A Message from Our Chair - Fall 2024 Newsletter
Greetings Friends of Presqu'ile supporters!
Here are some short updates on where we stand after another busy summer at Presqu'ile:
Financial Situation: As of this newsletter, our financial position remains strong. Our board of directors recently conducted its financial review against our budget, and while there are still many expenditures to come, we expect that we should finish the year within budget.
Donations: Various donations have been made throughout the year, none bigger than a single donation of over $30,000. Cumulatively, we have received over $38,000 in
Greetings Friends of Presqu'ile supporters!
Here are some short updates on where we stand after another busy summer at Presqu'ile:
Financial Situation: As of this newsletter, our financial position remains strong. Our board of directors recently conducted its financial review against our budget, and while there are still many expenditures to come, we expect that we should finish the year within budget.
Donations: Various donations have been made throughout the year, none bigger than a single donation of over $30,000. Cumulatively, we have received over $38,000 in
October 4, 2024 - Terry Buchkowsky
2024 Park Update
Another busy summer has come and gone, it feels like just yesterday that we were hiring and preparing for the summer season. Presqu’ile saw another record-breaking season for both camping and day use. August alone saw approximately 42,000 campers and Monday, August 5th was the busiest day of the season with both camping and day-use visitors. This fall season has also been busy especially for camping, as visitors take advantage of this unseasonably warm fall weather.
By next spring, the park looks to continue to improve visitor experience by repainting the day-use loop bike path and
October 3, 2024 - Kristen Osborne, Chief Park Naturalist
Saving Presqu'ile's Turtles
Presqu'ile Provincial Park is home to five species of turtles. The most common are the Snapping and Painted Turtles. Blanding's Turtles are somewhat common. Map and Stinkpot (also called Musk) Turtles are rare but are sometimes spotted at Presqu'ile. These amazing creatures have roamed the earth for millions of years. Once a turtle reaches maturity, it can live for 50 years or more. However, maintaining a stable turtle population is difficult. Turtle eggs and young hatchlings are frequently devoured by predators or hit by vehicles. Losing adult turtles to encounters with
October 2, 2024 - Bev Cook
2024 Student Bursary Winners - Ava Trefiak & Jack Anstead
Every spring, some 60 seasonal employees start working at Presqu’ile Provincial Park. They might be doing maintenance, educational programs, working at the gate or the store. Park visitors are so fortunate to have these cheerful and enthusiastic young people helping to make each visit to Presqu’ile a success.
The Friends of Presqu’ile want to recognize the achievements of the students and to encourage their continuing education. Towards that end, we started a bursary program almost 10 years ago. There are two bursaries available, a $1,000 Student Bursary and a $3,000 Career Bursary.
October 1, 2024 - Bev Cook
Summer 2024 Common Tern Progress Report
2024 was the third most successful breeding year for Common Terns at Presqu’ile in the last 17 years. The colony was the largest it has been during this period: 282 nests were laid at Gull Island this year and nesting started very early in the season. Thus, in June, Common Tern fledglings were already congregating on the beach. Park staff expanded the number of predator grids to protect the majority of the colony.
Unfortunately, at the end of June a predatory Black-crowned Night Heron managed to infiltrate some of the grids and ate and killed some of the tern chicks remaining there.
September 30, 2024 - Jennifer M. Arnold, Ph.D
2024 Volunteer of the Year Award Winner - Larry Paradis
The John Cole Award, named in honour of our first Board Chair, is given to the Volunteer of the Year. The Board of Directors has the difficult task of selecting one volunteer from the many deserving candidates. Our Volunteer of the Year is to be a shining example of the values of our organization and his or her service to the Friends organization over a period of years.
This year’s winner has gotten his hands and boots dirty many times, not only this year, but years in the past. For the past six years, Larry Paradis has served as a director, but also as the Chair of the Operations
September 29, 2024
2024 Lighthouse Gift Shop Report
The Friends’ Lighthouse Gift Shop is located in the Lighthouse Interpretive Centre which sees close to 20,000 people every year.
One of the biggest factors that sets our Gift Shop apart from other shops is the use of a dedicated team of volunteers. They handle all the purchasing, organization and staffing of our shop – hundreds of hours of labour!
The Gift Shop offers something for everyone and features works by local artisans including jewelry, ornaments, photographs, watercolour prints and note cards. While it can be a challenge to offer new, unique and interesting merchandise to
September 27, 2024 - Michelle Buchkowsky
Monarch Tagging at Presqu'ile 2024
For the 39th consecutive year, Friends Life Member Don Davis conducted Monarch tagging demonstrations for park guests at the Lighthouse Interpretive Centre during Monarchs and Migrants Weekend. Park staff member Janet, along with Monarch Crusader Carol Pasternak and Monarch Teacher Network of Canada instructor Laurel Merriam, provided support and shared their knowledge of monarch biology and migration with about 280 park guests.
The Monarch population did not increase significantly from the 2nd lowest number ever counted in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico during winter
September 26, 2024 - Don Davis
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