When civil engineers sit down to develop a stormwater management plan, much of the work that they do is focused on reducing water that runs off from asphalt areas. Asphalt from parking areas and roadways is especially responsible for creating runoff that enters local creeks and rivers. To improve water quality and reduce runoff typically we work with designers to reduce the area of asphalt across a site.
In many instances however, the fire department responds to a design demanding increased road area for their trucks to navigate any proposed site. For years this has been something that has bugged me, I’ve generally been of the opinion that the fire department should focus on acquiring smaller trucks, and this would have an immediate impact on the ability of cities like Peterborough to improve our urban spaces and improve our local environment at the same time. Many cities in Europe in fact have trucks that are much smaller, and are able to navigate a smaller streetscape. Even Norwood has a small truck (pictured above) that would be a perfect replacement for many of the vehicles that Peterborough Fire department operates.
I could opine on the topic at great length, but I’d encourage you to check out this video by “Not Just Bikes” that explores the impact that North American fire fighting practices have had on our urban streetscapes. In the video, there were some excellent proposals that I will personally be advocating for in our stormwater designs. The video focuses on street safety, however wider streets and increased asphalt areas have a noticeable impact on stormwater design. Enjoy the video and let me know what you think!
This article was originally published on June 19th in Kawartha Now. A link to the original article can be found here: https://shorturl.at/gehv6
When discussing the greatest climate change risks facing the city of Peterborough, many people in Peterborough will think back to the floods and storms that our community has experienced over the past few years, but one more sinister risk for many of our city’s most vulnerable might simply be extreme heat.
Recently, there’s been dialogue among local public health experts and municipal staff about the impact that the urban heat island might have on our city, and the implications I believe are worth discussing.
In 2021, I created a map (below) that explores the deviation from the average temperature across all of Peterborough during a typical hot day in August. In that map, we can see the urban heat island at work. A review of the map reveals the downtown core, Lansdowne Street, the Townsend neighbourhood, and several newer subdivisions all clearly have much higher surface temperatures than nearby neighborhoods.
In the simplest terms, the lack of tree cover exposes hard surfaces such as concrete and asphalt to the sun, which then radiates the absorbed heat back out into the local environment. Neighbourhoods with more trees and less asphalt generally fare better than those without.
Tree cover is one major factor contributing to urban heat, but there are other trends revealed by this map that are worth exploring.
Worth noting is the income disparity that is highlighted by the urban heat island effect. Neighbourhoods with lower incomes, such as Townsend Street or the Tallwood Towers neighbourhood, experience much higher average temperature deviation from the average across the city. The temperature difference can be as much as 15°C in some neighbourhoods.
An average temperature increase of 15°C could place some neighbourhoods in what is known as a dangerous “wet bulb event.” This could all be happening at the same time as other neighbourhoods in the city are experiencing hot, but not life-threatening, temperatures.
If you’ve never heard of a wet bulb event, it is when there is sustained increase in temperature and humidity to the point that the human body loses the ability to effectively regulate its temperature. Exposure to these conditions can lead to death in as little as six hours for those who are unable to move to a colder climate-controlled space or find other means of cooling off. Wet bulb events can actually occur as low as 31°C if humidity is above 95 per cent.
In the city of Peterborough, this could practically mean that individuals who live in lower income neighbourhoods, who are less likely to have access to air conditioning and more likely to have mobility challenges, could have a highly increased risk of extreme heat exposure. With a 15°C surface temperature difference across the city, this could conceivably be happening while citizens in other neighbourhoods are perfectly fine.
Comparing average income versus mean surface temperature across our city demonstrates a slight trend towards lower-income neighbourhoods experiencing an increased chance of facing increased temperature.
The trend demonstrated by this relationship is strong, but not absolute, so there must be other factors to consider when discussing urban heat island effects, and indeed there are.
As we explore those factors, we will discover potential strategies to mitigate the impact that the urban heat island will have on our community into the next century.
The Answers are Blowing in the Wind
If you’ve lived in the city of Peterborough long enough, you’ll be aware that the wind often blows from the west. These prevailing winds can help us understand some of the heat distribution in our city.
Remember that parks and greenspaces often experience lower-than-average temperatures than areas of concrete and asphalt. Let us consider what happens as the wind passes over these greenspaces. If the temperature of the air is warmer than the surface temperature of a tree that it is passing through, the wind will transfer some of the heat out of the air and into the leaves of the tree.
Each individual tree has an absolutely enormous surface area made up of leaves. This large surface area translates into a huge capacity to exchange heat out of the atmosphere. Neighbourhoods downwind of trees are well positioned to reap the benefits of these massive “heat exchangers,” as the cooler air now has increased capacity to absorb heat from the neighbourhood and convey it away.
This “heat exchanger” effect makes parks and greenspaces are some of our best tools for fighting the effects of urban heat and climate change. It is definitely worthwhile to consider park and greenspace planning strategies in our community that prioritize planting and protecting trees that are upwind of high-risk neighbourhoods.
As far as I am aware, little consideration has been given to this strategic factor when considering our urban forestry plan, and I would like to encourage leaders across our city to keep in mind.
Southern Exposure
South-facing slopes can also increase the risk related to heat exposure. Heat that radiates from the sun is more directly absorbed into the concrete faces of buildings and parking lots, especially those that face south.
Large parts of Peterborough are located on a southeast-facing slope. Ten thousand years ago, this large slope was the shoreline of glacial Lake Peterborough, and today offers stunning views of the surrounding countryside. These stunning views carry some risk exposure as well.
“South facing slopes can massively increase the risk related to heat exposure. Heat that radiates from the sun is more directly absorbed into the concrete faces of buildings and parking lots. “
The most pronounced exposure to the south is arguably the slopes north of the Parkway Trail on the north side of town. We can clearly see on the urban heat island map a line of census areas that experience higher than average temperatures, possibly due to this southern exposure.
Considering this, it may be worthwhile to prioritize south-facing slopes for naturalization and tree-planting measures across our city. I can already think of several possible locations that may be worthwhile to consider putting some effort into reforestation.
A (Cool) River Flows Through
Many people each summer make the trip down to the Silver Bean in Millennium Park along the shores of the mighty Odoonabii (Otonabee) River. It’s been unofficially dubbed “the little cottage in the city” and for a good reason. The natural surroundings create a welcome retreat from the urban heat radiated from the nearby downtown.
We should consider that the rivers and waters flowing through our city may be one of the greatest tools we have when fighting urban heat. As you take a moment to review the heat map, notice that much of East City is cooler than the west bank. I would argue that, in part, that is due to the downwind impacts of the river.
“Uncovering Jackson Creek is one of Peterborough’s greatest opportunities for climate change adaptation”
As wind blows across the river, it deposits warmth from the air into the water to be conveyed away from the city, therefore cooling the city’s east bank — just like a giant natural air conditioner.
This principle combined with several of the other watercourses in our city could provide huge benefits to neighbourhoods badly in need of heat interventions.
Jackson Creek in the Townsend neighbourhood and downtown has been almost entirely covered by buildings and parking lots. A long-term strategy of opening up the creek and naturalizing its shoreline could help keep these neighbourhoods cool, while providing recreational and flood-reduction opportunities.
Other creeks in our community are worth highlighting due to many of the same reasons, including Bears Creek in the north end of our city, or the hidden Brookdale creek roughly following Downie Street.
Urban heat is worth taking seriously. I hope some of you readers can take the time to incorporate some of these ideas into your work or encourage others to do so. Perhaps with your help, we can start to incorporate some of the above ideas into our urban planning strategies and help build a cooler, healthy, and vibrant community for everyone, no matter who they are or where they live.
Caption: The Oak Ridges Moraine (Green Highlight) feeds several local creeks and rivers.
It’s no secret that Peterborough is a city intimately connected with the water. From the lakes that surround us to the rivers and canals that criss-cross the city, you don’t have to go far to spend time on the water. We are also a city that considers ourselves distinctly different from the urbanites to the south. We’re proud to be on the frontier of Canada’s south, a gateway to the land between, and the Canadian Shield beyond. When legislation regarding the greenbelt is passed at Queens Park, you’d be forgiven for thinking it might not apply to us, after all, the greenbelt is there for Toronto, why should the people of Peterborough care?
You don’t have to go far back in memory to think of summers where Jackson Creek has nearly dried up completely. You might wonder why there is still a little bit of water in the creek for fish to survive the dry months. After all, in June 2021, we went for several weeks without rain, so where does the water in the creek come from? Well, in short, that water comes from the Greenbelt, and the Oak Ridges Moraine (ORM) within. The ORM functions as a giant sponge that stretches across southern Ontario, soaking up water when it is wet, and slowly letting it out when it is dry. It is because of the ORM’s ability to act as a giant reservoir that Jackson Creek, Cavan Creek, and countless other rivers in the Peterborough area continue to flow long into a drought.
Changes to the greenbelt act proposed by Doug Ford at Queen’s Park mean that the integrity of that sponge will be eroded. Building houses on top of this “big sponge” is similar to applying a plastic coating on top of that sponge. The ORM’s ability to absorb water during rainy months, and snowy conditions will be negatively impacted, and there will be less water to feed our creeks and rivers.
The limestone riverbed below Jackson Creek is exposed during low flow conditions in the summer.
The Greenbelt was a visionary piece of legislation that helps protect our critical water resources, but continued degradation will negatively impact the resiliency of our aquatic ecosystems. It is obvious that the proposed changes are meant to enrich a few individuals, and not to build affordable homes for citizens. Even the government’s own housing task force acknowledges that there is no need to alter the boundary of the greenbelt to provide adequate housing. It is my hope that the government will change course, and remove the proposed changes to the Greenbelt from Bill 23.
Author’s Note: Sorry I haven’t been active much lately. I’m sure many of you have found the world an overwhelming place lately, and I’m right there with you. I was also a little bummed out in the spring after getting ghosted by the newspaper, but I’m in the process of finding another home for some of my writing. Anyways, that’s all to say I haven’t had much of a spark for writing for a little while, but here’s hoping I can change course on that one going into the winter.
When one thinks of going out on an outing to look for magnificent birds, the imagination may conjure images of green fields, trees full of leaves, with beautiful songbirds chirping among the grasses and branches. Would you be surprised to learn that one of the best times to learn about birding might be the depths of winter? When I first started birding many years ago, it was a cold December day that I joined some friends to drive around the countryside looking for a snowy owl that was spotted the day before. Although I might not have been dressed quite warm enough for the occasion, it was one of the best introductions to a hobby that I’ve ever had. If you’re looking for a reason to stay active this winter, you too may want to consider birding as a new hobby.
Learning to identify birds during the winter may help you quickly build confidence in your skills. During the winter months, fewer bird species make it much easier to learn the common local species. Phone applications such as “Merlin” can help you learn the ropes by helping you identify birds by colour, size, behavior, and body shape. Joining a Christmas Bird Count can be another great way to partner up with an experienced birdwatcher to help you into the hobby. You also can’t go wrong with a good old fashioned field guide to birds such as the ones produced by the Audubon Society.
With guide in hand, you’ll find Peterborough is a delightful playground for the aspiring birdwatcher. Within the city, places such as Jackson Park, Beavermead Park, Rotary Trail, the Otonabee River, or the Fleming College Campus will all provide ample opportunities for observation. You might be surprised at the abundance of different bird species that you can find. Woodpeckers, birds of prey, ducks, or songbirds might all make an appearance on any given winter day. When paying attention, you’ll likely discover new birds that may have previously gone unnoticed.
Some of the more common winter species such as black capped chickadees, cardinals, hairy woodpeckers, or nuthatches often will forage through the forest in groups. If you see one, be sure to keep looking, as the others may also make an appearance. One of the added benefits of winter birding is the absence of leaves and greenery on trees and shrubs. The ease of spotting birds at this time of year will give you plenty of opportunities to identify a tricky bird, or really commit your sightings to memory. Once you learn a few of the common species, I’m sure you’ll start to spot them often.
If you’re looking for a reason to get out and about this winter, enjoying the company of winter birds in a local park can be a great motivator. You don’t need to be an expert, but perhaps given some time you will be!
This was originally published as a column in Peterborough This Week.
This month marked the launch of Peterborough’s Official plan. The official plan is a set of policies governing everything from transit to housing that are designed to guide the future of the city of Peterborough. Creating the official plan took several years, and involved teams of experts on all of the topics that are included within it. In my opinion, one of the most interesting sections is all about Peterborough’s Natural Heritage System. The natural heritage system is a set of documents that identify key habitat and other environmental features that should be protected to maintain or improve Peterborough’s local ecology. These include cherished places like Jackson Park, or Meade Creek, or lesser-known places like the wetland on Carnegie Ave.
The natural heritage system can broadly be recognized as all of the natural areas within the city and all connections between them. Just the same way that you need to leave your home and travel on sidewalks and roads to get food or clothing, wildlife needs to travel to different habitat types to have all their needs met. You can almost imagine it as a road network or transportation system for wildlife to travel along. A turtle for instance might travel from a wetland up a river and into a forest to lay its eggs. If there are hurdles the turtle must overcome, such as a roadway, its journey may be precarious.
Think of Peterborough’s Natural Heritage System as a metro system for wildlife.
Peterborough’s natural heritage system is an exciting approach to managing our local ecology and natural resources. The benefits of having a robust natural heritage system are not just confined to wildlife, humans benefit as well. Visiting parks that are home to more diverse animal and plant life is known to relieve stress by spending time outdoors. Living nearby trees and natural areas can also decrease heating and cooling costs for residents and businesses. On a broader scale, maintaining wild areas nearby creeks and rivers can decrease damages and costs associated with flooding. There are significant benefits of protecting our natural spaces and the connections between them, and I am glad there are policies in place to ensure that municipalities recognize and protect these spaces.
While I believe that the proposed system could go further, I am hopeful that as the city expands and changes, the natural heritage system will be able to adapt. I believe that crisis’s such as COVID and climate change have renewed our appreciation for our local natural environment and what is important to protect. Hopefully the changes to the official plan regarding the parkway corridor and recognizing the value it provides as a natural space are a sign of good things to come.
A Personal Note:This column was originally published in Peterborough This Week. It was my first column ever published in the local paper (So exciting!) I’ve still got a voice to refine for the audience, and lots to learn and remember (ie. start stronger!). So please forgive me for the lackluster “hook” on this little piece. In spite of that “little” oversight, I’m looking forward to sharing stories of nature and the environment with you in the coming months and years!If you have any questions or comments, let me know and I’ll be happy to try and answer them for you. – Dylan Radcliffe
Hey Peterborough! Hey Jackson Park! Congratulations! We did it! On December 6th 2021 city council voted to add Jackson Park to the official heritage register under the Ontario Heritage Act. For over 100 years Jackson Park has been a fixture in the Peterborough community. Envisioned by the Nichols Trust as a respite from the growing city; this beloved park has more than fulfilled it’s role.
Tomorrow we’ll get back to work, but let’s celebrate this beloved park. By the numbers, Jackson Park is an impressive place. A summary to date (December 2021):
143 Bird Species have been catalogued on the Jackson Park Ebird hotspot
All of these things add such great value to Peterborough, and it is all worth protecting for the future. There is lots of hard work to be done to further protect and restore this important heritage location. From invasive species, trampling of the undergrowth, to climate change, or even just trails in disrepair there is still lots to do. I’m personally looking forward to tackling these challenges to pass this space along to future generations.
Jackson Creek looking west
Looking over Jackson Park towards downtown Peterborough
Bloodroot on the forest floor
Wild Mint growing at the water’s edge.
Limestone exposed by the river at the valley bottom.
An enormous ice jam holding water in Jackson Park.
Thanks so much to councilor Kim Zippel to bringing this motion forward from the Heritage Committee. And thank you to council for seeing this motion through to completion.
Monday December 6th 2021 will hopefully be a momentous occasion for Jackson Park. Peterborough City council will sit down to vote on a heritage designation for Jackson Park. The implications of this are huge for one of the most cherished locations in Peterborough. In September 2019 the City’s Architectural Conservation Authority Committee recommended that Jackson Park receive this illustrious designation and hopefully this will come to fruition on Monday.
It should come as no surprise to anyone that Jackson Park more than deserves this designation. The park has been a fixture in the Peterborough ever since it was donated to the city by the Nichols Trust 1893. It features prominently in the shared memory of the city. One is hard pressed to flip through any historical account of Peterborough without stumbling upon several references to the venerated park.
Indeed there are many parks on the continent that have received special protections that Jackson Park does not have. Parks built and designed in the same period by Frederick Olmsted generally receive substantial heritage recognition and protections. Meanwhile, Jackson Park has yet to receive protections (or attention) afforded to significantly younger designs and buildings in the city of Peterborough.
One hopes that this can be a first step towards protecting and enhancing Jackson Park for future generations. There are many threats facing the park, and hopefully this designation can assist in pushing the envelope for greater attention to those threats. If you haven’t already, take a moment to go sign the petition being passed to city council. Or write to your councilor to voice your support for this designation.
If you’re paddling through the Kawartha Highlands or taking a jaunt through Peterborough’s Jackson Park, you may have the chance to bear witness to one of the coolest (spookiest?) adaptations of the plant kingdom, carnivory! I’m sure many of you are aware of the infamous Venus Fly Trap, but perhaps you may not be aware of some of the carnivorous plants that may live in your own backyard. Here in the Kawarthas we are host to several groups of carnivorous plants, all of which have their own unique “hunting” strategies. Generally, carnivorous plants are found in areas that have poor nutrient availability.
Because of their unique adaptation, they are able to gather nutrients from insects (or even salamanders!) and out-compete nearby species that rely on nutrients available in the soil or water. When more nutrients are abundant and available for plants to use, carnivorous plants find themselves quickly out-competed by other vegetation. Therefore, these plants have very specific habitat requirements. Bogs, alvars, and groundwater driven ecosystems are all prime areas in which to find these elusive plants.
Unfortunately, human activities can force these beautiful carnivores out of their habitats. Many human activities mobilize nutrients within the soil or atmosphere allowing other species to out-compete them in their habitat eventually leading to their demise. Agriculture can lead to an increase in nutrients through animal excrement making its way into waterways, fertilizers spreading off farms through rainwater runoff and carried by the wind, or nutrients deep in the soil brought up to the surface through tilling. Urban developments can also lead to an increase in available nutrients, through maintaining landscaping, increased soil erosion, or rainwater runoff carrying sediment.
Surprisingly, it is still possible in some secluded places to find carnivorous plants south of the Kawartha Lakes, in an area dominated by agriculture and urban development. So let’s meet these interesting plants, and learn where might you find them.
Pitcher Plants
In the Kawarthas there are two species of Pitcher Plants that are commonly found. These were my introduction to native plant carnivory for a good reason; they are stunning! Often found in the nutrient poor lakes and bogs of the Canadian Shield, you can often see them peeking out from clumps of moss to show insects the entrance to their watery grave. Fine hairs point downward into the pitcher forcing insects towards a small pool of water filled with digestive enzymes. Once a bug is trapped at the bottom of the pitcher, they are gradually digested and used by the plant for the nutrients that they carry.
South of the Kawartha Lakes, it is possible to find these plants in secluded wetlands that have been mostly spared from human activity. I personally have a hunch that there are pitcher plants hidden somewhere in Harper Park. If you happen find some in there, let me know and there may be a (little) prize for you!
I’ll admit, I often forget about Bladderworts when it comes to local carnivores. Their unassuming little yellow flowers don’t invite much suspicion, until you realize that they’re a plant with no (apparent) leaves! Floating across lakes and ponds, most of this plant’s biomass is beneath the surface. If you look at the plant below the water surface you will see little round clumps that are capable of trapping passers by. Initially, these “bladders” are deflated sacks with tiny hairs that act as triggers. When an unassuming daphnia or other tiny aquatic critter touch one of the hairs the bladder quickly inflates, sucking in the creature to be digested. There are several species of Bladderwort in the Kawarthas and some can be spotted nearby Peterborough, Lindsay, Orillia, or other towns in the Land Between.
Sundews
Sundews are unassuming little plants, with such a pleasant sounding name. However if you’re an insect tempted by the dew looking nectar on the tips of it’s hairs, you might be in for a sticky surprise! Once insects land on the leaves and are trapped, the sundew secretes enzymes to slowly digest it’s prey. Somehow this plant knows the difference between a tasty treat, and inedible material, as it will not secrete enzymes to digest items such as dirt, or tree bark.
These little plants can often be found clinging on to floating woody debris in wetlands, or among the mosses and lichens commonly found in bogs. There are a few sightings of sundews south of the Kawartha Lakes, but they are much less commonly than in places such as the Kawartha Highlands.
I hope you enjoyed this spooky insight into some of our local carnivores. Happy Halloween!
On August 15th 2021 it was 23.9°C at the Peterborough Municipal Airport. By all respects, an average summer temperature. If you looked at a thermometer outside your house though, it might paint a much different picture. In the downtown core and areas along Lansdowne St. temperatures reached as high as 40°C. This represents over 15°C temperature difference! What is happening and how can it be stopped?
The urban heat island is a phenomenon we’ve long known about. It occurs when natural land cover such as forest or meadows are replaced with surfaces that retain heat such as asphalt, concrete or pavement. These surfaces then radiate the heat back out into the local environment, warming the surrounding area. The effect can increase the cost of heating, and put elderly or other vulnerable citizens at risk of heat stroke, and even death.
The urban heat island effect often puts the most vulnerable populations at risk. Some of Peterborough’s lowest income census areas have the highest recorded temperatures. You’ll notice on the map that areas directly south and north of the downtown which are characteristic as lower income neighborhoods, have some of the highest recorded temperatures, while some of Peterborough’s more affluent neighborhoods have much lower recorded temperatures.
Image #1: Downtown South Peterborough. 35% to 43% low income households. On average +15°C
Image #2: Monaghan Ward 1% to 5% low income households. On average, +5°C
Image #1 characterizes a neighborhood south of downtown. Census Canada considers between 35% and 43% of the population to be low income. This neighborhood is one of the hottest in Peterborough, coming in at a 15°C temperature deviation. Meanwhile Monaghan Ward represented in image #2 only recorded a 5°C temperature deviation. It is clear that land cover and tree canopy have a huge impact on temperature deviation. With the additional pressure of climate change, these deviations are likely to become more pronounced over time.
What can be done about urban heat though? Luckily we have some solutions! Planting trees is once again, a major winner in this regard. Not only does tree planting decrease average temperatures, it can lower heating and cooling bills year round for residents, overall a huge win for the climate. Removing asphalt and other “high heat” surfaces can also benefit neighborhoods, replacing asphalt with grass is even a viable solution for combating urban heat. Depave projects around the country have made major inroads in this regard, and perhaps focusing on lower income neighborhoods could have an additional impact.
In all, reducing the urban heat island effect gives us one more incentive to restore ecosystems, plant trees, and protect our natural areas. Perhaps years from now, when you look at the thermometer outside your house, it may more accurately reflect the temperature across our city.
Back in 2014 I had just graduated from my environmental science degree and was eager to start a career in the environmental sector. I had more ideas than time back then, which is obvious from the notes that I was keeping. Fast forward to 2020, I had just completed my masters in sustainability studies, am looking for work, and there is a province wide lockdown. Despite languishing for most of the year, I figured with the time that the lockdown afforded me, I could try to create something epic. I dusted off my old notebooks, and decided this project was worth my time.
It has become increasingly clear that conservation is no longer enough when it comes to our current biodiversity crisis. We need active environmental restoration to solve the problems we are facing as a society. I wanted to create a tool that could scale to produce results for huge environmental restoration projects and be accessible for people and organizations for a reasonable cost.
For the past 4 months I’ve put in hundreds of hours to produce the Aspen. Its a fully autonomous drone capable of quickly broadcasting seed across large areas. The broadcasting wheel is interchangeable allowing users to spread up to 2.5kg of various seed types including treated tree seed, tallgrass, wildflower, clover and anything else you can imagine! (Edit: The Hopper in the video is a small one for testing) The drone is controlled by a base station that uploads a flight plan to the drone. Once the drone is ready, it takes off and completes the flight plan fully autonomously, spreading seed as it goes. The base station is capable of controlling multiple drones simultaneously, opening up possibilities for multiple drones to work in tandem to cover a huge area for restoration projects.
Broadcasting seed is never going to replace planting trees directly, but there are several methods for treating seed to increase their success rate that I have been researching. The University of Alberta has created an interesting seed coating that seems to increase the success rate of tree seeds to as high as 70%. This is definitely something that I would like to experiment with, as it may also assist with even broadcasting of the seed.
There’s still testing to carry out, and some refining to complete the design, but it is a working prototype ready to be put to the test. Please watch the video and let me know what you think! If you or your organization would like to work together to test the drone out on your project or a portion of your project, please let me know and I’m sure we can come up with an arrangement!
Also, if you or your organization are looking for a talented employee capable of making huge projects like this a reality, please reach out and lets have a conversation!
Bonus FAQ: I don’t understand, but several people have all asked “how high does it go?” Lets just say, I’m not going to test it out, but in theory it could ascend at 2m/s for 20 minutes. That works out to about 2.4km in altitude. At that point it would crash to the ground, probably never to be seen again.
