Frontenac Arch Biosphere

10/28/2026

𝘌𝘈𝘚𝘛𝘌𝘙𝘕 𝘖𝘕𝘛𝘈𝘙𝘐𝘖: 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝘁 𝗦𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘂𝗺 🧂

𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆! Join in online from 1–3:30 p.m. to learn about the impacts of road salt on fresh water, the realities of salt application and management contractors, the push for limited liability in Ontario and Landscape Ontario’s Ice and Snow Management Training program.

Register here: https://tinyurl.com/saltsymposium

Salts and other minerals are tested as part of our community-based science initiative with and funded through the Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative as part of Canada’s Freshwater Action Plan. 💧

UNESCO
Unesco Biodiversity
Canadian Commission for UNESCO / Commission canadienne pour l'UNESCO
Canadian Biosphere Regions Association

10/23/2026

Who is American Eel (Kiawerón:ko in the Kanien'kéha / Mohawk Language)? How do they protect and connect the fresh waters that sustain us with the Atlantic Ocean? What can we do to protect them?

We’re grateful to have been invited by the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne and their partners, including the St. Lawrence River Institute, to take part in the 2026 Kiawerón:ko Twakia’taró:roks (American Eel Gathering) in Cornwall this past summer. It was a deeply moving, informative, and inspiring series of presentations, discussion and ceremony centred on the American eel and the relationships, knowledge, and responsibilities that connect so many communities to this remarkable, globally endangered species.

The American eel (Anguilla rostrata) is a migratory fish with an extraordinary life cycle, travelling thousands of kilometres between freshwater rivers and streams and its spawning grounds in the Sargasso Sea. Since time immemorial, eels have held profound cultural, ecological, and practical importance for Indigenous communities.

American eels are part of one global population and they're currently at less than 1% of their historical population. This is due to barriers to migration like river dams, habitat loss, and changes in water quality.

Here in the FAB Region, the American eel is part of the living network that connects the lakes, rivers, wetlands, and the Kaniatarowanenneh (St. Lawrence River). Their story reminds us that healthy waterways depend on more than what happens at any one location: water quality, habitat connectivity, and the ability of species to move freely through the landscape are all interconnected. 🌊

Nia:wen to Mohawk Council of Akwesasne, Kayla Sunday, Abraham Francis, and all the partners, knowledge holders, and participants who made this gathering so meaningful. We plan to carrying these lessons into our work, especially when bringing people together to observe, understand, and care for the waterways and those who call them home.

Learn more about the American eel from Talking Rivers here: https://talkingrivers.org/eel

Report any eel sightings to St. Lawrence River Institute here: https://riverinstitute.ca/outreach/eel-sightings-program/

Photos of the conference were taken by Stephany Hildebrand

10/21/2026

Get the scoop on fall in the Frontenac Arch 🍂📬

This season's newsletter features updates on:

➡️ Voting for nature
➡️ Registering for YCAS in Kingston
➡️ Subsidized tree planting program
➡️ Wildlife monitoring tips
➡️ Recap on our biggest Trails Fest yet
➡️ Notes from EuroMAB and the Kiaweron:ko Twakia'taro:roks (American Eel Gathering)
➡️ Upcoming fall and winter events in the region ..and more!

Read and subscribe to the newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/fabn/frontenac-arch-biosphere-fall2026-newsletter-14071845?e=9a05d3c832

10/21/2026

The Frontenac Arch intersects the St Lawrence river; the narrow but critical connection between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean 🌊

If you're planning a fall road trip to enjoy the colours and beauty of the Region (or any of the Great Lakes) remember to carpool where possible, adhere to the speed limits, keep your trash with you, and take extra caution on roadways with wildlife crossing signs - especially at dawn or dusk.

https://www.worldatlas.com/places/8-great-road-trips-to-take-in-the-great-lakes.html

FABN is part of the Canada Water Agency's Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative delivering community-based science projects across Canada as part of Canada's Freshwater Action Plan. You can sign up to be a water monitor here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeh6IfEbQ8-fIhDsWBN6FUMsX-1lZYjnGTybRQimjpE87KWdA/viewform

UNESCO
Unesco Biodiversity
Canadian Commission for UNESCO / Commission canadienne pour l'UNESCO
Canadian Biosphere Regions Association
A2A Algonquin to Adirondacks Collaborative
Environment and Natural Resources in Canada
St. Lawrence River Institute
Brockville Tourism
Tourism 1000 Islands

8 Great Road Trips to Take in The Great Lakes follow the water downstream, from Lake Superior's County Road 550 to Ontario's Thousand Islands Parkway.

10/20/2026

Birdability Week starts today! 🐦

As a Unesco Biodiversity-designated Region, the Frontenac Arch is part of a global network that works to strengthen the relationship between people and nature, bringing conservation, learning, and community well-being together. We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to experience, learn from, and care for the natural world — and that protecting our environment goes hand in hand with creating inclusive ways for people to connect with it.

Disability is so much more diverse, varied, and present than most people realize.

Invisible Disabilities Week overlaps with Birdability Week again this year (almost as though we designed it that way, lol), and it feels like a good time to say this plainly:

You cannot tell who is disabled by looking at someone.

Chronic pain. Fatigue. Dizziness. Brain injuries. PTSD. Brain fog. Cognitive disabilities. Mental health disabilities. Hearing and vision disabilities. Energy limiting conditions. These can all shape how someone moves through the world, even when there is no visible sign.

And many people with visible disabilities also live with disabilities or symptoms that other people cannot see.

This is one reason assumptions create so many barriers. None of us should have to prove our disability before our access needs are taken seriously.

Birdability Week is about recognizing the full range of disabled experience and creating more ways for people to participate. Many of our Birdability Week panels uplift the experiences, wisdom, and strategies of birders with invisible disabilities, including the ways they adapt, advocate for access, and make birding work for their bodies and minds.

There is no single right way to bird.

There is no single way to be disabled either.

10/17/2026

10/16/2026

Want to work out your frustrations while doing some local habitat restoration? We've got the volunteer opportunity for you! 🌾

You can make a hands-on difference for nature in the FAB Region by joining our partners at the Parks of the St. Lawrence and Cataraqui Conservation to help remove invasive phragmites along the Thousand Islands Parkway on Tuesday.

Invasive phragmites spreads aggressively, crowding out native plants and reducing biodiversity. Following treatment, volunteers will help cut, collect, and bundle the dead plants for removal as an important step toward healthier habitats for native wildlife.

📅 Tuesday, October 20, 2026
⏰ 9:00 a.m.
📍 Meet at the Thousand Islands National Park parking lot: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Pkrpt5CTcWdtoZRG9

What to bring: Water, a snack, gardening gloves, and waterproof boots. Dress for the weather in long sleeves and long pants.

Whether you're a seasoned conservation volunteer or just looking for a way to give back to the natural places we love, your time can make a difference! 💚

Questions? Contact Sukrit Chopra at [email protected] or Nathan Sterling at [email protected].

Canadian Commission for UNESCO / Commission canadienne pour l'UNESCO
UNESCO
Unesco Biodiversity
Canadian Biosphere Regions Association
Invasive Species Centre
Ontario Invasive Plant Council

10/13/2026

FABN is part of a global network and last month we got to meet our national and international colleagues! 🌎

Our Executive Director, David Schimpky, and Board Chair, Katherine Macklem, represented FABN at EuroMAB (a four-day gathering of UNESCO Biosphere Reserve representatives from across Europe and North America) in September at Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region on Vancouver Island.

The gathering brought together those working to build more sustainable communities, conserve biodiversity, and strengthen connections between people and the places they call home. Through panels, discussions and cultural events, it was an inspiring opportunity to share experiences, learn from one another, and explore how Biosphere Regions/Reserves can work together to meet shared challenges.

As part of the scheduled programming, David moderated a panel on Intercultural Dialogues for Building Inclusive Partnerships: Biosphere Reserves for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, which featured our friends from Georgian Bay Biosphere - GBB. 🐢

And, of course, we brought a little taste of home! 🍁

“What could better represent the Frontenac Arch area than butter tarts? We sourced 180 butter tarts from Willard's Bakery Products/Village Bakery-Deli (Athens), and to our great relief they survived the journey to Vancouver Island. And they were a big hit!” - David. We’re proud to have shared a delicious piece of this region with our fellow Biosphere Reserve representatives and are grateful for the connections and ideas we’re bringing home.

A heartfelt thank you to the Snaw-naw-as and Qualicum First Nations for welcoming us to their unceded Coast Salish territories and grounding our gathering in language, song, teachings, respect and shared learning. 🧡

Unesco Biodiversity
Canadian Commission for UNESCO / Commission canadienne pour l'UNESCO
Canadian Biosphere Regions Association

10/13/2026

🍂 ☀ What are you doing to go beyond Indigenous Peoples’ Day? https://outdoorlearning.com/indigenous-learning/

10/10/2026

Healthy habitats means healthy migrations means healthy communities. 🐦 🌎

Today, October 10, is both fall and making this an opportunity to recognize the connections between healthy ecosystems and human well-being.

Migration is a natural part of life for many species. As birds and other wildlife move between seasonal habitats to find food, reproduce, and survive, their journeys depend on connected, healthy landscapes where they can rest, feed, and safely continue on their way.

The Frontenac Arch Biosphere Region plays a vital role in this connectivity. Located at the meeting point of the Precambrian (Canadian) Shield, Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River, our region provides important habitat and a landscape link for wildlife moving across eastern North America. Protecting these habitats helps support biodiversity and the ecological connections that wildlife depends on.

And connecting with nature benefits people, too! It's well proven and known that spending time outdoors can support mental health, reduce stress, and improve mood. Birding is one accessible way to get started — whether you're identifying species, listening for birdsong, or simply noticing the wildlife around you.

Want to give birding a try? Our friends at the Kingston Field Naturalists (KFN) are hosting their annual Fall Birding Festival today 1-2:30pm Doug Fluhrer Park in Downtown Kingston. It's an opportunity to view ducks in the inner harbour through telescopes; hear birders describe how to identify them; examine the exhibit on bird migration; and look at displays by the KFN, the Kingston Bird Friendly City Committee (DYK City of Kingston - Municipal Government is recognized by Nature Canada as a bird-friendly city?), and Little Forests Kingston. There will be coffee and donuts too! Everyone is welcome.

You can also start planning for Birdability Week (October 19-25), which celebrates accessible birding and works to make birding more welcoming for people of all abilities.

Visit Kingston
UNESCO
Unesco Biodiversity
Canadian Commission for UNESCO / Commission canadienne pour l'UNESCO
Canadian Biosphere Regions Association
Birds Canada
Frontenac Bird Studies