Ontario Nature Blog
Receive email alerts about breaking conservation
and environmental news.
© Lora Denis
May 7, 2026–Teagan Netten
Community Science•Environmental Education•How To•Reptiles and Amphibians•Stewardship and restoration
Following the successful ten-year run of the Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas, Ontario Nature developed a Long-Term Monitoring Protocol (LTMP) to fill important knowledge gaps about Ontario’s common and at-risk snakes. Since 2019, we’ve expanded the LTMP from nine monitoring locations to over 60 sites across the province! We recently published a Story Map where ...
March 5, 2026–Allanah Vokes
Community Science•Habitat•Nature Reserves•Pollinators•Wild Species
Volunteer team at moth sheet, Sydenham River Nature Reserve © Allanah Vokes
“How about doing a moth survey at Sydenham?” “A moss survey?” Asked Roberta Buchanan, local property steward for Sydenham River Nature Reserve, who didn’t quite hear me while we were walking outside. “No, moths. Like a nocturnal equivalent to the butterfly survey. Who knows what we’ll find?” It was 2023. I knew how unique the ...
Youth Council Herp Hike, High Park © Rajinstan Kamalraj
When I told my parents that my brother and I would be out on a weekend to go to a snake event, they were more than skeptical. Like more than half the world’s population, they’re not particularly comfortable at the thought of being in snake habitat. Snakes are one of the most misunderstood and feared ...
Northern goshawk © Dona Hilkey
Square bashes are an enjoyable way for birders with any level of experience to contribute to the third Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas (“Atlas-3” for short). As 2025 is the final year of the community science project, this year’s events are your last chance to join in the fun and help make the Atlas the best ...
Participants learning to safely handle an eastern gartersnake © Tabris Cao
In June 2024, Ontario Nature joined Field Research in Evolution and Ecology Diversified (FREED) for an immersive five-day event at Queen’s University Biological Station. FREED events provide university students from underrepresented backgrounds in conservation with hands-on field experiences and an opportunity to connect with peers and mentors in their field of study. Teagan and Justine, ...
Laurel Creek Conservation Area © Carl Hiebert / Grand River Conservation Authority