A Weekend in the County with Ontario Nature

Winter is slowly melting, making way for the arrival of spring and new wonders to explore. Soon our favourite natural areas will be graced with migrating birds, butterflies and the first green shoots, assuring us that spring is on its way.

Spring may only just be arriving, but longer days and the promise of warmer temperatures have me already dreaming of summer vacation. Before you book your next trip, consider joining us from June 1^st – 3^rd for A Weekend in the County, Ontario Nature’s 87th Annual Gathering.

This year we are excited to be hosting our Annual Gathering on the beautiful shores of Prince Edward County at Isaiah Tubbs Resort and Conference Centre. Just two and half hours from both Ottawa and Toronto, Prince Edward County is a haven for nature enthusiasts.

Cape May warbler © John MacDonald CC BY-NC 2.0

The County is renowned as a birding hotspot and has numerous natural areas including coastal wetlands, alvars and dunes which are home to numerous rare and at-risk species like the sunny-throated Blanding’s turtle. Its wild south shore and offshore waters are a designated Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA).

Our Annual Gathering is a weekend-long event celebrating nature conservation in the province. Through a variety of expert-led workshops and field trips, you will have the opportunity to explore the diverse habitats of Prince Edward County – dunes, marshes, alvars, wetlands and more.

Some of the other features of the weekend include:

• Thought-provoking keynote speakers;
• Celebrate our shared conservation successes and discuss the vision for the year ahead at Ontario Nature’s 87^th Annual General Meeting;
• Recognize achievements of conservation heroes at the Conservation Awards ceremony; and
• Chat with fellow nature lovers at the wine and cheese reception.

We hope you’ll include our Annual Gathering in your plans this summer to celebrate another year of conservation. It’s the perfect chance to connect with fellow nature enthusiasts and to fall in love with the charm of Prince Edward County.

Prince Edward County farm © Ping Ye

Be sure to register soon before all of the spots fill up! Registration closes on April 17^th. Don’t fret if you can’t come for the entire weekend. There are many options for you to choose from if you would like to participate in select activities.

For more details and to register, please visit ontarionature.org/annualgathering.

If you have any questions please contact me at jaklynn@ontarionature.org or 1-800-440-2366 ext. 271.

Jaklynn Nimec was Ontario Nature's Communications Coordinator. Jaklynn is a committed Raptors fan and in her spare time can be found shooting hoops or exploring the outdoors.