In 2007 a partnership was set up between our club and Lindsay Parks and Recreation. This is in keeping with the focus of the Kawartha Field Naturalists on being involved with the community by educating them on nature. The Kawartha Lakes Community guide included programmes that were led by members of the Kawartha Field Naturalist Club who had expertise on the topics.

The first offerings included:

This first year in partnership with the Lindsay Parks and Recreation was very encouraging. The birding programme was well attended and well received and, although the attendance at the children’s programmes was less than anticipated, the reviews from parents and children were wonderful and we looked forward to the next season.

We could not offer the programmes in 2008 due to miscommunication with new staff members at the Lindsay Parks and Recreation. The Kawartha Field Naturalists once again worked with the Lindsay Parks and Recreation in 2009 and 2010 but some momentum had been lost.

Due to declining attendance at the events our club discontinued the Lindsay Parks and Recreation programmes in 2011. In 2007, 16 people registered for Birding and only 6 registered in 2010 up from 2 in 2009. Only 3 parents registered for the Bugs, Birds, Children and Parents summer programme in 2010 and we had to cancel. We feel this had much to do with the poor continuity in Parks and Recreation staffing and a change in the distribution method of the printed programmes (i.e. no longer distributed to school children, only available in libraries and other community venues). The few parents who were able to attend raved about the programmes offered and we really should try to get this off the ground once again with less reliance on Parks and Recreation publicity and more emphasis on KFN advertising and recruitment.

We have excellent equipment and I would be very pleased to lend my outdoor education expertise to any members that wish to take on this very important aspect of our education outreach programme.

We have 15 pairs of excellent quality binoculars and 6 Sibley bird guides. We have 10 butterfly nets that actually work (not the toys sold in dollar stores). Our pond nets are of professional quality and we have ample resources in books, magnifiers and containers. We just have to make the right connections. Dan Bone, Education Outreach