Ontario Nature Blog

Some residents of forestry-dependent communities and their elected municipal officials have expressed considerable opposition to caribou recovery planning, as they fear it will result in significant job losses or mill closures and a reduction in the industrial tax base. However, much of the planned wood supply in forest management units (FMUs) that significantly overlap boreal ...

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On October 31, 2017, Environment Canada released its long-awaited report summarizing the implementation progress of federal recovery strategy for boreal caribou. In 2012, provinces and territories were given five years to develop and finalize plans to effectively protect critical caribou habitat. Not a single province met the deadline.

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“Eco terrorist.” “Environmental extremist.” “Latte-sucking, SUV-driving, Toronto tree-hugger.” My colleagues and I have been called many names for advocating for the conservation of caribou. When you live in part of Ontario’s remaining logging empire, as I do, talking about protecting caribou habitat can be like kicking a hornet’s nest.

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I’ve always been enchanted by forests: the delicate understory flowers, the smell of decomposing wood, the sound of leaves blowing in the wind—it’s magical! As a child I spent hours running in the woods –naming my favourite trees and befriending squirrels and chipmunks. After studying forest conservation, my passion has become an academic interest. Here ...

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Most of us have experienced forest foods, whether we’ve collected fiddleheads or picked wild raspberries as a trailside snack. Ontario Nature’s recent “Foraging Week” events in Thunder Bay expanded on these experiences, showing participants how easy it is to find and use wild foods from our northern forests. As one Indigenous blueberry picker told us, ...

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