© Lora Denis
North Gwillimbury wetland © Tim Hagen
It seems like wetlands still can’t get any respect from many municipal politicians in Southern Ontario. A case in point: The Town of Georgina in York Region is bending over backward to ensure 30-year-old development approvals for a mobile home park that would destroy a provincially significant wetland are not extinguished.
September 2, 2016–Smera Sukumar (On maternity leave)
Fen at H.N. Crossley Nature Reserve © Smera Sukumar
The perk of being in conservation is the amount of time I spend outdoors. I had the pleasure of visiting 15 of Ontario Nature’s 26 nature reserves this summer. These pockets of wilderness across Ontario are special habitats that we manage and protect. Conservation staff hosted 12 events on our nature reserves, reaching over 300 ...
April 21, 2016–Smera Sukumar (On maternity leave)
Community Science•Nature Reserves•Reptiles and Amphibians•Wetlands
Red-backed salamander © Joe Crowley
After a warm winter and chilly start to spring, I joined my Ontario Nature co-workers at Altberg Wildlife Sanctuary Nature Reserve for a good old-fashioned salamander sleuthing event, our first of the season. The Altberg reserve is a tranquil property that has great trails and several vernal pools that are home to a variety of ...
Vernal pool, Altberg Nature Reserve © Noah Cole
What better day to celebrate vernal pools than March 21st – the International Day of Forests. Vernal pools are those temporary spring flooded areas in your forests. They are known by many names – ephemeral pools, intermittent wetlands, spring wetlands – but whatever you do, don’t call them a puddle!
Cook’s Bay, Simcoe County © Joe Mabel
The momentum that’s building around growing the Greenbelt (#GrowOurGB) couldn’t come at a better time. The provincial government is currently discussing where and by how much our Greenbelt will grow. Last week, I attended a meeting in Barrie where 150+ people had gathered to discuss Greenbelt growth in Simcoe County. The event, Bluebelt/Greenbelt: Simcoe’s Watershed ...
Laurel Creek Conservation Area © Carl Hiebert / Grand River Conservation Authority