The Friends Of Ojibway Prairie

06/14/2026

National Urban Park Petition Update

This week, Minister Dabrusin provided a response to the petition tabled in April by Harb Gill MP on behalf of our community in support of Ojibway National Urban Park and the National Urban Parks program across Canada.

A big thank‑you to our volunteers and our friends at Local 444 Environment Committee , Essex County Nature, Windsor of Change and Pelee Island Butterfly Sanctuary and Teaching Garden for helping collect signatures and build momentum.

We appreciate Minister Dabrusin’s response and will continue working with our National Urban Parks Alliance partners in Halifax and Saskatoon to advance a strong national framework that:

✅ Prioritizes ecological integrity through both policy and legislative tools
✅ Establishes and expands ecologically grounded boundaries for thriving ecosystems
✅ Supports Indigenous partnerships
✅ Ensures community engagement in governance

You can read the Minister’s full response here:
https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=451-00900

Swale Watchers
Friends of Blue Mountain - Birch Cove Lakes
Wildlands League
Ontario Nature
Nature Canada
CPAWS · SNAP Canada

06/12/2026

The Ontario Tree Pageant is back for its third year!!

Do you have a favorite tree that holds a special place in your heart? Consider nominating it to be recognized as Ontario’s Tree of the year. To enter, simply email a high-quality photo to [email protected].

Include your name, the tree species (if you know it), the address or
location of the tree and up to 30 words describing why it deserves to be named the best tree in Ontario.

Nominations are due by August 3, 2026. The winning trees will be announced in September, with a celebration to be held before the end of the month. Everyone who enters will considered for one of three prizes. Judging will take place by an expert panel.

More information can be found in the graphics below or visit https://treetrust.ca/

06/12/2026

The Ojibway Pride Birding Walk is taking place this Saturday, June 13 @8:30am.

Happy Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈

Who Should Come? As a cooperative effort of OFO and the ECFNC, we invite all who are interested in the outing and encourage newer or first-time birders to come along. Creating a respectful, welcoming and accessible environment is our first priority as we enjoy observing the breeding birds of Ojibway and environs.

ECFNC Members do not need to register for this event, it is open to everyone so please bring your fiends!

06/07/2026

National Urban Park News from across Canada!

Congratulations to our friends at Swale Watchers and to Kevin Waugh, MP (Saskatoon South), for tabling their petition in support of Meewasin’s proposed National Urban Park in Saskatoon - and for advancing the broader National Urban Parks program.

Across Canada, communities share a clear vision for a National Urban Parks program that:

- prioritizes ecological integrity through both policy and legislative tools
- establishes well‑defined ecological boundaries
- Supports Indigenous partnerships
-and ensures strong community engagement through consultation and governance frameworks.

We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Saskatoon as part of the growing National Urban Parks Alliance, and we eagerly await the Minister’s response to their petition this Fall.

Read the full petition here:
https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=451-01019

Harb Gill MP
Wildlands League
Nature Canada
Ontario Nature
CPAWS · SNAP Canada
Friends of Blue Mountain - Birch Cove Lakes

06/04/2026

ICYMI: Earlier this spring, Harb Gill MP presented our community’s petition for a strong National Urban Park framework here in Windsor and across Canada to the House of Commons! 🏛️

We’re so grateful to everyone who has signed the petition as we continue to advocate for a park framework that:

✅ Prioritizes ecological integrity
✅ Expands boundaries for thriving ecosystems
✅ Supports Indigenous partnerships
✅ Ensures community engagement in governance

We continue to stand with our friends in Halifax and Saskatoon. 🇨🇦 Every candidate site is unique, and each community deserves a gold standard of protection for these urban gems.

Stay tuned as we await a formal response from the Minister next week!

You can read the full petition at: https://shorturl.at/AwLS1

Swale Watchers Wild About Saskatoon Friends of Blue Mountain - Birch Cove Lakes Nature Canada Wildlands League Ontario Nature Essex County Nature Local 444 Environment Committee

05/27/2026

FOOP was honoured to welcome our friends from Friends of Blue Mountain - Birch Cove Lakes in Halifax for a walk through the Ojibway Prairie Complex earlier this week. As two community groups working within the National Urban Parks Program, it was a valuable opportunity to share perspectives on protecting urban nature across Canada.

We were also pleased to be joined by Parks Canada and City of Windsor staff, who helped highlight the ecological significance of our natural areas and the importance of collaborative stewardship to ensure they are protected for future generations.


Wildlands League
Ontario Nature
Nature Canada

05/23/2026

It is wonderful to see the birds returning, while others are just passing through. 🦅

Thanks to Pelee Island Bird Observatory for their contined efforts to observe and gather vital information about our bird populations. 🍃

05/18/2026

A recent LaSalle Post story featured a walk through Ojibway Prairie and we were glad to guide the writer through this incredible ecosystem.

Sharing the land, its species, and its stories is at the heart of what we do. We hope you’ll spend time on the trails this season and experience the prairie’s beauty firsthand.


The Lasalle Post Town of LaSalle