Friends of Petrie Island

There will be no public access to Petrie Island until the end of February 2019 as both culverts under the causeway are being replaced. / Il n’y aura aucun accès public aux îles avant la fin de février 2019 en raison du remplacement des deux ponceaux sous la chaussée.

Friends of Petrie Island – Planning 2019 Activities

Friends of Petrie Island (FOPI) are currently planning for 2019 programming.  Please check this web site for updates.  In addition to spring time cleanup and volunteer work days FOPI are organizing:

  •  Guided Tours beginning in May
    • for Schools, Summer Camps and other childrens’ groups
    • for Adults

To request a tour for your class or group please email us: inquiries@petrieisland.org

  • Naturalist Education sessions – please see the Children’s Programs page for information on ages, themes, dates and costs

New for 2019 the FOPI are planning

  • the Petrie Island Plant Group – an informal bimonthly discussion on the local flora
  • an inventory of trees- including some of the rarer species found on Petrie Island such as hackberry and butternut
  • a formal dedication for the new Volunteer Memorial Trail

FOPI 2018 Summary of year’s events

City demolished the Nature Centre in 2017 as it was estimated it  would cost $150,000 to repair it.

Jan-Feb 2018 – FOPI completed forms for City and Canada Summer Jobs grants.

March-April – Review and update of Plant information display sheets for 100 of 140 Wildflowers at Petrie Island – J. Gauthier, Al Tweddle.

  • Interview and look at revenues for summer staff
  • Heard that only one of CSJ position approved
  • Contact Greenspace to recruit and obtain funding for 3 other summer positions (50% of salary)

May – students start work (Emma, Manisha, Emie and Alessia)

  • Petrie Island flooded (road closed 12 days in May) but start cleanup, turtle basking count and registration for tours, area booking and naturalists
  • City brings trailer on site and we set up display area on site of Nature Centre , cleanup and prepare school tours and events.

June – Electricity was restored to the site.                                              –School and summer camp tours

July and August – ran Junior Naturalist programs and summer camp tours and started adult plant group.                                                                         – display container was delivered and set up in early August

September – removal of trailer and container                                                       – Preparations for winter

FOPI improvements included development of outside display area (Nature Centre site and benches and tables for display area and picnic area).

Several severe storms destroyed about 20 large trees in picnic area and on trails and FOPI planted 15 saplings provided by City Forestry in addition to the over 90 they had planted last fall. FOPI also developed the “shoreline trail” complete with driftwood sculptures and fairy and troll house.

Events and Programs                                                                                      Cleanups                  WWF     2                              160                                         Ashbury College 1                             50                                                            Military Police group     1                              20

Children School and summer tours   14                           660                  Junior Naturalist Program 36                           750

Tent and Picnic Area rental 29                        1400                                    Special events, turtle day, Jane’s walk, Open house & PI plant group            6                            360                                                       Environmental initiatives (tree wrapping and planting and removal of invasive species)     6                             50                   Workdays  20                            80

Total  116                         3,530

In addition, there were many spontaneous picnics with groups of 20 to 40 ppl. In addition to family groups with up to 20 ppl per day on weekend.

Monitored turtle activity including rescuing some turtle eggs from predated nests and protected them – (10 protected nests) throughout the summer. We released approx. 30 hatchlings , map and snapping in September.

The tent was installed and removed by FOPI members and was used for FOPI programs as well as  rented 12 times over the summer.

Front row: Paul, Robert, Jocelyn, Christine, Kayla, Emily, Sarah; Back row: Bill, Mike, Stephen, Al, Gil, JoAnne

Front row: Paul, Robert, Jocelyn, Christine, Kayla, Emily, Sarah; Back row: Bill, Mike, Stephen, Al, Gil, JoAnne