I am pleased to inform you that a tri-national agreement of cooperation in the conservation of the Monarch Butterfly will be signed in Toronto on August 2, 1996. It is my understanding that environment ministers from Canada, the United States, and Mexico - including Canada's Minister of the Environment, Sergio Marchi, will sign this resolution. Dr. Fred Urquhart and Mrs. Norah Urquhart will be in attendance for the signing. This writer hopes to be in attendance. Once the document is signed, I will obtain a copy so that I can share the contents with you. During the recent visit to Ottawa, Ontario - Canada's capital city - Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo and Governor General Romeo LeBlanc released more than 100 monarch butterflies as a goodwill gesture between the two countries. I also understand that an oyamel fir tree was planted on the grounds of Government House - the official residence of the Governor General (the representative of Queen Elizabeth II in Canada). A photo of these two gentlemen and an article appeared in the June 13th Ottawa Citizen newspaper.

An article appearing in the July 22nd issue of People magazine (page 57-58) describes the work of Rick Mikula, who rears butterflies, but who also lectures about them and obviously has a great appreciation for these invertebrates. His favorite: the monarch! Check out his web site at butterflywebsite.com/.

At Presqu'ile Provincial Park, increasing numbers of shorebird species continue to stop and feed in the park, on their southward journey. Recent sightings include ruddy turnstone, sanderling, and short-billed dowitchers. A pair of resident barred owls are being seen more frequently. The Ontario Field Ornithologists have set up an excellent web site. They can be reached at : www.interlog.com/~ofo. In spite of its designation in Ontario as a noxious weed, many nurseries and seed companies sell asclepias seeds and plants. One good source for seeds and plants in Canada is "THE CANADIAN PLANT SOURCEBOOK" - 1996/97 EDITION by Anne and Peter Ashley (ISBN 0-9694566-2-X). Over 20,000 hardy plant listings are keyed to the Canadian nurseries which sell them. Any correspondence concerning this 416 page paperback book should be sent to: The Canadian Plant Sourcebook, 93 Fentiman Ave., Ottawa, Ontario K1S 0T7. The authors can also be reached by telephone (613) 730-0755, by fax (613) 730-2095, and by e-mail at: apashley@worldlink.ca. Don Davis

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