Annual Convention Report 2006

100 Years and Still Growing

 Reports 2006 TBA

"OUR ENVIRONMENT - OURS TO SAVE"

 Mission Statement

We are not a political group; we provide education, encouragement and promote environmentally friendly solutions for our lives and horticultural practices.

Objectives

The membership, our youth and all future generations deserve and have the right to have good health and a clean green planet.

Government and Corporation dollars and profits must not affect our Air, Food, Water or Health, as so many times the almighty dollar seems to always take precedence.

The air we breath - free of pollution.

The food we consume wholesome and nutritious - free of Genetically Modified Organism, (G.M.O.)

Frankenfoods - Please read the labels before you buy or put it into your mouth, "After all you are what you eat"

Our water - clean and pure.

Our health - not to have fear to touch a plant, walk upon lawns, the grasses, which we use, our pets and children play on, be free of pesticides.

Awareness

We are experiencing an alarming destruction and loss of our plants and wildflowers by the following alien invaders, help us to stop and control their proliferation!

1) Garlic-mustard -Alliaria officinalis Native to Europe, 18 inches - 2 feet, biennial, coarsely toothed, kidney to heart shaped alternate leaves. When crushed smells like garlic, small white flowers, produces lots of seeds. Before seeds set, pull and place in black garbage bags for hot sun to destroy, then landfill.

2) Common Reed - Phragmites maxima (P. communis), Native North America, Europe and Asia, 8-10 feet. A rampant tall perennial reed grass, plumed seed heads. Dig and place all parts of plant into black garbage bag for hot sun to destroy, then landfill.

3) Purple Loosestrife - Lythrum salicaria, Native to Europe, 3-4 feet, a vigorous perennial that chokes out our native vegetation. Pull and dig out before seeds set, place all parts of plant into black garbage bag for hot sun to destroy, then landfill

4) Japanese Knotweed - Polygonum cuspidatum, Native to Japan. 6-8 feet high, perennial weed and extremely vigorous spreader, hollow stems and greenish white flowers. Their roots send up many shoots. Pull and dig out before seeds set, place all parts of plant into black garbage bag for hot sun to destroy, then landfill

Do not dispose of unwanted pets or exotic species (turtles, snakes, fish or reptiles) into sewers, streams or lakes. Take them to pet store for a new home.

Do not dump toxic chemicals into sewers, streams or lakes, (paint, used oil, drugs, etc.) take them to recycle depots to be disposed of properly.

2 cycle engines have an effect on our air quality use a 4 cycle mulching mower- leave the grass clippings on the lawn and cut no lower than 3 inches. This will also aid in helping reduce weed population. Water grass in early morning once a week to the amount of I inch also when it is not windy

Get your plants off of drugs and steroids, use compost, well rotted manure & compost tea, your plants will love you for this. My wife Karen and I have been totally natural and organic at our home for over 40 years with great, great successes

We wish all of you to practice the 3Rs - Reduce, Reuse & Recycle. When was the last time, you asked for or used any recycled paper products?

We presented a challenge 3 years ago to you, the membership and the Ontario Horticultural Association, to reduce or not use new bleached paper. How many have taken up this challenge or are using at least 30% recycled paper now?

Thank you to Judy Scott for asking and insisting that our yearbook printer only use recycled paper and our year book looks just as good as any other.

I was very pleased to hear that we planted another tree for our 98th Convention, in London, which was a mighty oak, we do need trees, and I could not image a world without TREES. However we lost 5 trees in the making of this convention. Please let us consider a change; we do not need mankind to help lessen our trees. There are all kinds of elements at work to do this destruction for us e.g. European Ash Tree Borer, Asian Long Horn Beetle.

Plant native species and use recycled paper, send a letter, email, or phone to your representative. Involve youth. "We Must All Learn to Accept Life's Blemishes", and to an extent we all do, because every morning we all look into our mirrors.

We do not need that perfect apple.

Resources and Partnerships

The Master Gardeners of Ontario Inc.

Dr. David Suzuki Foundation (Nature Challenge)

Ontario Agriculture Association,

Canadian Wildlife Federation (Birds, Bats, Butterfly, Backyard Habitat Program)

Ontario Resources Center

Oak Ridges Moraine

Earth Stewardship

Trees Canada

Evergreen

Seeds of Diversity

Canadian Organic Growers

Native Plant Society

North American Wildflower Society

Ontario Wildlife Federation

Conservation Authorities

Best Management Practices Committees

Conservation Authorities, Friends of Watersheds

Locally

Windsor Best Management Practices Committee

Essex Region Conservation Authority,

Friends of Mill & Wigle Creek, Friends of Cedar Creek Essex-Kent Organic Growers

Networking with the Societies

Coverage by Newspaper, Radio and National Television

Mandate - Natural Resources Handbook, partially done, draft will be done for fall or at least by spring board meeting, it will be ready for 2005 in North Bay.

In closing "Our Environment - Ours to Save" Leaving a lasting legacy, for future generations to enjoy! Dare to care, make a difference.

Yours in horticulture

 Conservation & Environment - Chairperson, Alan Batke