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© Lora Denis
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 ...
Southern Ontario wetland © Sean Marshall CC BY NC 2.0
Today is World Wetlands Day – celebrated around the globe each year to raise awareness about the importance of wetlands. It is a perfect day to consider the storm that is brewing over wetlands in Niagara. Wetlands provide critical habitat for wild plants and animals, including more than 20 percent of Ontario’s species at risk. ...
Laurel Creek Conservation Area © Carl Hiebert / Grand River Conservation Authority