Ontario Nature Blog

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 10.9% of Ontario that is recognized as being protected. These natural areas were established to protect significant biodiverse spots ...

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Any birder who’s seen one, will tell you about the excitement of spotting a red-headed woodpecker. With a striking crimson head and a loud, harsh call, this unmistakable woodpecker takes centre stage on the backyard suet or drilling away into a tree. But unfortunately, things are changing quickly for this woodland standout. A May 2021 ...

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Despite the physical barriers presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Youth Circle for Mother Earth (YCME)’s Coordinating Circle continues to engage with one another, learning together about cross-cultural literacy and working to bridge the gap between Western science and Indigenous knowledge systems. For instance, in March we organized a virtual retreat series that replaced the ...

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On April 1st, the Government of Ontario announced it would establish a working group to identify opportunities to protect and conserve more natural areas that would “enhance the province’s natural diversity and provide more recreational opportunities for people to enjoy the outdoors.” This was welcome news for conservation groups like ours. In January, we published ...

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When you think of a bird’s nest, what’s the first image that comes to mind? Probably a bunch of sticks and leaves bundled together – right? Unfortunately, for birds that live in urbanized areas, they often use anthropogenic debris (otherwise known as garbage) to build their nests. This can result in entanglement or ingestion and ...

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