.

And any human intervention in a complex ecosystem raises a host of compelling concerns, such as how to ensure sufficient genetic diversity and monitor competition for food and resources. Scientists say that, in many cases, they’re learning as they go.

Still, in areas where the natural environment is improving, bringing back bivalves and aquatic plants can create a lasting foundation for entire ecosystems. And restoration initiatives are an active form of stewardship that connects people to their waterways, helping them understand the ecosystems we depend on for our survival.

Natural Capacity for Cleaning

Until five years ago, the extent of wild celery grass beds in the Delaware estuary was a bit of a mystery. Many scientists didn’t think the water quality was suitable, and because the estuary contains a lot of sediment and roils with the tides, the plants weren’t visible in aerial imagery.

But in 2017, EPA researchers started surveying by boat to detect submerged vegetation and were surprised to find the plant thriving in parts of a 27-mile stretch of the Delaware River from Palmyra, New Jersey, past Camden and Philadelphia, to Chester, Pennsylvania. That’s the only section of the river designated by the Delaware River Basin Commission as unsafe for “primary contact recreation”—activities like Jet Skiing, kayaking, and swimming.

The discovery of healthy grass beds was exciting, says Kelly Somers, the EPA Mid-Atlantic Region’s senior watershed coordinator, because the plant is an indicator of water quality. The EPA’s research, accessible via online maps, has been especially helpful for the Upstream Alliance’s restoration work, says founder and President Don Baugh, because most of the research on wild celery grass is from other places—primarily the Chesapeake Bay. The restoration of wild celery and other aquatic plant species has been underway there for more than 30 years.

Among the Chesapeake’s experts is Mike Naylor, aquatic biologist for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, who, back in the 1990s, was pulling National Archives images of the Chesapeake Bay to find out what bay grass beds looked like in the 1930s and ’50s. When combined with similar research by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, he found that at least 200,000 acres of underwater vegetation flourished in the bay in those decades, dropping to about 38,000 by 1984.

When I talked to Naylor in mid-July, he had just been out with volunteers from the ShoreRivers group harvesting redhead grass (Potamogeton perfoliatus)—enough to fill the back bed of a pickup truck, which will yield a couple of gallons of seeds for replanting, he says.

In recent years, scientists on the Chesapeake Bay have switched from transplanting adult plants to direct seeding, which is far less resource intensive and laborious. “You can spread tens of acres of seeds in one day with just three people,” Naylor says.

More efficient techniques combined with site selection informed by accumulated data on plants’ requirements could significantly boost the success of restoration efforts. Still, scientists agree that the modest increases in seagrass growth over the past 30 years are mainly due to natural repopulation following improvements in water quality.

“In the Chesapeake Bay, the thing that has led to wide-scale [aquatic vegetation] recoveries is nutrient-load reductions,” says Cassie Gurbisz, assistant professor in the environmental studies program at Saint Mary’s College in Maryland.

Excess nutrients—mainly nitrogen and phosphorus from sewage and agricultural runoff—are among the biggest detriments to water quality. And it’s a problem that bivalves can help address. The Billion Oyster Project, which has restored oysters at 15 reef sites, is working to determine how oysters affect—and are affected by—water quality. The project’s goal is to restore 1 billion oysters to New York Harbor by 2035.

A 2017 pilot project in the Bronx River Estuary studied the cleaning capabilities of the marine ribbed mussel. Researchers estimated that 337,000 adult ribbed mussels floating in the estuary could sequester 138 pounds of nitrogen in their tissues and shells in six months. As it eats, a single mussel can filter up to 20 gallons per day, remove excess nitrogen both by assimilating it into their shells and tissues and burying it in the sediment as waste. Because they’re especially sensitive to poor water quality, freshwater mussel species are among the most endangered groups of animals.

“In some watersheds, the reasons why they went away are still there, and so they’re not really yet restorable,” says Kreeger of the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, which has been researching freshwater mussels in the region for 15 years. The reasons include habitat destruction caused by dredging or filling, sedimentation or siltation from runoff, and climate change factors, like warming water and increased stormwater runoff.

“In many areas, water quality has come back enough and habitat is stable enough that you can rebuild,” says Kreeger. The partnership’s proposed hatchery and education center would have the capacity to propagate 500,000 native mussels each year.

Kreeger says the hatchery team is working on biosecurity and genetics-preservation plans to address the concern that releasing large numbers of hatchery-raised mussels could dilute genetic diversity and introduce diseases in the wild.

“Propagation or restoration projects should maintain the current genetic makeup and diversity and should not disrupt the natural and evolutionary processes,” says Kentaro Inoue, research biologist at the Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. He’s working with the Urban Stream Research Center’s hatchery—which has released about 25,000 mussels into Chicago-area waterways—to analyze DNA samples from restoration sites.

The key issue is that many propagated animals have exactly the same maternal genetics. (The first 24,000 juveniles released by the hatchery were the progeny of just four mother mussels.) The center is working to mitigate some of these concerns by tagging their mussels so as not to propagate animals with the same genetics in a subsequent season. Even still, “We need to conduct more post-release monitoring after releasing hatchery-reared juveniles into the wild,” says Inoue.

Despite these concerns, scientists say bringing back bivalve and aquatic vegetation communities is an important tool to continue improving water quality. Says Kreeger, “We’re restoring nature’s ability to keep itself clean.”

This article was originally published by Yale Environment 360. Read the original story here.

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A WILDLIFE photographer who survived a stroke says he has been given a second chance at life.

Now 59-year-old Simon Booker, from South Stoke, is raising funds for the Stroke Association by selling calendars featuring his nature photography.

Mr Booker, who is married with three children, works in sales and management but has been photographing wildlife in his spare time for about five years.

He studied mechanical engineering and naval architecture at university and enjoys the technical side of photography.

He said: “I spent a lot of time watching YouTube videos and it turned me into a photography geek. If you want to get the best out of a camera, you have to get to know it.

“I can take a picture that looks okay and I can get it to something brilliant because I know what I’m doing now after three years of spending an inordinate amount of time farting around.

“I used to work with a photographer in Paris who said to me, ‘You don’t take pictures, you create them’.”

Mr Booker’s interest in photography started with his father, a keen amateur and member of Wallingford Camera Club, who converted the family bathroom into a dark room.

He said: “We always used to have these family portrait sessions with lights, where my dad would try to create black and white portraits. I used to go to the bathroom to watch him develop the photos. I would be really excited.

“When I moved here, I would take the dog for walks and take my iPhone with me, photographing anything that interested me.

“I’d just got into social media at the same time, so I’d always post the photos on there.

“Once I asked this social influencer, ‘What do you call people like me who are old farts who know how to use social media?’ She said, ‘You have a millennial mindset, Simon’ and I went, ‘That sounds cool, I’ll run with that’.

“It just means I embrace technology and love the things young people do with stuff. I love new things.

“When I put a picture on Facebook and loads of people go, ‘Wow, I didn’t know we had those animals just down the road’, I get a real kick out of that.”

Mr Booker had just turned 59 when he suffered a stroke on May 26 last year.

He had been previously diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, which is an irregular heartbeat and the underlying cause of the stroke.

The stroke was a surprise but there had been warning signs.

Mr Booker said he had been working late when he noticed a “flashing polygon” in his head and felt “woozy and giddy”.

The doctors initially thought his eyesight prescription needed updating before checking his heart and discovering the murmur.

Mr Booker said he was told that he “might need to think about that at some point” but put it off and went back to work.

On the night of his stroke, he was working in his home office at about 8pm.

He said: “My wife was out in the village. I came into the kitchen and was looking at myself in the mirrored wall. I couldn’t see through one eye — it was like a blind spot.

“I thought, ‘That’s a bit weird’ and then I looked down and I had a bit of dribble on my shirt. I thought it was sweat, then I went, ‘Oh, I think I’m dribbling, actually’, so I think my face had sagged.

“Then I went ‘Oh, s***, I can’t move my arm.

“You don’t know what’s going on. I went back into the office and sat there. I meant to log into the computer and continue working.

“I stood in the corner and it felt like I was on a boat. Things felt a bit giddy for a minute and I went back to my desk. I never logged in, I just sat there. My wife came home, popped her head around the door and asked how I was. All I could do was groan. She immediately phoned 999.”

Mr Booker was taken by ambulance to the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, where doctors gave him a thrombectomy, which is where the head is injected with blood thinners to reduce the size of the clot.

After he had stabilised, he couldn’t speak for a few hours, which scared him as he was completely conscious.

“I knew exactly what was going on,” he said. “My brain couldn’t work out what words to use, so I just couldn’t say anything, which was really weird. It was surreal.

“I could try but all the words would come out in the wrong order. All the connections were temporarily broken.

“The next day, a nurse asked me where I thought I was. I told her that I knew the place and could drive to it but that I had completely forgotten its name.

“She pointed to the curtain and asked me to name it. Again, I knew what a curtain was used for but didn’t know its bloody name.

“We were joking about it because I had basically got back to normal by that point but it was like my glossary had been erased. I couldn’t name anything.

“On day three, everything came back.”

Mr Booker said he had been lucky. “The ambulance happened to be driving nearby, my wife is great in crisis management and the Royal Berks is the best place in the country for strokes,” he said.

“I was at home but the day before at that same time I was in the middle of a field and no one knew where I was. If it happened then, it could have been a very different story.

“My number was called but luckily I got a second chance.”

Mr Booker said that suffering a stroke made him realise that he wasn’t “Superman”.

He said: “I have been extremely fortunate in how it has worked out for me. So many people end up in a bad way. Seventy per cent of disabilities in the UK are the result of strokes and it’s the fourth biggest killer. You don’t think it could happen to you.

“All young people go, ‘You must be an old fart if you’ve had a stroke’. Well, yes, but young people have them as well and you don’t quite know what can cause them. I still don’t really know what caused mine.”

He suspects a contributing factor was his lifestyle and lack of sleep.

“I used to tell people, ‘Sleep is overrated’,” said Mr Booker. “Now I am eating my words. I would work hard, play hard. I’d go to the bar, watch the football, get to bed at 2am and then get up at 6am to do a presentation at 8am. I’d compress sleep.

“At weekends I’d start getting up at dawn, especially in the summer, because the animals are out early. I’d have a busy week and then get up at 4am to go and take pictures.

“I was getting quite tired but it wasn’t because I couldn’t sleep. I could sleep fine but just didn’t do it as I thought I didn’t need it.”

Now he tries to moderate his life, in particular his attitude towards sleep, and has improved his diet, losing two stone.

Mr Booker said: “If I know I am getting up early, I go to bed early. People say to me, ‘God, you look amazing, you look really alive’. I say, ‘Well, I’m not carrying as much weight and I’m getting seven hours’ sleep every night’.

“Sometimes as you get older, you need to just take it a little bit easier.

“I said to a stroke consultant that I had dodged a bullet. She said she didn’t like that phrase as it was a bit negative. She said, ‘Why don’t you say you’ve been given a second chance?’. It’s much more aspirational and positive. Lots of other people, sadly, don’t get a second chance.”

Taking pictures of wildlife helps him to remain calm.

Mr Booker said: “People say to me, ‘You must have incredible patience to sit for three hours waiting for a kingfisher’ but I love every minute.

“It’s not boring and it’s just me and nature. I enjoy the relaxation.

“When you watch a deer doing something and it doesn’t know you’re there and you get pictures, I just think it’s awesome.

“It’s even more awesome than when you chuck them on Facebook and people enjoy them. It’s just a win-win all the way.

“I like wildlife photography because it is as much about finding the animal as taking the perfect photograph, especially in the case of rarer ones.

“I take photos of these animals because they might not exist one day. I show the hidden world to people who might not be aware of it. I like the payback of the fact that I’m getting better at it. I’m quite good at it, allegedly.

“I got testimonials during lockdown when people couldn’t go out. There was a guy who said, ‘Just keep posting the pictures, you don’t know how much they help me’.”

Mr Booker has been producing calendars for four years and last year sold them in aid of a men’s health charity after his brother had a health scare.

To buy one of his 2023 calendars, visit https://bit.ly/3B0OZ9W

To see more of his pictures, visit https://www.stokerpix.com

Beaverton is a city in Oregon and is the second-largest city in Washington County. Tualatin Hills Nature Park is a lovely nature park and wildlife preserve home to wetlands, meadows, and creek habitat and is the top wildlife watching area. Cooper Mountain Nature Park is another nature park home to native bird species like bald eagles, Olive-sided flycatchers, and various other wildlife. The Belle Ainsworth Jenkins Estate is a fabulous live history museum and is a significant landmark with eight buildings and stunning grounds, also available for special events and parties. Hamacher Wines is on the Ponzi Historic Estate, known for its Chardonnay wine varietals, artistic wines, and lovely tasting rooms.

In Beaverton you will find some beautiful attractions that you just cannot miss! Places like Cooper Mountain Nature Park, Melilah Park, and Progress Lake Park and many more. Continue reading to know more.

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Beaverton

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Cooper Mountain Nature Park is a park located in the metropolitan area of Portland in the United States.

This park is a 231-acre park in the state of Oregon, was opened in 2009, owned and operated by Metro, which is the regional government in the Oregon portion of the Metro area. This park has a 2.6-mile loop trail available for all skill levels and has wonderful wildflowers. Also, wildlife can be enjoyed with glimpses of rare animals while hiking the trail. Pets are not allowed in this park as they can be threatening to wildlife.

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Play a game or two of tennis at Melilah Park, a park that features a tennis establishment.

Melilah Park, located in Oregon, is known for housing a public tennis establishment that features 2 public tennis courts. However, aside from tennis courts, the park also houses other sports courts such as basketball and volleyball courts. Avid sports players will surely love the courts offered by the park.

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Surround yourself with the vibrant colors of nature or just take in sights and sounds that are uniquely Oregon.

A great watering place is hidden around the bottom trail, by the small lake/pond. It seems like a city fountain with multiple levels of square pools, similar to the very small Ira Keller fountain, but it cascades down into a man-made little waterfall that flows under a bridged walkway and into a quaint little waterfall pond feature. All of this overlooks the pond and is particularly lovely in the evening light. The water is not very deep, and it is rather cold, yet it is still suitable for small children.

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A vineyard that is famous for using organic gapes.

Cooper Mountain Vineyards is a winery located on the site of an ancient volcano in Northern Oregon. The result of a volcanic event in Eastern Oregon 50 million years ago was the creation of its unique soils. Starting in 1978, the certified organic winemaker produces some world-class wines including Pinot noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and Pinot blanc. The Cooper Mountain Nature Park is one mile away from the Jenkins Estate Hiking trails. Stunning views of Cooper Mountain can be seen from the Vineyard.

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Beaverton Farmers Market is one of the best places to shop as it offers a variety of fresh local farm food.

Visitors should not miss visiting the Beaverton Farmers Market in Oregon as it offers diverse and different fresh farm foods that are planted and grown in the city. Visitors who love to eat and shop will have fun at the market as it houses numerous food stalls as well as sellers of other items.

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A 68-acre historic estate located in Beaverton, Oregon.

Jenkins Estate sits on the northwest slope of Cooper Mountain overlooking the Tualatin Valley. The estate comprises a main house with seven bedrooms which served as a residence for an English royal family. The property also has historic buildings, stables, a carriage house, tea house, water tower, farmhouse, and a pump house. The estate has 23-acres of land covered with beautiful gardens and walking trails. The Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District purchased the estate in the year 1976. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

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Oaks Amusement Park is a small park located south of downtown Portland, Oregon, United States.

Oaks Amusement Park is one of the oldest amusement parks opened in 1905. This amusement park has 18 hectares of rides including bumper cars, roller coaster, skating rink, mini train, and zero gravity rides. This park is closed on Mondays, open skate sessions are organized, skate rentals are also available. Children can relish cotton candies, burgers, and other delicious bites available in this park.

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Experience the natural bliss of Tualatin Hills Nature Park.

The Tualatin Hills Nature Park is a huge 222-acre nature park and wildlife preserve in Beaverton, Oregon.Owned by the Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District, the park offers various recreational activities. It features 5 miles of trails, of which 1.5 miles are paved and 3.5 miles are unpaved. Several lakes and streams are part of the stunning park.

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Witness and admire the beauty of nature at The Tualatin Valley where it offers scenic and extraordinary views.

Visitors who love the great outdoor would certainly have a fun time at the Tualatin Valley. It is a farming and suburban region of Oregon where it is known for its farmer’s markets. Visitors would surely have a blast shopping at the markets as delicious vegetables and colorful fruits are sold there.

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Fanno Creek Greenway Trail is the perfect place for those who love hiking and just being in the great outdoors.

Fanno Creek Greenway Trail, located in Oregon, is famous for its well-paved path that is ideal for hiking. The trail spans for many miles and offers a wondrous view of nature, most importantly a view of the Tualatin River. Those who love hiking should visit the trail and try it out themselves.

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28 acres of natural bliss with multiple walking trails & bird watching.

Lowami Hart Woods Natural Area is a 28 acre forested and wetland natural area. Less than 30 minutes from downtown Portland, Lowami Hart Woods is located in the Beaverton area. There are extremely beautiful wetlands and wildlife present in the area. Also includes a large viewing deck looking into the forest which allows visitors to dig deeper into the natural area, coming across the Johnston Creek, lowland deciduous forest, and the Wahoo Trail.

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A local church with a cosmopolitan flair and welcoming spirit.

This Pentecostal place of worship is composed of a Christian community that welcomes people of almost any background. The church provides visitors and regular members with sermons that inspire and help people find meaning even in the problematic aspect of their lives. But perhaps the best part of this community is its translation of sermons into languages like Spanish, Russian, and Chinese.

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Stroll around Cedar Mill Park which offers stunning views of nature as well as a great place for outdoor activities.

Cedar Mill Park, located in Oregon, is one of the must-visit destinations in the city. It is a park that features stunning views of nature as it is surrounded by towering trees and vibrant flowers. Visitors would surely love the park as it is the perfect place for various outdoor activities such as going on a picnic or hiking.

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Portland Art Museum aims to educate the community and enrich their knowledge about the conservation of art and film.

Portland Art Museum, located in Oregon, is a cultural center of the city and features two side-by-side buildings filled with numerous informative exhibits. One of the museum’s buildings is considered to be one of the oldest museums in the United States. The museum features exhibits that recognize the culture and traditions of indigenous people as it is their land where the museum stands today.

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The vast forest and rocky terrain on the north shore of Lake Superior offer a refuge and escape from the noise of Thunder Bay, Ont. However busy their days might be, the city’s 110,000 inhabitants know that the wonders of nature are never more than a 15 minute drive away. 

That includes on tiny Mission Island, just off the city’s coast, where many go to experience extreme close-ups with the area’s wildlife.  There, storybook moments with whitetail deer are almost guaranteed — and spur questions about social and environmental responsibility in human-wildlife interactions.

Every weekend, and plenty of weekdays, bucks, fawns and does eagerly approach the vehicles idling on the island’s dirt roads, not far from an industrial hub of businesses. The animals know a human hand with a food offering will emerge from every lowered window. Feeding the deer is a longstanding ritual on the woodland-laden landmass, with little indication that a municipal bylaw prohibiting the act has existed for almost 11 years. 

“You just roll your window down and they come right up to you … we use lettuce, carrots, but it all depends on what we have at home,” says a woman in her 70s, who visits the island several times a week to feed the deer with her sister and cousin. “It’s like a treat for them.”

Today’s treat appears to be a box of cookies from the nearby dollar store. The group doesn’t want to share their names out of fear of getting fined, but say they see no harm in what they’re doing.

There aren’t just seniors here, but residents of all ages, some with families and friends — everyone with their own justification for breaking the rules. For Sara, a worker in the field of trauma and addiction, it’s a peaceful outdoor oasis for her clients and an activity that helps her stay grounded. For David, a father of two, it’s an opportunity for his boys to interact with the animals in a different way than when they go hunting. 

This excursion, they all say, should be celebrated as something quintessentially Thunder Bay. 

Noting that feeding wildlife is prohibited at national parks, McLaren says that the city is sending the wrong message by “turning a blind eye” to the deer banquet in its own backyard. It’s the city’s job to explain why the practice is a problem, he believes: without that information, residents are likely to feed wildlife in other areas, increasing the probability of problems emerging both on and off the island. 

Those problems are many, McLaren says. When deer share bait piles or eat from the same food source, the risk of infectious diseases is increased, both among wildlife and between them and us. COVID-19 originated as a zoonotic disease, McLaren points out. Right now, he’s particularly worried about chronic wasting disease, an incurable, fatal neurological illness. It hasn’t shown up in humans yet, but the potential that it could is one reason unnecessary contact between humans and cervids such as deer, elk and moose should be avoided. 

There’s also the concern that the deer will grow too dependent on being fed — especially if locals offer them food that doesn’t resemble their natural diet. Like humans, deer that eat too many sugary snacks can get diabetes.

Being fed is particularly problematic in the winter, when the animals’ digestion and metabolism slows down: eating inappropriate food can make it harder for them to process natural food, McLaren says, causing them to burn essential fat faster and, potentially, leading to starvation. 

“We wish to avoid that, and that’s part of a social caring capacity,” he says. “Life is not all about pets, if we want to call these deers ‘pets.’” 

As is clear to anyone who visits Mission Island, the animals are not shy about approaching cars. McLaren points to the risk of vehicle collisions, especially if some of the deer move off the island, where drivers that aren’t expecting them are less cautious. Again, the laxness around the situation causes him to worry people may try to feed populations in busier urban areas. 

In 2012, Thunder Bay city council passed a bylaw prohibiting the feeding of deer, seagulls or geese, initially to prevent collisions. In its current form, the law says that those found intentionally feeding these animals could receive a fine up to $5,000. 

The catch is that in order for the city to look into a wildlife feeding case, someone needs to report it. For the past four years, Doug Vincent has been Thunder Bay’s licensing and enforcement manager and he has yet to receive a complaint.  When it comes to bylaw infractions, Vincent says he’s more worried about residents feeding squirrels, or putting out food that attracts skunks and rats. 

“If I were going to Mission Marsh with my grandkids and the deer walked up to the car, would I feed them? I don’t know,” he says. “You don’t want them getting hit by a car on the road, but maybe you get out of the car and you walk down the trail and you drop some corn for them and the kids can see it. I’m not sure if I really see the harm in that.” 

He notes that city data show that deer-vehicle collisions have gone down: the average number of deer killed by a vehicle in Thunder Bay each year for the past five years is just over 50, while the average between 2009 and 2014 was 120, with a pretty steady decline in between. He and McLaren both doubt drivers are being more cautious, and think the likely cause is that deer populations are decreasing due to cold winters and heavy predation by wolves.

“If people are going to get some enjoyment out of feeding deer on Mission Island, it’s probably helping the deer survive by giving them some additional sustenance,” Vincent said in reference to lower population numbers, contradicting McLaren’s comments on the risks to deer of being fed. But it could be time to review the bylaw’s necessity and impact, he adds.

“Do you want to help them or do you want to leave them alone and they either survive or don’t survive? That’s a more philosophical decision for the people of Thunder Bay.”

Without any increase in bylaw enforcement, local residents will be left to make their own decisions about feeding local deer. Which means that, for the foreseeable future, bringing breakfast, lunch and dinner to the deer on Mission Island will remain a ritual in Thunder Bay.