This summer I had the pleasure of working as the Farmland Ecology and Stewardship Assistant with OFT. From wading through rivers to romping through fields, my position with OFT has taken me to many beautiful and unexpected places across Ontario, and I’m here to tell you all about it!
As the Farmland Ecology and Stewardship Assistant, I spent much of my time helping to monitor properties OFT protects under conservation easement agreements. The diversity of farmland in our province is a wonder to behold – not only in terms of physical landscapes, but in the food they produce and the ecosystems they support. We saw many species at risk during our monitoring visits this summer, including Bobolink, Monarch, and Eastern Wood-pewees to name a few of my favourites! Each sighting reminded me of the importance of agricultural landscapes in preserving the precious habitat that supports these organisms.
I also spent time planning and facilitating stewardship initiatives and events at the Bourgeois Farm, and a highlight of my summer with OFT was Moth Night. The local community came out to learn about moths and their ecological and agricultural importance. We then ventured out into the night to try ‘mothing’ for ourselves! We saw a huge diversity of species and contributed our data to National Moth Week, helping moth researchers around the globe increase their knowledge and understanding of these fascinating creatures!
Another highlight of the summer was conducting an ecological assessment at the Baer property, where a unique tamed grassland habitat has been maintained for decades. The abundance of insects and birds that rely on these important ecosystems is staggering, yet grasslands have been disappearing across the province and less than 3% remain. It was a privilege to spend time exploring this valuable habitat and witness first-hand the plethora of organisms it supports, including Grasshopper Sparrows, Eastern Meadowlarks, crickets, skippers, dragonflies… the list goes on!
The most fulfilling aspect of my summer with OFT was knowing that the work I was doing directly contributed to more acres of farmland being protected for perpetuity in Ontario. Knowing that my efforts actively contributed to conserving important wildlife habitat and maintaining food production in Ontario for generations to come is an amazing feeling. This important work cannot be done without the support and passion of every landowner, farmer, volunteer, community member, and OFT staff member I encountered, and it was a pleasure to work with and learn from each and every person I met along the way.
