Ontario Nature Blog
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© Lora Denis
September 24, 2021–Guest blogger
Habitat•Protected Places•Stewardship and restoration•Wild Species
Lake and forest near Catchacoma © AFER
Driving along a rural road in central Ontario, it’s easy to feel immersed in the forests of the Canadian Shield. Surrounded by tall pines, one could forget that you’re on a road, built by humans to get between destinations, winding and connecting our towns across the landscape. Roads are incredibly useful, but as industrial activities ...
This blog is the first in our a series about nature-based solutions to climate change. Canada is warming twice as fast as the global rate, causing profound changes to our climate, health and biodiversity. Climate change is imperiling water, food, biodiversity and the natural systems that we rely on. Part II: The Case for Nature-based Solutions to ...
Monoculture lawns of green are simple, non-supportive ecosystems. © Maya Davidson
How do you picture the perfect lawn? For most, an image of a well-manicured, freshly mowed yard comes to mind. With hot weather approaching, many Ontarians are starting to wake up to the sound of the neighbors’ mower and sprinkler systems. However, while lawns can be visually attractive, they are monoculture ecosystems that rarely support ...
June 4, 2021–Smera Sukumar (On maternity leave)
Nature Reserves•Protected Places•Stewardship and restoration
Grey-headed cone flowers, Sydenham River Nature Reserve © Ryan Wolfe
Breaking news: all 26 Ontario Nature nature reserves are now included in the Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database! We are proud to announce that our properties totaling 3,117 hectares (7,702 acres) now count towards the 10.9% of Ontario that is recognized as being protected. These natural areas were established to protect significant biodiverse spots ...
February 24, 2021–Anne Bell
Indigenous Relations•Land-use planning•Stewardship and restoration•Water•Wetlands
Lake Simcoe © Nico CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
The Lake Simcoe Protection Plan is now up for its required 10-year review. The question is whether the provincial government will take this opportunity to strengthen or weaken the plan – or do anything at all. The Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks has not revealed its intentions. Rather than proposing specific amendments for consideration, ...
Laurel Creek Conservation Area © Carl Hiebert / Grand River Conservation Authority