I don’t normally post press releases in this blog but it feels just great to have one of Southern Ontario Outdoor’s key sponsors win some of the most prestigious Economic Development awards in Ontario. This is a true sign that size doesn’t matter as much as determination. Elora and Fergus have become a major Southern Ontario Tourist destination worthy of a visit by everyone.

Front row-Rhoda Lipton, Fran Weima, Aileen Murray-past president EDCO, Samantha Dirksen, Second row-Benny DiZitti, Deb Dalziel, Kelly Waterhouse
Third row-Kevin Kroetsch , Karen Thomas, Debbie Rushton, Mayor Joanne Ross Zuj,
Councilor Kirk McElwain
Fourth row-Deborah Barr, Melanie Ward,
Fifth row-David Bar, Garrett Klassen, Dave Rushton

“The Ontario Economic Development Awards took place on Thursday February 4^th at the Toronto Marriott Eaton Centre Hotel. Elora & Fergus Tourism, Sensational Elora and Grand River Country took top honours in 3 separate categories in best visitor guide, best marketing campaign and best specialty brochure in the provincial tourism marketing categories. The ceremony honours winners and honourable mentions for their efforts in promoting their communities for location and tourism opportunities.

“This year, over 130 entries were judged” stated 2009 EDCO President Lauren Millier. “The competition allows local communities to see just how they stack up against other municipalities when it comes to promoting location, investment & tourism opportunities”.

Expert judges reviewed all of the entries that covered everything from promotional brochures to infrastructure development projects. There are judges from specialized areas of expertise assigned to judge specific categories.

Over 20 tourism partners from Centre Wellington were on hand to accept these awards during the Annual Conference of the Economic Developers Council of Ontario. “It is always an honour to accept these awards as the competition is very competitive”, stated Deb Dalziel, Tourism Coordinator for Elora Fergus Tourism. “These awards demonstrate our effectiveness in our economic development and tourism marketing efforts, and provide recognition to so many of our creative and hardworking events and projects in our community. It was especially thrilling to have our Mayor, members of Council and so many partners present to participate in the award ceremonies.

These prestigious awards were especially distinctive as the Honourable David Onley; Lieutenant Governor of Ontario was on hand to personally congratulate all winners including the large delegation from Centre Wellington.

EDCO is the country’s largest provincial economic development association that offers this program as well as professional development opportunities throughout the year. Membership is close to 600 that come from the private and public sector.”

Congratulations to all and keep up the great work.

©2010 Lloyd Fridenburg – All rights reserved click here for copyright permissions

Do you ever find yourself in a situation where you want to spend the day immersed in nature, casting for trout, or sitting on a frozen lake waiting for a nice pike to make your drag sing, but your significant other has, shall we say…other plans. As I write this post it’s -15c in Southwestern Ontario, the lakes are hard as a rock and the fish are waiting.

Well if your idea of relaxation on a cold winter’s day differs from that of your spouse I just may have the compromise you’re looking for. Head to Belwood Lake near Fergus and Elora. just outside the town of Fergus where you can ply the frozen depths while those less inclined spend a great day browsing the shops and sites of beautiful

Nestled along the scenic banks of the upper Grand River the towns of Fergus and Elora boast unique shops, great scenery, and fantastic restaurants. The towns abound with artisans of all kinds and you’re sure to find something to please any taste.

Belwood Lake is a man-made flood control reservoir administered by the Grand River Conservation Authority and is just upstream of the town of Fergus. Live bait and ice hut rentals are available and the ice fishing is great. As with all good things there is often a downside; it is quite conceivable that you will run out of bait before your spouse runs out of cash and there is always the chance that you could be forgotten altogether.

Oh well, there are plenty of great B&Bs available in the area, so why not make a weekend of it. Whatever your preference, get out and enjoy our great Southern Ontario Outdoors.

©2009 Lloyd Fridenburg – All rights reserved click here for copyright permissions

Welcome to the new Sleeping Dog Blog. Although this blog has been around for a couple of years it now functions as the general interest blog for Southern Ontario Outdoors and features information and articles for our new More Outdoors section that contains information about cycling, geocaching, birding, and Winter activities (cross country skiing and snowshoeing) throughout Southern Ontario.

This blog will also be used for general interest outdoor related stories that are important but don’t really fit with one of our other featured blogs (hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, or paddling).

I hope you enjoy this new addition to the Southern Ontario Outdoors website and I look forward to your comments and suggestions. If there is a specific topic you would like covered in a future article please leave a comment and let me know.

So what, or who, is Sleeping Dog? Well Sleeping Dog Marketing is the name of my company that owns and operates Southern Ontario Outdoors, Martial Arts Young and Old, Fitness with a Purpose, and manages Distinct Northern Art. I also offer freelance writing services, web design, SEO, and internet marketing services. When I’m not pounding the keyboard or wandering the nether regions of Southern Ontario you’re likely to find me teaching my new Fitness with a Purpose program – a martial arts based fitness program that I specifically designed to meet the needs of adults over 45.

The “Sleeping Dog” is my friend and constant companion Casey, the English Springer Spaniel. As CED (Chief Executive Dog) of the company he’s the best boss I’ve ever had. He always allows me to express my opinion, gives me full creative freedom, and is always happy. He is usually asleep beside my desk as I pound the keyboard during the day; hence the name Sleeping Dog.

Drop by http://www.sooutdoors.ca/ often and keep in touch with our great Southern Ontario Outdoors.

©2009 Lloyd Fridenburg – All rights reserved click here for copyright permissions

These days we often here talk of climate change and the potential impact that global warming will have on our society. But what about the affect of climate change on wildlife and wildlife habitat.

According to Dr. Paul James, Director of Environmental Monitoring for the Province of Saskatchewan and a research fellow at the University of Regina, many of our wildlife species are completely dependant on a very narrow band of acceptable climactic and environmental conditions in order to survive. Serious study of the effects of climate change on habitat must be undertaken and planning models must be tuned to reflect the new reality.

In short, when an ecosystem undergoes a dramatic change it can no longer sustain resident and migratory wildlife populations. New species of plant and animal life take over and indigenous species disappear.

So why don’t animals and birds simply move as their habitat changes? The fact is that they do, and much can be learned by the studying the slow migration of species into regions where they were previously unknown. But what happens if they can’t move? Take the animals and birds of the northern tundra for example. They rely on food sources that are only produced in regions of permafrost. As the permafrost vanishes due to sustained periods of higher than normal temperatures new types of vegetation will take over. These species simply cannot move further north to find food sources because it will simply cease to exist.

Species like the ptarmigan, arctic fox, and polar bear will simply cease to exist. And guess what? It is very likely to happen in our lifetime. Many scientists firmly believe that this is a “when”, rather than an “if” scenario.

There are other fragile ecosystems like the prairie pothole region that runs from the north central US through Southern Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and into Southern Alberta. This ecosystem provides a stopover for almost every migratory bird along the Mississippi flyway accounting for 80% of the waterfowl in North America. This ecosystem is already at risk due to improper farming and development practices. Over the next 50 years the potholes that provide a safe secure stopover for a wide variety of waterfowl will simply cease to exist.

Don’t take my word for it! Do your own research and form your own opinion, but you will find that in spite of government rhetoric many of these changes are inevitable. Dr. James stated “Wildlife studies must now focus on how to plan for the new reality and forget about sustainable management models of the past.”

While governments dither, wildlife habitat disappears!

Visit Southern Ontario Outdoors. Your source for news, information, and destinations related to your favorite outdoors activities throughout Southern Ontario.

You’ve likely heard the phrase “there are two things you can count on in life; death and taxes.” Well if you venture off the beaten path in Southern Ontario I’ll add a third constant; biting insects.

We have black flies, mosquitoes, deer flies, horse flies, sand fleas, and a host of others just waiting for a tasty human snack. For the most part these miniature carnivores are nothing more than pests whose bites and stings quickly fade into the memory of your outdoor experience. But then there are bees and wasps! Bee stings in the bush, particularly in remote areas, should never be taken lightly. They’re not only painful but can, in rare circumstances, be life threatening.

If you or a companion sustain a bee sting the first thing you should do is clean the area and check to see if the stinger is still in the wound…it will often appear as a small black dot. Remove the stinger by scraping. Never squeeze the stinger as this will inject more venom into the wound. If you have ice or even cold water, put it on the sting to ease the initial pain. An antihistamine pill or anti-itch cream can be used to ease the pain and itch.

Always watch a bee sting victim for signs of nausea, dizziness, slurred speech, drowsiness, or difficulty breathing. If any of these symptoms appear call an ambulance or get the victim to a hospital as quickly as possible. Although the vast majority of people exhibit only localized discomfort, allergic reactions can be very serious and even deadly. People who know they are allergic to bee venom should always have an allergy kit (EpiPen) with them and wear a medic alert bracelet. But even those that have never displayed an allergic reaction to bee stings can suddenly become allergic. This is bad enough in a populated area, but if you’re miles from medical help it can be deadly.

Canoeists, campers, hikers, fishermen, hunters, or anyone that spends time in the wilderness should make a bee sting kit an essential part of their first aid kit…and know how to use it. What do I consider to be the wilderness; basically anyplace where you can’t reach medical help (clinic, doctor, hospital, first aid center, etc.) within a short period of time. Three quarters of bee sting victims that die from anaphylactic shock die within 45 minutes of being stung. Immediate attention is essential.

Remember that a minor mishap within easy access of medical attention can become a life threatening ordeal in the wilderness. Take time to learn the necessary skills and stay safe.

So is this cause for major concern when heading off the beaten path? I would say it is something to be aware of and prepared for rather than something to be fearful of. Statistics vary and seem to be a bit unreliable but suffice it to say that there are only between 40 and 100 deaths each year in all of North America. So I would say your odds are pretty good. Now get out and enjoy our great Southern Ontario outdoors.

©2009 Lloyd Fridenburg – All rights reserved click here for copyright permissions