Ontario Nature Blog
Receive email alerts about breaking conservation
and environmental news.
© Lora Denis
Flooding along the Don Valley Parkway, Toronto © Graeme Bunton CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Countries from around the world are gathering to address the biodiversity and climate crises at separate global conferences in October and November. Beginning October 21 and lasting until November 11, the 2024 United Nations Biodiversity Conference 16th meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity is being held in Cali, ...
Mining tailings, Ontario © Jay Morrison CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
As Canada commits to transitioning away from fossil fuels on the path to achieving net-zero carbon emissions, each province has opted for their own strategies in the name of “green energy”. Ontario’s wealth of so-called critical minerals, which are used in the production of technologies like electric cars, has been touted as the herald of ...
October 10, 2024–Graeme Smith
Conservation News•Environmental Education•Nature Reserves•Stewardship and restoration
Sydenham River Nature Reserve © David Coulson
Maps are a tool used by environmental organizations to tell stories more effectively. They can be used, for example, to visualize data, illustrate environmental issues, reveal trends and monitor environmental injustices. At Ontario Nature, we use maps to track candidate areas for permanent protection, create management plans for our 26 nature reserves, and develop long-term ...
Shrub encroachment on Stone Road Alvar Nature Reserve © Melissa Thomas
Fire is an important and long-used management tool to maintain fire-dependent ecosystems such as alvar, including on Pelee Island. Both naturally occurring (e.g., by lightning strikes) and intentionally set, traditional and prescribed burns have been used to revitalize alvar habitat, keeping it open and free of dense shrubbery, and allowing rare plants and animals to ...
Newly created farmer-led wetland © ALUS
Only 30% of Ontario’s original wetlands remain intact, but many farmers and ranchers are working hard to restore wetland ecosystems on their lands. These farmers recognize that wetlands are good for agriculture. Wetlands reduce soil loss, enhance biodiversity, reduce flood and drought risk and clean the water, which benefits both farms and communities. Here are ...
Laurel Creek Conservation Area © Carl Hiebert / Grand River Conservation Authority