Ontario Nature Blog

My new position with Ontario Nature couldn’t have come at a better time. The opportunity to explore conservation areas, monitor new species and forge new connections has greatly enhanced my appreciation for Ontario’s biodiversity.  Each of Ontario Nature’s twenty-six nature reserves is unique; ranging from old growth forests to bogs to alvars. areas, but they sometimes need active and ongoing ...

Read More

Cabin fever and social distancing measures have caused a higher than usual interest among Ontarians to get back to nature. In a recent survey, more than 3,000 Canadians responded that they have spent more time interacting with nature since the pandemic began. However, sudden floods of crowds in some parks and hotspots have brought concerns ...

Read More

On September 28th, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Canada’s commitment to protect 25 percent of our lands and waters by 2025, and 30 percent by 2030. Here’s why these new targets matter and a look at progress to date:  Marked on the map above are natural areas in Ontario that call out for protection. Click each point on the map to learn more about these ...

Read More

Trees in and around urban areas maintain healthy communities. Trees not only provide the oxygen we breathe, they also play a vital role in climate change mitigation and adaptation, air pollution removal and energy conservation. But what if these benefits were purposely funneled to benefit only some communities? A report from the City of Toronto estimates ...

Read More

The chestnut-sided warbler’s song sounds like he’s “pleased-pleased-pleased-to-meetcha!” – I explained to a group of children at one of Ontario Nature’s many outdoor summer events last year.  While running Ontario Nature’s summer outreach program in Thunder Bay, I saw a gap in children’s knowledge of local species, especially birds. Although I felt heartened at their stories about giant walleye or bears at their camp, I was shocked at how little ...

Read More