This post is written by Dave Sproule, Natural Heritage Education Specialist with Ontario Parks.
If you are looking for a new trail to explore this summer, the Lonesome Bog Trail at Esker Lakes Provincial Park might be just the ticket! This 1.5 km interpretive trail sweeps around Sausage Lake and travels through a variety of habitats, introducing visitors to boreal forest ecosystems and ancient glacial landscapes.
Learning about the sun, moon, stars, planets, and beyond is a rewarding experience that makes your park visit all the richer.
Being able to identify the stars and constellations brings a familiarity with the mysteries of the cosmos. Knowledgeable observers may even use the stars to navigate, just as our ancestors have for thousands of years.
But where to get started?
Just look at this spring-blooming pink Prairie Smoke. Why not decorate your device with this June gem?
This cheery flower turns rare alvar habitat into a sea of fluffy pink! This month’s FREE digital download was snapped at Balsam Lake Provincial Park.
Today’s post comes from Erica Seely, a Discovery Guide at Sandbanks Provincial Park.
Landscapes change drastically with the seasons and spring is a great time to visit Sandbanks’ pannes — as long as you don’t mind getting your feet wet!
Many Ontario Parks have their “signature” wildlife: commonly-encountered and charismatic animals that most park visitors hope to catch a glimpse of during their stay.
Woodland Caribou Provincial Park is named for the iconic Woodland Caribou. Murphys Point Provincial Park is one of the best places to catch a glimpse of the elusive Gray Ratsnake. Rondeau Provincial Park is the place to see the rare Prothonotary Warbler.
But did you know Grundy Lake Provincial Park is the place to see a Blanding’s Turtle?
The eastern shore of Georgian Bay is a pink necklace of islands scattered on a turquoise sea. A freshwater sea, that is.
Georgian Bay is part of Lake Huron, and Huron is one of the Great Lakes, the largest expanse of freshwater in the world.
Eastern Georgian Bay is world class. In 2004, the area was designated as a world biosphere region by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Continue reading Georgian Bay Biosphere Region: biodiversity on the Bay
When you hear the name “orchid,” you may automatically think of some bizarre or fantastically coloured flower from some remote and steamy tropical jungle.
But not all orchids hail from tropic climes.
If you’ve taken a hike in the woods in many of our provincial parks you’ve probably seen some native orchids.
Continue reading Orchids of the north: the life of the Moccasin Flower
Racing around the campground with brand new friends. Building sandcastles on the beach. Roasting marshmallows over the campfire.
Some of our best childhood memories are made in parks.
Before you pack your little ones into the car for your next family vacation, here are five conversations to make sure your trip is as safe as it is fun!
Continue reading 5 conversations to have with your child before your next camping trip
Today’s post comes from Camille Koon, a Learning and Education Leader with Ontario Parks.
“The best teachers are those who show you where to look, but don’t tell you what to see.” – Alexandra K. Trenfor, educator
Every child who visits a park should see it as an exciting adventure waiting to unfold. With lakes, rivers, beaches, forests, fields, and more, the opportunities for discovery are endless.
By observing the diversity of plants and animals found in the outdoors, children discover the wonders of nature and develop a deeper appreciation for it.
Here are five ways we can empower all children to become explorers of the world around them.
This post was written by David Bree, Natural Heritage Education Leader at Presqu’ile Provincial Park.
While Presqu’ile is not the busiest park in Ontario, it can get quite hectic at times in the summer. However, I am pretty sure most people could not guess where the busiest place in the park is.
It is not the Friday line-up to register your campsite, or the beach on a sunny Sunday in July. It is not even the line-up for ice cream at the park store on a hot summer day.
It is a place most campers never go…
Continue reading Pecking away at Presqu’ile: High Bluff and Gull Island bird colonies
