FORUM ON NATIVE PLANTS 
“Our Home and Native Plants"   

Seventh Annual National Wildlife Week Forum

We'll be examining what is meant by the term "native plant", a much debated designation, and certainly one that is often confusing. We'll also take a look at the native plants that grow in eastern Ontario and learn something about them. And finally, we'll examine some of the ways in which you can help scientists learn more about the ecology of our native plant species.

To learn more about native plants, please join us for the Ottawa Wildlife Festival Forum on native plants.  We have three very dynamic and engaging speakers lined up, as well as many informative and interesting displays.

165 people attended this forum to learn about native plants.  Dr.  Julian Starr of the CMN led off with an entertaining, and thought-provoking discussion of what is meant by the term "native plants".  Allan Goddard was next with a visual tour of native, and some non-native plants, as well as fungi and mosses, found in eastern Ontario.  Last of all, Marlene Doyle from Environment Canada told us about the Plant Watch program and how the public can help scientists by providing data on blooming times of certain species of plants.  Seven exhibitors provided a lot of information and many handouts.  A slideshow of beautiful photographs courtesy of the Club Polarise in Gatineau, ran continuously before the speakers and during the coffee break.  A very successful event.

AGENDA

6 p.m   doors open, mingle, browse displays, refreshments.

7:00 p.m.  MC, Johanne Ranger, Parks Canada, welcomes visitors to the Forum.

7:01 p.m. Welcome and Introduction by Joanne Di Cosimo, President and C.E.O. Canadian Museum of Nature.

7:05 p.m   Definition of native plants. Julian Starr, Canadian Museum of Nature. what do we mean by this term? Many species have been here for thousands of years but have their origins in Asia or Europe. Could a simple definition be plants that were here pre-white settlement? But some species have been here for hundreds of years and are here to stay. When do they become “natives”? Our speaker will clarify these important questions.

7:40 p.m   What species of plants are native to eastern Ontario? Allan W. Goddard, Horticultural Biologist and landscaper. Allan will describe the area from a geographical perspective, talk about what allows plants to survive in a certain area, and discuss what we mean by plants native to this bioregion, with some examples of flowering plants, trees and shrubs, ferns, grasses, and even lichens and mosses.

8:10 p.m   INTERMISSION and door prizes

8:30 p.m   How can you help native plants? Marlene Doyle, PlantWatch, Environment Canada. Marlene will describe opportunities to get your hands dirty for plant conservation by participating the in PlantWatch (www.plantwatch.ca) program. PlantWatch is a citizen science initiative which engages Canadians in tracking plant flowering dates (plant phenology) as an indicator of climate change. The importance of monitoring phenology and some recent results will be described along with associated educational tools.

9:00 p.m.  Questions from the audience for our speakers

9:15 p.m.  Meet with the speakers, browse the exhibits

9:30 p.m.   END.

Biographical Information

JULIAN STARR – Canadian Museum of Nature & University of Ottawa Julian Starr currently occupies a first-time joint position between the Canadian Museum of Nature and the University of Ottawa as a botanist and biology professor.  Julian’s research is in Systematics, the science of biodiversity. His speciality is vascular plants. Using traditional morphological as well as modern molecular techniques he aims to discover and define species and to understand the biogeography and evolution of higher-level groups. His current research interests are focused on the taxonomy and biogeography of bipolar sedges. Julian holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the University of Manitoba and a doctorate from Oxford University, England. Before joining the Canadian Museum of Nature in 2007 he worked as a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer at the Université de Montréal and an Assistant Professor at the University of Mississippi.

ALLAN W. GODDARD - Horticultural Biologist, Landscaper Allan holds a degree in Natural Sciences from Lakehead University, where he specialized in botany, with a special interest in taxonomy. Allan also holds a diploma in Park Horticulture from the University of Guelph, and a diploma in  Greenhouse Management from Algonquin College . For the last twenty years, Allan has had his own landscaping business, focusing on residential landscaping in which he suggests an all-natural approach if possible and encourages the use of native plants. Allan has been involved with all aspects of natural history since childhood, having been fortunate enough to have parents who were keen naturalists.

MARLENE DOYLE - NatureWatch, Environment Canada Marlene holds a B.Sc. from McMaster University and a Masters in Environmental Studies from Waterloo University. She has worked with Environment Canada for the past seven years, working initially on national environmental indicators then coordinating and communicating ecological monitoring efforts of partner agencies.  Marlene currently manages the NatureWatch program with Environment Canada, a citizen science monitoring program which engages Canadians in tracking environmental phenomena to identify and better respond to ecological changes.

FORUM DETAILS
Thursday, May 14th, 2009
6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

3rd floor (West)
Canadian Museum of Nature
240 McLeod Street, Ottawa

Free admission / No registration required
Displays
Light refreshments
OC Transpo Bus Service: numbers 5, 6 and 14
Limited on site paid parking

ORGANIZATION
The Wildlife Festival celebrates National Wildlife Week in the Nation's Capital Region. The partners in the Festival are the Canadian Wildlife Federation, Parks Canada, the Canadian Museum of Nature, the Canadian Wildlife Service of Environment Canada, the Ottawa Stewardship Council, Wildlife Habitat Canada, the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club/Fletcher Wildlife Garden, Girl Guides of Canada, Facilitations and wildlife photographers and educators.

This event is organized by the OFNC/Fletcher Wildlife Garden, the Canadian Museum of Nature, the Ottawa Stewardship Council and Parks Canada.