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© Lora Denis
June 4, 2021–Smera Sukumar
Nature Reserves•Ontario Nature•Protected Places•Stewardship and restoration
Grey-headed cone flowers, Sydenham River Nature Reserve © Ryan Wolfe
Breaking news: all 26 Ontario Nature nature reserves are now included in the Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database! We are proud to announce that our properties totaling 3,117 hectares (7,702 acres) now count towards the 10.7% of Ontario that is recognized as being protected. These natural areas were established to protect significant biodiverse spots ...
Oftentimes when we talk about species at risk, we think about mammals, birds or reptiles and we forget about the many plants that are at risk in our province. That’s why we’re dedicating this week’s blog to learning more about plants at risk in Ontario. Blue Ash Have you heard of the emerald ash borer? ...
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas (ORAA) at Ontario Nature. The ORAA has been a successful and influential citizen science project engaging thousands of participants across the province over the past decade. During this time, we have collected over 400,000 expert-vetted observations. These observations have impacted policy decisions and on-the-ground conservation across ...
Baptist Harbour shoreline © Smera Sukumar
On a pleasantly windy day on the north Bruce Peninsula, volunteers and conservation staff gathered at our Baptist Harbour Nature Reserve to clean up the shoreline. With water lapping at the dolostone, shorebirds flying overhead and the orange cedars surrounding us, we explored the property in search of washed up garbage and evidence of dumping. ...
Fen at H.N. Crossley Nature Reserve © Smera Sukumar
The perk of being in conservation is the amount of time I spend outdoors. I had the pleasure of visiting 15 of Ontario Nature’s 26 nature reserves this summer. These pockets of wilderness across Ontario are special habitats that we manage and protect. Conservation staff hosted 12 events on our nature reserves, reaching over 300 ...