with Michael Léveillé and the youth of Biodiversitymatters Location: Macoun Marsh (Beechwood Cemetery off St-Laurent Boulevard North)
Meeting Spot: Behind St. David and Martin Presbyterian Church on St-Laurent and Dunbarton Crescent)
Tour Summary:The Macoun Marsh is a small urban wetland, located on the property of Beechwood Cemetery, Canada’s National Cemetery. In 2003, Mr. Léveillé and a group of his students successfully worked with The Beechwood Cemetery Foundation to preserve this natural habitat, and had it declared an environmentally sensitive area. Since 2003, the Macoun Marsh Biodiversity Project, a multifaceted research and education initiative, has studied and preserved this unique inner-city wetland in Ottawa, identifying over 1300 species to date!
A full tour of 35 adults and children joined Michael Léveillé and his colleague Clint Monaghan for a walk around the marsh which is rich in aquatic species, as well as blue-spotted salamanders, painted turtles, green frogs, and birds. Discussions included the types of birds that visit, the rare mature butternut tree and the different discoveries during the varying seasons. It was great to learn about the biodiversity that is supported and why this rich diversity in flora and fauna matter.
Biodiversity Resources provided by M. Léveillé:
- List of "Life Seen and Heard" at the Macoun Marsh June 25, 2011
- Biodiversity Matters: Youth Blog on Biodiversity including posts on Macoun Marsh activity
