Sydenham Field Naturalists

Nature's Chronicles: A Collective Diary of Members' Passion
2024-01-03 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Toronto) | Hidden Hills Golf & Country Club, 25393 St. Clair Road, Dover Center, Canada
As we welcome the new year, we extend a warm invitation to kick off 2024 immersed in nature at our first meeting of the year.

Nature’s Chronicles: A Collective Diary of Members’ Passion

Date: January 3, 2024
Time: 7:00 pm
Location: Hidden Hills Golf & Country Club
25393 St. Clair Road,
Dover Center, Ontario
N0P 1L0

The essence of this gathering revolves around members sharing their passion and experiences with nature. This event fosters a collective exploration of the wonders of the natural world through presentations like slideshows, stories, and showcasing personal items. The goal is to create a space where kindred spirits can come together to appreciate, learn from, and celebrate each other’s connections with nature.
This celebration is open to everyone, so feel free to invite family and friends to enjoy the beauty of nature with us.
Feel free to reach out if you’d like to share your nature adventures; there are still openings available. However, participation is entirely optional. You’re more than welcome to enjoy the presentations. If you feel inspired after hearing the scheduled speakers, the floor is open for you to share as well. If the idea seems a bit daunting, consider having a short 5-minute presentation ready just in case you decide to join in. We want everyone to feel comfortable and included in this celebration of nature!
Additionally, we’re excited to announce that 2024 Membership purchases will be available. For those who purchase or renew their membership by January 25, 2024, you’ll automatically qualify for our Mystery Membership draw! It’s a great opportunity to a part of our nature loving club and potentially win something special.
Membership Prices:

Student $10.00/year
Individual $20.00/year
Family $30.00/year

We accept Cash or Cheque; unfortunately, we are unable to offer an on-site digital payment option.
We eagerly anticipate seeing you there and wish you a Happy New Year

Canada's North
2023-12-06 19:00 - 21:00 | Hidden Hills Golf & Country Club, 25393 St. Clair Road, Dover Center, Canada
We are eager to listen to Roberta and Mark Buchanan‘s presentation on their trip to Churchill Manitoba. Mark’s photography will be a great way to see their excursion including the polar bears they encountered. We cannot wait to experience the beauty and wildlife of the Canadian North through their adventure!

St Luke's Marsh
2023-11-01 19:00 - 21:00 | Hidden Hills Golf & Country Club, 25393 St. Clair Road, Dover Center, Canada
We are honoured to have Alexis Hand from Ducks Unlimited Canada speaking about the acquisition and progress of St. Luke’s Marsh, a coastal wetland gem consisting of over 400 acres. This wetland is protected in perpetuity and supports many Species at Risk. We look forward to hearing more about the ongoing efforts to preserve and restore this important habitat

Long Point Biosphere Reserve
2023-10-04 19:00 - 21:00 | Hidden Hills Golf & Country Club, 25393 St. Clair Road, Dover Center, Canada
We are excited to share that Sarah Eamons, the Chair of the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority, will be discussing the Long Point Biosphere Reserve. This beautiful area is located on the shores of Lake Erie and includes a diverse range of ecological systems. We can’t wait to hear more about it!

The Enchanted Forest (Members only)
2023-09-16 13:00 - 15:00
We have been invited by the Myers family to enjoy the peaceful beauty of their Enchanted Carolinian Forest and historical resting place for Monarchs during the late summer season.

Clear Creek Forest (Open to All)
2023-08-26 10:00 - 12:30
Discover all that this Old Growth Carolinian Forest has to offer on through a guided tour. We will fully immerse ourselves in its beauty. It’s sure to be a memorable experience!

SFN Annual Native Plant Sale
2023-05-20 09:00 - 12:00 | HoneyLocust Homestead, 1612 Nelson St., Port Lambton/Wallaceburg, ON, N0P 2B0, Canada
Starting at 9 am Pre-order online for quick and easy pickup or browse and buy in-person on the big day. Members are notified first when pre-orders are available. You can also keep an eye our Facebook or website and email for members, updates will be posted closer to the date
Host: Honeylocust Homestead
1612 Nelson St. Wallaceburg

Reid Conservation Area (Open to All)
2023-05-14 13:30 - 16:00 | Reid Conservation Area, 601 Duthill Rd, Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
Starting at 1:30 pm Larry Cornelis will take us on a guided tour of the majestic area.
We will enjoy the wonders of nature as they burst forth from their winter slumber.
799-601 Duthill Rd,
Wallaceburg, ON N8A 4L2
NO Registration Required

Cammaart's Trail. (Members Only)
2023-04-29 10:00 - 12:00
Starting at 10 am
A Spring hike along the East Branch of the Sydenham River near Croton line.
This is a privately owned trail. A once in a life time opportunity to see this rare sight.
Details will be emailed to members
If you have not renewed your 2023 membership or would like to become a member, you may do so Online Here. All members are added to our email list for event notifications.

2023-04-22 09:00 - 12:00
Earth Day is a time to celebrate our love for and dependency on this third rock from the sun we call planet Earth.

It is a day to support and nurture nature beauty, so we can reap the benefits nature has to offer. It is a time to lessen the negative impact of mankind has on this planet that all living things call home.

We invite you to join us in celebrating the richness of local waterways. Consider lending a hand in cleaning up garbage on the water edge of Running Creek along the trails of Crothers Park in Wallaceburg. We will meet in the parking lot off of Forhan Street at 9:00 am on Saturday, April 22, 2023.

Please wear appropriate footwear (boots) and bring some work gloves. Feel free to bring a garbage bag or any tools that will assist you in comfortably clean up the shoreline.

We look forward to seeing you on Saturday in nurturing nature.

Please see attached flyer for more information. Should you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact us.

SFN's 36th Annual Banquet
2023-04-01 17:30 - 22:00 | Hidden Hills Golf & Country Club, 25393 St. Clair Road, Dover Center, Canada
Spring is just around the corner; you know what that means, our annual Banquet is fast approaching. Our special Guest Speaker will be ALUS Senior Hub Manager, Great Lakes, Alyssa Cousineau.
Alyssa liaises with our community coordinators and serves as a management resource for local ALUS projects around the Great Lakes. Working with ALUS since 2016, Alyssa started as the ALUS Elgin Program Coordinator, moving into the role of Eastern Hub Manager in 2020 and Great Lakes Senior Hub Manager in 2022. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Masters in Environment and Sustainability. Alyssa is based in Tillsonburg, Ontario.
Her topic, ALUS 101: Beyond Conservation to Production, will introduce us to ALUS (Alternative Land Use Services) a charitable organization with an innovative community-developed and farmer-delivered program that produces, enhances and maintains ecosystem services on agricultural lands. Alyssa will talk about how the ALUS program works and the benefit from the production of environmental outcomes to usual crops of food, fibres and fuels.
This year the banquet will be hosted:
Saturday, April 1/23
Doors open 5:30 p.m. Buffet dinner 6:00 p.m.
Hidden Hills Golf Course
25393 St. Clair Rd.
Dover Centre
Tickets – $35.00
With limited seating, tickets must be paid for in advance. For your convenience, several options for purchasing your tickets.
They will be available for Purchase on Wednesday, March 1,, 2023, at our Monthly Meeting.
Arrangements have been made for ticket purchases in Wallaceburg and Chatham. For additional details, please see attached flyer.
This year we are accepting PayPal payments.** Our account accepts all major credit cards. Your ticket(s) will be available for pick-up at your convenience or available on April 1st at the door
Please follow this link: https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=lc43EQ1zgB7OVVDYldPHXBKvMEQBzb7GEBTVulTcFC6eanz5k–hkdnb1YsaTyEylKK9dWC1tXpN8DF9
**In the section that asks; “Add any special instructions to the SFN” Please add Banquet ticket(s) or simple reply to the email letting us know of your purchase.
Finally, we may be able to arrange for delivery and payment by email your requesting tickets.
Many are familiar with the enjoyable bucket raffle which is held prior to the buffet and this year we have some extraordinary prizes to test your luck. In this cashless society, please remember to bring some cash or cheques to experience the excitement of our bucket raffle. This is an excellent opportunity to purchase or renew your Sydenham Field Naturalist membership.
While ushering in spring with an evening about nature, we look forward to sharing the accomplishments your club has made through the past year.

March 2023 Monthly Meeting
2023-03-01 19:00 - 21:00 | Hidden Hills Golf & Country Club, 25393 St. Clair Road, Dover Center, Canada
We invite you to join us on March 1st to attend our next monthly meeting.

Nature has its beauty and its massive power for destruction. In February of 2009, Wallaceburg experienced a major ice jam which caused flooding. Our Program Chair, Darrell Randell, is planning on taking us on a trip down memory lane while sharing some important and interesting observations that can help us work with nature.

His presentation will include aerial and ground footage of this historic flood.

With Global Warming effects increasing each year, this is a great opportunity for us to look back and see what we were able to learn from the 2009 flood.

Since this event is open to everyone, please feel free to invite family, friends and/or neighbours. With the knowledge of the past, let us learn together how we may prevent future devastation by working alongside nature.

No Registration is required.
2023 Membership will be available.

Looking forward to seeing you, Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at 7:00 pm

Hidden Hills Golf & Country Club
25393 St. Clair Road,
Dover Center, Ontario
N0P 1L0

SFN Monthly Meeting~~ Canada South Land Trust~~
2023-02-01 19:00 - 21:00 | Hidden Hills Golf & Country Club, 25393 St. Clair Road, Dover Center, Canada
Hello
We invite you to join us on February 1st to attend our next monthly meeting. The topic for this event will be Canada South Land Trust -Your partner in natural heritage conservation, with our special guest speaker Patricia McGorman.
The Canada South Land Trust members are excited to have this opportunity to share with you at the upcoming meeting. The Canada South Land Trust was formed by local conservationists in our area who were concerned about the ongoing destruction of our amazing and significant natural heritage sites. As a registered charitable organization, and approved with Environment Canada’s Ecological Gifts Program, opportunities are available for individuals and community conservation projects.
Patricia McGorman, President and one of the founding members of the Canada South Land Trust, is passionate about our need to conserve and restore our amazing natural heritage. She will share with us some of the tools available for large-scale conservation efforts with a land trust. Patricia has also owned and operated a native plant nursery, led large-scale natural habitat restoration projects and advocated for the protection of our significant resources when governments supported their destruction. She believes that when we plant seeds, whether they are those of native plants, or of hope for a healthier environment, supporting one another for a positive outcome is essential.
Since this event is open to everyone, invite family, friends and/or neighbours to learn how working together we can conserve our natural heritage for future generations.
For more information on Canada South Land Trust check out their website http://www.canadasouthlandtrust.org/#
No Registration is required.
2023 Memberships will be available
Looking forward to seeing you, Wednesday, February 1, 2023, at 7:00 pm
Hidden Hills Golf & Country Club
25393 St. Clair Road,
Dover Center, Ontario
N0P 1L0

The Return of Members' Night
2023-01-04 19:00 - 21:00 | Hidden Hills Golf & Country Club, 25393 St. Clair Road, Dover Center, Canada
After a 2-year hiatus, we are excited to be able to host one of our most popular events Members’ Night. It is a night for us to share our passion and love for nature with others; discover what other members have been doing; and see nature through the eyes of another. It is an awesome way for kindred spirits to embrace the wonders and beauty of nature together.
This amazing night will be at 7:00 pm on January 4th, 2023, at Hidden Hills Golf & Country Club.
We encourage you to consider “Sharing Your Love For Nature” with others with a 5-minute presentation, which may include a slide show, stories and/or items.
We are asking those who would like to share something to let us know by replying to this email. This will help us keep the night organized and running smoothly.
Please do not hesitate to contact us anytime if you have any questions or need a little guidance.
We are really looking forward to rekindling this amazing opportunity for our members to share their passion. You do not have to be a speaker to enjoy this amazing event so mark your calendars and join us for a night filled with nature.

Membership Meeting
2022-12-07 19:00 - 21:00 | Hidden Hills Golf & Country Club, 25393 St. Clair Road, Dover Center, Canada
Meet and Greet Night
A Town Hall Style Meeting
The World of Nature Through SFN Eyes
We invite you to join us on Wednesday, December 7, 2022, at 7:00 pm for a special meeting, that is open to all members and non-members, allowing everyone a wonderful opportunity to:

Get to know Board Members and their roles.
Learn about our ongoing projects and the properties we steward.
Hear about the progresses made and future plans.
Understand how your membership, volunteer efforts and donations have made a difference.
Learn how High School students can earn their volunteer hours while helping the environment.
To asks questions or make suggestions.
Introduce family and friends to the world of nature through SFN eyes.
Purchase or renew memberships. All new memberships will include the rest of this year and all of 2023 benefits **
Socialize and catch up with one another.

Bring family members and/or friends for a night of intrigue and fun as we close out 2022 with an amazing event.
We look forward to seeing you at:
Hidden Hills Golf & Country Club
25393 St. Clair Road,
Dover Center, Ontario
N0P 1L0

** Membership Prices:
Student $10.00/year
Individual $20.00/year
Family $30.00/year
We accept Cash or Cheque unfortunately we are unable to offer an on-site digital payment option.

Join us at the Dresden Christmas Night Market
2022-11-26 15:00 - 20:00 | Downtown Desden, Canada
We are pleased to be invited to be part of the Dresden Night Market on Saturday, November 26th. This is a great opportunity to learn more about our club as well as purchase or renew memberships.

We have 3 Membership Types: Individual for $20; Family for $30, and Student for $10.

If you are having a difficult time buying for the nature lover in your family then stop by our booth and see what we have available.

Memberships are for a calendar year. When purchasing one at the market, you will receive the benefits for the rest of this year and all of 2023. A Membership would be the ideal stocking stuffer.

While you are there, check out our amazing Field Guides that any nature lover would be surprised to find in their stocking this year.

We have a few other products that any nature lover would enjoy finding under the tree.

All proceeds aids in , maintenance and restoration of our local Native Biodiversity as well as Educational Programs.

See you at the Downtown Dresden Christmas Night Market.

November Meeting~~Greening Your Grounds: A Homeowner’s Guide to Stormwater Landscaping Projects
2022-11-02 19:00 - 21:00 | Hidden Hills Golf & Country Club, 25393 St. Clair Road, Dover Center, Canada
We invite you and your friends to join us at our next meeting, where our President Mike Smith will be speaking on the very inspiring topic.
With our gardens and plants preparing for their winter nap, this is a great time for us to start planning for next year’s projects. After the severe drought we had, what better way to help your gardens than by incorporating stormwater into your landscaping project. Mike will take you through the benefits as well as the do’s and don’ts of how to bring your gardens to life with simple and versatile design techniques.
Come Join us
Wenesday, November 2, 2022, at 7:00 pm
Hidden Hills Golf & Country Club
25393 St. Clair Road,
Dover Center, Ontario
N0P 1L0
No Registration Required
All Are Welcomed

Mike Smith Biography:
As a graduate of the University of Guelph-Ridgetown Campus’ Environmental Management Program, Mike Smith is dedicated to raising awareness of the importance native plants have on our collective environment. Since moving from a small parcel in Chatham to an acre in North Buxton in 2019, Mike has been documenting the naturalization process on his property via ReLeaf Chatham-Kent, a Facebook group with over 1,200 members. Through native tree and shrub auctions this group has raised money to benefit The Downie Wenjack Fund, The Buxton Museum, Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority and The Sydenham Field Naturalists. Mike’s eagerness to form partnerships with like-minded community groups has furthered his goals of Re-Leafing Chatham-Kent thus why he was selected as the 2022-2024 Sydenham Field Naturalists President!

A Fall Frolic in the Woods: Exploring Sycamore Woods
2022-10-30 13:00 - 14:30 | Wallaceburg Sycamore Woods, Maplewood Cres, Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
On Sunday, October 30th at 1:00 pm, we will be hosting “A Fall Frolic in the Woods: Exploring Sycamore Woods.” With Sycamore Woods in its autumn array of colours, it will be a captivating and awe inspiring adventure. With limited spots we are personally offering you the opportunity to register for this outing before opening it to the public.
Click here to contact us if you are interested in touring Sycamore Woods. Registration ending on October 27th, 2022.
Those who are registered will be receiving pertinent information about location and parking a few days before the event.
Finally, we would like to remind you that as a nature preserve, Sycamore Woods is not accessible to the public except through designated tours.
We look forward to enjoying the beauty of fall in Sycamore Woods with you.

The Enchanted Forest: A Guided Tour of Myers’ Carolinian Woods
2022-09-17 10:00 - 12:00

Aquatic Species at Risk in the Great Lakes~~Virtual Presentation
2021-02-10 19:00 - 20:00 | Virtual Online Zoom
It has been a while since we have been able to host our usual monthly meetings and outings. We know many of you are missing these little treats just as much as we are missing sharing them with you. Today we have some good news. While we will not be able to host physical meetings or outings, we have the opportunity to host a virtual presentation on February 10, at 7:00pm through Zoom.
This is a special presentation by the Toronto Zoo on Aquatic Species at Risk in the Great Lakes by Kat Lucas.
Our Great Lakes support a diverse array of plants and animals, with rich ecosystems that are unique in the world. The lakes provide us with fresh drinking water, food and recreational opportunities. This session will focus on some of the species at risk in our Great Lakes and our role as individuals to protect this sensitive ecosystem.
Kat Lucas is the Aqua-Links Program Assistant at the Toronto Zoo. She has a passion for conservation education and connecting others with the environment. She graduated from the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of Science, Zoology and a Master of Environmental Science with a focus on aquatic toxicology and fish reproduction.
If you find this topic of interest and would like to attend this virtual presentation, please contact us as soon as possible. There is limited access to this presentation and you would not want to miss out. Once you sign up, we will send you all the details you need to access this presentation. If you have any technical question please do not hesitate to contact us, our tech savvy members will help answer any question you may have.
We are looking forward to sharing this opportunity with you.

AGM Meeting and Guest Presentation
2020-10-07 19:00 - 21:00 | Hidden Hills Golf & Country Club, 25393 St. Clair Road, Dover Center, Canada
Join us as we hold our Annual General Meeting and Guest Presentation

Nature Exploration for Families
2020-06-13 10:00 - 13:00 | Peers Wetland, 29644 Kimball Rd, Wallaceburg, Ontario, N8A 4L1, Canada
Meet at 10 am at Peers Wetland, 29644 Kimball Side Rd. We have prepared a family/children’s program to explore freshwater life with nets and other activities designed to connect to bugs, birds and creatures in nature. Cookies and drinks to follow.

Annual Native Plant Sale - 2019
2020-05-16 09:00 - 11:00 | Ontario NativeScape, 6890 Base Line East, Wallaceburg, ON, N8A 2K6, Canada
Garden in Harmony with Nature.
Plant sale 9 am – 11 am. Located at Ontario NativeScape, 6890 Base Line East, Wallaceburg. Come early – plants sell fast. We have worked hard to bring you our largest native plant sale yet! Large native trees will be available and a wide assortment of woodland, prairie plants and native shrubs.
Note our new location for this year’s native plant sale.
Inquiries: Larry Cornelis 519-330-8981 or Tom Chatterton 519-627-2986

Kopegaron Woods: Spring Birds and Wildflowers
2020-04-25 09:00 - 11:30 | Kopegaron Woods, 762 Talbot Road E, Leamington, ON, N0P 2P0, Canada
Meet at 9 am at 762 Talbot Rd. E. (Hwy #3) just west of Wheatley. Kopegaron Woods is renowned for its vast array of Carolinian wildflowers and for viewing the spring migrant birds.Take a hike along one of the most beautiful forest boardwalk trails in the region as it meanders through the conservation area. While exploring the woodland, we will see the beautiful blanket of spring wildflowers. Kopegaron Woods provides excellent woodland birding during the migration period. Colourful warblers at this site can often rival the beautiful blanket of spring wildflowers.

Annual Banquet-Coyote Watch Canada has been Cancelled
2020-04-01 18:00 - 21:00 | UAW Hall, 88 Elm Dr S, Wallaceburg, ON, N8A 5E7, Canada
Coyote Watch Canada
Guest Speaker – Wendy Brown
“Ontario’s Eastern Coyote is a resilient keystone species maligned and misunderstood. We invite you to engage, share and learn about this wild kin to our family dogs” Enjoy an evening out hearing about the Eastern Coyote biology and ecology overview. What are the wild canid myths and facts? How can a Community Co-existence Strategy Framework address the man to coyote encounter?
Tickets in advance only Contact: Larry 519-330-8981

Dragonflies
2020-03-04 19:30 - 21:00 | Wallaceburg Municipal Service Centre, 786 Dufferein Ave, Wallaceburg, Ontario, N8A 2V3, Canada
Did you know dragonflies are veracious predators? Mike Kent, LWI board director, ecologist and entomologist will take us into the interesting world of dragonflies, their life cycles and the species we have locally.

Nature In Chatham-Kent Winter Guest Speaker Series
2020-02-26 19:00 | Chatham-Kent Public Library, 120 Queen St, Chatham, ON, N7M 2G6, Canada
Join us for this year’s Nature in Chatham-Kent Winter Guest Speaker Series at the Chatham-Kent Public Library Chatham Branch 120 Queen St, Chatham-Kent, ON. Starting at 7:00 pm each night
Wednesday February 26, 2020 ~ Our guest speaker will be Monica Vida talking about “Native Planting Gardening-What to Plant Where”
Thursday, March 26, 2020 ~ Our guest speaker will be Jessica Middleton talking about the “Healing Power of Forests”
Thursday, April 30, 2020 ~ Our guest speaker will be Jennifer Pate talking about the “Stories from Water”.

Purple Martin Project and Roost
2020-02-05 19:30 - 21:00 | Wallaceburg Municipal Service Centre, 786 Dufferein Ave, Wallaceburg, Ontario, N8A 2V3, Canada
Walpole Island Purple Martin Project will update us on the roost on Walpole Island and success of the program.
Learn, What is a roost? Where are roosts found? What purpose do the serve? What part do roosts play in the life cyle of purple martins? Join us and find out the answers.

Booth Creek Winter Adventure
2020-01-25 14:00 - 17:00 | Booth Creek Wetlands, 898 Burman Ln, Wilkesport, ON, N0P 2R0, Canada
Meet at 2 pm at 2898 Burman Ln (between Brigden Sideroad and Mandaumin Rd) for a winter walk. Hike past frozen wetlands and enter a woodlot for some peaceful time strolling. Bring the family and join us for chili or hot dogs around a campfire in the bush.
RSVP: sydenhamfn@hotmail.com

Members Share Night
2020-01-08 19:30 - 21:00 | Chatham-Kent Public Library, 120 Queen St, Chatham, ON, N7M 2G6, Canada
All Sydenham Field Naturalist members are welcome to share their nature-related pictures, items and stories in brief presentations of less than 10 minutes. This is one of our most popular nights as we discover what other members have been up to in their passion for nature. This meeting is open to ALL and is a great way to be exposed to various nature elements and hobbies.
NOTE: Location change to Chatham-Kent Public Library.
Contact Tom Chatterton 519-627-2986 with any questions or to confirm you which to present.
