Thames Talbot Land Trust

08/19/2026

Last Saturday’s annual Happy Habitats Festival was a blast! We hope that everyone who came out had just as much fun as we did during the afternoon full of outdoor learning and fun!

Saturday’s festival featured a brilliant presentation by followed by some interactive learning with some of the reptiles they brought!

Our baby turtle booth was also a massive hit, featuring the baby painted and snapping turtles we’ve rescued through our partnership with . Guests who stayed until the very end even got to be a part of releasing those hatchlings into the wild!

Thank you to everyone who came! Colton Kaufman, thank you for your help with photography! And a big thank you to our sponsors for this event, and , your contributions help us bring joy and nature education to a lot of people!

08/13/2026

Last fall, TTLT renamed a nature reserve (previously known as Lakeview Wetlands) as a tribute to the late Jane Bowles, a beloved botanist, photographer, mentor, and friend who played an integral role in Thames Talbot Land Trust’s early years.

Jane was a founding member of TTLT and held the position of Chair of the Property Management Committee for many years. Her commitment continued with the Jane Bowles Fund, which ensured that a paid Conservation Property Manager position was established at TTLT. Jane's unwavering dedication to protecting nature helped propel TTLT to where we are today, and this passion remains at the core of everything we do.

In July, our stewardship team worked hard to install this brand new sign to mark the site's new name and significance. The Jane Bowles Ecological Reserve is part of the Elgin-Kent shoreline Area of Natural and Scientific Interest and the Southwest Elgin Forest Complex Important Bird Area. It contains beautiful Carolinian forest, swamp, and shoreline bluffs that are home to a variety of native species.

We’re elated to honour Jane with this site full of botanical wonders, which will carry on her legacy for many generations to come.

08/11/2026

Our stewardship team had a great turnout at our purple loosestrife removal event at Newport Forest a few weeks ago. Thanks to our hard-working volunteers, we removed 22 garbage bags of flower heads!

Purple loosestrife is a persistent invasive species in Ontario that spreads mainly through seeds. By cutting off the flower heads before they go to seed, we keep the plant from spreading further into the surrounding habitat.

We've been hosting these removal events for years, and it's been incredible to see the impact on the local environment.

As always, check out our website for upcoming events and volunteer opportunities!

08/10/2026

TTLT was delighted to host our annual Volunteer Appreciation event on July 24th!

We extended a special thanks to three of our volunteers who have encapsulated the values of TTLT over the last year. Julianna, Leslie, and Laura have all made a remarkable difference with their support, enthusiasm, and commitment to nature.

Thank you to everyone who came out, and to the volunteers who couldn't join us this year, you were missed! It’s always a pleasure to see the faces of everyone who has contributed their precious time and work to TTLT’s mission of protecting, restoring, and nurturing nature. Our volunteers are always willing to go above and beyond for us, and we cannot thank them enough!

We also appreciate all of you coming out to say farewell to Avery, who is moving on from her position as Volunteer Coordinator to pursue her dream of ecological farming at Old River Farm!

This year has been eventful in the life of TTLT, and every bit of progress we’ve made has been made possible by our volunteers.

Thank you to Prime Pizza -London and Domino’s Pizza London for providing us with pizza and other lovely snacks for this event!

Thank you as well to Heeman's, Grand Theatre, Kustermans Adventure Farms, and Fanshawe Pioneer Village for donating door prizes for our volunteers to enjoy! Your generosity is much appreciated!

08/06/2026

On July 25, beloved TTLT staff member and plant nerd Payton Landsborough led a group of nature lovers on a guided exploration through the beautiful meadow at Deer Haven. Participants had the opportunity to learn about native wildflowers, meadow ecology, and all of the creatures that benefit from meadows, all while enjoying the warm summer sunshine!

Among the many wildflowers spotted were Yarrow, Virginia Mountain Mint, and Golden Creeper, which are featured in these pictures! Can you tell which is which? And do you know which one is not native to Ontario?

Thank you so much to Payton, who is always ready to help people learn about the native plants around them, and to our volunteers for this event, who we can always depend on to lend a hand.

Thank you as well to our Passport to Nature sponsors, who help us provide these fun, free nature events year-round. Remember to shop local!

City of Woodstock, Ontario Jon Williams, Williams Financial Group, Manulife Wealth Inc. Tourism London, Ontario Upper Thames River Conservation Authority Tourism Oxford Quiet Legacy Planning Group Ltd Mainstreet Credit Union Canada MEC Oakview Appraisals The Bitter Herb Health Food Store Niccoluci Dentistry No Frills

08/01/2026

Can you believe that it’s August already? We sure can’t! Time flies when you’re having fun, and there’s plenty more fun right around the corner with our August events!

Whether you’re in the mood to relax and enjoy some nature-inspired poetry and music, or if you want to hang out with some incredible reptiles, you’re welcome to join us in appreciating the wonders of local nature. And if you’ve been looking to volunteer and make a difference in your community? We have that too!

Even if you can’t make it to any of our events, you can help to keep nature nearby from afar and explore the many ways to contribute to a greener future at TTLT.ca/donate_today.

Check out this month’s events or register to volunteer through the link in our bio!

07/30/2026

Did you know that, in Ontario, the vast majority of turtle eggs and hatchlings do not survive into adulthood?

Throughout June, we've been working around the clock to protect native turtles across Southwestern Ontario in partnership with the Southern Ontario At Risk Reptiles - SOARR lab! Though it may just look like we’re digging little holes in the ground, we’ve actually been reporting, locating, and extracting at-risk turtle nests in order to protect them from the many dangers they face while incubating, hatching, and traveling to their habitats.

Over the past few months, TTLT volunteers and staff have collected 38 nests and 751 eggs, which are being kept safe and sound as they incubate. Keep an eye out for updates over the next few weeks as hatchlings emerge and are released back into their native environments!

As always, thank you to our fantastic volunteers and to SOARR for working hard to protect and restore nature across Ontario.

07/27/2026

We’re so excited to be part of this thrilling event! 🔥💚

The very first Talon Trail Races will take place October 3rd, 2026, and part of the route makes its way through our beloved nature reserve, Joany’s Woods!

All details can be found at the registration page linked below.

We’re excited to announce the official launch for the Talon Trail Races!

This isn’t your average race day. It’s a chance to trade pavement for winding singletrack, challenge yourself on some incredible local trails, and experience the best of trail running alongside an amazing community.

Taking place on the beautiful trails in North Middlesex and featuring four distance options ranging from 3.3km-26km, we have a route perfect for any experience level!

Every registration helps support the Thames Talbot Land Trust and Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority, who are both working diligently to help protect the stunning southwestern Ontario landscape you’ll experience on race day.

In typical BackRoads fashion, we’ll keep the party going post-race with a local food vendor and the BackRoads Beverage garden, serving your favourite drinks to celebrate the day’s accomplishments.

Register now: https://raceroster.com/events/2026/119392/the-talon-trail-race

BackRoads Brews + Shoes
HOKA
Ausable Bayfield Conservation
Thames Talbot Land Trust

07/22/2026

Help us run a fun-filled day of learning, activities, and celebrating local nature! 🌲

Happy Habitats is a free, family-friendly festival that connects our community to the wildlife and land that surrounds us. There are many hands needed to make this festival a successful day, including set-up & take-down support, photography, and activity support.

This is the perfect opportunity for nature enthusiast wanting to share their appreciation for the creatures and land they love, or any student or community member who likes the outdoors and wants to get involved in their community. We'd love to have your support!

🔗Sign up to volunteer at the link in our bio.

07/21/2026

Join us on Saturday, August 8th for a relaxing afternoon of spoken poetry and improvised music performed by some very talented local artists!

London-based poet, Penn Kemp, will be presenting her ecological poetry dedicated to the Thames River, with improvised musical accompaniment provided by Ann Denny. This Passport to Nature event will take place at Westminster Ponds Centre (944 Western Counties Rd, London, ON) from 2 PM to 3 PM.

Don’t miss out on this beautiful intersection of nature and art! Register through the link in our bio.