© Lora Denis
July 16, 2021–Margaret Prophet
Ecology•Greenbelt and Greenway•Guest Blogger•Land-use planning•Ontario Nature•Water•Wetlands•Wild Species and Habitat
The former mayor of Toronto, David Crombie, once gave me invaluable insight about how we view nature. He said, “We look at green spaces and nature as places with potential. Potential for housing, potential for strip malls, potential for highways – not as if they already have a purpose. We need to recognize they aren’t ...
Farabout Peninsula © Anne Bell
Across Turtle Island (what is currently known as North America), Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) are rightfully being recognized as a solution to climate change and biodiversity loss, while simultaneously providing a path towards Indigenous Nations having their ancestral responsibilities to the Lands and Waters acknowledged and respected through reinstating their sovereignty and jurisdiction ...
Neyaashiinigmiing Unceded Lands © QuietFyre CC BY 2.0
Land Back refers to the Indigenous-led movement to reclaim stewardship over traditional lands and ecosystems, protecting them for generations to come. For time immemorial, areas primarily governed by Indigenous Peoples have maintained biodiversity despite continuous human population growth. However, Indigenous communities have been dispossessed from ancestral lands since settler contact. The Land Back movement aims ...
June 18, 2021–Vince Nogueira
Climate Change•Conservation News•Indigenous Relations•Ontario Nature
Earl Bales Park © binkwilder CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
A green and just recovery is the solution for a “better-than-normal” time, because getting “back-to-normal” is simply not enough until the COVID-19 pandemic is under control. To achieve a green and just recovery, we must listen to land defenders and climate activists in their ambitions to protect our food, water, and air. We must stand ...
June 18, 2021–Maya Davidson
Ontario Nature•Reduce Your Footprint•Stewardship and restoration
Monoculture lawns of green are simple, non-supportive ecosystems. © Maya Davidson
How do you picture the perfect lawn? For most, an image of a well-manicured, freshly mowed yard comes to mind. With hot weather approaching, many Ontarians are starting to wake up to the sound of the neighbors’ mower and sprinkler systems. However, while lawns can be visually attractive, they are monoculture ecosystems that rarely support ...
Pickering, Ajax © Joe Mabel