From Kevin Saldhana - a reminder that this event will happen on Sunday June 24. The Ancestors Trail hikes were started by the Richard Dawkins Foundation. Kevin has again organized the one in Mississauga, with the cooperation of the ROM.
[Update from Kevin!
[Update from Kevin!
The original 'Ancestor's Trail' based on Richard Dawkins book "The
Ancestors TALE" was held by the Taunton Humanists inspired by a
member teacher, Chris Jenord. The book is one of my favourites... I bought 50
copies when it came out to distribute to local school libraries so when I heard
about his project I just had to emulate it across the pond! He has managed to
garner Richard Dawkins himself as their keynote speaker for the event this
year! We were at the ROM this evening for a preview opening and met with David
Evans, the curator behind The Ultimate Dinosaurs; Giants from Gondwana which
opens to the public this Saturday. The event is a hike through time starting from the dawn of multicellular
animal life to modern humans, over a billion years (which is a figure many
cannot comprehend)
The Hike starts at Erindale Park (registration is at 8:00am) and proceeds up the
Culham trail at a gingerly pace of 55,000 years per stride, with significant
common ancestry with different surviving species plotted along the way. We will
cover the 12.5k route in 4 hours to PineCliff Drive Park in Streetsville where
we will have a barbeque lunch for participants as well as some experts on hand
to discuss evolution.
People can join anywhere along the trail as we have predicted rendezvous
times on our website at http://www.ancestorstrail.ca/routeoverview.htm
More detailed instructions on the parking and distances can be found
at
This may be easier for kids and others who may not want to do a 12.5k hike.
Dogs are welcome... we shared a common ancestry with them approximately 85
million years ago!!!
The event aims to educate the participants about our common ancestry with
all other living beings around us (in the animal world at least, for now, as we
actually have common ancestry with plants going back a couple of billion years!)
and the urgent need to conserve their environments if we hope to survive
ourselves. There are many examples of how the world has changed over the last
billion years, the most significant being the FIVE great extinctions. According
to experts, we may be going through a SIXTH extinction with the way the climate
is changing and species are being lost. In fact the ROM has the Schad Gallery
of Biodiversity which is sub-titled 'A Planet in Crisis'!
David Culham, for whom the trail is named, usually accompanies us on this
hike, explaining to participants the history of the trail and the tribulations
he endured as a Councillor to create this beautiful legacy for all Mississaugans
to enjoy.
Councillor Ron Starr supports the event by sponsoring the picnic area at
PineCliff Dr. Park and necessary equipment from the City (picnic tables,
permits, etc.). He was at the start of the last hike and we hope to have him
visit this year again. Unfortunately Councillor George Carlson will not be
available to attend.
There will be members of the United Conservationists along the trail to
inform participants of their efforts to conserve sea life. They were
instrumental in promoting the ban on Shark fins that comes into effect at the
end of this month in Mississauga. We also hope to have curators from the ROM to
discuss evolution and our place in it.
nice posting.. thanks for sharing.
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