Port Burwell Provincial Park is a hot spot for large raptors.
Two local Osprey (affectionately named Ollie and Oona) fish Big Otter Creek and the shores of Lake Erie, regularly bringing their “catch of the day” back to the park’s radio tower to settle in for some fine dining high above the park.
In February of 2019, local volunteer Cliff Dickinson approached the park about the feasibility of installing an Osprey nesting platform.
How do you fit a whole 682 ha park into a classroom?
Package it up into one of our many hands-on, activity-based school programs!
Located in Oakville, Bronte Creek Provincial Park now offers a suite of in-school programs that complement our in-park education programs. Let our staff take your group on a journey of discovery as you explore topics such as Victorian heritage, species at risk, biodiversity, and much more!
Today’s post comes from Jessica Stillman, School Outreach Coordinator for Bronte Creek Provincial Park.
Bronte Creek Provincial Park is a unique setting, with rich natural and historical features. As the School Outreach Coordinator at the park, I get to connect students to this wonderful site on a daily basis!
Let me tell you a little about myself and the programs we offer:
Today’s post comes from Samantha Stephens, a science and conservation photojournalist who spent this past summer in residence at the Algonquin Wildlife Research Station.
The excitement of discovery is a feeling everyone has experienced. Finding a new favourite hiking spot or adding a “lifer” to your birding list are some familiar examples for nature lovers.
For a naturalist, the most thrilling of discoveries comes from observing well-known species interact in a way that hasn’t been documented before.
That’s what happened to Patrick Moldowan, a PhD student from the University of Toronto who leads a long-term study of spotted salamanders in Algonquin Provincial Park.
Patrick spends his summers living at the Algonquin Wildlife Research Station, documenting various aspects of salamander populations.
And that’s what led him to be a part of discovering that carnivorous plants are eating baby salamanders.
Continue reading Carnivorous Pitcher Plants found at Algonquin
In our “Behind the Scenes” series, Discovery Program staff across the province share a backstage glimpse of their favourite programs and projects. Today’s post comes from Carlin Thompson, Assistant Discovery Leader at Sandbanks Provincial Park.
When summer transitions into fall at Sandbanks Provincial Park, many campgrounds are closed for the season. Park Store and Discovery Centre hours are reduced, and snow fencing is placed along our popular beaches in preparation for whipping winter winds.
This year, as camping visitation waned and summer staff headed back to school, I was preparing to tackle a new challenge for the Discovery Program.
After decades of educating and entertaining campers with summer programs, Sandbanks’ Discovery Program is thrilled to refocus our efforts this fall to become a more active community partner with our local schools.
Today’s blog comes from Nicole Benn and Annalise Twomey, senior park interpreters at Pinery Provincial Park.
Cicadas are singing, Monarchs are migrating, and students and teachers are preparing!
Back to school season is upon us, but returning to class does not mean exploring Ontario Parks is over. We can still build memories in our parks by learning with students of all ages at Pinery Provincial Park.
Today’s post comes from Grace McGarry and Meghan Drake, Discovery Program staff at Neys and Mark Puumala, Resident Geologist at the Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines.
Neys Provincial Park is a special place. It has so many qualities that stand out when compared to other parks.
One of these qualities is the park’s Under the Volcano Trail. This stunning trail is entirely along the coast of Lake Superior.
This trail has some interesting features waiting to be discovered. Let’s take a look at what makes this trail special.
To start, the name says it all. This trail takes you along the route of what was once an active volcano where the coast of Lake Superior is now!
Continue reading Under the Volcano Trail at Neys Provincial Park
In 1944, Algonquin Provincial Park decided to try something new.
They hired Professor J.R. Dymond, Director of the Royal Ontario Museum of Zoology, to deliver guided hikes for park visitors. Those first interpretive programs were a success and what would become the Ontario Parks Discovery Program was born.
More than seventy-five years later, roughly 300 Discovery staff in over 70 parks continue to engage visitors with stories of Ontario’s natural and cultural heritage and encourage them to explore further.
Continue reading The Ontario Parks Discovery Program: 75+ years in the making
In our “Behind the Scenes” series, Discovery Program staff across the province share a “backstage” glimpse of their favourite programs and projects. Today’s post comes from Heather Stern, a Discovery Leader at Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park.
So you think you want to work with the Ontario Parks Discovery Program…
Every spring, while interviewing potential Discovery Program staff, someone inevitably asks, “What can I expect to do in this role?”
This is always a great question, but it can be difficult to answer. Every day will likely look slightly different, and your responsibilities will vary depending on the season.
Continue reading Behind the Scenes: working with the Discovery Program at Samuel de Champlain
Today’s post comes from David Legros, an Algonquin Provincial Park naturalist.
Our parks are way more than just places to hike a trail, lay on the beach or roast a marshmallow.
Don’t get me wrong – they are amazing places to do these things, but there are often deeper stories and meanings to the place we love to visit.
