Ontario Nature

10/06/2026

Ontario’s municipal elections are a critical moment for communities across the province to secure local leadership that will stand up to protect the local wetlands and other natural areas that sustain them. And voting day is only four weeks away.



Until then, there are plenty of ways you can help make wetland protections or other nature priorities a defining issue in your community while preparing to make an informed vote on October 26.

Find more resources on how to get involved here:
https://ontarionature.org/ontario-municipal-elections-2026/

10/02/2026

Ontario Nature hosted an event at Cawthra Mulock Nature Reserve on September 18th. Employees from Nature's Way Canada came out to remove invasive European buckthorn from our nature reserve.

Invasive buckthorn is a non-native shrub that grows rapidly into dense thickets if left unmanaged. It outcompetes native species due to its rapid growth and longer growing season, thereby reducing biodiversity and degrading the quality of wildlife habitat.

The best way to remove this plant is to pull it out by its root. It is important to get the root system when pulling these plants as they can easily regrow if root matter is left and exposed to sunlight. The volunteers worked hard to remove buckthorn along the edges of our trail, a corridor for invasive species to enter ecosystems, preventing their spread into the mature forests at our nature reserve.

Find out more about European buckthorn through the Invasive Species Centre. To learn more about events happening on our nature reserves and where you can get involved, visit our events calendar.

https://ontarionature.org/events-calendar/

This project was made possible by the .

09/29/2026

As Ontario’s 2026 municipal elections draw closer, you can help make wetlands a defining issue in your local election.

Wetlands shield our communities from flooding, clean our drinking water, and sustain a stunning diversity of wildlife. One study estimates that protecting natural wetlands can cut flood damage by 29 to 38 percent in southern Ontario. And wetlands don’t just protect humans: they are also home to countless beloved plants, animals and other species, including many species at risk.

Learn more about these priceless ecosystems and how you can help secure local elected officials that are willing to protect them here:

https://ontarionature.org/2026-municipal-elections/

09/27/2026

This is historic.
Garden River First Nation, Central Algoma Land Trust and Ontario Nature are partnering to protect nearly 1,000 acres of culturally and ecologically significant land at Echo Lake, establishing the region's first Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area. The property will be known as the Paswe Protected Area (formerly referred to as Echo Lake Wilderness Property) and is located near the northeast end of Echo Lake in Kehoe Township.

In addition to landscape-level environmental protection, this initiative represents a meaningful, tangible step toward reclaiming history and restoring territory. The property was historically part of the GRFN reserve before colonial-era government reductions shrunk its original boundaries.

Under the joint stewardship framework, GRFN’s Guardian Unit will lead on-the-ground management, including ecological monitoring, species at risk surveys, trail maintenance, and facilitating community-led ceremonies and traditional harvesting. A partnership agreement has been reached whereby CALT will hold legal title for an initial period of five years, after which the parties intend to transfer administrative ownership permanently to Garden River First Nation.

This project offers an opportunity for cultural revitalization and environmental reconciliation.

Ecologically, the property provides confirmed or potential habitat for many species at risk. Documented at-risk fauna include Lake Sturgeon, Peregrine Falcon, Canada Warbler, and Wood Thrush. The land also protects Black Ash stands, a critical cultural keystone tree species. Even prior to a formal comprehensive inventory, over 400 diverse species of wildlife have already been documented on site.

Ontario Nature is asking you to help us protect Paswe Protected Area forever. Be part of this historical movement to protect bio cultural corridors.

To donate, click here:
https://shorturl.at/jbchw

09/24/2026

It's National Forest Week and we're spotlighting black ash, a keystone species in Ontario wetlands. Black ash trees grow well in moist areas such as swamps, fens, edges of streams and shorelines where other trees struggle to take root. Black ash supports diversity of plant and animal life, improves wetland health and helps stabilize the soil it grows in. The loss of this tree species would increase erosion, impact overall wetland health and diversity which in turn would affect other wetland dependent species. Black ash is also a significant cultural tree for many Indigenous groups. Due to its strength and flexibility, it has been used for a range of purposes including basket weaving.

Unfortunately, ash species including black ash have been severely impacted by the emerald ash borer (EAB), an invasive insect that has caused this tree to become an endangered species. Of all our native ash trees, black ash is particularly at risk from the borer due to its specialized habitat. Here in Ontario, we have 25% of the remaining black ash population with 50% of the population being in Canada.

Ontario Nature is searching for lingering black ash, which are described as healthy black ash trees with trunks that are at least 10 cm in diameter. Lingering black ash trees must be in an area where EAB has been found and done significant damage to other ash trees. These trees that are still surviving may host resistance to the borer, the hope is to gather materials such as seeds from these resistant trees and improve the survival of this species.

Do you have any healthy black ash? Learn more about how you can contribute to this species survival through the Forest Gene Conservation Association's black ask recovery project here:

https://fgca.net/species-conservation/trees-in-trouble/black-ash-conservation/

09/17/2026

In case you missed it! The Canadian Press highlighted our Together for Nature Tour (happening tonight and tomorrow) in an article about First Nations youth who are speaking up about the future of Ontario's lands and waters.

As Canadian politicians were pitching their major projects plans to foreign investors at a first-of-its-kind summit in Toronto, First Nations youth in Ottawa were making their own pitch to Canadians to join the fight against them.

Jeronimo and Ramon Kataquapit of Attawapiskat First Nation recently returned from a weeks-long journey along the James Bay coast, where they worked to make their community’s presence on the land and waters visible.

Their message is an important one: these places are more than resources or economic opportunities. They are home.

The Together for Nature Tour, organized by Ontario Nature and Legal Advocates for Nature's Defence, is bringing Jeronimo and Ramon to communities across Ontario to build solidarity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and raise awareness about protecting the lands, waters and wild species we all depend on.

Support their voices and join us tonight in Kitchener and tomorrow in London.

Tickets available here:

https://ontarionature.org/events/together-for-nature-tour/

Together for Nature TourMonarch on cupplant © Diana Troya About Join us this September for an evening show to hear and learn from Indigenous artists, musicians and land protectors inspiring change. The Together for Nature Tour is an opportunity for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples to come toge...

09/17/2026

In case you missed it! The Canadian Press highlighted our Together for Nature Tour (happening tonight and tomorrow) in an article about First Nations youth who are speaking up about the future of Ontario's lands and waters.

As Canadian politicians were pitching their major projects plans to foreign investors at a first-of-its-kind summit in Toronto, First Nations youth in Ottawa were making their own pitch to Canadians to join the fight against them.

Jeronimo and Ramon Kataquapit of Attawapiskat First Nation recently returned from a weeks-long journey along the James Bay coast, where they worked to make their community’s presence on the land and waters visible.

Their message is an important one: these places are more than resources or economic opportunities. They are home.

The Together for Nature Tour, organized by Ontario Nature and Legal Advocates for Nature's Defence, is bringing Jeronimo and Ramon to communities across Ontario to build solidarity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and raise awareness about protecting the lands, waters and wild species we all depend on.

Support their voices and join us tonight in Kitchener and tomorrow in London.

Tickets available here:

https://ontarionature.org/events/together-for-nature-tour/

Read the full story here:

https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/first-nations-youth-continue-fight-over-carneys-major-projects-agenda-summit/article_14d2df9e-3dd4-5ea2-8db4-8aed4683826d.html

09/16/2026

Together, we made a difference. 💚
We’re incredibly grateful to our members, supporters and Nature Network groups for standing up for nature with us.
Thank you. Your support helps safeguard wild species, protect wild spaces and advocate for conservation in communities across Ontario. Together, we’re protecting the habitats, wildlife and ecosystems we all depend on for future generations.

You can read our 2025 Gratitude Report here:
https://catalog.ontarionature.org/gratitude-report/page/1

And please consider subscribing to our newsletter to stay up to date on what we’re accomplishing across Ontario to protect the wild species and wild spaces we love here:
https://ontarionature.org/subscribe/

Thank you for being part of this important work.

09/14/2026

Ontario Nature hosted a wildflower walk at Petrel Point Nature Reserve this past weekend.

The walk was led by Clare Mitchell, a retired geography and environmental management professor at the University of Waterloo and one of the official stewards of Petrel Point Nature Reserve.
11 attendees learned about the impressive diversity of plants including carnivorous plants and orchids found on the nature reserve. From the boardwalk that crosses through a fen, participants observed over 20 wildflowers including; Sphinx ladies’ tresses, Lesser fringed gentian, Fen grass-of-Parnassus, and Sneezeweed. Another highlight was seeing the carnivorous species that are indicative of a fen habitat; Northern pitcher plant and three species of Sundew; slender leaf, round-leaved and spoon-leaved sundew.

Thank you to Clare for passing on all her knowledge and to the community members that came out to enjoy a beautiful walk along the boardwalk!

To learn more about events happening on our Nature Reserves and where you can get involved, visit our events calendar

https://ontarionature.org/events-calendar/

This event was made possible thanks to funding from the Community Foundation Grey Bruce.

09/10/2026

In case you missed it...A huge win for nature in Ontario!

At a time when political attention is increasingly focused on development and expensive billboard statements, Ontario Nature is doing the actual work to protect the lands and waters, often with limited resources.

The Pointer's highlighted Ontario Nature's latest land acquisition that permanently protects 17.97 acres in the Frontenac Arch, adding to the 662 acres protected around our Lost Bay Nature Reserve and safeguarding habitat for species at risk and other rare species.

While nature is facing a challenging political climate, this is what progress looks like: protecting our lands and waters and making sure nature is here for the future.

Check out the full story at The Pointer and read our media release here:

https://ontarionature.org/news-release/ontario-nature-expands-its-lost-bay-nature-reserve-to-protect-wetlands-and-forests/