Quinte Field Naturalists held their first meeting of 2026 on Monday, Feb 16th and the topic of the presentation was Climate Change and it’s impacts on our local biodiversity and ecosystems.
Approximately 50 people learned about how the Bay of Quinte area is expected to warm over the several different emission scenarios. Greg Dickson highlighted how the number of over 30 degree days is expected to rise in this area up to the year 2080 and beyond, where we could see 50 or more days of 30 degree weather before the addition of humidex. In addition to this, warmer nights are also expected and both of these changes will bring health effects to our most vulnerable, people over 65 years of age and children.
Karrin Broadhurst then spoke to discuss how trees can affect this warming. Urban centres like Belleville store significant heat in buildings, concrete and asphalt, but if trees are incorporated into the urban environment the temperature can drop up to 20 degrees C.
Karrin also highlighted the changes to our local biodiversity with a warming world, how native plants might fall out of synchronization with the local wildlife that depends on them as food and habitat. Some of our native plants that require cooler weather will not survive and the audience was saddened to know that our native maple trees are one of the types of trees that might struggle in a warming world.
A lively discussion followed the presentation with many people highlighting the importance of planting trees within the urban city boundaries. Pocket forests were a solution that was highlighted and a presentation on Miyawaki forests will be given by Lise Bois and Gerry Jenkinson at 10:30 am at the PEC Seedy Saturday being held Saturday Feb. 21, 2026 located at PECI, 41 Barker Str Picton, ON.
Karrin highlighted how Quinte Conservation is leading the charge to increase funding for tree planting amongst all of it’s 18 member municipalities through the Green Municipal Fund. This Federal Fund matches moneys put into tree planting dollar for dollar. Quinte Field Naturalist’s are planning on joining in this initiative with monies raised from their Spring Plant Sale, this year being held on May 16, 2026.
Another solution to help biodiversity was brought forward by audience member Jonathon Balcombe. He highlighted that animal agriculture is responsible for more warming than all of the world’s transportation. With the number of wild animals plummeting to less than 5 percent of all life on earth he highlighted the importance of allowing land to remain in a natural state to support life on the planet. He encouraged everyone to consider their food choices and greatly reduce their dependence on animal protein.
Quinte Field Naturalists next meeting will be held March 16th with the biologist, nature guide, photographer and artist Andrea Kingsley presenting on her work at Akimiski Island, Nunavut “Goose Banding and Polar Bear Surveys”. All of the Quinte Field Naturalists Meetings are open to the public and free of charge.
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