The Liberals have swept to power in Ontario. They seem to be friendlier towards environmental issues than the previous government, but we will have to wait to see if their promises turn into action.

I checked out their website to get an idea of their policies. Under the heading "Clean, safe communities" they have detailed some major changes from the Harris/Eves government policies. Some of their specific promises are to divert 60% of waste from landfills within 5 years, to protect one million new acres of green space on the outskirts of our cities, and to contain urban sprawl. It will be important to encourage them to implement these policies on the environment. If you would like to read about their policies, their website is www.ontarioliberal.com . Click on "Clean, safe communities".

It was great to see a good turnout at our first Indoor Meeting. Paul Pratt showed some beautiful slides and his talk on the Ojibway Prairie in Windsor was extremely interesting. We will definitely have to schedule an LWI outing to this area in the future.

The October Indoor Meeting will be a special event. We have engaged Bruce Kershner, a recognized expert on old-growth forests, to speak to us on this subject. Dorothy Tiedje and Nikki May heard Bruce speak at the 2002 Federation of Ontario Naturalists meeting in Port Rowan and they recommend him highly. Please note that this event will be held at the Sarnia Public Library. Members of the Sarnia Artist Workshop are going to have a display of their work in the lobby for us to enjoy before the program. The auditorium has a large capacity, so please tell your friends and neighbours about this event and encourage them to attend.

The fall migration is in full swing. Look up and say good-by to many birds until spring. Or better still, join us on one of the fall birding outings.

Diane: