SUSTAINABILITY IN THE CITY - WHAT'S INSIDE: City of Charlottetown

SUSTAINABILITY IN THE
CITY                                                                   WHAT'S INSIDE:

                                                                       1 Sustainability in
Taking stock of Charlottetown's natural assets
                                                                       the City
The City of Charlottetown recently partnered with the Municipal        2 Our Environment
Natural Asset Initiative (MNAI) to produce a natural asset             3 Spotlight on
inventory that spans the city’s boundaries. Natural assets include
                                                                       Nature
features such as forests, agricultural lands, wetlands and parks.

These assets are important because they provide ecological

services with measurable benefits to people and the environment

around us.

Natural assets improve air and water quality, capture carbon, manage stormwater, prevent

flooding, cool the air, provide health benefits and much more. By better understanding where

Charlottetown's natural assets are and their condition, the City can make more informed policy

and planning decisions to protect these valuable assets and understand their value. It is as

important for municipalities to measure and manage natural assets as it is engineered ones.

The inventory dashboard and the final report produced by MNAI will be available soon on the

City’s website, stay tuned!

OUR ENVIRONMENT
Food Asset Mapping
The Charlottetown Food Council has created a Food Asset Map for Charlottetown. This map

was generated to identify the existing food-related strengths and resources in the community.

It is a useful tool that can help any member of the community identify the food resources

they're seeking. For example, you can use the map to find local food retailers, emergency food

providers, the City’s Community Gardens or Vegetable Planters, and a lot more! It is also an

important tool that will allow organizations, like the Food Council, to better understand the

strengths and shortcomings of the existing food system and work towards improving it.

The data collected by the Food Council has been turned into an interactive tool in the form of

a virtual map. This is a living tool that will require updates as assets change and grow. Because

of this, the Food Council would love to hear what you think. If you have an idea for how we can

improve the map or notice any missing assets, please let us know using the feedback form on

the website. Click here (www.charlottetown.ca/foodmap) to check out the Food Asset Map!

Kindness to Red Foxes Misplaced
It seems normal that people were intrigued and excited by a high urban red fox population in

Charlottetown a mere five years ago. Each sighting was a highlight, and fox kits at a den were

like little puppies, playing with each other and, oh, so cute! Rare silver foxes were reported.

People were also kind and believed they should provide food for foxes that might otherwise go

hungry. Perhaps they did not believe that the fox could find natural foods for itself and its pups;

foods such as fruit and berries, worms, grasshoppers, moths attracted to street lamps, mice,

voles, and even rats, all found within the city. Indeed, people put out food for the red fox, treats

as grand as raw steak and cooked meats, and as unnatural as sugary donuts, bread and hotdogs.

With this extra feeding, foxes were living in unnaturally high densities in the downtown, and

throughout the wider urban area. Biologists predicted that disease would spread quickly through

this closely packed fox population. The word “pandemic” comes to mind.

Unfortunately, disease did strike as predicted. In December 2017, the first fox infected with

mange was confirmed in Charlottetown. Mange is a cruel disease and anyone who has seen a

sick, mangy fox with a bare tail, scabby skin and eyes crusted shut, does not want to see another

one. The mite Sarcoptes scabiei, burrows into the skin of the fox and causes it to scratch

incessantly, to the point where it stops hunting. In winter, loss of fur speeds death. In summer, a

female can spread mange to all its pups with fatal results. Sarcoptic mange reduced the fox

population in Charlottetown to the point that they were rarely sighted by urban residents.

Mange is still present, but as the red fox population recovers, should we hope that they will

return to the previous situation, jam-packed in a few city blocks? There are many reasons to

hope not. Consider a low density fox population that is not fed by people. These foxes will be

healthier when left to consume natural foods, and a low density population will be less

susceptible to disease. They may have a better immune system. Fox pups that were previously

fed from cars will learn to hunt natural foods and will be more likely to survive. They will be less

likely to suffer a collision with a car, a common cause of pup mortality.

For humans and their pets, living in close proximity to the

red fox is not always a positive experience. The fox carries

several    parasites           that        transmit        to        domestic             dogs,

especially       dogs    that       may     consume            fox    feces.         Besides

mange,     the     worst       of     these       may      be        two    species          of

lungworms        that    often       occur        together           and    can          cause

breathing    problems          in   dogs,     described          as    equivalent            to

severe    chronic       obstructive        pulmonary           disease       (COPD)          in

humans.

People encouraging a high density fox population through

feeding is risky business. Risky for a fox as it may contract

diseases    (Many       biologists         believe        “A   fed    fox    is      a    dead

fox”).   Risky    for    dogs       that    are     highly      likely     to     catch      a

parasite from a fox. Feeding a fox may seem like an act of

kindness    but    it    can    backfire       if    it    supports         several         fox

families in a small area, allowing disease to transmit more

readily. Let’s allow wild foxes to find their own food, and

appreciate       them     for   their       ecological          services        in       rodent

control. We must stop treating them like pets. To be kind to

foxes, please don’t feed them!

(Article by: Rosemary Curley, Nature PEI. Photo credit: Jordi Segers)

SPOTLIGHT ON NATURE
Group Programming for Children

Take part in Children in Nature in Victoria Park this summer. Weekday guided programming for

groups of 10 to 25 people, ages 3 to 10. Activity themes include tree i.d., pollinators, forest

navigation,   traditional   plant    uses,   forest   pests,   wetlands,     wildlife   and   stewardship.   Contact:

childreninnature@charlottetown.ca to sign-up.

Guided Lunchtime Forest Bathing Walks

Did you know doctors are prescribing time in nature due to its many physical and mental health

benefits?   Unplug,     recharge     and   improve    how      you   feel.   Walks   are   held   every   Tuesday   and

Thursday in June and July from 12:15 to 12:45. To participate, meet City staff at the Victoria

Park ballfield clubhouse verandah.

Community Garden Application is Live

An online application is now available for groups to apply to have a community garden in a

municipal park. Community gardens connect people with nature and their neighbours, provide

healthy   and   local   food   and    provide    pollinator     plants   and    wildlife   habitat.   Information    on

existing community gardens can be found here.

Bike Week
June 14 to 21 is Bike Week in Charlottetown! This year the City is encouraging residents to use

their bikes to get wherever they need to go. Cycling for transportation is an important way to

reduce greenhouse gas emissions, all while making healthy choices!

This year’s Bike Week features great giveaways (like a bike voucher from Outer Limit Sports) and

fun activities, such as Family Cycling Training, group rides, and the Cycling in Charlottetown

Outdoor Heritage Exhibit displayed along the Victoria Park Active Transportation Pathway. So,

hop on your bike and don’t forget your helmet! Click here (www.charlottetown.ca/cycling) to

find out more.