Ontario Nature Blog
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© Lora Denis
Malcolm Bluff Shores Nature Reserve © Gabriella Zagorski
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 ...
October 22, 2020–Melina Damian
Greenbelt and Greenway•Habitat•Land-use planning•Ontario Nature•Protected Places
Trinity Bellwoods Park © Amber Dawn Pullin CC BY-ND 2.0
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 ...
Toronto area housing sprawl © Yoko Chiyoko CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
The Government of Ontario is set to amend yet again the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, one of the fastest growing regions in North America and home to more than 55 percent of Ontarians. The government already revised the plan last year. And that was done on the heels of a thorough public ...
Bobolink, Oak Ridges Moraine © Noah Cole
More than 350 species of birds rely on the forests, wetlands, grasslands and farmlands of the Greenbelt during their life cycle. In the not too distant future, however, watching and listening for birds in the region will be a very different experience for the nearly 1 in 5 Ontarians who consider themselves a recreational ‘birder’. Though habitat ...
Oak Ridges Moraine © Jason Kalmbach
Citizens groups across Ontario are up in arms about Bill 66, introduced in the Legislature on December 6th. Here’s what you need to know about this controversial bill: 1. It affects every municipality in Ontario. Bill 66 allows municipalities across the province to create “open-for-business by-laws” that would trump critical legal requirements to protect water, ...
Pickering, Ajax © Joe Mabel