Earth Day project protects loons with new "island'

One MTRI program involves researching loons, said coordinator, Amanda Lavers.

Volunteers each pick a lake to record how many loons are using it, she said.

“What we’re really interested in is whether the loons have families because of some environmental problems like acid rain and mercury pollution, she explained.

Those problems can affect how many babies loons have and how many survive.

Right now MTRI has volunteers on about 40 lakes in Queens, Annapolis, Digby and Lunenburg counties.

“Last year was a very good year. We had between 25 and 30 lakes with pairs of loons and we had 16 chicks on those lakes,” said Lavers.

One of the problems with loons besides the acid rain and mercury pollution is climate change, she continued. “Lakes are more likely either to flood or have really low water levels.”

Last year MTRI received funding to build four nesting platforms for loons; unfortunately they did not finish building them in time to launch them into the water.

The platforms float, like “little artificial islands,” said Lavers.

“Loons like to nest on islands because there are no predators and they are really clumsy walking on land so they want to be near the water.”

Blair and Gene Douglas, who own N.F. Douglas Lumber Ltd. in Caledonia also volunteer with MTRI watching loons on a lake.

Lavers said they donated use of a truck on April 22 to MTRI to move the platform to Mary Lake behind Douglas’ lumberyard.

Upon arriving at the lake they towed the platform by canoe to its resting spot.

They also covered it with soil and other natural material.