Youth Summit 2016 © Brendan Toews
For Nature Forever Circle
In a recent edition of Walrus magazine, Lewis Rifkind from the Yukon Conservation Society wrote: “You live in suburbia but consider yourself Canadian because of these vast, unspoiled wildernesses. The idea that they exist becomes very important.”
As urban dwellers in Kingston, we love exploring our own nearby natural areas. We also volunteer at a centre that rehabilitates injured and orphaned native Ontario wildlife. In the process of caring for these animals, we have moments of experiencing an unexplainable kinship with them. In these moments, we feel touched by an ancient wordless wisdom. Caring for animals, and nature in general, connect us to something sacred, much larger that our human sphere.
We regret that so many plant and animal species have gone extinct globally within our own short lifetimes. We hope that the generations that follow us will continue to have access to wild places and spaces—and importantly—that they will treasure and respect them.
Susan and Sheila
One of Ontario Nature’s greatest successes is the Nature Guardians program, engaging teenagers and young adults with nature. We are proud to support our youth and ignite their passion in caring for our natural environment.
Remembering Ontario Nature in our Will means that we have contributed to the protection of nature in perpetuity. There is a peace in knowing that we have done what we could so that people’s relationship with the land will not disappear as society becomes increasingly urban.
Youth Summit, 2019 © Noah Cole