Where do you like to go to see nature? Whether visiting a public Conservation Area, taking a walk down a rural road, or just sitting in your own backyard, observations of native plants and wildlife can happen just about anywhere. Passive sightings as you go about your daily business can be reported to the Inventory, provided the necessary information is captured (see Section 7.2 What Information to Collect). However, you are encouraged to take special excursions for the purposes of collecting records of species. Why not organize a group field trip?
The mapping done for the Elgin Greenway CAP process can help you concentrate your search. Click here to see the map. Stewardship Focus Areas were highlighted based on significant landscape features. However much of the species information for these areas is currently lacking or out-of-date, so we need your help in these areas. You may enjoy a visit to a new area within a Stewardship Focus Area, or you could refine your search even further, by exploring a specific habitat type. For details on the habitat needs of Elgin’s rare species visit Elgin County's Species at Risk.
Many natural areas in Elgin are open to the public, either as protected areas (e.g. Provincial Parks, Wildlife Management Areas, Conservation Areas), municipal parks or land owned by Land Trusts. While a large variety of species can usually be found in these areas, we generally have a pretty good idea of the species that live here. The biggest knowledge gaps for species are from places where no one has even looked.
Less-documented publically-accessible spaces you may wish to explore, include:
- Established hiking trails which may cross both public and private lands
- Roadsides
- Unopened Road Allowances
- Abandoned railway corridors
- Shoreline Road Allowances
The vast majority of Elgin County is privately owned. At no time should you enter a private property without permission from the landowner; doing so is considered trespassing and is illegal. Often, much of a privately-owned property can be surveyed from the roadside. Just remember to always be respectful when doing so (see Section 6.0 Safety and Ethics in the Field). If you have a good relationship with a local landowner or want to survey on a particular property of interest, you are encouraged to tell the landowner about the Elgin Natural Inventory and ask them if they would like to participate. Flyers about the Inventory are available from Carolinian Canada, and landowners who want more information can visit the Carolinian Canada website or email ElginNHI@carolinian.org. Landowners who agree to participate will need to register and sign a Landowner Consent Form, that must be submitted prior to entering the property for the purposes of this project.