2021 Annual General Meeting

Like everyone I’ve been monitoring the constantly changing COVID situation, and the regulations being imposed by the Ontario government. I am currently hoping that we can hold our AGM outdoors at Frontenac Provincial Park on Sunday August 8, 2021.

The current opening-up plans seem to indicate this will be possible, and I very much look forwards to being able to meet up with everyone then. But the situation is very dynamic, so the date remains provisional. I will email everyone once we can confirm the arrangements.

Gypsy moths

The summer of 2020 will be remembered around here not just for COVID, but also for the invasion of gypsy moths. Already this spring we’ve been bugged by the tiny caterpillars blowing in the wind on their long strands of silk, landing in our hair and in some cases causing allergic reactions due to their tiny hairs. And some trees have already started to show significant signs of damage.

Predators and naturally occurring viruses and fungi will eventually control the population explosion. We can’t tell at this time whether 2021 will better or worse than 2020, but there are indications it will be another bad year. We are all worried about the effect this infestation has on the health of our tress. There are some steps that can be taken if you have just a few trees to protect, but most of us around the lake here are custodians of small forests, and all we can do is hope and wait for the gypsy moth population to naturally decline and for the trees to recover.

There are many sources of information on the web. Ross Sutherland our local councillor recommended this article from the city of Hamilton which is a good starting point for information. The Ontario MNRF page on Gypsy Moths is also very informative, and contains maps showing the 2020 infestations and predictions for 2021.

Anita Dunn
President, NSOLA
executive@nsola.org