GUIDED NATURE HIKE LED BY THE PENINSULA FIELD NATURALISTS, SATURDAY MAY 11 AT MALCOLMSON ECO-PARK The PFN is a volunteer naturalist group with many knowledgeable members who can describe the Carolinian Forest and Southern Ontario prairie eco-systems in the park, including birds, insects and wildlife. Anyone interested in learning more about the park, and about what the PFN does, is invited to meet at the parking lot at 8:30 aim., on Saturday May 11 for a guided hike through the park. For more information, email- friendsofmalcolmsonecopark@gmail.com , OR  email – bob.jean@sympatico.ca
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DATE: Saturday April 27, 8 am. to 1 pm. LOCATION:Malcolmson Eco-Park at Lakeshore Rd. & Niagara St., St. Catharines (parking at Grantham Lions Club) SALE : Native wildflowers, grasses, trees and shrubs VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES: planting native plants, weeding & mulching gardens, cleanup, hiking, bird watching. Dress appropriately and bring a shovel. FEATURE PRESENTATION; “Dangerous Invaders”, Avoiding Invasive Plants. Ceremonial Tree Planting at 11 am.   Refreshments provided. Bring the whole family for a fun time that helps protect native plants and wildlife too! For more information, email – friendsofmalcolmsonecopark@gmail.com, OR  call Ilyse Norton,  City of St. Catharines, 905-688-5601 ext3140.    
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  DATE/ PLACE: Saturday May 11, 8 am. to 1 pm., at Malcolmson Eco-Park, Lakeshore Rd. & Niagara St. in St. Catharines SALE:  Native wildflowers, grasses, shrubs, trees in the fenced compound area VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY:  Planting native plants, shrubs and trees. Dress appropriately and bring a shovel. Meet at the compound at 8:30 am. Everyone is welcome,all  ages can participate!     Contact – friendsofmalcolmsonecopark@gmail.com,    for more information.  
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  Oriental Bittersweet Vine      European Buckthorn The First Stage of our Project to Remove Invasive species such as European Buckthorn, Oriental Bittersweet vine, Tartarian Honeysuckle and Manitoba Maple in the forest area took place on December 4. These species are outcompeting the native vegetation and preventing growth of new native plantings. Habitat for native insects, birds and wildlife is reduced, and water quality in the wetland and pond damaged. The City and the Friends partnered to hire Giles Restoration to apply a herbicide to 3 focus areas of the forest. The herbicide is Garlon RTU and it was sprayed around
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Sincere thanks to TD Friends of the Environment for continuing their generous support of park projects. A grant of $2000 in 2018 enabled the Friends to upgrade a path and replant native shrubs and trees beside it. This creates more habitat for wildlife, and helps park users become more aware of native plants.
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Volunteers of all ages are welcome at the park.  Ethan was our star helper in summer 2018 ! He did an amazing job on many occasions, weeding gardens, removing brush with a wheelbarrow, and keeping an eye on the park. He has a keen interest in nature and environmental protection. WE hope he will continue being involved as he grows older, and bring his family and friends too. Our whole community benefits from participation by young people like Ethan!
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Green Leader Award Presented to the Friends by Mayor Walter Sendzik, September 10, 2018 At a ceremony at City Hall, Mayor Walter Sendzik praised the Friends group for their hard work in promoting a beautiful natural environment at the park for the community to enjoy. He thanked the group and presented them with a Green Leader award.  Friends members attending were: Claire Theijsmeijer, Della Trojan, Ron Matsushita. Councillor Bill Phillips, a strong supporter of the work of the Friends, joined the mayor in thanking the group. We sincerely appreciate all your support of our efforts Bill, and hope to see
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Several committee members and park neighbours have reported seeing a pair of bald eagles in the trees near the shore of Lake Ontario!. They may even be nesting at the park or in trees in a nearby ravine. This is amazing news, since its been years since the eagles have been seen to stay around, and only a few were observed in migration. Their population is still recovering after DDT was banned about 25 years ago. The widespread use of the chemical caused birth defects and weak egg shells, and eagle numbers plummeted. Eaglets are born in late March. A
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In November, the Port Weller School environmental club, led by Katie Wood, came to the park to gather native plants seeds. Doug Walls and Claire helped the student groups locate an interesting variety of seeds, such as coneflower, cup plant,Black Eyed Susan, butterflyweed and milkweed. The students were excited to find pods from Kentucky Coffee Tree, and nuts from shellbark Hickory and Butternut. They took them back to school, and identified as many seeds as possible using an internet search.  A few were unidentified and labelled “mystery plant”.  They will cold stratify them  which is keeping them cold/frozen for 8
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The Friends completed an official Burn Plan and held a controlled burn of the 5 acre prairie on April 9. The purpose is to burn off dead plant material from the previous year, and non prairie plants that have started to grow. The ash provides nutrients for the prairie grasses and wildflowers, which start growth later. The fire also damages or kills invasive shrubs. The goal is to restore native southern Ontario prairie ecosystem here, which is threatened and rare in the province. The burn will be held every 2 years. The park was closed for the morning. A team
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