City Council Decision on Middle McIntyre Creek December 12th

City Council Decision on Middle McIntyre Creek December 12th!

Hello Friends of McIntyre Creek,

City Hall has received over 500 comments about the proposed developments in Middle McIntyre Creek! Let's keep the pressure on in the days leading up to the December 12th decision by City Council.

Here's How:

1. Attend and/or present at the December 5th and 12th City Council meetings. On December 5th, City Council will be reviewing public input on the proposed developments. On December 12th, City Council will be deciding whether to approve the proposed developments. The bigger the presence we have at these two meetings the better - let's fill the room!

Both meetings will take place at 7:30pm in the Council Chambers, City Hall.

I encourage you to make a presentation at one or both of these two meetings. If you would like to present, please contact Norma (668-8622) or Frieda (668-8621) at City Hall. Pre-registration is encouraged for the December 5th meeting and is mandatory for the December 12th meeting. 5 minutes are allotted per presentation.

2. Kate White of the Yukon NDP, will be presenting the Petition to Protect Middle McIntyre Creek to the Yukon Legislature on December 5. As of today, over 350 people have signed the petition! A big attendance in the Legislature when this Petition is presented is key. Details about timing to follow.

3. Persuade City Councillors to listen to the public input and protect Middle McIntyre Creek. Here is the website containing their contact information: http://www.whitehorse.ca/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={ACDB6341-BF17-45A6-880F-243DF59D4A7D}


Questions, comments? Contact Christina at YCS, 668-5678

Flooded Creek - November 23, 2011

The trail was closed when the creek overflowed the banks. It was at least 6 feet higher than normal and had flooded well over the banks. It was interesting that the creek by the Pump House looked normal, so the flooding was only at the bridge closest to the College.

Petititon to Save McIntyre Creek Corridor

The Friends of McIntyre Creek had this petition at the recent open house when the City of Whitehorse presented their plans to develop Porter Creek D. We got 126 signatures in 4 hours. We have the petition at the Yukon Conservation Society Office at 302 Hawkins Street in Whitehorse, so if you are down town, you can drop in and sign it.

However, in this age of internet access, we decided to add this to our blog, so more people can show their support. Just click on the link, fill in the information, and press done.

Survey:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/M7WHL6K

New Eagle on the Perch

On our hike today, I spotted an eagle on their favourite perch in McIntyre Creek. This perch is normally occupied by a Bald Eagle, so when I saw this one, I at first thought it was a young bald eagle, but from the colouring I saw when I got the photo on my computer, I am guessing it is a Golden Eagle. It is always enjoyable to see the changing seasons bring out different species. Unfortunately, I was only carrying my pocket camera, with 5x zoom, so wasn't able to get the detail I would have liked. The bird was quite interested in watching us, as much as we were interested in watching it.

Nov. 16/11 - Just got an email from someone who knows birds, and was told this is indeed a young bald eagle, not a golden eagle. "The immature Golden Eagle has no white on the body, only on the wings, at the base of the primaries, and at the base of the tail."

November 5, 2011 - Bridge and ice

The rocks that had been placed to prevent cars and trucks crossing the bridge by the Pump House, had been moved, leaving only one in place, which may be enough to stop traffic for the moment, but why the other three rocks were moved is still a question.

The bridge closer to the College has ice forming on the branches of the trees across the creek, making ice sculptures.

This area has so much to offer hikers, photographers, dog walkers, joggers, schools for education, and of course a passage for the wildlife who use the corridor to pass from the mountain to the Yukon River, as well as the creatures who make this area their home, that we really need to work together to protect it for future generations.

Petition to Protect Middle McIntyre Creek

The Friends of McIntyre Creek and Yukon Conservation Society held an open house at the High Country Inn November 3, to show people the values of preserving the McIntyre Creek as a a wildlife corridor, and recreation area. The petition below had 126 signatures collected in one night.

At the City of Whitehorse Open House, there were only a couple of comments supporting development, and hundreds of comments against. This is not enough to stop development in the area, and we need to get more signatures to save the corridor.

If you agree that this area needs protection, please go to

Yukon Conservation Society Office at

32 Hawkins Street in Whitehorse,

and add your signature to the petition.

Petition to Protect Middle McIntyre Creek

To the Honorable Ministers of Environment, Education, and Community Services:

Whereas a healthful environment is indispensable to human life and health; and,

Whereas every individual in the Yukon has a statutory right to a healthful environment; and,

Whereas having nearby natural areas contributes significantly to a healthful environment; and,

Whereas the McIntyre Creek Corridor has been identified as the largest contiguous Significant Wildlife Area within the City of Whitehorse, and is thereby an irreplaceable natural and educational resource for the citizens of the Yukon;

We the undersigned strongly support the conservation and long-term protection of Middle McIntyre Creek for the benefit of present and future Yukoners.

We hereby petition the Government of Yukon to designate Middle McIntyre Creek as an environmentally protected area and to oppose any municipal proposals for roads, housing or other developments which are inconsistent with environmental protection.

The Classroom of the Outdoors

KIDS NEED DIRT, TREES, AND FRESH AIR TO LEARN


The convergence of two crises: mental and physical health in children. The two problems are related: the more detached kids become from the natural world, the more stunted their mental growth and the more obese they become.

When you build real nature (rocks, trees, bugs, birds, animals, etc.) into kids activities they behave more civilly to one another and they concentrate better in school and perform better.

A 45 minute walk in the forest increases cognitive performance, a 45 minute walk in the city does not. University of Michigan researchers.

No child should be left inside. Our brains are built to process sensory input from all sides, to focus our attention tight and pull back for a global sense of where we are. If we deprive that input we become vulnerable to “Nature deficit disorder”

Last child in the Woods by Richard Louv The Biophilia Hypothesis Harvard Dr. E.O. Wilson. Check out “Forest School” education in Canada & USA http://www.forestschools.com/what-are-forest-schools.php Waldkindergarten in Europe. http://www.edutopia.org/early-childhood-outdoor-education-waldkindergarten

Wildlife Sightings - Nov 2, 2011

Today on our hike through McIntyre Creek we heard a very distressed squirrel in a tree, and wondered why our dog was looking at a hole in the ground under the tree, instead of looking up. We at first thought she had dropped her ball into the hole, so went to look, and lo and behold, there was this little white face, boldly looking back at us, showing no fear or concern at all.

We only stayed for a few moments, long enough to get a couple of photos, and then went on our way. The dog had recognized a superior force in the wee ermine, and was not pursuing any further interaction, and I respected the weasels right to be, and left after a couple of photos. Whether this weasel was an interloper in the home of the squirrel, or the hole under the tree belonged to the weasel is still an unknown, but the confidence and bravery of the weasel was not in question.