Winter is now upon us and we wanted to fill you in on all that’s been happening since Fall. Hope you enjoy this newsletter and we look forward to seeing you at some of our upcoming events - the Winter Festival is happening on January 25th (just a few weeks from now!) as well as our popular Family Fun Day on Feb 17th!
Other important dates to remember:
- It’s time to renew your membership which runs from January 1 to Dec 31st each year. Please see the info below.
- The Friends of Mac Johnson Wildlife Area AGM is scheduled to be held February 23rd. More info will be sent out soon. Everyone is welcome and we encourage you to attend.
Let’s enjoy this season and all our beautiful area has to offer. The park trails at Mac Johnson will be open throughout the winter for snow shoeing, skiing and hiking. Please read the signs for proper protocol while using the trails.
What's Been Happening:
FAB TrailsFest
On Saturday, August 17th, the Friends of Mac Johnson participated in the annual FAB TrailsFest event. We were one of five locations across the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Region that hosted guided hikes through the trails. It was a wet, rainy day but we still managed a 3km hike along the Buells Creek reservoir leading up to the scenic Beaver Dam Pond. We were very pleased to be a part of this event and look forward to next year.
Fall Tree Sales
The September Tree sales ran over four days this fall. There were over 30 species of native trees, including deciduous, conifers and shrubs/fruit trees for sale. This year we had a special offer of buy one tree, get a second tree (of same or lesser value) for free. Fall planting allows tree roots to get established prior to spring sprouting.
New Signage Installed at Mac Johnson Wildlife Area
You may have noticed the new signage installed by Cataraqui Conservation at the entrance to the main Mac Johnson Wildlife Area as well as to the Tree Nursery. We were very pleased to see these new signs installed and hope it helps everyone find us more easily!
Fall Festival - Saturday, Oct 26
Beautiful weather, smiling faces, happy dogs, and delicious food. On October 26th the Friends of a Mac Johnson Wildlife Area hosted their annual Fall Festival. From pumpkin carving to dog trials, the day brought the community together to celebrate and enjoy the changing season.
The Friends would like to share a special thank you to their volunteers, Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre, Tincap Berry Farm, Thousand Islands Secondary School, Mush Larose, and St John’s Ambulance for their support and participation in this year’s event. A special thank you to all of the community who came out to support and share their love for Mac Johnson Wildlife Area!
Well, that’s a wrap on the 2024 Tree Nursery!
It's that time of the year where Friends of Mac Johnson volunteers work hard to close up the tree nursery for the cold winter months ahead. Potted trees and bushes have to be moved close together and covered to protect against the frost and snow. Fences are installed around the trees to keep the animals out. All will be ready to open up in the spring.
Beaver Pond Boardwalk Closed
Please note that the Beaver Pond boardwalk is now closed and that the Cataraqui Conservation has opened up a new trail around the pond to the west connecting onto McLarry Road. The new trail also allows staff to access the south side of the property with any large equipment. The boardwalk will not be reopened in the future, but a viewing platform with a bench seat may be installed at each end in 2025.
What's Coming Up?
Friends Winter Festival Returns!
Join the Friends of Mac Johnson on Saturday, January 25th for their annual Winter Festival at Mac Johnson Wildlife Area, Brockville.
The Mush Larose Dogsled Teams are back again this year, from 11am to 1pm. The gates will open at 10am with a Kids Zone, photo booth, scavenger hunts, and campfires stories too. You won't want to miss out on our delicious canteen - hot dogs, sausages, and chili.
This event is "By Donation" and all money raised will go to support conservation, trail upkeep, and connecting the community with the beautiful environment of Mac Johnson Wildlife Area.
Friends Family Fun Day
Once again, on Monday February 17th, head on down to Mac Johnson Wildlife Area and spend a fun filled outdoor activity day. There will be distance challenges for skiing and snowshoeing, kid’s challenges, our delicious canteen and marshmallows by the fire pit. Come out and enjoy! More details will be sent out closer to the event.
FMJWA Annual AGM Meeting
The AGM will be held Feb 23, 2025 (more details to follow). This is open to everyone to attend and we hope you can make it. Watch the Friends’ website for details: https://cataraquiconservation.ca/pages/friends-mac-johnson
Where to Find Us:
Where to find us:
For ongoing news, follow us on our website and Facebook. Please share with your friends!
https://cataraquiconservation.ca/pages/friends-of-mac-johnson-wildlife-area
https://www.facebook.com/MacJohnsonWildlifeArea
For questions or comments: friendsmacjohnson@gmail.com
Membership and Renewal:
Yes, it’s time to renew your membership for 2025! Membership ends on Dec. 31st in the year in which payment is made. Annual sign-up and renewal starts in January.
Link to membership/renewal form: https://crca.ca/who-we-are/online-services/membership-fmjwa.
Complete the form on the website online OR print and mail it with a cheque to:
Friends of Mac Johnson
4673 Debruge Road
Brockville, Ontario K6T 1A5
Volunteering with the Friends:
Let us know your interests in volunteering. We welcome new ideas and initiatives. We welcome volunteers of all ages and skill sets to help in the Tree Nursery, Pollinator Garden, on our trails/property and events.
We typically gather on Wednesday mornings (and Saturday mornings in the spring) from 9 am to 12 pm at the Tree Nursery, then split up for varied tasks. Volunteers are always welcome and it could be a great way for students to obtain their volunteer hours.
Current opportunities for volunteering are:
- Tree Nursery: preparing mature trees for sale, potting bare root seedlings and starting new seedlings.
- Pollinator Garden: ongoing maintenance of our Pollinator garden
- Trail work Ongoing clearing of brush and improving wet areas.