Our meeting was called to order at 18:15 by President Jim Richards. We sang O Canada, toasted Queen and Country and sang Rotary Grace. Guests this evening included Dave Moss, Phil Arch, Tom Hodgson, Charlie Linderman, Maran Woods, Don Downey and John Foster. Scott de Savoie, GM of the Delta Pinestone, dropped in briefly to donate the $60 prize won by Pinestone for their float in the parade – thanks to their float committee. And our guest who came the farthest and will stay the longest was Miky Rastello, our inbound exchange student fresh off the plane from her home in Italy. Coming from a small town in northern Italy should make the adjustment a little easier than the plane flight, her first ever. Welcome, Miky, to our community and our club.

We sang about the Good Old Summertime, because it’s almost gone, about Wearing Tulips, because the songmaster has a thing about flowers and Vive le Rotary, because it sounds a little international, maybe.

The Sergeant at Arms tonight was Brian Black. He started with Brian Menton – something about a Coors Light shirt. Jim Miners was asked to pay for not using his exchange student spellchecker last week, but John Beachli insisted on paying the fine since he owed Jim a favour. Although guests aren’t usually fined, Tom Hodgson was asked to pay for the fine article in the current Echo. And one of our regular guests, Maran Woods, volunteered to pay – was this because of a guilty conscience? The last fine of the evening went to Brian Menton for allowing Dorothy to stand for their picture in the Echo.

President Jim thanked Maran for her assistance at many of our events over the summer. He also indicated that the Car and Carnival reports would be presented next week when Lynda and Nancy are present.

Brian Menton passed around information about the proposed incoming Group Study Exchange – with members coming from Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania. The group will arrive in Haliburton on September 24, tour locally on the 25^th and travel to the District Conference on the 26^th. Billets are still required for Tuesday and Wednesday night – contact Brian. In a related matter, President Jim asked the club to consider hosting the Tri-Club meeting on the 25^th – there were no objections.

President Jim reminded members of the proposal regarding the three HHSS scholarships – the proposal passed by a show of hands.

Curry Bishop introduced Carl Corbett, General Manager of the Algonquin Forest Authority (AFA). Curry made mention of the fact that Carl received his formal education as a forester at the University of Toronto, a detail that would be important to other alumni. However, the fact that Carl really is into trees is what should matter to all of us.

Carl spoke at length of the history of Algonquin Park, logging in the park, the formation of the AFA and the role of the AFA in preserving the forest for all its uses.

Some interesting statistics:

Timber licenses once in place – 18

% of Ontario trees in Algonquin – 2

% of crown land between North Bay and Peterborough in Algonquin – 40

AFA staff – 21 regular, 15 seasonal

AFA Board Members belonging to Haliburton Rotary – 1 (Curry Bishop)

Species of trees in the park – 22

Amount of timber cut per year – 500,000 cubic meters

Annual sales to mills through volume contracts - $22,000,000

Recreational visitors per year – 1,000,000

Complaints about logging operation per year – 5 to 10

As Carl described it, the AFA’s job is to put in place and manage a long term forest management plan that ensures the sustainability of Algonquin Forest. Although most of this sustainability is achieved through natural regeneration, occasional artificial regeneration is required. The best way to describe the role is to balance the needs of the forest itself, its inhabitants (wildlife), the waterways that begin in and pass through the park and the recreationists.

If you have an interest in learning more about the AFA, visit their website (link) or, better yet, visit Carl at the park.

Art Dawson (where was Troy?) said thanks and presented Carl with some nice pictures of Haliburton trees.

Upcoming meetings:

September 5 – Janet McLeod on Polio Plus

September 12 – VP Steve Roberts has his first club assembly

September 19 – Brian Menton