The Lost Species of Ontario

Ontario used to have large flocks of passenger pigeons. In fact, my grandfather told my father that there were so many of them that the sky would turn dark when they flew over. However, due to human mismanagement of the environment, there is not one passenger pigeon left today. One reason is that they were hunted . Another reason was habitat loss, because they nested in the white pines and pines were cut down for lumber.

There used to be plants which you no longer see as well. A relative of ours, Annabelle (Lucas) Noble of Lefroy, Ontario was interviewed for the Bradford Witness when she was over 100 years old in the late 1960s. She recalled:

"I remember plants growing almost wild around the door, plants unheard of today: Sweet Mary, when pinched gave off a lovely perfume. Live Forever was a thick-leafed green vine and of course, there was Old Man and Old Woman. These foliage plants grew around the old well, too."

How many other species have disappeared? Let us make sure that we take good care of the ones we have left, so that they will still be here in the future.